Bret Hammond: Recent Episodes
Bret Hammond
Bret Hammond is the preaching minister at Kansas Christian Church in Kansas, Illinois. This podcast is a collection of his sermons.
John and I meet for coffee every couple of weeks. We don't really plan it; it just happens.John's in his 80s, retired, and has amazing stories. He also puts up with a lot of my questions (I'm still not sure why).John is one of the kindest men I know. There's something about him that draws people in. While we sit and talk, other patrons and bookstore employees stop by our table to visit with him. He knows them by name, asks about their families, and always has a smile.As I worked on my sermon from Jonah this week, I found myself thinking about John.You see, John is from Nineveh.Well... Nineveh adjacent, anyway. John grew up in Iran.In a world that encourages us to sort people into categories—us and them, friend and enemy, insider and outsider—I've found it increasingly important to sit across the table from people whose stories are different from my own.It's hard to keep thinking of people as "those people" once someone from "those people" becomes your friend.My conversations with John have given me a perspective I never would have gained from reading headlines or scrolling social media. He's reminded me that history, politics, and conflict are real—but so are kindness, hospitality, faith, and friendship.Jonah struggled to see the people of Nineveh the way God saw them. I wonder, who might help us see our own "Ninevites" differently?
The announcement came over the PA system at school: "We're conducting eye exams in the office today." I didn't think much about it until I realized something. The other kids could read the chalkboard from their seats. I couldn't. I failed the eye exam, a note was sent home to my parents, and before long, I had my first pair of glasses. I still remember riding home with my dad, looking out the car window in amazement. I could see individual leaves on the trees. Street signs were crisp. Everything looked so much sharper. I hadn't realized what I was missing. In Luke 7, John the Baptist's disciples come to Jesus with one question: "Are you the one we've been waiting for?" Jesus' answer begins with an interesting observation: "Go back and tell John the blind receive their sight." Throughout the Gospels, one of the hallmarks of Jesus' presence is restored vision.In this message, we explore one of the Bible's most familiar stories—the raising of Lazarus. But instead of focusing on Lazarus, we'll ask a different question: “What does Jesus see?” Or, more importantly, “Who does Jesus see?”Because perhaps the greatest miracle isn't learning to see more clearly.It's learning to see people the way Jesus does.
Some mornings, coffee isn’t enough.A few years ago, after a late night and an early morning, I sat down at breakfast with friends and announced, “Listen . . . I’m barely functioning. If you have anything important to say, you’re probably going to need to repeat it three times.”Honestly, exhaustion was only part of the problem. The truth is, human beings are forgetful. We miss things. We drift. We stop paying attention. Which is why repetition matters.Back in the 1800s, a psychologist named Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered that repetition helps move things into long-term memory. Apparently, hearing something repeatedly helps it stick (though I have my doubts it would work for a name like "Hermann Ebbinghaus").Repetition helps us remember. God already knew that. In the New Testament, we find 100 passages that tell us what we should do for "one another." We should pray for one another, speak truth to one another, bear one another's burdens, and serve one another, just to name a few. If Ebbinghouse says three times is the charm, the Bible's 100 "one anothers" shows us that God doesn't want us to forget how to treat one another!And underneath all the “one another” passages is one central command holding everything together: love one another.Not sentimental love. Not easy love. Not “I’ll love you when it’s convenient” love. Romans 12 describes a love that is sincere, sacrificial, patient, generous, and deeply committed to other people.
The key was missing, and the door wouldn’t open.There weren’t many options for getting in. I suppose I could have tried to break down the door, but that would have been expensive (and probably painful). In the end, I chose to go outside and break a window instead.That turned into a $20 repair at the local hardware store, plus another $10 for a second key, this one hopefully hidden a little better from our son Connor. (He has still never told me what he did with the original.)I remember the frustration of not being able to get through that door . . . the door to my home office, of all places. The confusion of searching for a key I was sure I had hidden well, and the weakness of not being able to get it open myself. Sometimes life feels exactly like that: the way forward is right in front of us, but we just can’t seem to find a way through. Jesus’ promise in Revelation 3:8 speaks to that frustration. He says, “See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”Not a door you force open. Not a door you figure out. Not a door that depends on your strength. A door he has already opened.And when Jesus opens the door, you don’t need the key.Today is Palm Sunday, the day we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem as Savior and King. No gate, no wall, no resistance could keep him out then, and nothing can close the door he opens now.We’ll celebrate his triumphal entry and the open door he sets before us.
Some weeks, the loudest voice in your life isn’t God’s—it’s the one telling you what you’re not.It whispers before you’re fully awake. It follows you into the car, into the office, into the quiet moments. And most days, it doesn’t need anyone else’s help; we’re perfectly capable of discouraging ourselves.Relationship researchers John and Julie Gottman found that negative words hit us harder than positive ones, so much so that it takes about five positive interactions to counter just one negative moment. And while other people’s criticism can sting, the deeper wounds usually come from the things we mutter inwardly:You’re not enough.You’re not capable.You’re pretending . . . and someone will eventually find you out.Left unchecked, that inner voice only grows louder. It’s exhausting trying to outshout your own self-doubt.Thankfully, our Heavenly Father has already stepped into that fight on our behalf. In Psalm 136, He doesn’t reassure us five times but twenty-six times that His love never ends. Twenty-six reminders that you are seen, known, and cherished. Twenty-six reasons to trust that His steadfast love truly endures forever.As we approach Thanksgiving, let’s fill our hearts with the greatest reason to give thanks—the never-ending love of God.
In John 14:15–27, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit as our Advocate, Comforter, and Friend—the one who steadies our hearts and keeps us focused on him. Using imagery from The Wizard of Oz, Bret compares the Spirit’s quiet guidance to Toto’s loyal presence beside Dorothy: alert, faithful, and always sensing what’s true. When fear and distraction rise, the Spirit redirects us toward Jesus and fills our troubled hearts with peace—the kind the world can’t give or take away.
Are you having a good morning? Let’s see if we can fix that.Did you know crocodiles can gallop like horses? They’re crazy fast!Did you know there are approximately 40 supervolwcanoes worldwide, and they are way overdue to erupt? They could go off any minute now.Did you know your cellphone has ten times more bacteria on it than the average public toilet?In a world where worries are everywhere, Jesus’ question in Matthew 6:28 sounds a little simplistic: “Why do you worry?”Why wouldn’t I worry, Jesus?? Have you heard about the volcanoes???But here’s the thing: when Jesus talked about worry, he didn’t mention crocodiles, volcanoes, or germy phones. No — he mentioned food, drink, and clothing. Those daily needs we all have and, for the most part, have enough of.But what about those who don’t? I can’t do much about the crocodiles out there, but if I’m not worried about my daily needs, maybe I can do something about someone else’s worries.Today at South Side Christian Church, we’ll hear Jesus’ words about worry and his prescription for a worry-free community. I hope you can join us at either 9:00 or 10:30 am. We’d love to see you there.Oh, and you probably ought to wipe that phone off after you’re done reading this.
"Who was that masked man?"I must have heard that line a hundred times growing up, watching reruns of The Lone Ranger. At the end of every episode, the townspeople would stand around in awe as the stranger rode off into the sunset, wondering about the identity of their mysterious rescuer.But it doesn't take a mask to wonder about someone's identity—or your own.Far too often, we hide behind something—pain from the past, shame we've carried too long, names that were never really ours but somehow stuck.In Mark 5, Jesus meets a man who's lost his name to chaos. He knows himself only by his wounds. But Jesus doesn't leave him there—he speaks freedom and gives him an identity greater than he could have imagined.If you've ever wondered who you really are, Jesus offers an identity rooted not in your failures, but in his grace.
Hosea laments Israel's lusts for idols, but never loses sight of God's unfailing love and compassion. In Hosea 11, we hear God's constant call for his people to return to him.This sermon follows the Four Pages of the Sermon method developed by Paul Scott Wilson, a framework designed to move from trouble to grace both in the text and in our lives. It invites listeners to reflect deeply on the nature of divine love—one that refuses to abandon, even when abandonment seems justified.For more on the Four Pages approach and how it shapes sermons like this, visit: https://www.brethammond.com/2025/04/four-pages/.
Jerry Seinfeld once noted that most people's number one fear is public speaking, and number two is death. This means that the average funeral attendee would feel more comfortable being the person in the casket than the person delivering the eulogy. Moses would have preferred the casket. In Exodus 4:10, he cries to God, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." There's something familiar to me in Moses' words. I've heard many people tell God what they can't do, but I've also witnessed what happens when they overcome that fear and serve anyway. I've listened to amazing messages from people who told me they couldn't speak, heard heartfelt prayers from those who told me they couldn't pray out loud, and seen God's grace poured out on those who said "yes" to him.Before we list our limitations to God, let's pause and listen to what he can do through us—all of us. Just as God addressed Moses' concerns before he left the burning bush, he speaks to each of us. If we listen carefully, we can hear his call for us and his promises as well.
I lost an hour of sleep last night, but that doesn't begin to compare to the hours of sleep I lost as a teenager contemplating the text I'll be preaching today! Growing up, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 was read as a warning. One day, a trumpet would sound, and in the twinkling of an eye, Christians all over the world would disappear. Those left behind would be plunged into a time of tribulation and difficulty like never before. That thought terrified me!Of course, it terrified me before I became a Christian. I didn't want to be left behind with the rest of the losers! I distinctly remember driving back to town after an early morning hunting trip with my dad and seeing no cars on the road. "It's happened, and I've missed it!" I thought. "It's going to be every man for himself, and I didn't even get a single squirrel this morning! I am SOOO dead!"But it terrified me after I became a Christian, also. The thought of leaving friends and family behind filled me with anxiety about how they would fend for themselves and what they might have to endure. And, of course, as a teenage boy, I was plagued with the fear of what I would miss out on if Jesus came back today! There was so much of life ahead of me—cars, college, and . . . well . . . other stuff. Sociologists told me there was something I was thinking about at least once every six minutes. "Dear Jesus, I want to go to heaven, but please, not until after I've done THAT!"If only I had read the next verse. After all that bizarre stuff in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, verse 18 concludes with, "Therefore encourage one another with these words." Not "terrify one another," not "scare teenage boys out of misbehaving," but "encourage one another!" I would have slept much better if I had only read that last verse!In this message, needing one more hour of sleep, I do my best to bring encouragement as we unpack the hope Paul loads into these few verses.
"Have you heard about Jim? The tests were negative." You reply with, "That's good news!" "Did you hear about Carrie? She had the baby! It's a boy, and both are doing great!" And again, you reply, "That's good news!" You know good news when you hear it!It would be entirely accurate to say that the Bible is a book of good news. That's what the angel brought, right? Doesn't it seem like we just read Luke 2:10 a few weeks ago? "I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people." Good news causes joy. Good news brings relief. Good news is worth telling! And so, when Paul was worried about his friends in Thessalonica—did their faith survive after he was torn away from them so abruptly? Timothy returned with a report about them, and the only way to express his response was with words usually reserved for his Savior. "Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love" (1 Thessalonians 3:6). It's a biblical oddity; one of only two times "good news" is used in the New Testament for anything other than salvation. But its usage makes me wonder, what's the good news about you and me? What about us is worthy of language reserved for our King?I suspect the good news about the Thessalonians could likely be the good news about you and about those who share their faith love with you.
When Trish and I went out for dinner the other night, I held the door open for an older couple walking into the restaurant. That same night, an older man opened a door for me because I was carrying precious cargo—a pizza to take home to the kids! We have dedicated greeters at South Side who hold the door open for everyone. An open door is an invitation and so much more. It lets people know they're welcome, not just into the building but the community. Opening the door for someone tells them that they belong. Psalm 24 calls for doors to be opened for an honored guest. Verse 7 calls out, "Be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!" We hold the door for guests, friends, and those weighed down with years and pizzas. And we open the door for God as well, that the King of glory might enter our lives and join us in our joys and sorrows, celebrations and struggles. In this sermon, we wrap up our look at Psalm 24 by opening the door for the King to come in.
Few books of the Bible go off the rails as quickly or completely as the book of Job. Before the end of chapter one, there's a cosmic bet and a family left devastated. From there, things get worse! Before chapter two ends, three of Job's friends show up. They'll spend the following twenty-two chapters expressing their ignorance of God and assumptions about their friend. But before they insert a single foot into their collective mouths, they do the smartest thing they could have ever done. Job 2:13 says of those three friends, "They sat with Job on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great."Having spent time sitting with the suffering, mourning with those shaken by loss, and keeping company with those numb from the news of diagnoses, one of the most important lessons I've learned is the one in which Job's friends should have persisted: You don't need to say anything; you only need to be there.That's what our friends who are hurting need more than any words of wisdom we can spout or silver lining we can find in their pain. They simply need someone to show up. There is great peace in realizing that, without saying a word, we can bring the presence of God into their need by just showing up.In this message we go to Psalm 122, accompany King David to worship, and find encouragement from Drew Dyck's new book, "Just Show Up."
