A Worship Service God Hates?

Introduction

(Read Amos 5:21-6:7)

Imagine that you move out of state. In that new place, you must find a new church, which can be challenging. Finally, ...

The Robbing ‘Hood

Introduction

(Read Amos 5:4-15)

A week ago, I was coming home from Midway Airport, and I asked my Lyft driver, “Do you also drive for Uber?” ...

Take a Look in the Mirror

Introduction

When I worked in publishing, my boss called me into his office one day, and held up the latest issue of a magazine I was responsible for. ...

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 ...

Because He Loved Us

Introduction

About 25 years ago I almost became a hero for the cause of justice and compassion. For my first job after college, every morning ...

Why Jesus at All?

Introduction

I want to begin by asking a question: Is Jesus Really God? Now, I’m going to answer that question, but I want to take a few ...

Are You Awake?

Introduction

Typically, sermons begin with a prayer for illumination and end with a prayer of application. The preacher starts by asking God to open their ...

From Circumference to Center

Introduction

I. Transgressions

II. A present judge

III. The price of inhumanity

IV. No neutral middlemen

Conclusion

Introduction

Amos’ words remind us ...

When Good Things Happen to Bad People

Introduction

One of the strangest lawsuits in US court history was filed on September 14, 2007. Nebraska Senator Ernie Chambers—one of the first ...

The Final Week, Were You There?

Introduction

Artist Hieronymus Bosch painted Christ carrying his cross in 1505. Christ was surrounded in the painting by such notably ghoulish and revolting ...

Guidelines for a Constructive Church

Note from PreachingToday.com: We asked a handful of preachers the following question: What aspect of Dr. King's life and work has had the greatest ...

Later On, We'll Conspire

Introduction

There's something subversive about Christmas. To subvert something is to overthrow it, usually by indirect means. Subversion isn't a frontal ...

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 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 ...

Why It's Hard to Worship

Introduction

A few years ago, songwriter Michael Card wrote a book and recorded an album focusing on the subject of lament. The project grew out of a series ...

Divine Revelation

Introduction

We've been in a series called "Can Smart People Believe in God?" Last week we had Dallas Willard with us to answer some tough questions, and ...

The Peace Jesus Brings

Introduction

In this Advent season, we are looking at the theme of God's promise of better days for our lives. That is the hope of Advent and Christmas, ...

The Heartbreak Gospel

Introduction

Last week we began our study of the Beatitudes: Jesus' intriguing list of people who are blessed and well-off. Suppose we were to come ...

How Do We Handle Dangerous People?

From the editor

When people gather for worship on a Saturday night or Sunday morning, they bring with them their questions. The questions vary, but it's ...

Annihilate the Amalekites

From the editor:

One of the chief hang-ups people have with God is the wrath he pours out in the Old Testament. How can a loving God call for the slaying ...

It's About the People

Introduction

Recently our church softball thoroughly trounced our opponents. The game ended with what's called the mercy rule: when one team is ahead ...

The Promise of Better Days

Introduction

As a 5th grader at Cornelia Elementary School in Edina, Minnesota, I always felt sorry for a fellow student named Gary. With his high squeaky ...

Weighing Others Heavy

Text: Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21–24; Romans 12:14–21; Romans 13:8–10
Topic: How to apply the sixth commandment

Introduction

The sixth commandment ...

It's All About You, Lord

Introduction

A poet once complained to a friend, "Life's not fair. A banker can write a bad poem, and nobody says anything about it. But if a poet writes ...

Doing Justice

Introduction

I want to talk to you about a concern that lies at the heart of the Prophets, but let's start with a question. Think about the basic human ...

The Second Extreme: Contempt for the Lost

Introduction

I've got good news, bad news, and hard news.

The good news: The best argument for God is the church. Everyday, God becomes accessible to a ...

Jesus Wept

Introduction

I have a friend, a businessman, who sat in a hotel room in the Midwest watching early news reports of an airliner hitting the World Trade ...

The Messiah On Trial

This is our second week in a series on the Passion of Christ. Last week, in Act One of this drama, we saw Jesus praying alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. ...

A Deeply Moving Religious Experience

It was Pentecost Sunday and I had been invited to speak at Washington Cathedral on that occasion because my background has something to do with earthquake, ...

God and the Hebrew Midwives

Many of you perhaps were shaped the way I was in terms of where I really learned my first Bible pictures of the Exodus story. I didn't get mine in Sunday ...

Hung Up in 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 ...