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Sermon
Richard Patt
There are few other speeches of Jesus in the New Testament that catch us more off-guard than this one. Nobody would deny that these are some of the most intense words of Jesus that we find in the Bible. It would follow that any reader of these words, including those who believe in Jesus, would probably want some kind of explanation. Frankly, the Lord seems to be shouting at the top of his voice he...
Sermon
W. Robert McClelland
"Conflict" is a dirty word in most churches. As Christians, we seek to avoid it at all costs and do so in the name of Christian love. We call it, "seeking the peace, unity and purity" of the church. And then Jesus comes along and says, "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matthew 10:34)," or as Luke has it, "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!" The ...
3. The Two Fires
Luke 12:49-53
Sermon
Wallace H. Kirby
There is something mysterious and provocative about fire. We don’t need fireplaces when we have central heating, but we have fireplaces anyway. We pay the utility company extra to have them; and we take much time and effort to haul and cut wood for burning. Our fascination with fire can’t be put into words, but watching a fire is as close to meaningful prayer as some of us get. The discovery of fi...
Sermon
Ron Lavin
If ever we needed to strengthen the institution of family, it's today. Many forces of evil are pulling the family apart. Ethical relativism, which teaches that there are no absolutes, not even God, is increasingly popular. Immorality abounds. Listening and hearing one another seems to be a lost art in many homes. Spouses often seem to be going in opposite directions. Parents and children have a ha...
Sermon
Carveth Mitchell
We live in a splintered world. Each week Time magazine has a section on "The World" - revealing revolution, apartheid, violence and cruelty, along with occasional good news. There is also a section on "The Nation," frequently revealing these same things closer to home. There is evidence of splintered families all around us and among us. A cartoon strip showed a young woman talking to a minister. ...
Sermon
George Reed
How can we understand it when Jesus, the Prince of Peace, says, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!”? What do we make of Jesus proclaiming that households will be divided because of him; that parents and children will be at odds? While some of the wits around us have used the pun of Know Jesus — Know Peace; No Jesus — No Peace, it seems ...
Sermon
King Duncan
Have you ever noticed how many warning signs you pass by in the average day? Signs like “Do Not Enter,” “School Crossing,” “Caution: Wet Floor.” There’s a hilarious warning circulating on the Internet (author unknown). It goes like this: WARNING: Do Not Shampoo Your Hair In The Shower! It’s so good to finally get a health warning that is useful. It involves the shampoo when it runs down your body...
Sermon
We live in a splintered world. Each week Time magazine has a section on "The World" - revealing revolution, apartheid, violence and cruelty, along with occasional good news. There is also a section on "The Nation," frequently revealing these same things closer to home. There is evidence of splintered families all around us and among us. A cartoon strip showed a young woman talking to a minister. ...
9. Fire Wood
Luke 12:49-53
Sermon
John G. Lynn
Stretching south for hundreds of miles from Glacier National Park lies a majestic mixture of valleys, rushing streams, and gargantuan mountains called the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Backpackers have hiked there for decades looking for elk, grizzlies and golden eagles. Fortunately the grizzlies stay up in the high country, but a golden eagle may be spotted and the elusive wolverine may be tracked. T...
Sermon
George Bass
The Lord said: "I came to cast fire upon the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father ag...
Sermon
R. Robert Cueni
Jesus spends much of the twelfth chapter of Luke reassuring and encouraging his followers in the face of possible catastrophic circumstance. "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more" (v. 4). "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life" (v. 22). "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kin...
Sermon
David E. Leininger
This is not a favorite passage for preaching. "Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth?" (Luke 12:51). Well, now that you ask, Jesus, yes. I mean, we call you the Prince of Peace, and I remember the angels at your nativity and their anthem about "Peace on earth." What's going on? From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be...
Sermon
I have to admit, this is not the Jesus I'm comfortable with. All this talk about bringing fire to the earth and that he can't wait until it's set ablaze. What kind of talk is that? Then there is the part about how households will become divided because of him. For goodness' sake, that's exactly opposite from the kind of commu­nity we're trying to build here. Can you imagine if I announced an adul...
14. Are You a Lemming or a Lassie?
Luke 12:13-21, Luke 12:22-34, Luke 12:35-48, Luke 12:49-53, Luke 12:54-59
Sermon
Lori Wagner
Prop: red scarves or pieces of red material to pass out during the altar call Some stories just tug at our hearts and warm our toes. Stories about animals seem to do that a bit more than not. In a particular story written in 1859 by Elizabeth Gaskell, two brothers venture out together along with their loyal and beautiful collie dog. Soon, they are lost as a vicious snowstorm whips up around them....
15. More Than a Popularity Contest
Luke 12:49-53, Luke 12:54-59
Sermon
King Duncan
How do you measure popularity? These days most people measure popularity by social media followers and likes. But that’s not always an authentic measure. There are companies that will sell large blocks of fake followers to those who want to look more popular than they really are. And this isn’t a new thing. Back in 300 B.C., a performer named Philemon hired audience members to laugh loudly at his...
Sermon
Dave Zuchelli
“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49). This is a pretty startling statement from Jesus. This is something we’d expect old Beelzebub to spew forth as he foamed at the mouth. It’s not the kind of thing you’d expect Jesus to say. It is, undoubtedly, one of his least quoted utterances. Out of context, it sounds as though he’s about to bring hel...
17. Spirit Signs
Luke 12:49-56
Sermon
Lori Wagner
Explosive! This is the way Jesus described the time in which he was living. He was feeling distressed, anxious. He knows that his mission will cause great upheaval due to the issues of the times. And yet he knew he had no choice but to carry it out. The head-in-the-sand “amnesia” of Jesus’ contemporaries may seem odd to us now, but when one is in the midst of divisive upheaval, paradigmatic chang...
Sermon
Leonard Sweet
Christians must become members of the tribe of Issachar, a tribe which had an "understanding of the times to know what ... to do." Edward L. Shirley, of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at St. Edward's University, has collected over the years actual, bona fide newspaper headlines. - Something went wrong in jet crash, experts say - Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers - ...
19. Future Tense
Luke 12:54-59
Sermon
King Duncan
For nine seasons, "Seinfeld" was the toprated comedy on the air. It dominated the Thursday night television lineup. But the show almost didn't make it to the airwaves in the first place. The first few episodes didn't test well with audiences. Audience members had a number of discouraging things to say about it. The character of Jerry received a "lukewarm reaction," and was considered by the test a...
Showing 1 to 19 of 19 results