Click here for the entire sermon series "What Child Is This?" https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/what-child-is-this-christmas?si=dfc8a9abb2374a899fc42017210d5ec6&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Of all the names listed in Jesus’ genealogy, there is one that isn’t named. Matthew only identifies her by her failure. He says, “she who had been the wife of Uriah,” but we know he means Bathsheba.There’s a message for everyone who has ever been identified by their failure; everyone who has ever been uninvited to a Christmas dinner; everyone who has longed for a second chance and a new identity. The entire series, "Awkward Family Christmas" can be found at this link:https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/awkward-family-christmas
Luke doesn't begin his Christmas story with Mary, Joseph, and the manger in Bethlehem. He begins a whole year earlier in the temple in Jerusalem and an elderly couple caught between a dying hope and a living prayer. Click here for the whole sermon series: https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/unpacking-christmas.https://brethammond.com
In this sermon podcast, we revisit a Christmas message I presented at the end of 2020. With so much turmoil in our world and our lives, all we wanted was for God to show up.https://brethammond.com
The command in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Let’s be honest and admit that’s not always easy. Some circumstances are so difficult we may never find our way to thanksgiving. This is not a reason to beat ourselves up or condemn ourselves for our rebellion against a biblical mandate. Instead, it’s an opportunity to open our eyes and see that thanksgiving isn’t something that just happens in ourselves; thanksgiving happens in community with others.https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/thanksgiving-at-the-end-of-the-world/
I think about all the lessons I’ve heard from the book of Jonah over my life. There have been lessons about obedience, faithfulness, and love for neighbors and enemies. But I don’t think I ever heard a lesson about thanksgiving.That is, until now.It’s right there in the heart of the story and in the belly of the great fish! Jonah cries out to God, “I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (Jonah 2:9).And if Jonah can give thanks in his very dark place, maybe we can give thanks even when the darkness seems to consume us. Thanksgiving from the Pit - Jonah 2:2https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/thanksgiving-from-the-pit/
Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday. It’s the mindset God calls us to have. In fact, he commands it! In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we’re called to “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” God commands us to give thanks!But how do we do that? How do we obey a command that goes beyond the circumstances we might find ourselves in? I believe God’s call to give thanks calls us to look beyond ourselves and into his purpose for our lives. In viewing it that way, thanksgiving is less about the moment (or the holiday) and more about the way we prepare ourselves for whatever circumstances might come at us.https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/a-tank-full-of-thankful/
I have a beautiful needlepoint of the Fruit of the Spirit that was given to me as a gift. It hangs on the wall in my office as a reminder of the wonderful lady who gave it to me and the character I aspire to as a Christian. The front is flawless, but—even though I’ve never seen the back—I know it is a mass of tangled threads and looks nothing at all like the carefully crafted handiwork on the front. There is something of that reality in my final message on the Stranger Things from the Bible. We easily recognize the beauty of the Christmas season. The lights, colors, music, and temperatures make the approach and celebration of the holiday apparent to us. But a dragon seeking to devour a newborn? This is a tangled, messy image from an upside-down reality that is foreign to us and sounds more fitting for Game of Thrones than A Charlie Brown Christmas.https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/the-lady-and-the-dragon/
Being a Jewish Itinerant Exorcist was big money. It was something akin to “Uber for Demons,” or maybe “Demon Dash” instead of “Door Dash.” You see, if you had a demon problem, you would either have to head to the temple in Jerusalem, which was a long trip and a huge hassle; or you could take the problem to the local synagogue, which could be embarrassing. What could be done about a pesky demonic infestation? There’s got to be an easier way!And so, there were semi-professional exorcists who could be called on to take care of the problem. They knew a few prayers and incantations and would do their best to remove your demon (or the next one’s free). Such were the seven sons of a high priest named Sceva. And as the story in Acts 19 shows, they weren’t very good at their job. Read more about this message in my blog post here:https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/the-seven-sons-of-sceva/
My third message from the Stranger Things from the Bible is the bizarre story of the transformation and humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar looks upon the greatness of his nation and basks in his own glory. Maybe it’s the influence of The Wolf Man, but I always imagine this story happening on a moonlit night. Soon, he transforms into a cursed beast and flees from his home. Read the blog post that accompanies this sermon by clicking here:https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/stranger-things-from-the-bible-nebuchadnezzars-humiliation/
The second story in our journey through the Stranger Things from the Bible takes us to 2 Kings and the wicked city of Bethel. It’s here that newly appointed prophet, Elisha, is verbally assaulted by youths and responds with a curse. God hears his “prayer” and promptly responds by sending two bears out of the woods to maul them.Disturbing story? You bet! Stranger thing from the Bible? Of course! But it’s a lot of fun to preach!This is one of those texts a lot of preachers don't touch. Aside from being a strange story, it's one that needs a lot of care, explanation and research. For a deeper dive on this text, check out my blog article here:https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/stranger-things-from-the-bible-elisha-and-the-bears/
Our Bibles are not the clean, happy books we think they are. They’re full of scary stuff. Yes, there’s faith, hope, and love in those pages; but look hard enough and you’ll find witches, ghosts, dragons and things that go bump in the night. The Bible is full of strange things . . . and even stranger things.In 2016, I spent October, a month we normally look for ghosts and goblins, digging into some often ignored passages. I titled the series Stranger Things from the Bible after the Netflix series that drew us into the Upside Down. There’s much in the Bible that might also seem upside down.The Stranger Things series, set in the fictional small-town of Hawkins, Indiana. Hawkins doesn’t feel all that far removed from our own small-town in Illinois. I felt the similarities and the callbacks to the heydays of the 1980s would go over well with our crowd. I also hoped that the strangeness of the stories would disarm my hearers and allow the punch of the message to surprise them.And it helps that I love these weird Bible stories!These stories might make us uncomfortable, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), right? The Bible’s stranger things deserve our attention. We can gain much from these stories.https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/stranger-things-from-the-bible-saul-and-the-witch-of-en-dor/
I'm sure my count is off, but by my records, I've now preached something north of 1,500 sermons. The vast majority of those were written for the Kansas Christian Church, a church that challenged and encouraged a young man to preach again and again. I was in junior high when the youth minister recruited three of us to help him preach a sermon one Sunday morning. I read my portion as fast as possible, knowing that the sooner I got done, the better for me and everyone else.Then, as a freshman in Bible College, I was asked to come home to preach for a Youth Sunday. The night before, I tossed and turned and preached the sermon repeatedly in my head. That Sunday morning, the sermon took all of seven minutes, and I swore I'd never preach again! Before we get to the messy goodbyes today, I can't help but commend Kansas Christian Church. Serving my home church for over two decades has been an honor, but our bond goes back further than that. We would be hard-pressed to name every soul who put us on this course together. We could point to lessons learned in VBS fifty years ago, relationships built through youth groups, and families who brought an extra plate so the kid who came to church alone would have a place to sit during potlucks. We would point to those who thanked a nervous young preacher at the door thirty-eight years ago and assured him he did a fine job and they'd listen to him again. And, from eternity's perspective, we would see the prayers of faithful saints who believed God could do more with a young man's life than he ever thought possible. And I know God continues to answer those kind of prayers. In this, my final sermon at Kansas Christian Church, we'll pray a prayer we've been praying together for at least twenty-one years. I'm eager to share a message and a prayer with you.
A man once told me I was taking communion wrong. "It has to be one loaf," he said. "If it isn't, you're sinning." I countered by asking him, "What if it's a really big church? How do you make one loaf that serves a thousand in worship?" He explained to me that was why there shouldn't be any big churches. "A church should never be bigger than one loaf can serve," he said confidently. I realized that's nowhere in the Bible! I also wondered if he had ever seen that episode of I Love Lucy where she bakes her own bread (if you know, you know).In my years of faith, I've had communion with one loaf and multiple loaves. I've had unleavened bread, homemade bread, crackers, and croutons. I've had grape juice, wine, blackberry juice, and, one difficult Sunday, a glass of water. I've placed cracker crumbs on the tongues of the dying and given them a single drop of juice off the tip of my finger, reminding them of Jesus' presence and the nearness of his promise for them. "His body and His blood. Christ be with you."I've come to believe there is only one essential element to the Lord's Supper, and it's not found in what's served on the table but who is encountered at the table. Oh, and sometimes there isn't even a table! This message has been brewing in me for over thirteen years. In this passage, we meet Jesus at the table, and I'll tell you about another table where "a woman of the city" encountered Jesus. I'll also tell you about the long night when I learned a new communion song.
How far away is heaven? There are days when it feels very close, aren't there?
I've often returned to the words of the preacher Arthur John Gossip. He was about my age when his wife suddenly and tragically died. The following Sunday, he was in the pulpit, preaching a sermon he titled, "But When Life Tumbles In, What Then?" Given the freshness of his grief, he spoke words I've only begun to feel with my limited pain and perspective:
When we are young, heaven is a vague and nebulous, and shadowy place. But as our friends gather there, more and more, it gains body and vividness and homeliness. And when our dearest have passed yonder, how real and evident it grows, and near it is, how often we steal yonder.
I confess I didn't preach much about heaven when I was younger; it didn't seem important. But, over the years, as more and more friends have taken up residence in that "happy land, far, far, away," it's become a vital topic, and heaven has felt much closer. Wouldn't it be something if we could "steal yonder" and see what those who have gone on before us see? We would be amazed at how near heaven truly is.
Today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll do our best to "steal yonder" with John as he tours the throne room of God in Revelation 4. We will see both the strange and familiar on the other side of the sea.
I awoke yesterday morning to the news that Jimmy Buffett had died. I've long enjoyed his music, but more than that, I've always been struck by his ability to build community. There is no particular type of Jimmy Buffett fan ("Parrotheads," as they like to be known). Instead, you find people from every stripe of life: doctors, lawyers, truck drivers, motorcycle riders, preachers, and young and old alike!
I certainly can't justify all of Buffett's songs, but I maintain that there is something sacred about community. I can't help but consider the crowd at a Buffett concert and hear something akin to Acts 2, "Are these not Parthians and Medes and Elamites" . . . "and hippies and professionals and grandparents and grandchildren? We hear them all singing 'Cheeseburger in Paradise!'"
Early in Jesus' ministry, we find him already building community. Mark 2:2 tells us that, as he preached in a home in Capernaum, "many gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door." I've seen concert crowds packed in like that! Rather than be dissuaded by such a crowd, four desperate men chose to get creative to find a way to get their friend to Jesus.
Getting people to Jesus still takes some creativity on our part. In this message, we'll hear the story of these friends and how Jesus had a greater blessing in store for them than they could imagine. He still has unimaginable blessings for us!
My ears perked up yesterday as I heard the unfamiliar phrase "Post-Traumatic Growth." "That's not right," I thought. "They mean 'Post-Traumatic STRESS,' right?" Our painful and traumatic experiences leave us overwhelmed and weakened, living with the stresses we'll carry for the rest of our lives. That's all I've ever heard about, anyway.But no—there is the possibility for greater blessings ahead! While we often focus on the pain and stress from trauma, the growth potential is even more significant than the potential for stress. Trauma specialist and counselor Kobe Campbell has found that on the other side of healing from trauma, one can find a life of personal strength, closer relationships, a greater appreciation for life, new possibilities, and spiritual development.Psalm 13 is a testimony to the possibility of post-traumatic growth. It begins as a lament, crying out to God over the disappointment and unfairness of life. But it ends in a place of love, salvation, and grace. In the middle, David decided to trust God, the same choice we can make.
You've probably heard the old joke before. "How do you know when a politician is lying?" The answer is, "His lips are moving."
Psalm 12 seems to be written to point fingers at political figures. Verse 3 speaks of "flattering lips" and "tongues that make great boasts." In verse 4, they stand defiant to God's judgment, saying, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?" Lips are definitely moving here!
But, a closer look at verse 2 reveals the psalm is not addressing your least favorite politician. That verse declares, "EVERYONE utters lies to his neighbor." The key word is "everyone." Psalm 12 is our own indictment; our character has been compromised, and our neighbors—the ones we're commanded to love as we love ourselves—suffer. Is there any hope for them? For us?
Paradise is burning. The news and images of the wildfires on Maui have been heartbreaking. This morning's news brought the death toll up to 93. A place renowned for its peace and beauty is experiencing loss and fear that I cannot begin to comprehend. Let's all pray for Maui.
It was startling to read how, as the fires overtook the community of Lahaina, around one hundred people sought refuge in the ocean to escape the fires and smoke, requiring their rescue by the Coast Guard. Refuge is often found in the most desperate places.
In Psalm 11:1, David declares, "In the Lord I take refuge." He found peace and safety in the presence of God while his world was burning. But even from his place of refuge, voices were taunting him to abandon the safety he found in God. Those same voices still taunt us to abandon our faith and return to the chaos of the fire and flood around us.
In Psalm 11, we'll find our refuge in the strength of God's presence, just as David did. In this message, Brenda Buell will share a story about a friend who found refuge in the Lord during a moment of fear. After worship, stick around for food, fellowship, and a visit with Brenda.
My son Connor loves music, and he's got some great taste in the songs he plays on his iPad. The only problem is he stops songs before they're over. "Click!" They're done when he's done! Sometimes he moves on to the next one; other times, he starts the song over again, never letting it finish.
This drives Daddy nuts (no worries, it's a short trip). I need a song to resolve, come to its conclusion, and wrap up as the artist intended. DJ Connor has no such need, though. He could listen to the scales on a piano, "Doe, Ray, Me, Fa, So, La, Tea ..." and be perfectly happy leaving it hanging.
"DOE, Connor! It has to end with DOE!!!!"
Connor would love Psalm 9. It's notorious for not having an ending. It just stops! Even worse, the questions that inspired David to write this song just hang there. "Why is there no justice in the world?" "Why does evil seem to thrive?" "Where is God while his people are hurting?" David asks his questions, but no answer comes back in return. Well, at least not in Psalm 9, anyway.
In this message, we'll go to Psalm 9 and hear the questions we've all asked of God. We'll let David lead us to the one who doesn't always offer answers but always offers himself.
The image on the thumbnail of this message is the result of focusing a telescope for over twelve hours on an area of space no bigger than a grain of sand held at arm’s length. This “deep field image” revealed that even the blackness of space is filled with creation. Those stars aren’t stars—they’re galaxies! The warps and swirls are caused by intense gravitational forces so strong they are actually bending light. The whole image is a peek into the distant past. The light you’re seeing is an astonishing 4.6 BILLION years old!
That image is from the James Webb Space Telescope, which allows us to peer deeper into those heavens than ever before. I find myself humbled and overwhelmed with the thought that, though these beautiful images have been present in the skies since long before recorded history, you and I are privileged to be the first generation to see them. I can’t help but find my soul drawn to Psalm 8:1, “Oh LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”
And, because I’m from Kansas, Illinois, when I see the James Webb Space Telescope images, I can’t help but think of our dear friend of the same name—better known to us as Jim Webb. While the mirrors of the space telescope reflect the lights of the sky, Jim had a beautiful way of reflecting the light of Jesus. In his humility and compassionate spirit, Jim demonstrated the love of God for everyone he encountered. I think about his character, and I cannot help but find my soul drawn to Psalm 8:3-4, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”
I share King David’s awe as I realize we don’t find the culmination of God’s creation in the wonders of the heavens but in the wonder of humanity that bears his image. I need a James Webb Space Telescope to show me the expanse of God’s creation. I need a Jim Webb to show me the expanse of His love.
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me." We learned that one on the playground, and we learned it isn't true. Even the Bible declares it false! Proverbs 12:18 warns, "Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword." Ephesians 4:31 instructs, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." Words hurt.
We've all been on the receiving end of careless words that have cut us, and for too many of us, the words weren't careless; they were carefully calculated to wound us deeply.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can break my heart.
David wrote Psalm 7 in response to wounding words. In verse 2, he laments that these words have torn his soul apart, "rending it in pieces, with none to deliver." Rather than stew about them or wonder how he could say something back equally as cutting, David turns it over to God and pours out his hurt in the Psalm. I don't think we can hear Psalm 7 without hearing something of the wounds we've received, perhaps even the wounds we've inflicted on each other. But we also hear the promise of the righteous God who knows our wounds as deeply as we do.
Did you celebrate the great American holiday last week? I'm speaking of Prime Day, of course. I managed to snag a few deals through Amazon; a gift for my daughter's birthday, some shirts for Connor, and a replacement for a recently broken kitchen gadget (that I promise I won't break again). The deals were too good to pass up. Then I went to my order page to see how soon they would ship and found myself asking, "How Long?!?!"
Apologies to Erik, our awesome UPS guy, but what's the holdup, buddy?!?! 😉
My impatience can get the best of me at times. It's alright when I'm waiting on a delivery. It's much worse when I'm waiting on deliverance—that is, God's rescue from difficult circumstances or heartbreak. In those moments, the question, "How long?" takes on a much different tone.
How long until I'm healed?
How long until I come out of this funk of depression?
How long will it take for life to feel normal again?
Maybe you've found yourself asking that kind of "How long?" question. That's where David finds himself in Psalm 6. In verse 3, he cries out with his question. "My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long?"
I wish I could tell you Psalm 6 provides an answer to the question, but it doesn't. What we do find in the Psalm is company; you're not the only one who has asked that question while scraping and trying to hold on. You're not alone. That realization itself can be the start of the answer we cry out for.
I've heard there are two kinds of people in the world. Some wake up and say, "Good morning, Lord!" And then some wake up and say, "Good Lord, it's morning!"
I know which kind I am. Which kind are you?
It might surprise you that King David appears to have occasionally been with us in the latter option. Psalm 5, a morning prayer penned by David, begins with the words, "Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groanings." If you begin your day with groanings, you're in good company with at least one man after God's own heart!
But David knew he had a choice. He could give in to his groaning and fill his day with bitterness or align his heart with the Lord and find blessings. Of course, we're faced with the same choices this morning and every morning.
In this message, we join David in his morning prayer and find the source of blessings that he found.
Did you say your prayers before bed last night? In "A Light in the Attic," Shel Silverstein offers his own skewed view on bedtime prayers, offering one that is honest, hilarious, and a little demented (as only Silverstein can do):
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my toys will break. So none of the other kids can use 'em….Amen.
I'm amused at the candid selfishness in Silverstein's prayer. It feels a little too familiar. "If I can't have fun, no one should have fun!" In Psalm 4, David offers a more redemptive approach to bedtime prayers, calling us to ponder our anger, place our trust in God, and find the peace for sleep that only God can supply.
Psalm 4 offers solace and strength as the evening sun dips below the horizon. "Now I lay me down to sleep" becomes "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (verse 8). God neither breaks our toys nor our hearts. He meets our anxiety with his presence.
I attended a small concert Thursday evening to hear my favorite band, Dawes. Just about everyone there was a longtime fan, like myself. We all knew their songs well and anticipated that they would play our favorites.
Three songs into their set, a very familiar guitar riff started. The entire audience was instantly on their feet. I, for one, let out a "WOOOOO!" (I confess, I'm one of those people who yells "WOOOOO!" at concerts). When the band hit the chorus, every last one of us sang along, fists pumping in the air.
It was our fight song.
This was a diverse crowd—young and old (I'm pleased to say I was NOT the oldest person at this concert), different races, identities, challenges, and sensitivities (one man was practically in tears when I told him how much Connor loves the band). To an outsider, we appeared to be a random collection of strangers. Still, when our song played, we were one, shouting out the chorus together.
That's what the Psalms do for us; they unite us in songs that speak to our joys, sorrows, hurts, and hopes. Sometimes they even give us a fight song.
Today we turn to Psalm 3, the first psalm with a complaint (but not the last). David's foes have him running, and their number seems to be growing. Where can he turn for the deliverance he needs from his enemies?
