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Worship - Archived Sermons |
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Sunday February 03, 2008
- "Told On the Mountain" February 3, 2008 to the glory of God Exodus 24:12-18 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, and with the law and the commandment, ... Sunday January 13, 2008 - "Currents of Faith" Matthew 3:13-17 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Guide us, O God, by your Word and Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover your peace; through Jesus Christ ... Sunday January 06, 2008 - “Bearing the Present” Matthew 2:1-12 Epiphany 2008 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Gather us now, O God, to be with you as you are with us. Quiet our fretfulness, release us from distraction, that we might be ... Tuesday December 18, 2007 - “Ancient Urban Legends” Matthew 6:9-21 Ordinary XXXIII to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Guide us, O God, by your Word and Holy Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and your will discover your ... Sunday December 16, 2007 - "Holy Positioning System" Isaiah 35: 1-10 Advent III 2007 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination In these busy days of preparation give us a few minutes of quiet and peace this morning, O God. In the midst of all the expectation and ... Sunday October 07, 2007 - “The Hard Work of Having Faith” Luke 17:1-10 The effect of faith in the size of a mustard seed. Who would have thought what this image could do! Just imagine – if we have the faith which constitutes the size of mustard seed, then we have all sorts of authority. We ... Sunday September 23, 2007 - “Problematic Practices” Luke 16:1-13 One day, at a summer church camp, the teacher said to a group of 7-year-olds, “I’ll give $10 to the child who can tell me the most important person in the history of the church.” A little Catholic boy put his hand up ... Sunday September 16, 2007 - “What Person Among You” Luke 15:1-10 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, through Your Holy Spirit, You inspired the Scriptures to be written, and by Your grace You call us to be faithful to Your Word. Open our lives to the message of Your Gospel, so ... Sunday July 29, 2007 - "To Build, To Plant" Jeremiah 31:27-34 Ordinary XXIX 2007 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination God of grace and glory we ask for your continued blessing upon us that we might know how to respond to your word and your will. ... Sunday July 15, 2007 - “Bearing Fruit” Colossians 1:1-14 I was eavesdropping. It was a couple days after Cathy and I had returned from Greece, and I was standing at the checkout counter at the grocery store, waiting for the cashier to present me with the amount that I ... Sunday July 01, 2007 - “City Life” Revelation 21:1-5 “It’s alright to talk about ‘long white robes over yonder,’” the preacher said. “It’s alright to talk about ‘streets flowing with milk and honey,’ but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here, ... Sunday June 24, 2007 - "Living in Tombs" Luke 8:26-39 Ordinary Time XII 2007 to the glory of God It must have been terrible. Living in the tombs. Tom and I have seen something of the terrain. Even though we were not in this particular country. We ... Sunday May 06, 2007 - “The Power of Worship” Revelation 5:1-14 If you have had some fun in interpreting the paragraph in the “Preparation for Worship” segment in the bulletin, then more than likely you have a sense of how to decipher the symbolism in the book of Revelation. I’m ... Sunday April 22, 2007 - “Fireside Chats” John 21:1-19 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we open the pages of Scripture, we ask that You would speak to us through Your Word, so that we may be inspired to feed Your lambs, to tend Your flock, and to share Your ... Sunday April 15, 2007 - “Can You Believe It?” John 20:19-31 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the dead, You overcame death and opened to us the gates of new life. As the scriptures are read and proclaimed in this community of faith, roll away all ... Sunday April 08, 2007 - "Seeing Things Differently" John 20:1-18 Easter 2007 to the glory of God Easter Sunday morning. For some people, particularly on that first Easter, it was an ordinary day. Maybe for the gardener—whom Mary expected to be there—it ... Thursday April 05, 2007 - “When the Word Becomes Flesh in Us” John 13:1-17, 31-35 Almost as soon as John’s gospel introduces Jesus into the narrative, Jesus begins to talk about His word – keeping His word . . . obeying His word . . . abiding in His word. But we are never really told what Jesus ... Sunday April 01, 2007 - “The Road to Jerusalem/What Kind of Christian?” Luke 19:29-40 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, amid the wonder of our processions and praises, our hymns and our hosannas, filter through everything that could distract us so that we may hear Your voice. Enable us to ... Sunday March 25, 2007 - “Double Meaning” John 12:1-8 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, in these moments in which we are still before You, we know that You are God. So we ask that as we open the pages of Scripture, You would sit close to us this morning, helping us ... Sunday March 18, 2007 - "Listening Behind the Door" Luke 15:11-32 Lent IV 2007 to the glory of God The first week of December I had three out-of-town meetings in a row. On Monday and Tuesday I was in Chicago. On Wednesday and Thursday I was in Tampa. I was home ... Sunday March 11, 2007 - “An Unfinished Story” Luke 13:1-9 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we open the pages of Scripture to read and hear what You are saying to us, grant that we may discover Your hope to overcome any despair . . . Your love to melt our hate . . ... Sunday February 25, 2007 - "Every Test" Luke 4:1-13 LentI 2007 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Guide us, O God, by your word and Holy Spirit, that in your light we may see light, in your truth find freedom, and in your will discover ... Sunday February 11, 2007 - “Christian Living” Luke 6:27-36 Prayer for Illumination Loving Lord, because You are faithful to Your word, let our thoughts dwell on Your precious care. In reading and hearing the truths contained in Scripture, we ask that You would not only be near ... Sunday February 04, 2007 - “Let Us Live What We Believe” 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Prayer for Illumination Gracious and loving Lord, Your amazing grace remains as precious to us as the hour we first believed . . . and as You share the treasures of Your wisdom with us through the pages of ... Sunday January 28, 2007 - “A More Excellent Way” 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Prayer for Illumination Lord of life and love, as we praise You for Your presence in our lives and in our worship, we ask that You would sit close to us this morning. Open our ears to hear Your good news ... Sunday January 07, 2007 - “The Community of the Baptized” Luke 3:15-22 Prayer of Illumination Gracious God, as we open Your word, we pray that the currents of Your baptismal waters would carry us to the truths of Scripture that You intend for us. Grant that Your fountain of life ... Sunday December 31, 2006 - Chosen Ones Colossians 3:12-17 Christmas I 2006 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Lord God, guide us by your Spirit that in your light we may see light, in your truth find ... Sunday December 24, 2006 - “Light and Life to All He Brings” John 1:1-14 Prayer for Illumination Holy God, as we open these pages of Scripture, reveal to us Your life-changing Word, the Word that nourishes us with life, the Word that illumines us with light, the Word that inspires us ... Sunday December 17, 2006 - “Doing What We Can” Isaiah 12:1-6 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God – As we read and listen to Your Scripture, translate the words we hear into the way we live, so that Your truth will affect our actions . . . so that Your Word will pierce our ... Sunday December 03, 2006 - “Branches of Hope” Jeremiah 33:12-16 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we await the Redeemer of the earth, cultivate our hearts and minds to receive Your word revealed in Scripture. Grant that the truth of Your message would plant within us ... Sunday November 26, 2006 - “Citizens of the Kingdom” Revelation 1:1-8 Prayer for Illumination Gracious God, in Jesus Christ, You have given us a King like no other. Grant that, as we read and hear Your holy word, we may be illumined with a truth that transforms us, so that with ... Sunday November 19, 2006 - “What Were You Thinking?” Ephesians 3:14-21 Prayer for Illumination Almighty and gracious God, as we thank You for the fruit of all creation that You provide, for Your providential care for the earth, and for Your gifts to all people, we also thank You ... Sunday November 05, 2006 - “Scribal Wisdom” Mark 12:28-34 Prayer for Illumination O God, You are our help in every age . . . and You will remain our hope for years to come. As we open the pages of Scripture, we pray that You would open our ears to hear Your Word. Send Your ... Sunday October 29, 2006 - Seeing the