The Endurance of God's Promises

Introduction

As we read the verses this morning, I admit that my mind wandered a bit. And though I'm not proud of what I thought about, I admit that ...

Count Your Blessings

Introduction

The Chamber of Commerce invited a pastor to offer the blessing at a banquet honoring elected officials. The master of ceremonies forgot to ...

I Am King, You Say

Introduction

Do you remember what happened this week? This week, as he rode into Jerusalem, they put their cloaks before him and took branches from date ...

The Urgent Necessity

Introduction

(Read Luke 23:33-46)

In the city of Hebron on Israel's West Bank, there is a wall on which is written a poem commemorating the death of a child. ...

Free!

I used to think I needed a personal trainer, someone who'd get me to the gym and make sure I exercised regularly, someone who would put me through ...

My Name is Hosea

Introduction

My name is Hosea. My profession is prophet of the Lord Jehovah. My prophetic ministry took place in the northern kingdom of Israel between ...

Growing Together

Introduction

Today, we're going to continue with our series called "Forever Luke." I know that for some of you, it feels like we've been ...

Repentance

Introduction

Benjamin Franklin was into virtue, as were many of the founding fathers of the United States. That 18th century was a society in which self-discipline ...

Will You Forgive?

Introduction

Anybody you're having a hard time with these days? Ever forgiven anybody who doesn't deserve it? If so, this sermon's for you. And if you've ...

Beyond Sympathy to Solidarity

Introduction

In the immediate aftermath of the tragic shooting of nine persons at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina, the sympathy of ...

The Death of Death

Introduction

There are moments in time when all of a sudden something happens and everything changes. There are so many examples of this that it's almost ...

The Empty Niche

Introduction

During Spring Break recently, my son Reed and I drove through upstate New York and passed near the town of Saratoga. Saratoga is a lovely ...

Against the Rules

Introduction

People start thinking and doing strange things as the holidays come around. Have you noticed that? I heard about this group of youngsters ...

How to Look at People with God's Eyes

Introduction

You may remember that in Jonah 3 there was this great revival in Nineveh. And usually when there's revival there's also great joy in the place ...

Justice and Judgment

Introduction

The closing ceremonies of the 2012 London Olympics featured a children's choir singing John Lennon's Imagine while a giant replica ...

Who Is God After I Sin?

Introduction

I once read a book called The Book of Failures. It was filled with all kinds of failures that people have made. For instance, the book introduces ...

God's Stolen Identity

Introduction

Identity theft is one of the most rampant crimes sweeping across America. A thief steals someone's Social Security number and personal information ...

Hung Up: How Do I Forgive Myself?

Introduction

Hear the Word of God as it is recorded in Matthew 27:1-10:

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to ...

Strongholds

Introduction

In this message we'll look at strongholds, the enemy's access points that can compromise God's power and purposes in our lives. ...

Liberation

Introduction

Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, has a book called The Hole in Our Gospel. In this book he tells a remarkable story about a ...

Violation

Introduction

In our series called Restoration Hardware, last week we learned that the Cross of Jesus Christ is the hardware or the instrument that God ...

Mediation

Introduction

There was once a couple who had been married for 60 years. Throughout their life they had shared everything. They loved each other deeply. ...

Decision

Introduction

For the last couple of weeks we have opened the front door wide open to the topic of reconciliation. Each week we've gone to the foot of the ...

Praying Our Hate

The story behind the sermon (from Darrell Johnson)

This sermon was the second in a series for the summer on "Praying the Psalms in the City." I preached ...

Deep Clean

Whatever became of sin?

Some years ago a Harvard psychiatrist wrote a provocative book entitled Whatever Became of Sin? In it he expressed his fear that ...

What Makes You Happy?

In John's first letter of correspondence to the churches, there are some troublesome verses. First John 4:9-10 is not difficult: "This is how ...

Jesus, Lord of the Cross

There are few more exciting units of the U.S. Military than the Combat Search and Rescue (or the CSAR). If you've seen the movie Black Hawk Down, ...

Looking Up to Heaven

A shattered Colossus

The poet Percy Bysshe Shelly tells of meeting a traveler from an "antique" land who describes the ruins of a great statue in the desert. ...

A Prescription for the Spiritually Challenged

Introduction

I'm musically challenged—anyone who knows me will tell you that. Even people who don't know me know I'm musically challenged. When I ...

Renouncing Bitterness

The family of King David is in horrible disarray. Among other problems, David's third son Absalom launches a rebellion against his dad. David is forced ...

The Muchness of God

Introduction

In this very moment, God is ready to pour out upon you—from the lavish abundance and overflow of his reserves—blessings that will ...

The Uncomfortable Truth of Easter

From the editor:

At the 2008 National Pastors Conference in San Diego, Preaching Today got to interview N. T. Wright about his book Surprised by Hope and ...

Forgiven, Forgotten

Introduction

Guilt runs rampant in the body of Christ. Though you already know you often feel guilty, it's important that we say it, because you would ...

The Ultimate Community

Introduction

The story is told of three men, all in the New Testament, who were born blind but who had been healed miraculously by Jesus. These men heard ...

The Critical Transaction

Most Broadway musicals begin with something called an overture. The writer of the musical tries, in the early moments, to give us some sense of all the ...

The Forgiveness Factor

Introduction

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us all of our sins." What do you do when you forgive someone? What really happens ...

The Journey to Integrity

Introduction

If I had just one gift to give you, I think it would be the gift of integrity—such a gift that when you come to the last chapter of ...

The Future and Forgetting

Introduction

Most historians agree that the two most influential leaders of the early church were Simon Peter, the big fisherman, and Saul of Tarsus, who ...

The Theology of Baseball

Introduction

Growing up in my father's house, it was not possible to be indifferent to the American League pennant race. My father loved baseball. He was ...

Release Resentment

Introduction

It may have been King David's lowest moment. His son Absalom was leading a revolution against him. Absalom was a charmer and had convinced ...

Who Can We Trust?

From the editor:

Here is another sermon from one of our featured preachers, David Anderson. Anderson uses the story of Samson and Delilah to explore issues ...

When Love Fails

From the editor

Given that Valentine's Day is this coming Sunday, many of you will probably be addressing themes like love, relationships, dating, and ...

Not in Vain

Introduction

I was talking to a friend the other day. "I know you aren't much of a churchgoer," I said, "but I'd like to invite you to church this Sunday ...

Radical Intimacy

Introduction

In this series, we're going to wrestle with very difficult story—the story of David. But I promise that as we allow this story to tell ...

When Sin Creeps In

From the editor

If you remove the first three chapters of Genesis, anything goes. So much foundational theology is packed into those seminal verses. One ...

Forgiven and Forgotten

Text: Hebrews 10:1-18
Topic: The effectiveness and scope of Christ's forgiveness of our sin

From the editor

As Brown points out at the very start of his ...

Just Say Yes

Introduction

Back in the 1980's, when drug use became epidemic among young people, and teen pregnancy and AIDS were on the rise, and gangs were turning ...

The Peace Keeper

Introduction

A man is shipwrecked. He spends months alone on a desert island. Finally, a passing ship sees him and sends a boat in to rescue him. When ...

Our Fathers Who Are on Earth

From the editor

Father's Day is just around the corner (June 21), and should you decide to offer a message for the occasion, Mark Mitchell's look at a ...

Blessed Are the Merciful

Introduction

Prince Felix of Schwarzenberg entered the diplomatic service and was appointed foreign minister of Austria in November 1848. After the Hungarian ...