David needs a fight song. Thankfully he finds one and shares it with us!
We had an early Father's Day family outing to the zoo yesterday. Grandpa had a great time watching the animals with Ruby. It was a good thing we had Gracie along; she read the plaques to us, giving us essential information about the various animals.
For instance, she told us we shouldn't smile at the spider monkeys because they take bared teeth as a sign of aggression. "Who cares?" I thought. There was a fence between us and the monkeys, so how aggressive could they get? I grinned big and noticed one of the monkeys swinging along the fence until he got in front of me and bared, not his teeth, but another part of his anatomy at me.
Gracie should have read the part about how excellent a spider monkey's aim is.
Thankfully I stopped smiling in time, and the monkey lost interest in me shortly after I lost interest in it. Aggression is often unpredictable. I've seen aggressive drivers, sports fans, and political fanatics. Thankfully none of them have mistaken my smile as an excuse to unload on me. Not like that monkey, anyway!
Psalm 2 asks the question, "Why do the nations rage?" Why, indeed? What is to be gained by the anger and abuse often hurled at others with whom we disagree? Nothing for the kingdom of God, that's for sure! And the Psalm makes it clear that it's the nations that rage. The people of God are invited to join their Heavenly Father for a very different response.
And as for me, I'll keep smiling! I'll just stand a bit further back.
I've joked that the only reason I keep going to school is to maintain my Spotify student discount. Spotify is a service that contains a massive collection of music. It's introduced me to new songs I've fallen in love with and allows me to build playlists of my old favorites. So whatever mood I find myself in, there's a Spotify playlist that speaks to it.
This summer, we're going to the Psalms, that carefully curated playlist of songs in our Bibles. Spotify's got nothing on the Psalms! Whatever you're feeling or need to feel, there's a Psalm that speaks to your heart.
Today, we'll begin with Psalm 1, with blessings for the one who "delights in the law of the Lord." As we hear these ancient songs resonate through our hearts, we may find that we're not just reading the Psalms; the Psalms are reading us.
I was an hour away from home, looking for some relaxation on a beautiful summer day. My destination was a rails-to-trails project where I could walk, think, and pray. As I approached the parking lot for the trail, my old vehicle balked! It didn't want to turn! With great effort and a lot of trouble, I steered into the lot and assessed the problem. My power steering was out. An hour from home. Jack LaLanne would have approved of the workout I got on the drive back home. Every curve was a challenge. I felt right and left turns burning in my forearms, and just keeping the old clunker pointed in the right direction kept me sweating. No power steering meant I was left to my strength to get home. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you," Jesus promises in Acts 1:8. Power to steer the church against the tide of the world and power to meet life's challenges with holiness and peace. Ten days later, that power was given on the day of Pentecost.And yet, you and I confess that too often, we live like we have no power steering, struggling to make our way in this world through our own strength. What blessings would we know if we took our hands off the wheel and trusted God's guiding power?
Tim Keller passed away Friday, three years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Keller was a significant voice in the Christian faith, often confrontational, always kind, and always pointing people to Jesus. I followed him on Twitter, where, among the short rants offered by way too many, Keller presented grace, reason, and Christ. A week ago, Tim Keller posted, "If the most powerful person, the power behind the universe loves you with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and you can see that on the cross, why are you afraid?" All this while his body daily reminded him that time was short.Tim Keller had what the apostle Peter called "a living hope." That's been the driving force as we've looked at 1 Peter in these weeks after Easter. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." So, I echo Keller, "why are you afraid?"in this message, we wrap up our trip through 1 Peter with a fantastic promise for our lives today and eternity as well.
"Trouble won't kill ya."In his song, "La Vie," Billy Sprague tells the story of his grandmother Myrtle and the trials she had lived through, outlasting two husbands, all of her sisters, brothers, and cousins. Myrtle was left to wonder why she was still alive.I can't help but think of Mom today and all she lived through. She came from a family of nine children, but she buried most of those siblings before her death. She endured a miscarriage, the death of a son by suicide, her husband's descent into dementia, and the challenges of her own weakening body. Still, I think she and Myrtle would have agreed. As Billy Sprague put it, "She smiles and she'll tell ya, 'Trouble won't kill ya,' 'cause if it did, she would have died."The chorus of the song plays between French and English. "Oh, la vie est dure, that much is sure. Mais Dieu est bon si bon." As Dad would say, "Pardon my French" (sometimes I doubt that he actually knew French); the lyrics translate, "Life is hard, but God is good, so good." The chorus concludes, "Through the fire and the rain, I call him by name. And when the night is long, I remember mais Dieu est bon (my God is good)."Grandma Myrtle and my mom each had a simple faith. They didn't have answers to the tough questions, but they endured the fires that burned through their lives. So today at Kansas Christian Church, we turn to 1 Peter 4:12, "Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you." Maybe we'll hear something of Myrtle and Marge echoing back, "Trouble won't kill ya." And encouraging us on with, "God is good, so good."
Dad taught me always to carry a spare tire and jack in the car's trunk. That served me well until I found someone with a flat one day, and my tire iron didn't match their lug nuts. That's when I started carrying a four-way. Then I found someone with an easily fixed tire puncture, and that's when I started carrying a patch kit. Then I started carrying a tire pump. And then . . .Be Prepared. That's not just a lesson for Boy Scouts; it serves us all well to be ready for whatever the world throws in our direction. I hear something of that in Peter's call to be prepared to give a reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15). Too often, it's easy to tell people what frightens us and causes us to lose sleep. Are we prepared to share our hope over our fears, though?
There are movies we've watched so often that certain lines have burned themselves into our memory and found their way into everyday conversation. So, for a number of you reading this, all I have to write is, "Tis but a scratch!" and, well . . . if you know, you know! As a kid, watching the Black Knight suffer injury after injury, losing limb after limb, all the while maintaining that he's "had worse," was hilarious. As an adult, though, I've seen too many times when friends in horrible circumstances have minimized their pain, downplayed their suffering, and feigned, "Tis but a scratch," while their hearts were breaking. What is it in us that causes us to trivialize our travails? Why do we struggle to admit when we're hurting? It only prevents us from allowing others to bless and help us through our pains. Peter reminds us that pain is universal—we all experience it. He also calls us to see that there are lessons in our pain, lessons that draw us closer to God and closer to each other.In 1 Peter 2:19-25, we hear Peter's pain prescription and find the grace to endure together.Oh, and "Alright . . . we'll call it a draw."
In 1927, following the sudden death of his wife, Arthur John Gossip preached his sermon, "But When Life Tumbles In, What Then?" This sermon continues to impact us as we search for a faith that will take us through the troubles of life.The full text of this manuscript can be found at https://www.brethammond.com/2023/04/but-when-life-tumbles-in-what-then/
Of all the words of faith and devotion in the Bible, I find myself reflecting on three spoken by Daniel's friends before the fiery furnace. "But if not."When faced with the choice of either bowing down and worshiping idols of gold or submitting their lives to the fire, these men spoke with conviction about the power of God and faith in his ability to save them. In Daniel 3:17, they declare, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning firey furnace." In the next verse, though, they follow up their confidence with the words, "but if not." But if he doesn't save us, but if we burn in the furnace, but if our lives are taken from us, "we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."I hear something I need in that statement. I need a "but if not" kind of faith. I know God can heal, but if not, I will still worship him. I'm confident in God's ability to answer my prayers, but if not, I am still his. Today, a week out from Easter, we need to hear the call to a "but if not" kind of faith. We'll go to 1 Peter and find a faith that lives despite the reality of our griefs, troubles, and lack of sight. We need this kind of faith.
Mom had a cute little nickname for all of us when we were growing up, including Dad (maybe especially Dad). She liked to call us “hard-headed Hammonds.” Apparently, the ability to stick to your convictions despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary was not a quality Mom valued as much as the rest of us. But, of course, she was likely the one who had to clean up the messes that resulted from our hard-headedness, so she had her reasons.Maybe my reputation as a hard-headed Hammond is what impresses me so much about Thomas in the Easter story. Jesus is resurrected, but Thomas isn’t there to see him. Then, for a solid week, he hears Mary tell him about seeing Jesus in the garden. How many times did Peter and John tell him about the empty tomb (with John mentioning how he won the foot race)? Finally, Cleopas and his friend run back from Emmaus and tell him about encountering Jesus on the road. But still, hard-headed Thomas stands by his convictions for eight days. “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). That’s some Shorty Hammond-level hard-headedness right there!But despite doubts and hard-headedness, Jesus shows up alive and shows himself to Thomas. I take comfort in knowing that the truth of the resurrection is greater than my doubts. And in Jesus’ correction to “doubting Thomas,” I hear a blessing for you and me; for all of us hard-headed ones.In this message, we hear from Thomas himself. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Confession time: In my first year of preaching, I had no clue what Palm Sunday was. I didn't grow up in the church, and while I knew about Easter (even beyond the bunny and eggs), I had no idea there even was a Palm Sunday. I had never shouted "Hosanna!" and had never even seen a palm tree, let alone waved a branch! It's worse than that, though. I remember doing the research, reading the Gospels backward, counting from the Sunday Jesus was resurrected, backtracking his path through Jerusalem day by day, and uncovering that one week earlier, he entered Jerusalem. I was pretty sure I was the only one who had made this discovery. I probably even started working on a paper to document my findings. It's still available for peer review if anyone's interested.Somehow, though, Palm Sunday has gone from complete obscurity to one of the most significant memorials in my year. Palm Sunday stops me in my path and puts me on Jesus' path, walking with him through the week to the upper room, the cross, and the empty tomb. Indeed, the Lord's Supper on Thursday night will draw me into Christ's presence, and the darkness of Good Friday will place me at the foot of His cross, but Palm Sunday starts me on that journey. Today's "Hosannas" prepare me for next Sunday's "He Lives!"
Famously timid and fearful of death, Woody Allen was once asked, "Do you want to be immortalized by your work?" He replied, "No, I want to be immortalized by not dying." Asked again, "What do you hope people will say about you in 100 years?" His reply was, "He looks good for his age."What would we expect people to remember of us 100 years from now? I suppose if the Internet is still up and running, a collection of my sermon files could be floating around somewhere. With God's blessings, there might be some great-grandchildren, but I doubt they'll know my name any better than I know those of my great-grandparents. Then again, maybe people will be saying, "He looks good for his age . . . or he would if it weren't for the beard."We've spent the last two months with Micah of Moresheth, a small-town minor prophet who should have been forgotten long ago. Yet, 100 years after his death, his words brought comfort and hope to a major prophet marked for death. Jeremiah's life and message were impacted by reading Micah. His legacy of faithfulness preserved Jeremiah in difficult days. One wonders how the legacy of our faithfulness might bless those who come after us.Today, we will hear Micah from Jeremiah's perspective and see something of our own legacy of faithfulness.
The population of the planet is over 8 billion people. Set aside issues of overpopulation and food supply for a moment and simply consider the question, how unique can you actually be when compared to 8 billion others? Even if you're a one-in-a-million kind of guy, there are 8000 other people exactly like you!We come to the end of Micah's book, and he asks the question he seems to have been asking all along. "Who is a God like you?" (Micah 7:18). Not one-in-a-million or even one-in-eight-billion, but the wholly unique, wholly loving, wholly holy Creator of all! There are no comparisons; accept no substitutes! This is the ONE!Today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll hear Micah's question and the answers he finds only in God. They're the answers that still point us to the one-and-only.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel like I lost at least an hour of sleep last night, maybe more! I just tried to make coffee without water in the coffee maker. I was taking my pills and cautiously tried to remember which ones were chewable and which ones weren't. I'm going to need clear and straightforward instructions this morning, and then I'm going to need a nap!Thankfully, we're in Micah 6:8 today. It doesn't get more clear and more straightforward than that verse! Micah answers the question for us, "What is good, and what does the Lord require of you?" Cut through all the confusion, Micah! We've all had a rough night! Please give it to us in simple language we can understand! And then Micah delivers. In this one straightforward verse, we find more than a picture of what it means to be faithful; we find the image of Jesus, the one who has faithfully loved us. Today, of all days, we need simple and straightforward. We need Micah 6:8.And then we need a nap.
I know he can't defend himself, but I have to tell you, my son, Connor, is one of THOSE people. What people, you might ask? Connor is one of THOSE people who play Christmas music all year long!Yeah, I don't know where he gets it, either.It can be the middle of a blazing hot July, sweat dripping, the air conditioner doing its best to keep up with the humidity, and Connor will be blasting "Jingle Bells" from his iPad! While the rest of us are gorging on Halloween candy, he's listening to "Silent Night." And while we're hunting Easter eggs, Connor is decking the halls!As for me, I'm strictly seasonal when it comes to Christmas, but today I have to break that rule. As we make our way into chapter five of Micah, we find ourselves in that little town of Bethlehem, hearing a promise customarily reserved for December 25th. But maybe, hearing this passage on the verge of spring will bring us a perspective for all seasons and a hope that holds us long after the Christmas tree has been taken down.And who knows, Connor may make it through the whole sermon today! That'd be a Christmas miracle for sure!
Our friend told us a story from early in his ministry when a little girl asked him, "What does God look like?" How would you answer a question like that? What was she hoping to hear? "He's an old man in a white robe sitting on a cloud?" "He looks a lot like your grandpa, only not as chubby?" So my friend wisely took her to the Bible and showed her the attributes of God listed there. He's merciful and gracious in Exodus 34:6. He's our rock and fortress in Psalm 18:3. And, of course, in 1 John 4:8, he is love. Whatever our needs, there's an attribute of God that tells us of his care for us. Micah's people needed to know what God looked like for them. Their desires had led them astray; sin held them captive, and their leaders had failed them. So, Micah presents them with three attributes that show them who they could trust God to be. Of course, as we look at these attributes, we cannot help but see Jesus in them. So today, we'll see what God looked like for Micah's audience and who he continues to be for us.
I had my regular check-up, and the doctor is happy with my blood pressure and cholesterol. He says I'm looking healthy, but there's just one problem. I'm not sad enough.He's ordered sackcloth and ashes for me. Oh, and a viewing of "Old Yeller."Ok, so it's absolutely ridiculous that a doctor would prescribe sadness, yet that's precisely what Micah prescribes for his people. His diagnosis is that they have abandoned God, and his remedy is "lament and wail" (Micah 1:8) and to shave their heads as a sign of mourning (verse 16). Micah's people need to learn how to be sad.But we don't want to be sad! Instead, we want to declare with Nehemiah, "The joy of the Lord is our strength!" But Micah asks us, "Do your hearts break for the things that break God's heart?" So until they do, Doctor Micah calls us to lament everything we aren't. In this message, we'll hear what breaks God's heart and Micah's call to a holy sadness.
He's just some no-name preacher from a small town you've never heard of. I'm speaking, of course, of Micah of Moresheth. Wait . . . who did you think I was talking about?!?!Tucked in the back of your Old Testament is the little book of Micah. He's not a big name like his contemporary, Isaiah. He doesn't stand out like his neighbor in the Bible, Jonah. Micah's not flashy; he's faithful. He calls us back to the heart of God and shows him to be infinitely compassionate and filled with lovingkindness. I feel a particular affinity for Micah, and I'm eager to share him with you. Today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll hear Micah's call to walk with God and know his heart. We'll see that, despite living in a world where corruption infected the highest authorities, Micah found a way to point his people to hope—a hope we still share.
One of the things I love about enjoying a variety of foods is connecting with the cultures behind the flavors. Korea's short growing season and cold climate made pickled and preserved vegetables a necessity (and delicious). Latin influences and an abundance of chili peppers gave us the tastes of the southwest. And bacon cheeseburgers are just one of the reasons America is awesome! If you're willing to be a little adventurous, you can tour the world with your tastebuds!Food connects us like nothing else; it has the power to cross cultural boundaries. Friendships are made through the sharing of meals. We take casseroles to those who are hurting and bring cake to those who are celebrating! A meal shared both nourishes us and allows us to be vulnerable with each other. Is it any wonder that the most significant expression of the presence of Jesus in our lives takes place in a shared meal around a table?This month, we've heard the call from John's Gospel to "come and see Jesus." Again and again, those words invited us to come close and know Jesus for ourselves. So today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll go to the Psalms and hear, not come and see, but "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). It's an invitation to come near to God and experience his goodness firsthand.