Light Mark 10:46-52 Prayer for Illumination Open our eyes, Lord, for we long to see, to understand, to gain wisdom. Send your Spirit among these gathered faithful, that we may see, and hear, and follow. Open our ... Sunday October 22, 2006 - “Paradox of Power” Mark 10:35-45 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, every time we open the Scriptures, we can taste and see how gracious You are. As we read Your word this morning, grant that our senses may be attuned to Your teaching, so that ... Sunday October 15, 2006 - “What Must We Do?” Mark 10:17-31 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we open Your Word this morning, grant that we may hear You speaking to us in accents so clear and defined that we may be inspired to follow and to serve, through Jesus ... Sunday October 08, 2006 - “The Clear Picture” Hebrews 1:1-4 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, awaken our hearts to the wonder of Your word, so that we may discern Your voice, embrace Your message, and see the imprint of Jesus Christ ... Sunday October 01, 2006 - The Ways of Peace World Communion Sunday 2006 James 5:13-20 Prayer for Illumination Surround us, Lord God, with your quiet presence, that our hearts might be tuned to your grace and our lives might be lived out according to your will. As the ... Sunday September 24, 2006 - “Community of Wisdom” James 3:13-18 Prayer for Illumination Almighty and gracious God, as we open the Scriptures to share Your word, we pray that You would be present with us this morning, and we ask that through Your Holy Spirit, this community of ... Sunday September 17, 2006 - “Words, Words, Words” James 3:1-12 Prayer for Illumination Holy and loving Lord, once again we ask that Your inspired Word would illumine for us new insights – new insights about who we are and what we can become . . . new insights into the power ... Sunday September 10, 2006 - “Show Me” James 2:14-26 Prayer for Illumination Open our hearts and our minds, O God, open our ears to hear your word, help us to have the faith and the courage to be your loving people, so that this world may know you and feel ... Sunday September 03, 2006 - "Faith Test" James 1:17-27 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Lord God, surround us with your Spirit of understanding, as you implant your word in our hearts, help us to hear it and to act upon it that your world might be ... Sunday August 27, 2006 - “Temple Talk” 1 Kings 8:27-30 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we open the Scriptures and read Your word, grant that Your Spirit would move among us, inspiring us to respond to Your truth, and stirring our hearts to break forth in ... Sunday August 20, 2006 - “Choices” 1 Kings 3:1-15 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, who loved us long before we came to love You, we thank You that You are able to feed our every hunger and quench our every thirst, and we pray that You would now nourish ... Sunday August 06, 2006 - "Gifts of God" Ephesians 4:1-16 Ordinary Time XVIII to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination We gather here, Lord God, in your sanctuary, to hear your word. Surround us with your Spirit, that we may know of your presence, and ... Sunday July 16, 2006 - “When the Onus is on Us” Mark 6:14-29 The more that we read the Bible, the more we discover that not every text is a “happily ever after” story. The Bible contains some rather disconcerting material where joy and hope are nonexistent. There is the ... Sunday July 09, 2006 - "Amazed?" Mark 6:1-6 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, open our hearts and minds, so that as the Scripture is read and Your word is proclaimed, we may hear with joy what You would say to us ... Saturday July 01, 2006 - "Ordinary XIII 2006" Mark 5:21-43 Prayer for Illumination God of creation, be present with us as we read your word, and as we seek to understand its place in our lives. Help us to witness to its power. We ask these things in the name and ... Sunday June 25, 2006 - "Confronting Giants" 1 Samuel 17:32-49 Last Friday, on a PBS telecast on "Faith and Reason," Bill Moyers interviewed the renowned author Salman Rushdie, whose most notable composition has been the highly publicized novel, The Satanic Verses. The book was ... Sunday June 18, 2006 - "Looking Twice" 1 Samuel 16:6-13 Prayer for Illumination Gracious God, as we thank You for seeing a song in our silence, a dawn in our darkness, and even a resurrection in every death, we pray that You would enable us to see the transformation ... Sunday June 11, 2006 - "Becoming Children of God" John 3:1-15 Prayer for