I can't tell you how often I've sat in a movie theater watching the previews for coming attractions and thought to myself, "What's the point of seeing the movie now? The trailer told me everything that's going to happen!" The bad news is that the trailer ruined the end of the story; the good news is I saved myself ten bucks by not needing to see the movie!But sometimes, the end of the story is not the story. We see that in the cross, and Jesus' empty tomb as the story continues in the life of the church. We also see it in the story of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. Is the story really about Lazarus living again, or is there more than just the end of the story?There's more happening than just Jesus raising Lazarus to life. Through the story, we see him raising the faith of his disciples, Lazarus' sisters, and the whole community. And the story doesn't end there because he still raises our faith through what he did for Lazarus.
There are some people we know by name and others we know by shame. We know their stories and mistakes and how they've disappointed themselves, their families, and their communities. But everything we know about someone is in the past. So how do we look ahead and see the possibilities known only to God?In John 4, Jesus encounters a woman at a well. Everyone in her community knows her story and shame. As far as they're concerned, they know exactly what she is. But the one who knows her heart sees potential she hasn't even seen in herself. And through one encounter with Jesus, everything changes; her life, home, and community. I think about her encounter with Jesus, and I think about those we know who convinced themselves long ago that they were too broken to be of any use to anyone—especially Jesus. How might we convince them of the potential Jesus has in store for them? How do we see that same potential in ourselves, for that matter?Today at Kansas Christian Church, we invite you to "come and see" what Jesus does through this woman at the well and see what he longs to do in the lives of people we may have written off long ago.
I never thought I’d be one of those old guys, but it turns out I am! I was standing in line at Walmart, waiting to check out. I turned to the complete stranger behind me, showed him the picture on my phone, and said, “This is my granddaughter!” It all happened so fast that I didn’t even realize what I was doing!And no, it wasn’t an isolated incident. It happens almost daily now. It’s really not my fault; she’s just so darn cute!Love does that, though. We want to include others in our joy and invite them to see its worth for themselves. So grandpas show off pictures, newly engaged couples show off rings, and families show off new homes. We invite people to “come and see” what we value and love.We hear the invitation in the Gospel of John. Philip wants his friend Nathanael to meet Jesus because he believes him to be the one they’ve all been waiting for. His invitation in John 1:46 is simply those words, “Come and see.” It’s an invitation we can still extend to our friends when we want them to encounter Jesus.Today at Kansas Christian Church, we invite you to “come and see” what Jesus is doing in and through us. Come and see the relationships that strengthen and support us. Come and see the possibilities that Jesus has for you.
I call it my "Blurb," and I post it on Facebook every Sunday morning. In fact, you're reading this week's blurb right now! I try to keep it short and encouraging and use it as a preview for the sermon I'll preach later in the morning. My goal is always that the blurb will stand on its own, but if I've done it right, it might whet your appetite for what I'll be serving up in the sermon.I was in a preaching class last summer when our professor posited that while we're all interested in learning to preach better, our listeners could benefit from an occasional message on how to hear a sermon—listen for our main points, follow the structure, recognize the power of illustration, and anticipate our conclusions. I thought it was a great idea and took it as a challenge, so today, on the first day of 2023, I'll be presenting the "How to Listen to a Sermon" sermon.I believe in preaching and take my calling seriously. I'm also aware that (to misappropriate an old quote) "Sermons are like sausages, no one should have to see how they're made!" It's a messy business, but today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll take a peek at how the sausage is made and see where we will be going with our messages in the coming months.
It's Christmas morning, and not a creature is stirring except for me (and one cat). My mornings usually start early anyway, but this morning I found myself lying awake in bed, contemplating getting up, contemplating Christmas on a Sunday, thinking about the old, old story and the new sermon I'll deliver today. I finally decided it was time to get up a little over an hour ago. The cat was already waiting for me. One of the struggles preachers feel this time of year is the question, "how do we tell the same story again this year and make it feel fresh and new?" Does it require a laser light show or drummers suspended on wires (I've seen videos of both this year)? Or, as the Grinch wondered all those years ago, "What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?"The truth is, it means quite a bit more! That moment in time we call the incarnation—the Christmas story—originates in eternity itself. Long before "unto us a child is born," there was, as John puts it, "the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). In Christmas, that eternal Word stepped from eternity into time and, as Paul follows up, "emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (Philippians 2:7).The story we tell again this year is not just about the birth of a baby but that God emptied himself of himself, submitted to life among us, and death for us. It's not just the old, old story, it's the eternal story, and every time I hear it, I hear something new.
It's such a small detail and seems so insignificant. All babies were wrapped in swaddling cloths in those days! Why does Luke feel the need to mention it twice? Because there's mystery in the ordinary for Luke and there's God wrapped in strips of linen at the beginning of his Gospel, and then again . . .
A dog chewed up my first image of Jesus. I should probably explain that better, right? When I was a child, we had a Christmas tree ornament that was a tiny nativity scene. I was allowed to hang it on the tree, and, being tiny myself, I hung it on a very low branch. Unfortunately, the following day we awoke to find that our normally well-behaved dog, Trixie, had destroyed the nativity. It was chewed into pieces and all over the floor. The following year, we found a similar replacement, and I learned to keep Jesus up higher, out of the reach of our dog's jaws. Is Jesus fragile? Does he need our protection? Does he need our help? It's certainly possible to get that impression from the Christmas story, with him lying in a manger, surrounded by animals and pursued by old King Herod. But beyond Christmas, there are times when we forget just how powerful Jesus is and how he can completely change our lives and eternities. That vulnerable infant in the Christmas story is the conquering presence of the eternal God. In this message, we will go to the first sentence in the letter to the Hebrews. It takes four verses to get through that one sentence! It's packed with powerful images of who that child is, and I can tell you for sure that my poor little dog Trixie would have been no match for the real thing!
DNA kits have become a popular Christmas present in the last few years, enabling people to discover connections they never realized they had. In some cases, these have led to awkward conversations about family secrets thought long buried. In other cases, it has led to amazing reunions. For example, I’ve been following the case of Melissa Highsmith, who was kidnapped 51 years ago and raised by her abductors in cruelty and abuse. Melissa’s family found her after registering with 23andMe and finding those connections. Her father says of his reunion with Melissa, “it’s unspeakable joy.”We long for connection to each other and God. In his love for us, Jesus made that connection through his coming to us. Paul writes in Colossians 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” Firstborn! The older brother you never knew you had! More than that, though, he’s the one who connects us all and makes us family.In this message, we look at the Incarnation—God with us, in the flesh. In that miraculous declaration, we find a gift that fills us with unspeakable joy. It fills us with belonging!
There’s some debate on whether or not we should call them “Wise Men.” Matthew uses the word “magi,” from which we get “magician.” Scholar Richard Vinson wonders if their presence is an allusion to the incompetent advisors in the Daniel story or even Pharaoh’s court in the time of Moses. While guided by a star, they’re still misguided, needing to stop in Jerusalem to get directions (no self-respecting wise man would ask for directions!). Vinson points out, “They have seen a new star, indicating to them the birth of a new king, but they know nothing else, which is less than the readers know.”Maybe they weren’t the royal Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar of tradition. Perhaps we should think of them more like Moe, Larry, and Curly (Oh, wise guys, eh?)I believe one of the reasons they’re in the Christmas story is to remind us that following stars will only get us so far. Our knowledge, wisdom, and intuition will only take us so far. Likewise, superstition and sentiment might bring comfort, but they provide no real answers. Finding God’s truth requires a path that he’s illuminated for us. Thankfully his path shines bright. John’s Gospel doesn’t begin with magi, shepherds, or angels. Rather he declares, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).It may be that you’ve found yourself in darkness this week. Maybe it’s been the darkness of grief, fear, or worry. But, while that darkness can feel all-consuming in the moment, John assures us that it cannot overcome the light of Christ that God has brought into your world.
My first pastor passed away yesterday. Dave Butts was, among other things (like a friend and former boss), my pastor for many years. I realize that much of my ministry has been shaped by how I saw Dave, Rich Carmicheal, and others live out their callings.As I look at my sermon text for today, I'm reminded of a quality I always appreciated in Dave—his trust in God's timing. Our church used to have attendance folders in every pew, and every Sunday morning, we'd fill out our names, whether or not we were guests or members, and check a box if we desired to be baptized. Every week, I checked "YES" next to "I desire to be baptized."After a few weeks, Dave came to me and asked when I wanted to be baptized. My reply was, "Someday, not right now, but someday." I then asked if I had filled out the form wrong, and he assured me I hadn't. I remember asking, "You're not going to be pushy about this?" He smiled and said, "I'm not the pushy kind." Instead, he would wait until God had prepared the perfect time for me to come to him.Paul writes in Galatians 4:4 -5, "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." God sent his Son in his perfect timing. Shouldn't we trust that he continues to do that as he brings Christ into the hearts of the people we love? Our pushing can never draw a heart to Jesus as well as the pull of His Spirit.Today begins Advent; it is a season of anticipation. But we don't anticipate Jesus' arrival in Bethlehem as much as we anticipate his coming to each of us who cry out for his love and forgiveness. So we needn't be pushy but trust that God still works in his perfect timing.It took about three years, but when the fullness of time had come, one cold Friday night in January 1984, I walked into Dave's house and let him know I was ready. He baptized me, and we celebrated with pizza. Dave lived a life of service to the Kingdom of God, and my faith tells me that yesterday, he was welcomed into eternity with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."But I kinda suspect someone muttered under their breath, "Coulda held that one under just a little bit longer, though."
This past Friday, I gathered with friends to say goodbye to a wonderful lady named Joyce Hemingway. Joyce's generous spirit was repeatedly mentioned at her funeral—not just generous in how she gave but in how she welcomed. Every holiday, there were always a few extra at Joyce and John's table. They had a practice of welcoming international students from Denmark, Japan, and the Middle East into their home to celebrate Thanksgiving. It always struck me that these students had no national connection to our Thanksgiving holiday. But gratitude is an international language. Joyce's cooking was too!
I think gratitude welcomes others. When we invite others to give thanks with us, our reasons to be thankful can show them their own reasons to give thanks. You hear this in the opening verse of Psalm 118. Verse 1 calls out, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good." Those who hear respond, "For his steadfast love endures forever!"
Your gratitude has the power to change someone's attitude! Someone needs to hear your gratitude! Make sure you open your heart to them and tell them what God has done for you!
I stopped into my favorite hideaway yesterday for a cup of coffee and a little time to myself. Within a few minutes, the sound system started playing “Winter Wonderland.” Next up was “Run, Run Rudolph,.” A few minutes later, Freddy Mercury belted out, “Let it be Christmas every day.” I sighed while I drank my chestnut praline latte and wondered why we allow Christmas to run roughshod over Thanksgiving.
Of course, it’s a common complaint of curmudgeons my age. In our rush to get to Christmas, we forget about Thanksgiving. And while the Bible tells us of shepherds, angels, wise men, and others celebrating the birth of Jesus, it out-and-out commands us to give thanks! It even goes one better and gives us a Thanksgiving playlist in the Psalms!
In this sermon, we begin a three-week celebration of the songs of Thanksgiving. We’ll start off in Psalm 100 with a call to make a joyful noise to the Lord. If we do it loud enough, we might even drown out Mariah Carey!
NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, I'm unable to provide Ben Rector's, "The Thanksgiving Song." It can be found at this link: https://youtu.be/QwaxNPY5nIY
This week will mark the twenty-third year since my brother’s death as a victim of suicide. Twenty-three years is a lot of time for perspective. I know mine has changed over the years, and I sometimes wonder how Brad’s perspective would have changed if he had given it time. Would the burdens that felt unmanageable at forty-nine years old have been just distant memories at seventy-two? I would like to believe they would have.
An old Swedish proverb says, “a joy shared is a doubled joy. A burdened shared is half a burden.” Studies have shown that two proven methods for reducing the risk of suicide are an increased sense of belonging and a decreased burden. In other words, a joy shared and a burden halved. Or, as the apostle Paul would say, “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
We began in October with “love one another” (which is the law of Christ), and today we arrive at “bear one another’s burdens” with the realization that there are stresses none of us were ever meant to carry alone. The burdens we bear together might give someone the time to develop a perspective that can change their lives. That would genuinely multiply our joy!
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the church is the body of Christ, comparing the church's individual members with the members of the human body. I've always heard this as a metaphor for how we serve together. Hands and feet of Jesus, working and moving us together. Eyes and ears, seeing the needs around us, and hearing the cries of our neighbors so we can reach out to them better. However, my perspective on this metaphor has changed in recent years, and I have a sneaking suspicion that change has something to do with getting older.
I often opt for stairs instead of elevators and find my hand on the handrail, helping out my knees after a few flights. I've learned the pain in my right shoulder when I reach high probably isn't go away, so my left arm is ready to make those reaches. And then there are those times when I get on the floor to play with my granddaughter. I'm careful to lower myself down in such a way that I'm confident I can get back up again!
For me, the metaphor has become less about how we work together and more about how we care for one another, and I think that's a big part of Paul's intention here. After all, in 1 Corinthians 12:24-25, Paul writes, "God has so composed the body . . . that the members may have the same care for one another." We can work with our individual talents and gifts, but without a care for one another, we're still not serving as the body of Christ.
Mary Johnson’s story is moving and inspiring. In 1993, her 20-year-old son was shot and killed by 16-year-old Oshea Israel. Rather than being consumed by bitterness, Mary began visiting Oshea in prison, eventually telling him that she forgave him. When he was released, Mary welcomed Oshea into her home. In an interview with the two, Mary said, “I treat you as I would treat my own son.” Can we even imagine that kind of grace?
Honestly, probably not. As a preacher, I wonder how helpful these stories are for those of us struggling to let go of an offense. There are those who have not murdered our family, but through their gossip, they’ve murdered our reputations; through their bullying, they’ve wounded our children; by their social slights, they’ve hurt our feelings and done so again and again. Stories like Mary and Oshea’s are inspiring, but they can leave us feeling like failures in the pains we carry every day.
So, while I’m thankful for a fantastic mother and son relationship like Mary and Oshea’s, when I preach about “forgiving one another” today, I want you to see what grace can look like in your story—in OUR story. This is about “one another,” after all.
"No one ever said that to me before."
My neighbor had stopped by for a talk. The day before, he told me of his wife's health and how he was caring for her. I told him I would be praying for them both.
"No one ever said that to me before." It was as much a shock to my system to hear him say those words as my pledge to pray had been to his. All my life, I had known people were praying for me (even before I was a Christian). To me, it was the most natural response imaginable. To Jim, it was a level of grace he couldn't grasp. Someone would care enough to pray for him!
I wonder if we fully comprehend how saturated our lives are with prayer. Do we recognize what a blessing it is to know someone out there is praying for us . . . possibly even right now?
Among the 100 "one anothers" we find in the New Testament is James 5:16 and the call to "Pray for one another."
It had been a late night and an early morning. Sitting at the breakfast table with my friends, bleary-eyed, and wading through another cup of coffee, I confessed, "Look, I'm barely here. If you have anything important to say, you're going to need to repeat it, like, three times."
My exhaustion was a convenient excuse, but we would all have to confess that we don't always pay attention. But I was right; repetition is the key to remembering. Way back in 1885, Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered that repeating a name three times locks it into our long-term memory (though I have my doubts it would work on a name like "Hermann Ebbinghaus").
Repetition helps us remember. I think God already knew that. In the New Testament, we find 100 passages that tell us what we should do for "one another." We should pray for one another, speak truth to one another, bear one another's burdens, and serve one another, just to name a few. If Ebbinghouse says three times is the charm, the Bible's 100 "one anothers" shows us that God doesn't want us to forget how to love one another!
Everyone has their own heroes from the Bible. When we're young, the boys choose David and dream of fighting off giants. Maybe the girls choose Esther and know that part of their beauty is the conviction to stand for what's right. Daniel inspires our faithfulness; Mary reminds us that God uses unexpected people for his purposes. Whomever you've chosen as your biblical hero, you have found something in them that you want in your character and story.
As for me, my hero is the demoniac Jesus encountered in the Gerasenes. You remember the story, right? Rampaging possessed naked guy, chained up in the cemetery. Jesus sends his demons into a herd of pigs that drown in the sea. Don't miss the ending of the story, though. When the man begs Jesus to let him become a follower, Jesus says, "No." Instead, Jesus tells him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you" (Mark 5:19).
The biblical character I find myself related to most is a man Jesus told to go home. In this sermon, given at my home church, I unpack this story and share about a few of my demons and—most importantly—the mercy I've known from Jesus.
Tucked in the middle of the movie, The Passion of the Christ is a scene that I find my mind going back to again and again. Jesus has been beaten bloody and carries his cross through the streets of Jerusalem. The weight of the wood, the exhaustion of the beating, and the blood in his eyes from the crown of thorns suddenly become too much for him. He collapses to the ground, the cross pinning him there.
His mother watches on, and like any mother who sees her child fall, she runs to comfort him, saying, “I’m here.” Jesus turns to her, cups her cheek, and says, “See, mother, I make all things new.”
It’s a line you won’t find in any of the Gospels or their passion narratives. Instead, it comes from the throne of heaven in Revelation 21:5. “Behold, I am making all things new.” I love that promise there at the culmination of all things, but I’m moved by how the Passion of the Christ reminds me of the price of the promise.
The chaos of this world is conquered by the cross.
Humanity’s final union with the Father is delivered by the one who was rejected.
The promise of the end of mourning and pain was accomplished through the man of sorrows.
The transformation of the sufferings of Jesus into the glory to be revealed in us is beyond my comprehension today. Still, it is the hope we share and extend to the hurting around us.
I’ve appeared in court on three different occasions. I was called to be a witness all three times, compelled to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And, on all three occasions, I did precisely that. The first two times, I was there to testify to the character of the defendants, or a lack thereof. I did not enjoy either of those appearances.
But the last time I was called to testify was on behalf of my son, Connor. When Connor turned 18, he became an adult in the eyes of the state. I was in court to testify that, given his challenges, Connor needs our help and support and will always have our love. On December 10, 2020, with a bang of a gavel, a judge awarded us guardianship of our son. We celebrated with sushi.
In Isaiah 43:1, the prophet testifies, “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah then launches into a courtroom drama and calls his people to testify to God’s faithfulness to them. Standing before his witnesses, the Lord testifies to our need for a savior, a deliverer, and his love.
Lyn Marshall was one of those people I would never have known if it weren't for the church. The first few times we talked, we seemed so different from each other. But, then, on a long car ride to visit her sick mother, we bonded over a mutual love of The Moody Blues. And when she told me about how she met Vincent Furnier (maybe better known to you as "Alice Cooper"), I was sold! This was one cool lady!
Lyn's passing yesterday reminded me of the truth I'll try to convey in my sermon today. "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19). We have a myriad of differences that can pull us apart and keep us apart; everything from our politics to our musical preferences (some people DON'T like the Moody Blues, if you can believe that). Yet, in Christ, we become family. No longer strangers but members of the family of God.
Some churches have a long-held tradition of placing salt on the tongues of newly baptized believers and giving them a lit candle to remind them they are "the salt of the earth and the light of the world." I love the symbolism and the message it sends. It's not, "Go out there and try to be the salt of the earth," or "You better make sure you keep your light shining!" Instead, with commitment fresh and hair still wet from baptism, it lets the new believer know precisely who they are in this world because of Jesus.
Salt and light are two identities given to us by Jesus himself. If Christians are to understand who we are together, we need to grasp the impact these two images have on the world around us.
One of my first roles in the church was as a shepherd. I don't mean that in a pastoral sense, but rather in a Christmas pageant sense. In Junior High, for our church's live nativity, I was one of the three guys chosen to play shepherds. I had the headgear (one of mom's tea towels wrapped around my head), a staff (a stick with a bent clothes hanger duct taped to one end), and an old bathrobe. The only thing I didn't have—that none of us shepherds had—was sheep.
We looked the part, but without sheep, we were just three guys standing to the side of the manger, waving at passing cars. We were as useless as the fake frankincense among the three Magi's gifts.
A shepherd simply isn't a shepherd without sheep. So, when Jesus describes himself in John 10:11 by saying, "I am the good shepherd," what he tells us is as much about his followers as it is himself. "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
Jesus as the Good Shepherd defines who we are together as much as it describes Jesus. Dad's old bathrobe and mom's tea towel do not make a shepherd. A shepherd needs sheep, and sheep need each other to be the flock.
The most frequently used designation for Christians in the Bible is the word "Brother." It appears over 250 times in the book of Acts and the Epistles. So while you and I call ourselves Christians and speak of ourselves in groups as churches, the Bible shows us, again and again, that we cannot understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus without the concept of family.
We often worry about the state of the family these days. We see the struggle of broken homes and absentee parents and the aftermath in children left with no role models. Unfortunately, the problem only gets worse as it perpetuates into new generations. And yet, here we are, called "The Family of God." That's a gift our world desperately needs.
When I started attending church, families invited me to sit with them, adopted me for church activities, handed me an extra plate at potlucks, and made me feel . . . well . . . like family. Those gifts made lasting impressions, and they all stem from understanding that above all else, we are the family of God.
Dad said I was named for one of his favorite westerns. Mom said she picked my name because it worked well with my brother's. I like dad's story better, but whether the name had meaning or they just liked the sound of it, I'm stuck with it.
There are far worse names to be stuck with. For example, in the Bible, the prophet Hosea has a son named "Lo-Ammi," Hebrew for "Not my people." Can you imagine being stuck with a name like that? Whenever Hosea introduced his son, he said, "He's not mine." People want to belong, be included, and be told they matter. But unfortunately, we have to confess that we often draw lines that exclude more than wrap arms around to include others. It's not just the names we call others but our actions and attitudes that tell them, "you don't belong here."
God's heart does not exclude. God speaks in the next verse, "In the place where it was said of them 'You are not my people,' it shall be said to them, 'Children of the living God.'" God adopts the rejected, includes the forgotten, and welcomes home those who have no place to belong. The question is, do we share his heart?
The anniversary came and went with barely a notice last week. This past Friday marked eleven years since the fire that destroyed our old building. I looked through the pictures and thought about how far we've come and how many things have changed.
The last couple of pictures from that day were of the destruction of the few walls still standing. Those walls had once brought us closer to God and each other. They made us feel safe and secure in our worship, but now they were hazards and had to be torn down. There is something familiar to me in Paul's words from Ephesians 2:14. He writes of Jesus, "For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." Paul had a very real and solid wall in mind, a wall in the Jerusalem Temple that let some people in while keeping others out. It allowed some to approach God for worship and told others they were not welcome. That wall had become a hazard and had to be torn down.
Tearing down a physical wall is easy with the right equipment. Yet, somehow, walls of division and hostility still pop up in our hearts and heads, separating us from those who need us and need the peace Jesus offers. What does peace with God look like? It looks a lot like peace with each other.
Nothing was ever quite good enough for the old man. So he often “improved” items by adding a few new parts. There was the wire running from the TV across the living room, and dangling a speaker next to his chair, so he didn’t have to walk across the room to turn it up (if only he could have invented a remote back then). Extra handles on his old boat made it easier to transport. And, of course, some of you would remember his old van. Chalk it up to creativity or “hillbilly ingenuity,” but there were few things dad couldn’t improve upon. Though, they might not have looked better when he was finished (I’m thinking specifically of the van).
When it comes to our Heavenly Father, though, his plan for us isn’t just to cobble on a few spare parts—glue a little holiness on here or weld on some forgiveness over there. No, instead, God calls us his “New Creation!” Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “The old has passed away, the new has come!” You are not someone God merely repaired or refashioned. You are recreated brand-new! And not just you, but everyone who accepts his Son’s gift.
Robin Hood was my favorite. As a kid, it was just bows and arrows, good guys and bad guys; I didn't understand the setting or conflict that gave birth to the story. Good King Richard is off fighting, and miserable Prince John is in charge. Robin and his band of Merry Men remained loyal to the king, even though he was absent. They held to the true king's standards and fought to maintain his kingdom.
Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come," but I wonder if we shouldn't hear it more as a rallying cry than a prayer. "Your kingdom come," tells us all is not right in this world and calls us to loyalty to Jesus and to live in such a way as to bring His reign, along with his love, to all those we encounter.
Life for the fatherless was difficult in the ancient world. Children were often left with no recourse but to beg, and it could be far worse for widows. Again and again, in the Bible, we read commands like the one found in Zechariah 7:10, "do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart." God's heart is with the fatherless and the poor.
Jesus came with that same heart but called his followers to go beyond merely not devising evil against the oppressed. Instead, he called us to identify with them, to make a home and a family for them. When Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor," he called us to be that blessing by identifying with the poor and being a family for the fatherless.
The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel connects the United States to Canada by traveling nearly a mile under the Detroit River. When we popped out of the tunnel on the Canadian side, my friends, Mark and Kimm, turned to me in the backseat and said (in unison), “Bret, when the guards stop us at the gate, keep your mouth shut.”
I’m still not exactly sure what they thought I was going to say. But it was imperative that I not joke around or try to have fun with the guards. I was a visitor to their land and needed to respect that. My friends knew me well enough to warn me that my mouth might get us in trouble . . . again.
The apostle Peter reminds us that we are strangers in this world; sojourners just traveling through. Our language and character should both inform those around us that we don’t belong here and cause them to wonder where we might be from. “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable,” Peter writes. In a world that seems drunk on conflict and drama, the Christian is to stand apart, not join in. Sometimes that means keeping your mouth shut when you find yourself. Other times it means making sure the words you DO use broadcast the love of Jesus to those around you.
My Tuesday evenings are a little more lonely these days. Like many of you, for the last six years, I spent Tuesday evenings with the Pearson family enjoying the series "This Is Us." I marveled at how the writers pulled stories together, wondered about the cause of Jack's death, was firmly Team Toby (right up until I wasn't), and watched Rebecca slowly slip away.
(I guess I should have warned you about spoilers, but it's been six years, so that's kind of on you)
One of the elements that I loved in the series was how the title defined the family. While they might have their squabbles and outright showdowns, in the end, it was about the dynamic they shared. No matter what, they were family. This Is Us.
I see the lines of division being drawn up in our world today. I hear politicians telling us who's in and out. And I see preachers putting up walls where Jesus opened doors. We need a reminder that we dare not divide who we are. Yes, we have our differences, but at the end of the day, "This Is Us." Together, united, one in Christ.
It's hard to find one word that describes my feelings this past week. "Stunned," maybe. "Shocked," definitely. "Grieving," again. There's been too much to grieve and too little time to mourn it properly. We're all hurting for the families of Robb Elementary School and the community of Uvalde.
When I chose to preach from Micah today, I had no idea how it would resonate with the week we've been through. The words of Micah 4:3 likely sound familiar to you. "They shall beat their swords into plowshares." Instruments of destruction are forged into resources to serve the needs of others. But it's his promise in verse 4 that I've felt most pronounced this week. "No one shall make them afraid." It's not just an end of hostility but an end of fear.
I want that promise. I want it for school kids, teachers—for everyone! But, while we wait for its fulfillment in Jesus, I seek its presence in myself. I cannot claim to follow the Prince of Peace without seeking peace. On earth, as it is in heaven.
Our friend Kendal challenged several of us to a scavenger hunt. My brother-in-law and I were confident we could win! As soon as we had the instructions in hand, we took off in his truck to search the countryside for the prize.
After getting stuck in a ditch and relying on the kindness of a farmer to pull us out, we were curious as to why none of our competitors had come along after us. Were we that far ahead, or were we in last place? So we headed back to the starting point and discovered the instructions were leading us back there the whole time. The others had noticed that from the beginning and decided to wait it out and see how long it took us to return.
I've felt a little like I did that night as we wrap up the Beatitudes today. We've been viewing these blessings as "A Map to Jesus." However, we've seen ourselves in these blessings as we've made our way through. We've mourned, responded in meekness, and hungered for God's righteous rule in our world. We've found that this map to Jesus has led us right back where we started—to each other!
Today as we wrap up the Beatitudes, Jesus makes this final blessing very personal. He leads us back to ourselves to discover if we have found the strength within ourselves to stand for him. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." Can we find Jesus even in this blessing? Can we find each other?
I begin every morning by asking Siri to tell me the news, and every news report begins with the war in Ukraine. I hear of attacks on "humanitarian corridors," peace talks that never produce fruit, the bombing of civilians, and sanctions that seem to move too slowly. I wish I could tell you that I follow every news report with a time of prayer on my knees, but I confess that many times I shake my head and wonder when it will all be over.
And then I come to Jesus' words, "Blessed are the peacemakers." As I hear Jesus, I realize if I'm looking for peacemakers in embassies and bunkers, I'm looking in the wrong places. So instead, I look to the families caring for enemy soldiers, giving them water and food, and letting them use their cellphones to call home. Peacemaking doesn't happen between nations, but one-on-one, friend-to-friend, as we display the image of God for those who would be our enemies and seek His image in the same.
None of this is easy, of course, and there are mornings when the news leaves me feeling less than charitable. But, nothing Jesus says should make us think it's an easy blessing. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." We have only to stop and consider what happened to the actual Son of God to realize this blessing will cost us. But when we consider what we have gained from his sacrifice, we know the cost is worth it.
The words "mother" and "mercy" seem to go together naturally. I see the connection as I watch my daughter hold my granddaughter; I see it as I watch Trish get Connor ready for school in the mornings. For many, mothers are their first experience of the blessing of mercy.
But, in a parable where Jesus explained what mercy looks like, he didn't choose a mother as the merciful one but a complete stranger. Jesus reminds us that we don't only show mercy to family members or those we have a relationship with. Instead, mercy is a gift given to the one in need of it.
There was a commercial on TV when I was a child. I don't remember what they were selling, but it was a scene of an old well pump on a farm and a voice reciting Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."
Whenever the commercial came on, I would think, "I don't know what righteousness is, but it must be hard work. You're hungry and thirsty after you're done doing it!"
I was right, just not for the reasons my young mind thought; righteousness is exhausting! Seeking God's "right rule" for ourselves and those around us can wear us out. It is seeking freedom for the oppressed, lifting up those who have been mowed down by the world, offering comfort to the hurting, and showing mercy to the desperate.
All of this while seeking a "right relationship with God" for ourselves. Such a pursuit would wear us out if it weren't for Jesus' promise, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Thirst quenched, hunger sated; that is the promise of this blessing.
I just did a quick search on Twitter for "#Blessed." Among the results were: - A pool party for someone's grandson. - Before and after pictures from a diet. - The results of a soccer match. - And someone was celebrating finally hitting 500 followers on Twitter.
blessed indeed!
When we count our blessings, we calculate the positive things that lift us up and make us feel valued—and we should! But how does our #blessed list stack up against Jesus' list?
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
I seldom see Jesus' idea of blessings hashtagged and celebrated on social media. Jesus' list sounds painful! Like if they don't bless you, they'll kill you!
In this message, we begin exploring the Beatitudes, the blessings Jesus offers to those who follow him. As we do, we may have to redefine what a blessed life looks like to us.
"That which is of first importance." It's buttoning the top button so the others line up correctly. It's the flight check before take-off. It's the surgeon marking the spot for surgery. When we put that which is of first importance first, everything else falls in line.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3, Paul writes, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received." He then details the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. When we put first things first, everything else falls in line."That which is of first importance." It's buttoning the top button so the others line up correctly. It's the flight check before take-off. It's the surgeon marking the spot for surgery. When we put that which is of first importance first, everything else falls in line. In 1 Corinthians 15:3, Paul writes, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received." He then details the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. When we put first things first, everything else falls in line.
"Hosanna!" It's an ancient word that meant "Save me!" If a fisherman fell overboard, he would shout, "Hosanna!" with his last few breaths, hoping to be saved.
The fact that the crowds welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem shouted "Hosanna!" ought to remind us that the Easter story is not for people who've got it all together. It's for the hurting, hopeless, and those barely holding on. The Easter story is for people who need a Savior.
I was driving home the other day when I noticed it again. As the utility poles passed by, I couldn't help but catch the shape of the cross. Has that happened to you? Maybe you see the cross in the panels of a door, the mast of a ship, or just two pieces of wood that happen to fall together right. Something within us seems drawn to the cross; its image is ever before us.
In a moment of wry humor, we might even call it our "cross-eyed view." I believe it's born out of our desire to see Jesus at the center of everything in our lives. As we draw near him, the story of the cross and his resurrection pull at us, changing how we view our world, the people around us, and ourselves. We see hints of his presence everywhere.