Illumination Gracious God, because You are revealed to us in the saving work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we praise You . . . we bless you . . . and we name You as our Sovereign Lord. As ... Sunday May 21, 2006 - "Jesus' Unreasonable Demands of Friendship" John 15:12-17 Prayer for Illumination God of love and life, as we celebrate the beauty of the earth and Your gift of creation, we pray that You would illumine us with the light of Your truth and with Your radiant rays of ... Sunday May 14, 2006 - "Bearing Fruit" John 15:1-11 Every time I read this passage I would prefer to classify it as another one of those hyperbolic statements of Jesus, where He attempts to make a point to His disciples by overemphasizing His expectations for them. I ... Sunday May 07, 2006 - "Knowing the Shepherd" John 10:11-18 Prayer for Illumination Gracious God, because You are the King of love and our Good Shepherd, we pray as we continue our worship that You would lead us to the fertile pastures of Your word. Inspire us through ... Sunday April 16, 2006 - “Christ Is Risen . . . But Now What?” John 20:1-18 Prayer of Illumination God of new life, as You rolled away the stone from the tomb, roll away the stone from our hearts, so that we may receive the word that You share with us. Speak to us of the new hope, the ... Sunday April 09, 2006 - “Palms and Problems” John 12:12-19 The word was out. The rumors were spreading. The information had been leaked to the public. The crowds had heard that Jesus was approaching Jerusalem . . . and who could resist the opportunity to see this Man who had ... Sunday March 19, 2006 - “The Jesus Who Doesn’t Come to Sunday School” John 2:13-22 More than likely, most of us who attended Sunday School in the early formative years of our childhood knew what Jesus looked like. We knew what Jesus looked like because Jesus’ picture was hanging on the wall of our ... Sunday March 05, 2006 - “There is Always Hope” 1 Peter 3:13-22 Prayer for Illumination Gracious Lord, in the stillness of this moment, we remember that long before we ever come to know You, You have already known us. By Your grace You give us the truth that makes us free, and ... Sunday February 19, 2006 - “The Only Answer” 2 Corinthians 1:12-22 Perhaps two of the greatest theological minds of the last century were raised approximately 50 miles apart in Switzerland. Karl Barth (of Basel) and Emil Brunner (of Zurich) – both of whom were professors of ... Sunday February 05, 2006 - “Is the Messiah Among Us?” Mark 1:32-39 Prayer for Illumination Almighty and gracious God, as we bow in this moment of silence, in this miracle of the now, we pray that You would open our ears, so that we may hear what You are saying to us in Scripture, ... Sunday January 29, 2006 - “A New Teaching” Mark 1:21-28 Prayer of Illumination Holy Lord and Lover of all our souls, not only are You full of grace and truth, but You are also the Fountain of life . . . and, as we read and hear the Scripture this morning, we pray that ... Sunday January 08, 2006 - “Currents of Faith” Mark 1:4-11 Prayer for Illumination Gracious God, while we know that You are present in our world and in our worship, we pray that Your Spirit would descend upon us anew, so that we may hear Your word with open ears and ... Friday January 06, 2006 - "Seeking To Be Faithful" I Samuel 2:1-10 John 1:43-51 Ordinary Time II 2006 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Be present with us, O God, with your truth and open our hearts and our minds to your wondrous love. Speak your word to ... Sunday January 01, 2006 - “Seeing Salvation” Psalm 96 Luke 2:22-40 Prayer for Illumination Gracious God, at the beginning of a new year where we come together in Your presence, we thank You for the wonder and possibility that You set before us. And as we continue to bask in ... Sunday December 25, 2005 - God in Unexpected Places Christmas Eve 2005 to the glory of God Luke 2:1-20 There is some evidence that Jesus was born in the Spring. And that the early church chose December 25 to ... Sunday December 18, 2005 - Following Instructions Advent IV 2005 to the glory of God Luke 1:26-38 There is a young boy lying in the temple, the servant of an old priest. But when a voice came, it was not ... Sunday December 11, 2005 - “Life-Changing Lyrics” Luke 1:46-55 Prayer for Illumination God of mystery and music, Lord of holiness and harmony, in the middle of this busy time of the year, quiet our hearts and minds so that our ears may be tuned to hear ... Sunday December 04, 2005 - “The Word in the Wilderness” Isaiah 40:1-11 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God – Speak to us through the good news contained in Your Word, so that as we watch and wait during this Advent season, we will not only join You in ... Sunday November 20, 2005 - Drabble Logic Christ the King 2005 to the glory of God Psalm 100 One of the advantages of having some time off, is the luxury of taking time to read the newspaper ... Sunday November 13, 2005 - “Getting the God We Believe In” Matthew 25:14-30 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we bow in prayer, send Your Spirit to open our ears, our hearts, and our minds, so that we may to hear Your word. Guide us to Your truth, and ... Sunday November 06, 2005 - “Leaving the Light On” Matthew 25:1-13 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God – As we open the Scripture in order to read and hear Your holy word, grant that we may be inspired and strengthened to keep our lamps trimmed and ... Sunday October 30, 2005 - “Practicing What Jesus Preaches” Matthew 23:1-12 At the beginning of Charles Dickens’ novel, Hard Times, we are introduced to a school principal named Thomas Gradgrind – a square fellow, both physically and metaphorically, who, whenever he ... Sunday October 23, 2005 - “The Heart of the Matter” Matthew 22:34-40 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is gracious, whatever is of love, let us now think on these things. Inspire ... Sunday October 16, 2005 - “Experiencing the Glory of God” Exodus 33:12-23 Prayer for Illumination Eternal God, because You are the wonder in whom we discover our joy, the peace in whom our lives find meaning, and the mystery in whose depths we find true ... Sunday October 09, 2005 - “Idol Tales” Exodus 32:1-14 To a certain extent, the people of Israel were to be commended; they wanted to worship. But Moses, their leader, was absent. Ever since he had returned to the summit of Mt. Sinai, Moses had not ... Sunday September 25, 2005 - “A Question for Us” Exodus 17:1-7 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, anytime we come before You, we are lost in wonder, love, and praise . . . and we rejoice in Your divine love, we pray that ... Sunday September 18, 2005 - “Manna: The Food of Faith” Exodus 16:1-18 Using the language of a twelve-step program, let me say, “My name is Tom, and I struggle with my dependence on the world’s ways.” I struggle with my inability to relinquish the values with ... Sunday August 21, 2005 - “Faithful Endurance” Hebrews 12:1-3 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we turn to You and open this Scripture, we ask that You would reveal Your message to us. Grant that these verses will be more to ... Sunday August 14, 2005 - “The Women at the Water” Exodus 2:1-10 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, Amid all the changing words of our generation, grant that we may hear Your eternal word that does not change. As we turn to You in ... Sunday July 17, 2005 - “Problems in the Field” Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Prayer for Illumination Gracious Lord, as You sow the seed of Your word among us, grant that Your truth would take root in our hearts, so that in cultivating the soil of our soul, ... Sunday June 26, 2005 - “The Test” Genesis 22:1-14 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God – Enable us to hear Your holy word so that we may truly understand. . . that in understanding, we may believe. . . and in believing, we may follow in ... Sunday June 19, 2005 - “Family Values?” Matthew 10:34-39 In August 2003, thieves broke into a Catholic church in Manhattan . . . and interestingly, one of the items that they apparently wanted to pilfer was the statue of Jesus on the ... Sunday May 08, 2005 - “The Virtue for Taming Lions” 1 Peter 5:6-11 Prayer of Illumination Gracious and loving Lord, as we gather here this morning to hail the power of Your glorious name, grant that we may humble ourselves before You ... Sunday May 01, 2005 - “Do Not Fear What They Fear” 1 Peter 3:13-22 Prayer of Illumination Gracious God, as we sing of Your almighty power that made the mountains rise, we also pray that Your power would inspire us to embrace ... Sunday April 03, 2005 - “A Journey of Faith and Doubt” John 20:24-29 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the dead, You overcame death and opened to us the gates of life everlasting. As the scriptures are read and proclaimed in ... Sunday March 13, 2005 - “Participants in Life” John 11:38-44 Eight years ago, on August 25, 1996, a fascinating newspaper story appeared in the New Haven Register in Connecticut. It was a piece published by the Associated Press, and the headline ... Sunday March 06, 