We're spending a few weeks looking at Easter Stories as we lead up to our celebration of the resurrection, finding stories that point to the cross and new life in the Bible and the lives of our friends. All the while, the image of Jesus comes into sharper focus for us.
A friend of mine called to tell me of a possible cancer diagnosis he was facing. He said he felt far from God and wondered if he should read through the book of Job in the Bible. Of course, when we think of Job, we think of his suffering and patience. But what of Job's hope? And what of his Easter?
As a child, I never understood what the fuss of Easter was about. I simply accepted that once a year, we colored eggs, there was chocolate, and a basket with a few gifts showed up. Oh, and there was that Easter grass . . . that stuff got everywhere!
As I grew into faith, Easter took on meaning. I remember the first Easter after I said "yes" to Jesus. I attended all the services: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, even Sunrise (I had no idea God got up that early)! Then, after I came home, I opened my Bible and read each Gospel's resurrection story. I remember thinking, "This changes everything."
I believe it still does. The Easter story changes our stories. As we lead up to Easter, we're looking through the Bible to find Easter stories in unusual places (not just at the ends of the Gospels). We're also going to be hearing our own stories and seeing how the Easter story has brought new life to us.
I never realized the phrase "thoughts and prayers" was viewed with disdain by some people. But, of course, it's easy for me to get defensive about that—prayer has become my first response to tragedy. The problem is, for many of us, prayer is also our last response. We're seldom moved beyond prayer to sacrifice, give, and reach out to those who are hurting. We don't give "thoughts and prayers" a second thought. I feel the conviction of that.
And, of course, some question what good prayer does anyway. Does prayer change anything? While we can tell stories of miraculous answers to prayer, we honestly have to tell the stories of when we prayed, and nothing changed. In fact, we need look no further than the Bible and the story of Jesus pleading with the Father to let the cross pass him by, to realize that prayer doesn't always change things. So what do thoughts and prayers do?
C. S. Lewis once wrote, "I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me." I think that's the place for all of us to begin with our "thoughts and prayers." If we plead with God to change our circumstances, we should be willing to receive his grace when he chooses to change us.
One of the first things I remember being taught as a child was my home address. I could rattle it off perfectly long before I started school. My parents thought it was vital to know my address if I ever got lost.
Chances are someone who loved you taught you The Lord's Prayer a long time ago. They wanted you to know it by heart for those moments when you needed to pray and even needed to find your way back home. The Lord's Prayer gave you a place to begin a lifelong conversation with your Heavenly Father.
It's been a tough week for me. First, some difficult decisions have led to significant changes at Lincoln Christian University, a place I dearly love. Lincoln has been a massive part of my life and faith, and I find myself grieving. On top of that, the news from Ukraine has me praying for peace but anticipating the worst and concerned about those who find themselves in harm's way.
I recognize within myself a tendency to pretend everything is ok. I anticipate that, at some point today, someone will ask, "How are you?" and I will very likely say, "Fine!" But I'm not fine. What makes it so hard for us to be honest with each other? Are we any better at being honest with God?
When Jesus taught us how to pray, he included confession as a vital part of the way we communicate with God. "Forgive us our debts." Or is it, "Forgive us our trespasses?" When we tell God we have deficits in our character, and that we have stepped into places we didn't belong, we recognize all the more our need for his grace. Confession truly is good for the soul.
Norwegian preacher, teacher, and theologian Ole Kristian Hallesby was not known as a man who backed down from his beliefs. He spent two years in a concentration camp for speaking out against the Nazi occupation of Norway. The strength that sustained him was not found in his intellect or personal convictions. Instead, it was found in the time he spent in prayer.
He wrote, "Prayer is the conduit through which power from heaven is brought to earth." I think it's essential to see that downward flow of prayer—from heaven to earth. It isn't only about us making our requests known to God; it's about how the conduit of prayer reveals the character of God within us.
Before prayer changes our circumstances, it changes us.
6.5 million dollars will buy you a thirty-second commercial during tonight's Super Bowl. You can bet that at 6.5 million, every word has been carefully chosen for impact and engagement. We will talk about some of those ads for weeks to come.
In Matthew 6:7, Jesus warns of those who, in their prayers, believe they will be "heard for their many words." While they would not have understood the value of 6.5 million dollars, they did believe their words were valuable, and the more words used, the better chance they had of getting Gods' attention.
Jesus instead reminds us that God's attention is already on us. "The Father knows what you need before you ask him" (Matthew 6:8). So take heart; you are worth more than many Super Bowl ads.
The word for the day is “Labyrinthine.” It is the tendency to make things overly complicated or convoluted. I love that “Labyrinthine” does exactly what it defines! It’s quite anfractuous, don’t you think?
Preachers tend to make things far more labyrinthine than necessary (See what I mean?). We add unnecessary complications to faith and following Jesus. We even have ways to complicate prayer! But, when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he didn’t confuse them or overload them with information. Instead, he gave them a prayer and told them some stories.
Jerry Seinfeld once noted that most people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means that the average funeral attendee would feel more comfortable being the person in the casket than the person delivering the eulogy.
Moses would have preferred the casket. In Exodus 4:10, he cries out to God, "I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." There's something familiar to me in Moses' words. I've heard many people tell God what they can't do, but I've also witnessed what happens when they overcome that fear and serve anyway. I've listened to amazing messages from people who told me they couldn't speak, heard heartfelt prayers from those who told me they couldn't pray out loud, and seen God's grace poured out on those who simply said "yes" to him.
Before we tell God what we can't do, we should take note of what he can do through us—any of us. That's what God confronts in Moses before he leaves the burning bush. If we listen carefully, we can hear his call for us and his promises as well.
Carolyn “Sue” Parker, age 78, of Kansas, IL passed away at 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at The Gibson Family Center for Hospice Care, Terre Haute, IN after a long, hard-fought battle with frontotemporal dementia. She was born on October 30, 1943 in Union Center, IL, the daughter of Roy Clifford Black & Edith Fern Black (Lilly). On April 21, 1962 she married the love of her life, Terry Fredric Parker, in Morris, IL.
Survivors include her husband of nearly 60 years, Terry Fredric Parker of Kansas, IL; children, Charles Rodney Parker (Sherry) of Greenup, IL, Terry Douglas Parker (Lisa) of Kansas, IL; Wendy Sue Fuller (Donovan) of Bigfork, MT; John Wesley Parker (Delana) of Kansas, IL; grandchildren, Dustin Charles Parker (Morgan) of Wahpeton, ND; Hayden Douglas Parker (Chelsey) of Bloomington, IL; Dakotah LeAnn Shelton (Liam) of Fort Riley, KS; Dalton James Parker (Paige) of Toledo, IL; Hampton Allen Parker & Bryce Declan Parker of Kansas, IL; Akaiyan Leigh Fuller & Kinnerly Sue Fuller of Bigfork, MT; great grandchildren, Adalynn, Lucas, & Elliot Parker of Wahpeton, ND; Mason Parker of Bloomington, IL; GraceLynn & Oliver Parker of Toledo, IL; sister in law, DeAnn Parker (Bob Lasley) of Princeton, IN and many nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings (Leland Black, William (Bill) Reet Black, Mary Morecraft, Virginia Rose Carl, Kenneth Black, Harold Lee Black, Larry Dean Black), and granddaughter, Kintla Leigh Fuller.
Sue was a graduate of Casey High School. She was a beloved wife and stay-at-home mom until her children were in school and then put her caregiving gifts to work as a teacher’s aide to children at Eastern Illinois Area of Special Education.
Sue treasured spending time with her family and hosted countless family events and Sunday/holiday dinners that are precious memories for her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed attending church, weekly coffee chats with her friends, arts/crafts, and shopping and operated a resale business (P&S Rummage) in Kansas, IL with her longtime friend Nila Seales. She attended church at Kansas Christian Church in Illinois and United Church of God in West Terre Haute, Indiana.
Parents ask a question that prompts an almost universal response in children. You witness a toddler holding a strange item, and you ask, “What’s that in your hand?” A heartbeat later, the toddler takes off running! I remember for Megan, that item was often the television remote; for Connor, it’s more than likely a fork full of food. Either way, ask, “What’s that in your hand?” and the chase is on! There’s no way they’re giving their prize up without a fight!
So in Exodus 4, after Moses has given God his excuses for why he cannot be the right choice to lead his people out of Egypt, God asks the same question of Moses. “What’s that in your hand?” But unlike your toddler, Moses is already on the run. He’s out here in the wilderness because he’s run away from his failure and shame. Still, God knows what he’s carrying can be useful.
So, what’s in your hand? What are you carrying? When God asks that question, do you run away from him or run to him? Today we’ll look at Moses’ story and hear God’s call for us to run to him and trust him with whatever is in our hands.
It seems to have become a daily occurrence on Facebook. You sign in and find a friend request from someone who is already a friend. What do you do? Delete it, report it to Facebook, or send a message to your actual friend asking, "Is this really you?"
In Exodus 3, Moses encounters God at the burning bush. In verse 13, he asks a question that's akin to, "Is this really you?" He asks God for his name. "Do I really know you? Can I trust you?"
Maybe you've wanted to ask God the same question. Can I really trust that you're who you say you are? Can I really trust that you care?
God responds not just with his name but with his name forever. In other words, if Moses could trust he was there, then we can trust he's there for us as well.
Are you familiar with "Imposter Syndrome?" It's that little voice inside your head that loves to tell you, "you're a fake, a phony, and one day everyone is going to figure you out. You can't fool them forever."
Do you ever hear that voice inside your head? I love what Adam Grant says about Imposter Syndrome. "Imposter syndrome is a paradox. Others believe in you but you don't believe in yourself. Yet, you believe yourself instead of them. If you doubt yourself, shouldn't you also doubt your judgment of yourself? When multiple people believe in you, it might be time to believe them."
Read that again, slowly. You probably need to hear it.
When God encountered Moses through the burning bush and told him his plan to use Moses to set his people free, Moses' first question was, "Who am I?" In other words, "God, what makes you think I'm competent? I'm a failure, a phony, and everyone has figured me out."
When we hear Moses' question, we hear something of our own self-doubt. And just like Moses, we need to hear God answer back, "But I am with you."
One of our favorite songs at Kansas Christian Church is "Holy Ground." When we sing it, I can look around the room and watch as my friends become acutely aware of the presence of God. We sing the line, "And I know there are angels all around," and I genuinely believe we do.
The song builds off several Bible passages, most notably Moses' encounter with God through the burning bush. But while our song is beautiful, Moses' story is strange and lonely. He's out there because of his guilt and shame. He's been running away from his responsibilities, and yet that's precisely where God encounters him.
What if "holy ground" is not a place of beauty but a place of pain and dread? What if God meets you in a desert place in your life and calls you to take off your shoes so that nothing will come between you and him?
It's the day after Christmas. So what's left to do other than put away the tree and toss out the used wrapping paper? We've spent a month working ourselves up for the big event, and now it's time to put it all behind us, right?
At the end of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol," after Scrooge's transformation, we read, "And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge." I believe that "keeping Christmas" must be something done more than one day a year. Keeping Christmas means keeping the message alive all year long.
"Fear not!" Those words, spoken by the angel Gabriel to a young girl named Mary, are followed with words of incredible value. "For you have found favor with God." With those words, any fear of judgment or condemnation was assuaged. This was a message of grace, and God's grace banishes the fear of judgment.
Those around us need to know there is favor to be found with God. Instead, they spend their lives hearing words of condemnation. They are told they aren't good enough and are made to feel they are not loved. They need to know the favor—the grace found in Jesus.
Mary's response to the angel's message comes in a song she sings to her cousin, Elizabeth. Her song begins very personally with, "all generations will call ME blessed," but it ends with a blessing for all. God "has filled the hungry with good things."
Are you hungry for God's grace? Are you starving to know his favor? Then, Mary's song is for you.
When we were first married, Trish bought us a beautiful porcelain nativity with many pieces. It has camels, a donkey, all three wise men, and a smattering of shepherds. There is a problem, though. Every year when I set the pieces out, I have to wonder, "Is this a shepherd . . . or is it Joseph?" I admit there's been more than one year when I've mistaken Joseph for a shepherd and vise versa.
Joseph tends to get lost in our Christmas story. Sure, he belongs in the center of the nativity, but he often gets relegated to the sidelines. We realize, though, just as God chose Mary, he chose Joseph. Moreover, there are qualities to his character that caught God's attention. I believe those are qualities God still looks for in us, and we ought to look for in each other.
In this message, we dig into Joseph's story and see what Advent brings to those who need someone to believe in them.
It has often been said that the most common command in the Bible is "Fear not." But what amazes me is how often those words appear in the Christmas story. "Fear not" is spoken to the shepherds by the angels, Mary by Gabriel, and Joseph in a dream. But before those words are spoken of Jesus' birth, they're said to Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist.
But it's not just "fear not." Zechariah is told, "Fear not, your prayer has been heard." The command to not be afraid is tied to the deepest desire in Zechariah's heart, a hope he refused to let go of even when all hope seemed to be gone.
What if God hears your greatest hope? What if your greatest fear could melt away in his presence? This is where we begin the Christmas story in Luke, and it could be where the Christmas story meets each of us.
Thanksgiving is coming. Every November, people on Facebook spend the month sharing what's on their list of things they're thankful for. Those posts often cause me to realize that I'm thankful for the same things! Their giving thanks literally gives ME thanks!
Giving is like that, whether it's thanksgiving or caregiving, or simply giving to support someone's need. Our gift has a far more significant effect than just meeting a need. And in some miraculous way, we receive back more than we can know.
In Philippians 4, Paul thanks his friends for the gift they have given him, but he wants them to know what they have received. In providing for him, they've learned the promise that, as Paul says, "my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). In giving, they've received back so much more.
There are verses from our Bibles that find their way to our refrigerator doors. We put them there to remind us of their truth or promises. Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice," might be one of them. It's a great reminder of God's call to rejoice despite our circumstances.
But the verses immediately before this call to rejoice likely won't find their way to our refrigerator. In verses 2 and 3, Paul writes of two women in the Philippians church who weren't getting along. "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord." This verse isn't the stuff of refrigerator doors—it's the stuff of gossip sessions. Can you imagine the talk around Philippi the morning after this letter was read in church? What did the locals down at the coffee shop think of these two ladies called out by the apostle Paul? What did they make of his call for them to help these two agree?
Can you imagine? Well, in this message we will. We'll imagine how this letter might have been received by people who weren't any different than us. And since the names Euodia and Syntyche seem far removed from our world, we'll bring them closer and hear what Paul has to say about "Eunice and Cindy."
There are people on your list and people on mine, those who showed you what it truly means to be a Christian. Through their kindness, they demonstrated the love and compassion of Jesus. They made the life of faith seem possible and within your grasp. If they could do it, you could do it!
In Philippians 3:17, Paul writes, "keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us." Sometimes we need to look back to see those who showed us what this life looks like. When you can't see your way forward, remember.
My priorities changed at 3:53 this morning. A little girl named Ruby came into the world, and I want to do everything I can to know her. But, to do that, some things that used to be important will have to be laid aside, and other things that previously weren't important to me will have to be taken up, like being known as "grandpa."
I hear something of my change of priorities in the words of Paul from Philippians 3:8, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." Paul's priorities changed, and knowing Christ became the center of his being. Everything he had previously held dear had to fall into step behind Jesus.
The Beatles told us they get by with a little help from their friends. A generation earlier, Cole Porter told us friendship is just the perfect blendship. Then my generation came along, and we were stuck with Michael W. Smith telling us friends are friends forever, which we sang at every campfire on the last day of church camp.
The song lasted longer than most of those friendships (or it felt like it did anyway).
Whatever your "friendship anthem" is, you know the importance of those relationships you hold most dear. In Philippians 2:19-30, Paul pauses from his teaching and encouragement to tell the Philippians about a couple of his friends. He details what they mean to him personally and how he couldn't get by without a little help from them.
In this message, we will hear about Paul's friends, and we will see our friendships reflected in his words.
It's a standard movie trope; we've seen it over and over again. The hero stands over an active bomb while the timer counts down to zero. He looks at the wires before him and asks over his phone, "Do I cut the red wire or the green wire?" His hands shake as he closes his eyes, hopes for the best, and snips the black wire.
(The hero might be colorblind)
"Fear and trembling" describe those moments as the timer beeps and the hero makes his decision. Those are also the words Paul uses to describe the daily living out of the Christian life. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). It is an expression that means "with utter seriousness." But, of course, as Paul uses the phrase, it's less about cutting the right wire than living the life that glorifies Jesus.
(Cutting the right wire might be less stressful!)
In this message, we look at what our salvation looks like when it's lived out with fear and trembling.
(I'll give you a hint; it looks a lot like Jesus)
"Make my joy complete." What could someone else do for you that would make your joy complete? Pay off your debt? Buy you a new home? Make sure your favorite team finally won? Whatever it is that would make your joy complete says a lot about what you've got your heart set on. Paul wrote to the Philippians, "complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind." The greatest joy Paul could imagine from his prison cell was that the Philippians would love each other the way Jesus loved them. If we can do that for each other, we will make our joy complete!
We're fascinated with famous last words. Everything from the inspiring, like Todd Beamer's recital of the Lord's Prayer followed by "Let's roll," to the ironic, like Union General Jon Sedgwick, whose last words were, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist—." Will our last words reflect the faith that sees us to death?
The Bible doesn't record Paul's last words, but we would imagine them to be something like his words in Philippians 1:21, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Those are worthy words, and we all hope that our last words reflect something of that kind of faith. But that's not a matter of memorizing and rehearsing the words, and it's not a matter of waiting until the end to say something brilliant. Instead, it's about the faith we live out today that sees us to that moment.
How do we live today with a faith that will see us through this life and to the other side?
"Disability." "Disbelief." "Discontent." "Dislike." The prefix "dis" comes from the Latin meaning "apart" or "away." So to have "disbelief" is to move away from belief. To be "discontent" is to be apart from contentment, and to be "disliked" means you probably shared your opinions on Facebook.
"Discourage" . . . "to part with courage." When you're discouraged, you lose your bravery—your ability to move forward in the world. Discouragement robs you of your momentum, meaning, and mojo. It stops you in your tracks and keeps you from seeing new possibilities and opportunities.
We live in discouraging times. To keep moving ahead, we need to find a way to inoculate ourselves against discouragement. I believe Paul has some ENcouragement in Philippians for those who are facing DIScouragement.
"Don't pray for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs." I like that quote, even though I would prefer lighter burdens.
In Philippians 1:6, Paul writes, "I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." It almost sounds like a promise of lighter burdens, or at the very least burdens God bears for us. Paul's confidence is in the God who promises to see us through to the end. But just a few verses later, he accompanies this promise with a prayer for stronger backs, stronger love, and deeper commitment.
In this message, we dig into God's promise and see the prayer that accompanies it.
Jeff was a good friend, an active member of our church, and a wonderful volunteer. He will be missed.
"How did you two meet?" That's a question often asked of married couples and good friends. I can tell you where I was and what I was doing when I met my best friends. Likewise, I can tell you exactly where I was when I met Trish (she disagrees on this point, of course). None of these stories seemed life-changing at the time; they were just encounters, handshakes, and hellos.
Paul writes to his friends in the Philippian church about the affection he has for them, "It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart" (1:7). Acts 16 gives us the backstory, the encounters, handshakes, and hellos. Oh, and also the beatings in the middle of the street and getting locked up in jail. It's definitely one of the more interesting beginnings of a friendship.
Before we launch into Philippians, we're going to go back to Acts 16 and meet the people Paul held in his heart. As we do, we can't help but get a glimpse of those we have in our hearts also.
The table shows up in the strangest places; you don't always find it in a kitchen or dining room. Back in April, when our family had COVID, the table showed up on our porch. I'd look out the door, and there would be people with food, drinks, and friendly faces, bringing the table to us.
I've seen the table show up in hospital rooms, funeral homes, and even by the side of the road in a broken-down car. I was once in an airport overnight with a scared and lonely traveler who just wanted to get home. I shared a song with her, and suddenly the table showed up! It was the strangest thing!
The table shows up in Psalm 23:5, as David sings, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." There it is, in the worst place imaginable, in "the valley of the shadow of death." Even there . . . especially there . . . we find the table.
"DoubleThink" is a term first coined by George Orwell in his book 1984. DoubleThink is defined as "the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them as true."
Sound familiar? On any day, you can find plenty of examples of DoubleThink on the news, in social media, and our conversations. We are a mass of contradictions, whether we recognize it or not.
The Bible has its own take on DoubleThink. In this message, I wrap up my series on Proverbs with a contradiction from the Bible. I know you're going to appreciate this one.
There are some words we use almost exclusively in church settings. I call these words "Christianese." If you weren't brought up in Sunday school, you probably don't know how to define them. Well, honestly, even if you were, it might still be a stretch.
You know the words I mean; words like "justification," "holiness," and one of the biggies, "righteousness."
"Righteousness" just sounds entirely beyond us. The only part we really understand in it is "right," and we know we aren't right. There are some times we are very wrong. Right from the beginning, this word looks hopeless to us!
But Proverbs 21:21 calls to us, "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness . . . " We may not do well with righteousness, but we know what kindness is! From childhood, we're taught to be kind. So what happens when we put kindness and righteousness together? I think we get a better understanding of what God calls us to, and we start defining those "Christianese" words with our love.
Did you "like" and "share" that post? You know, the one that said if the sick little girl's picture got 1000 likes and shares, then the doctor perform the surgery that would save her life? Did you share it??
You can't sign online today without someone wanting you to like and share, pass it on. Do we stop and ask whether or not it's true, though? Do we ever wonder what kind of doctor would base his performance on social media responses?
This calls for wisdom. Proverbs 19:2 calls us to slow down and think things through before accepting them as truth or passing them on to others. Now, more than ever, we need that kind of wisdom.
Genesis 1 kicks off the creation story with those familiar words, "Let there be light." The first thing God does is provide us with the guidance we need to find our way in this world and, ultimately, find our way to him.
What does the Bible say about the way we welcome others? How do we become more intentional about showing hospitality to our visitors and guests? Genesis 1 is all about how God made room for us. When we look at what He did for us, we see ways to make room for others. God said, "let there be light," and it was good. Tom Bodett says, "We'll leave the light on for you."
Doctors have found that laughter is good for you. One study showed that "a good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease."
It turns out Reader's Digest was right all along. Laughter IS the best medicine! That shouldn't surprise anyone who has read Proverbs, though. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine."
God created laughter to heal, and he created you to laugh. So in this message, we'll dig into Proverbs 17:22, laugh a little, groan a lot, and learn to share one of God's greatest gifts with others.
Proverbs 17:3 says, "The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold." You've had times in your life when you felt like you were going through the furnace, difficult times that put your faith to the fire and tested if it was really there.
The imagery of refining metal doesn't work without the presence of the refiner. So the refiner sits, almost hovering over the silver, carefully observing and taking the heat with his precious metal. Likewise, we come through those difficult times all the more aware of the presence of our loving Creator. And those who stand by us in our trials come away with a greater view of His image in us.
In this message, we look at Proverbs that speak of the crucibles and furnaces in our lives and the promise that the refiner is making something beautiful within us.
This past week I asked the question, "What makes your best friend your best friend?" So many of you gave me excellent, heartfelt answers. Some mentioned loyalty and faithfulness; others said honesty, accountability, and transparency. In all your answers, it was apparent to me that you not only have a best friend, but you also have a friend for whom you want the best.
Proverbs 27:17 is one of the most vital verses on the topic of friendship. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." In this message, I dig into this verse and find exactly what we need to bring to a friendship that sharpens and shapes us.
We're spending the summer looking at the book of Proverbs at Kansas Christian Church. This morning, I can't help but think of Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Notice that everything about this verse is active. It doesn't say that past righteousness brings us glory, nor does it say that today's failings always haunt us.
We're very fond of saying that the United States was founded on Christian principles. That's admirable, but this proverb isn't about heritage; it's about here-and-now. Are we living so that our character builds up our nation?
Whether or not we're a Christian nation isn't the issue; what does it look like for Christians to live in this nation?
This sermon examines a principle that has come to define our nation. I don't know that I can call it a "Christian principle" because it's much older than that. But it is a principle that Jesus lived out and calls us to follow. It is truly an act of righteousness that exalts.
"Stir the pot!" If you do it while cooking, it's a blessing. It produces perfect pasta and savory soups. But when it comes to conversations and relationships, stirring the pot is never a blessing.
Proverbs 15:1 warns, "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." We don't have to meditate on that one very long to understand its meaning, do we? We've seen it, experienced it, and we may have even done it.
I see the commercials all the time; a happy family, running in slow motion, enjoying a day in the park, while the mother struggles along with a dark cloud over their head. Speaking in soft, soothing tones, the narrator says, "Does anxiety keep you from enjoying the simple things in life?" The mother continues to lag behind the family, with rain falling on her alone. The narrator concludes the commercial by encouraging us to "ask your doctor if (insert name of medicine here) is right for you."
Medication is essential and effective, but I'm left wondering why the rest of the family didn't seem to notice the raincloud over mom's head? Why didn't someone at least bring an umbrella for her?!?
Anxiety can be challenging for us all. Modern medicine does a beautiful job in helping, but the first defense against stress is a community of people who care for each other and speak peace into each other's lives.
Today we look at what Proverbs says about how we can help each other cope with the stresses and anxieties of life. Ask your preacher if Proverbs is right for you!
We sit down to eat our meal at the Chinese restaurant, the bill comes out, and everyone cracks open their fortune cookies. Then, we read those short sentences aloud to each other and ponder their meanings.
I've kept track of a few of the more interesting ones I've cracked open:
"No one grows old by living, only by losing interest in living." Wow! I felt that one!
"Do not dwell on differences with a loved one - try to compromise." That's good advice.
"Real courage is moving forward when the outcome is uncertain." That was probably the most fitting one I've ever read after loading up at a sketchy buffet!
Something within us loves to read those little pieces of paper and puzzle over what they might mean. I wonder if that's why we appreciate the book of Proverbs so much. But, of course, unlike fortune cookies, proverbs don't come with a bill; they come with a promise! "Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance" (Proverbs 1:5).
Today, we begin our summer series, "Proverbs: Short Sentences Long Remembered." I'm eager to share these wise words with you and see where they take us.
I wouldn't want you to tell my mom this, but sometimes I talk to strangers. I ask them how they're doing; I ask them if I can help. Sometimes I buy them lunch, and I even get to pray with them. The word in the Bible we translate as "Hospitality" literally means "love of strangers." That's where loving like Jesus has to start. Before we can love one another, before we can love our neighbors as ourselves, we must love strangers. And that works out best when we love them together, as a church.
When I was in school, the church in Jerusalem in the book of Acts was often lifted up as the model church. This is because they did everything right: they broke bread together, cared for one another, proclaimed Jesus, and saw tremendous growth. So if you want to have a good church, make sure it's a New Testament church like Jerusalem! Oh, and they also had Ananias and Sapphira. Acts 5 introduces us to this couple who conspired to lie to the church, only to find they had lied to God. Their story serves as a warning to us, but it also serves as a reminder that there's no such thing as a perfect church.
In Acts 4, Peter and John are put on trial for the things they've said about Jesus. Then, in verse 13, we read, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."
This verse is an excellent reminder for me on a day after I witnessed degrees and doctorates handed out. The difference wasn't what they knew but who they had been with. If we want our lives to make a difference in our world, we'll strive to be known as people who have been close enough to Jesus that it's made a difference in who we are.
John 17 records Jesus' last prayer in this world. It's not a prayer for a pain-free death (he wouldn't get that). It's not a prayer for a death surrounded by his loved ones (he wouldn't get that either). It's a prayer for you and me that we would be one.
If our unity was such a priority that Jesus made it his last prayer, shouldn't it be a priority for us? Shouldn't it be seen in how we relate to each other, treat each other, and love each other?
John 17 records Jesus' last prayer, and then John 19 records his final words, "It is finished." There's no second prayer, no better prayer, no other desire from the heart of Christ than that you and I would be one. This prayer is his heart for us. It needs to be first in the way we relate to each other.
It's been a wild ride of a week! Sub-zero temperatures and piles of snow all around. Then, today the promise of 39°. That sounds absolutely balmy!
James would remind us to be patient as we wait for the changing of the seasons (James 5:7). His advice of patience applies both to seasons of the year as well as seasons of difficulty and disappointment. "You also, be patient," James writes, "Establish your hearts" (James 5:8). It's patience that promises growth. It's patience that trust for better days ahead.
I don't know how many times I've heard it said, "Lord willin' and the creek don't rise!" Are you making it to church this Sunday? Can I count on you to be there? "Lord willin' and the . . . " well . . . today it's more like, "Lord willin' and the pipes don't freeze!"
That familiar saying does have its origin in the Bible, you know. In James 4:15, we're told that rather than trust in our plans, we should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." James confronts the reality that far too often, we trust our plans for an uncertain future instead of the promise of our certain God.
Over 300,000 people are injured with kitchen knives every year. The vast majority of injuries are caused by carelessness. The person using the knife didn't realize how sharp it was, got their fingers in the wrong place, or handled the knife wrong. And yet, kitchen knives are useful tools. What's the answer? How do we keep from hurting ourselves and others?
James has similar things about another useful tool--your tongue. "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be" (James 3:9-10). Far too often our tongues cut and damage, yet we know the potential we have to bring healing and hope with the words we use. How do we learn to use our tongue correctly?
In this message, we'll hear James' words about the power of the tongue.
"As useless as a screendoor on a submarine." What a great image! A screendoor on a submarine would not only be useless, but it would also prevent the submarine from . . . well . . . submarining!
Or, more appropriately, un-submarining.
Rich Mullins used this imagery in his song "Screen Door." It's there he sings, "Faith without works is like a song you can't sing. It's about as useless as a screen door on a submarine." Rich was doing his best to put music and heart to the words of James 2:17, "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." A screen door would be death to a sub; faith that lacks works points to the death of our faith.
In this message from James 2:14-26, I explore James' connection between faith and works and how these two work together to give life to our faith.
“Minimum daily requirements.” Those are the words I look for on the bottles of the vitamins and supplements I take every day. My doctor has convinced me that between her pills and these potions, I should remain relatively healthy. So far, so good.
“Minimum daily requirements” gives us the least amount necessary for the supplements to be effective. It’s not overdoing it; it’s not more than needed. “It ain’t much, but it’ll work.”
We almost seem to have a “minimum daily requirement” in James 2:8. It’s there that James tells us, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.” I like those final words; “you are doing well.” It’s not complicated; it’s not over-the-top, it’s not asking too much. Just love your neighbor, and you’re doing well.
In this message, we’ll take a closer look at James’ “minimum daily requirement” and how we can best make sure we’re meeting it.
This past week, we had a front-row seat to the destructive power of anger. It was more than buildings and property, though; we saw anger destroy trust. We watched anger give birth to fear, division, mistrust of our leaders, and each other. That's just how powerful anger is.
But there's still so much that anger cannot do. James tells us, "the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:20). If you have chosen to follow Jesus and welcomed his reign into your life, you've chosen a different path than anger.
And it's a path with better promises.
This sermon was written for a class I took on Creative Biblical Preaching. When I originally wrote it, I had no intention of preaching it. But, I got a lot of encouragement from the professor, other students, and friends, so here it is!
We also had a lot of fun putting the video for this sermon together. You can check it out at this link: https://youtu.be/CQpxoNBcuIU
Huge thanks to Hannah Brimner for editing it together and making it look awesome!
"God with us" doesn't begin and end with Jesus' birth. "God with us" is a gift we give to those around us when we meet them in their hurts.
At the end of Luke's Gospel, there's one more encounter, one more engagement, one more table. And we're invited to sit and eat.
Luke's point all through his Gospel has been "The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost." Here, in the story of Zacchaeus, he illustrates what Jesus does for everyone who comes to him.
From the beginning of his Gospel, Luke has promised that Jesus will give sight to the blind. Here, as he approaches Jerusalem, he finally keeps that promise.
A rich man came to Jesus asking, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" What must you DO? You have to be born into the family to inherit!
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it." 1 Corinthians 9:24
The Christmas story doesn't stand on its own. The cradle leads to the cross and the crown.
Our commitment to pray for the church reflects our commitment to God's call for the church.
If your prayers do nothing else, they should put your eyes on the one who is greater than you.
Dean was a dedicated minister and a committed Christian. It was an honor to speak on his behalf.
How do we approach the final chapter of our lives with grace for ourselves and others? Moses offers some wonderful encouragement in Psalm 90.