2005 - “When Our Eyes Are Opened” John 9:13-23 Prayer of Illumination Gracious God, because Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our way, we pray that in reading and hearing this portion of Scripture You would open our eyes and ... Sunday February 13, 2005 - “Lenten Choices” Matthew 4:1-11 The late Carlyle Marney was at one time a professor at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. On one occasion he was asked where the Garden of Eden was located. “Two-fifteen Elm ... Sunday January 09, 2005 - “Water Marks” Matthew 3:13-17 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, on this day when we remember when Your Son was baptized, we pray that as we read and hear Your Word, You would immerse us in Your ... Sunday January 02, 2005 - “The Word in the World” John 1:1-14 Prayer for Illumination Almighty God, as we open the pages of Scripture, immerse us in Your presence, so that we may receive wisdom and discernment to understand what You are saying to ... Sunday June 13, 2004 - "The True Measure of Forgiveness" Luke 7:36-50 According to the gospels, whenever an unexpected guest appears in the narrative, we can usually anticipate that Jesus will counter the perceptions of the surrounding crowd. Whether it's a leper ... Sunday March 07, 2004 - Gathering Them All Lent II 2004 to the glory of God Psalm 127:4-14 Luke 13:31-35 The renovation of the sanctuary has brought some truths to life in a new way. We are ... Sunday February 15, 2004 - "What Should We Do with These Verses?" Luke 6:17-31 In the winter of 1993, Miroslav Volf, a theology professor at Yale Divinity School and a native of Croatia, had been leading a seminar with a group of colleagues about the reality of embracing ... Sunday January 25, 2004 - "Connectedness" 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 In the 1950's, in Borneo, a malaria epidemic had broken out. The solution, according to some experts, was to spray massive amounts of DDT into the area to kill the mosquitos . . . and that's ... Sunday January 18, 2004 - "A New Way in the World" John 2:1-11 In 1949, the Secretary of Defense was a man named James Forrestal. In March of that year, however, he had been hospitalized for paranoia and severe depression ... and one evening, he leaped ... Sunday January 11, 2004 - A Voice From Heaven January 11, 2004 to the glory of God Luke 3:15-22 This last week I was in Louisville, at Presbyterian Center, where our denominational offices are housed. In ... Sunday December 28, 2003 - "Shadows from the Christmas Light" Matthew 2:13-23 When it comes down to Christmas pageantry and nativity narratives, it seems that, for most of us, Luke's gospel actually wins the prize . . . while Matthew's gospel comes in a distant ... Sunday December 21, 2003 - "Tuning the Strings of Transformation" Luke 1:39-55 Episcopalian priest Barbara Brown Taylor, while being one of the Nation's finest preachers, has shared her frustrations about being a less-than-accomplished musician. In her early years, her parents ... Sunday December 07, 2003 - "Greeted by an Angel" Luke 1:26-38 While I would not dare to predict how many of us have actually been greeted by an angel, I do wonder if any of us, upon receiving this greeting, have said, "Uh-oh! Is this good news or bad ... Sunday November 30, 2003 - "A Branch in the Land" Jeremiah 33:12-16 The little book, The Eternal Spring of Mr. Ito, begins in October 1941, two months before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and it is set in Vancouver, Canada, where Sara Warren, a ... Sunday November 23, 2003 - PARCELING OUT THANSKGIVING CHRIST THE KING 2003 to the glory of God Deuteronomy 14:22-29 Matthew 20:1-16 Several years ago, I was the pastor in the Presbyterian Church in a ... Sunday November 16, 2003 - Old & New November 16, 2003 to the glory of God Prayer for Illumination Have mercy, O God, upon your humble servants, who are not always humble or always faithful, but whatever state we are in, we belong to ... Sunday November 09, 2003 - "Contributing to the Cause?" Mark 12:38-44 One of the many problems that I have in interpreting Scripture, especially a familiar passage of Scripture, centers on actually reading the text. When I come across a passage that I have ... Sunday November 02, 2003 - "The Great Commandment: Knowledge vs. Practice" Mark 12:28-34 Last Friday, there were many people in our community and across the globe who were celebrating the day which is known in the secular world as Halloween. However, for those of us in the ecclesiastical realm, ... Sunday October 19, 2003 - OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND to the glory of God Job 38: Mark 10:35-45 They almost made it—the Cubs. They almost made it! They had the pitching, they had the big bats, they had a winning manager, ... Sunday October 12, 2003 - "Beyond the Z" Hebrews 10:19-25 Because my literary horizons are not very expansive, and because I am ordinarily a rather slow reader, I am usually careful about the kinds of books that I choose. I don't want anything ... Sunday October 05, 2003 - World Communion Sunday 2003 to the glory of God Deuteronomy 24:14-21 Mark 10:13-16 Our practice is to observe World Communion Sunday by collecting the Peacemaking Offering. It brings into our Christian practice the ... Sunday September 28, 2003 - "Who are These People?" James 5:13-20 Considering out geographical place on the planet, my guess is that most of our mailboxes in this area probably aren't filled with subscriptions to Texas Monthly, nevertheless several ... Sunday September 21, 2003 - Setting the Foundation to the glory of God Ezra 3:1-3, 6-7, 10-13 I Corinthians 3:10-17 It is not difficult to imagine buildings burned-down and in ruin. On Friday the historic Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, ... Sunday September 14, 2003 - "Only Words?" James 3:1-12 In Anne Tyler's novel entitled Saint Maybe, we are introduced to two young men . . . two brothers, Danny and Ian Bedloe. Early in the book, Danny falls in love with a very attractive young woman named ... Sunday September 07, 2003 - "Faith Anyone?" James 2:14-26 It was a song that we sang at summer church camp. I had of course learned a different version in elementary school, but, since it was church camp, we adapted the words because the counselors ... Sunday August 31, 2003 - Blessed Actions Ordinary Time XXII 2003 to the glory of God Psalm 44:1-8 James 1:17-27 The ancient Greeks had a favorite tale about a hero named Jason— Jason and the Argonauts is the name of the story. One ... Sunday August 24, 2003 - Conduct in the Court to the glory of God Psalm 84 Galatians 6:1-5 Today in Bethlehem the Church of the Nativity is under siege. It is revered as the birthplace of Jesus. Last year it was by Palestinians ... Sunday August 17, 2003 - "Solomon's Wisdom?" 1 Kings 3:1-15 It's a cliché we have heard for most of our lives . . . a phrase that is virtually proverbial. Whenever someone wrestles with a problem before making a difficult yet meaningful decision, we say that ... Sunday August 03, 2003 - "Abuse of Power" 2 Samuel 11:14-27 I didn't actually hear it on the radio. Instead I happened to read about it . . . and the account of what was said by a host of a radio talk show sent a shiver down my spine. According ... Sunday July 27, 2003 - A Place at the Table to the glory of God 2 Samuel 9:1-8, 13 Colossians 3:12-17 It is one of those awkward moments, at a dinner party, it is time to eat. People begin to amble towards the dinner table. Where ... Sunday July 20, 2003 - The Dwelling of God 2 Samuel 7:1-14a Mark 6:30-44 July 20, 2003 to the glory of God In 1972 an earthquake shattered the capital city of Managua, Nicaragua. Its tallest buildings were tumbled ... Sunday July 13, 2003 - "Which Words Do We Heed?" Mark 6:14-29 Not long ago, I was reading an article which described an interesting event that occurred at an airport. A well-known seminary professor was standing in the baggage claim area, waiting for her ... Sunday July 06, 2003 - "The Beast Who Became Beautiful" Mark 5:1-20 Perhaps an appropriate parallel concerning this particular passage of Scripture is not to be discovered in Biblical commentary . . . nor would it be located in a theology book . . . but ... Sunday June 29, 2003 - Lament & Healing to God be the glory 2Samuel 1:17-27 Mark 5:21-43 Last January, Tom and I visited my brother and his family who live in Edmond, Oklahoma. We drove to downtown Oklahoma City to see the bombing memorial built at the ... Sunday June 22, 2003 - Holy Weapons Ordinary Time XII 2003 to the glory of God I Samuel 17:41-49 Mark 4:35-41 Even those who are not very familiar with the Bible, ... Sunday June 15, 2003 - "The Things That Change Our Lives" John 3:1-15 For the most part, most people in our culture want things to be made easy for us. We don't want to deliberate over the details . . . we don't want to wrestle with the rationale . . . ... Sunday June 08, 2003 - “Are We Ready for Pentecost?” - Acts 2:1-13 It’s not that I’m trying to compare, but I wonder how Pentecost cards did you receive this week? Did anyone receive a Pentecost card this year? Well, I didn’t get one either. Did anyone send a Pentecost card this ... |
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