The Imprecatory Psalms. They're raw, angry and at times ugly. But there are moments when they are exactly what we need.
Life-changing walks do not happen on level paths. When Jesus calls you to walk in him you're not going to the park.
Everyone we encounter has a deep need for Jesus and the potential for eternity with Him.
Every relationship comes with responsibility. Have we been responsible in our relationship with Jesus?
Do we recognize the distinction the Church is to have in this world? If we don't recognize it, will they?
The world desperately needs Christians who will stand fast on the message of Jesus Christ
"All things work together for good." We quote that scripture, but what's it like to really hold onto it? Today's message is a conversation with my friend Neil Foor about his time with a difficult medical diagnosis and how God showed him the good.
Do we have the kind of commitment that shines in this world, that burns brighter in this world? Or would we actually ruin manure?
When you know who God is you can be certain of what he is capable of doing in your life.
God calls us to express our thankfulness to him. Why? What does he know about our need for thanksgiving?
What do we do when God doesn't answer our prayers? How do we respond when God says, "No"?
We live in the microwave generation, but you can't microwave prayer. What happens when praying means waiting?
Jesus teaches us to pray, "Deliver us from evil." Paul calls us to be prepared for "the evil day." What does prayer do when things are at their very worst?
We pray those words, "In Jesus' name," but what does it really mean? They aren't magic words that guarantee our prayers will be answered--they're something far greater.
When the disciples wanted to know how to pray they looked to Jesus. We continue to look to him today for our understanding of prayer.
1 Peter 4:12 says, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." None of that sounds like good news, does it? But it's life--it's the reality we live with. We can't deny that pain comes all we can do is find a way to turn it into something that will glorify God.
Chaos doesn't make appointments. It comes into your life unannounced and uninvited and turns everything upside down. Whatever you hold onto in those moments better be solid enough to get you through.
This is why Peter starts off with the words, "Prepare your minds for action."
Genelle passed away at 100 years old. She was an amazing lady and it was an honor to speak on her behalf.
Peter's call is for a faith that allows us to not merely survive in this world but to thrive!
We know gossip is wrong but we wink, giggle and tell it anyway. Reading through the Bible, though, God never winks or giggles when he talks about gossip. He takes it seriously. Why? Why does God not tolerate gossip and why shouldn't we?
"Into your hands I commit my spirit." This was more than just Jesus' last words on the cross. It was the bedtime prayer of the Jewish people. For centuries it was the last words on their lips before they fell asleep. For centuries they hoped it would be the last words on their lips before they died.
These words were lovingly and carefully sown into Jesus' heart. It makes me wonder, what are we sowing into our hearts? What words do we use to prepare ourselves for those most horrible moments?
What would it take? That's the question I've been asking myself this week. From time to time our kids disappoint us. We are at times upset about their choices. But as disappointed as we can be we would never abandon our children . . . would we?
And yet God the Father did exactly that. Jesus cried out those words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" because for the first time in all eternity he was truly alone.
Jesus' words to his friend John and his mother Mary remind us that we are all linked through the cross.
"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." These may be the most personal and the most difficult words Jesus spoke while on the cross.
One little sin . . . one little lie . . .one little misdeed. Who could it possibly hurt?
"Character doesn't matter" became a catchphrase during a political campaign a few decades ago. We can debate the value of character in politics all we want, but does our character speak to how we value our faith? Does it say anything about who we belong to?
Once again, the children of Israel screwed up. But just admitting you screwed up doesn't save you. Salvation comes when you look to Jesus.
If there's one thing we love to complain about it's complainers. In 1 Corinthians 10 among all those bad examples in the Bible we find the warning not to "grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer."
The problem isn't just the grumbling, though. It's where the grumbling comes from and what it points us towards.
"Our God is a consuming fire." The question isn't, "Will we get burned?" The question is, "What of us will get burned?"
Say the name "Titanic" and the imagery is instantly that of catastrophe. Mention the Space Shuttle Challenger and the next word in your mind is "disaster." Say "golden calf" and you immediately recognize disobedience, idolatry and sin.
We're ready to put a cap on 2014. It's been a year of joy and sorrow, of celebration and mourning. Most of all, though, it's been a year of devotion to God and he has blessed us in some amazing ways.
Laid in a manger, set on a donkey, nailed to a cross, laid in a tomb. All to purchase our peace
If "peace on earth" means anything it has to mean something within us. It has to mean something to those circumstances that are completely out of our control. It has to mean something to our relationships and our worries. "Peace on earth" needs to address our hearts and our heads.
Jesus is more than "The Reason for the Season" he is the reason for our peace. In face, the Bible says, "He himself IS our peace." Before "peace on earth" means anything to nations at war it needs to mean something to relationships in conflict. It has to mean something to the hurts we carry and the hurts we inflict on each other.
You can have Christmas without Santa. You can have Christmas without snow. You can have it without packages and lights and all of those things we fill the holiday with. But you can't have Christmas without peace. At the heart of the Christmas story is God's one and only son . . . and His one and only offer of peace.
"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you." It comes down to two choices: we can allow our lives to be ruled by circumstances or God's will. The one we choose will change how we see everything.
Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday--it's supposed to abound in our lives. What does it take for us to experience that kind of gratitude?
We celebrate Thanksgiving as a holiday and recite lists of things we're thankful for as an encouragement, but the Bible says we are to be ABOUNDING in thanksgiving. That's a very different thing. What does that look like and where does it come from?
Statistics tell us that sixteen percent of all Christians have had thoughts of suicide. That’s a lot of people with lives built on the greatest foundation of hope who still find themselves feeling very hopeless. And it leaves a lot more of us hurt, confused and wondering what we could have done.
In this message I have a few very personal thoughts to share about suicide. Also, as we wrap up our series on death, Kay Wheeler, a hospice nurse, shares a little about her work.
Solomon in his book of Ecclesiastes identifies the seasons of our lives. Some are painful, like “a time to weep.” Others are filled with such joy that they can only be called “a time to dance.” Solomon doesn’t say we get to pick which seasons we want, though. They just come and go. How we live through them is what makes the difference.
Paul looks ahead to his own death and uses several euphemisms to express the truth of his own earthly end. What do these phrases teach us as we consider our own deaths?
This sermon begins with a short talk on the importance of funeral pre-planning from Jerrald Bennett.
This week we start off a series of messages on death. In addition to the sermon we also have a practical presentation on the importance of Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Wills presented by Maryetta Webb.
I had the honor of offering the funeral message for our local chief of police, Gary Cash.
Every week we remember the sacrifice Jesus made as we come around the table for communion. But we need to ask ourselves, "Is it just about the cup and loaf or is there something more I need to bring to this table?"
When we ask the question, "Why do we do it like that" we realize we must ask about baptism. Why do we put such emphasis on this defining act of God's grace?
Times are changing, morality is changing, people are changing. People come to me who are genuinely concerned about whether or not the Church can survive the changes happening in society today. Today I want to tell you why I have nothing but hope for the church today!
When churches like ours began we were often referred to as "People of the Word" due to our single-minded devotion to the Bible as our only guide. Today we're going to take another look at this book that still stands at the center of how we answer the question, "Why do we do it like that?"
“Why do we do it like that?” It’s a question we’ve all asked at one time or another. How did all get started doing all those things that make our church distinct and different? We find the answers in the Bible, of course, but it would be wrong to overlook the very rich history that brought us together.
We’re going to look at that history today as we kick off a new sermon series, “Why Do We Do It Like That?”
I was face down on the ground in an epic battle against a hulk named Randy. Seconds away from being pinned I reached for my handy pocket New Testament and read the words that I knew would fill me with power from on high. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me!” I jumped back into the fray and easily defeated my opponent.
Ok, so maybe I didn’t defeat my opponent. Maybe I didn’t triumph; maybe I discovered that my “all things” weren’t necessarily the same as Jesus’ “all things” for me. Maybe you’ve been in a battle that has taught you that lesson too.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11
Gods plan for the people who first received that word was 70 years in exile, 500 miles from their homes and families. I’m not sure that’s the kind of thing that comes to mind when we quote that verse to someone in need of encouragement.
Today we’ll take a closer look at this verse and ask, “What is God saying here?” I think we’ll find a greater hope than what’s contained in just one verse.
People who are going through difficult times are often told by others not to worry because, “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” The words are said with the best of intentions but unfortunately no such promise exists in the Bible. We have no promise a pain free life or that God will go easy on us. So what does God promise us?
“Forgive and forget.” Those words roll off our tongues with ease, but if we’re honest they don’t roll out of our hearts with ease. Forgiveness is a challenge and forgetting is downright impossible.
Grace calls us to remember. We remember so we can tell a greater story than just the story of our hurts. We remember so we can become a part of the story of grace.
“Judge not, that you be not judged.” If people know anything about the Bible they know that it teaches that you’re not supposed to judge other. The problem, of course, is that we do judge others. We judge them every day in a myriad of ways. What are we to do about that?
My friends are important to me. What amazes me, though, is I seem to be important to them too. They not only enjoy being around me but they support me, defend me and bless me in amazing ways. They do all this despite not all of them being believers.
There are Christians who actually teach that we should “Have nothing to do with non-believers.” But what does the Bible say? What did Jesus actually do?
“Charity begins at home” is one of those phrases that sounds like it’s from the Bible but when we dig in we find neither the words nor the concept within God’s word. So what did God actually say?
Did God say "money is the root of all evil?" Not quite. This verse is often misquoted. In reality it's not even about money.
It’s been called the most well-known verse in the Bible, “God helps those who help themselves.” The problem is it’s not in the Bible. The bigger problem is, you can’t actually help yourself. So what does the Bible actually say?
This summer we're going to look at a few misconceptions and misunderstandings about the word of God and dive into His amazing truth. It all begins in the beginning with God's simple message and a horrible temptation that still plagues us.
When a young man in our high school took his own life our whole whole community was devastated. The message I preached at his funeral was the result of years of working through a tragic suicide in my own family.
It's been a difficult weekend for our community. One of our high school students took his own life on Saturday. This is the message I shared the following day. Is your God too small?
Most of us learned how to serve from our mothers. The way they sacrificed for us was our first experience with what Jesus taught in Luke 22, "I am among you as one who serves."
What do those of us who aren't mothers look like when we take Jesus' example seriously?
Ephesians 2 tells an amazing story about you, and it does it only 6 words. It starts with four words in verse 1, “And you were dead.” Without life, without power, without motivation, without any means of changing yourself or your circumstances. This would have been the end of your story if not for one thing.
Two words in verse 4, “But God.” Those are the two most important words in your story. Without them you would still be dead. With them you have been transformed—recreated.
But for what purpose? Why did God recreate you?
Easter came with a declaration of victory. So why does the Church always seem to feel defeated? Maybe it's time we took a close look at where our strength is found.
It Is Finished! Every hurt, every pain, every failure and every loss are met in those three words. They mean your debt is paid, you’re forgiven and you belong to Him forever! They also mean that no matter what tomorrow brings NOTHING changes the truth of the empty cross and the empty tomb. It Is Finished!
One of the great joys we have as Christians is the ability to be the answer to someone else’s prayer. When someone is sick, we can bring them comfort, food, and healing. When someone is down we can bring them encouragement. In so many ways God uses his own people to bless each other and show them that he hears their prayers.
In John 17 Jesus prayed to the Father. In a very real way you and I are the answers to his prayer. It’s so amazing that God can use us to answer the prayers of His Son!
In John 12 some people come to the disciples with a simple question, “We wish to see Jesus.” Not, “We want to see a miracle” or “entertain us!” but simply “let us meet Jesus.”
People still come to His disciples simply wanting to see Jesus in us. They want a glimpse of authentic faith and real commitment in our lives. They want to see Jesus. Can we show them that?
Jesus promised “an hour is coming” when everything would change. But sometimes it seems like we forgot to tell our hearts and our heads. Instead we live like nothing has changed, like we’re still just as oppressed and beaten down by our sin as we ever were. But in the end Jesus says, “It is finished” not “you’ll get better.” His solution was a cross, not a crutch.
Someone once said that of all the lies we tell the worst are the ones we tell ourselves. What happens when Jesus sees through our lies and sees who we really are? I'll tell you what happens--worship!
Under the right conditions and the guidance of a master, over a period of time grape juice can be transformed into a fine wine. However, there is no natural process that will ever instantly change water to wine. That requires the touch of a different Master. The same is true of fallen, sinful, broken and damaged people like you and me. We long for transformation. We wish for it, we work for it, we even pay for it. But all it truly takes is the touch of the Master.
For all of the heavy stuff we've waded through in Romans, when we get to the last chapter it all comes down to verses 19 and 20:
"I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet."
Does that sound like a promise you need? No more cowering in fear, no more feeling defeated. Instead, your greatest enemy crushed beneath your feet! I want that!
When I truly understand the grace of God I will understand that the way I love my neighbor is as important as the way I love my God. I will understand that God’s great desire isn’t just to save me, but to save us together.
Fellowship is essential to the health of a church. It needs to be guarded just as surely as our faith and doctrine need to be guarded. In Romans 14 Paul calls us to examine what we're willing to sacrifice so that we can fellowship with each other.
Whether we’re faced with temptation to sin, unforgiveness, anger or even failure, if we are not careful this world will burn us. We will be hurt. To survive we need to wrap ourselves in the very attitude and presence of the only man to make it out of this world alive.
Romans 13 calls us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” In this message I talk about how that's done.
Romans 12 is all about being transformed into the people of God. Believe it or not, that might involve a chainsaw for you!
God has revealed himself to us through writing. No other belief system places the same emphasis on the written word as Christianity. Romans 10 reminds us that the message of faith is so important it belongs at the center of our lives.
Have you ever been presented with an offer and thought, “That’s too easy! There’s got to be a catch!” For many salvation by grace seems to be exactly that, so they try something else, something that will make them feel like they’ve EARNED heaven—that they deserve heaven.
But when we truly understand who Jesus is and why he gave his life then we see why salvation has to be a free offer.
Every now and then we feel that prompting to pray for someone and far too often we simply don't know what to do or what to say. Today I want to give you a few pointers on how to bring prayer into someone's life in their moment of need.
In 2014 the message our church will be presenting to the world around us is a simple one--just "Come and See." Come and see what God is doing here, what he is doing through us and what he can do for you.
Paul says, "For the grace of God has appeared!" With those words he announces the greatest gift we have received. Along with it, though, we find three gifts that help us through this life.
There are so many things in life we cannot be certain about. If we're not careful we will build our faith on some very unstable things. Instead, Paul fills this ONE verse with five unshakable convictions.
Romans has led us through some wonderful declarations of faith. We put our hope and trust in Jesus' gift to us, we sealed our promise with baptism--but now...why do we still sin? Why do we still disobey? Why do we feel so awful sometimes?
Romans 6 has a lot to say about baptism--and all of it is directed towards the baptized! People who are already committed to Christ! When I look back on my baptism, what should I feel? What should I see? What should I know about the commitment I have made to God and he has made to me?
There is a tension we live in--we were designed to live in perfection and paradise but we live in a fallen and failed world instead. What does the life God created us for look like when it's lived in the presence of constant sin, sickness and disappointment? In Romans 5 Paul shows us how we live between these two realities.
Having faith like Abraham means letting God write your life story for you. Too many people trust someone else to write their story and it ends up being about their failures and pain. God showed Abraham he could change his story if he trusted Him for things he couldn’t see or understand.
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) That would be the end of the story for all of us, except for one thing...God changed the end of our story!
Romans 2:4 tells us that God's kindness leads us to repentance. That sounds very strange to us. We're used to thinking in terms of God's wrath, or his justice or even his anger at our sin, but his KINDNESS?
If it sounds strange to us then how does it sound to others who don't have any concept of God as being kind? More to the point, what does the kindness of God look like?
Paul's belief in Jesus as his Savior caused him to have to re-think his whole life and everything he had ever believed. Was it really worth it? Paul must have struggled with that question at one time because he has to affirm to us, "I am NOT ashamed of the gospel." What Paul declared with certainty is what we can trust in with certainty.
Romans is an important book. It's very deep, long and will really stretch your brain. It's been referred to as the Manifesto of the Christian Faith. But I know you guys and I know me--we need something a little simpler. So today we're doing an overview of Romans and next week we will start Sixteen Little Lessons from Romans. Today though, it all begins with one verse and three words.