In Sermons: showing 196-210 of 337

The Outcast Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 26, 2022

Hagar tells her story

They call me “the old woman” now, behind my back. To my face it’s still a respectful “grandmother.” And the little ones still come to hear the stories of the old days, the days of struggle and doubt. But there’s no one left who’s ever been to Egypt, or lived in a town. Sometimes even I forget that ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Traveler Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 26, 2022

Sarah tells her story, from Ur to Isaac.

Good evening. My name is Sarah, and I'm Noah's great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter [8 greats] and I'm married to Abraham. I came to talk to you because there's no better story than mine to show what a terrific adventure following God can be. Mind you, when ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Exile Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 26, 2022

Imagining Eve's story after tha fall

Good morning. My name is Eve. Thank you for letting me come talk to you. I'm sorry it's just me. Adam wanted to come, really he did, but he has to work. He works very hard. Ever since we left the garden he doesn't seem to do anything but work. I never see him during the day unless I go ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Who Do You Trust? Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 26, 2022

If you want someone else's life rather than your own, you are accusing God of injustice, and failing to see the work he has prepared for you and equipped you for.

During my senior year at seminary, we had something called “racial reconciliation day.” It involved, among other things, attending a rally at the college that the seminary was attached to, wearing a ribbon or a tag or label - I don’t remember exactly what - to announce to the world one’s repentance ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:21, Philippians 4:11-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Broken Speech Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 26, 2022

Any speech which is intended to mislead or deceive is offensive to God, whether or not you are under oath.

I’ve been wracking my brains trying to find a lead-in to this week’s commandment without talking about things like political correctness and hate speech, fake news and cancel culture. Things like misinformation, disinformation and media bias. But the subject keeps popping up. Things like the ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:20, Matthew 5:33-37

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Sticky Fingers Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 25, 2022

This commandment teaches us that keeping our hands off our neighbor’s things is as important as keeping our hands off our neighbor’s neck.

One of my favorite movies ever is a little gem called “The Gods Must Be Crazy.” It starts out with an idyllic look at society among the stone age tribesmen of the Kalahari desert. They have absolutely no possessions. Not one. Not even so much as a loin cloth. They spend most of their time hunting ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:19, Deuteronomy 22:1-4

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Promises, Promises Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 25, 2022

How the prohibition against adultery expanded to include lust.

Moses has been gone up in the clouds on Sinai for days and the elders are getting nervous. Finally he appears, carrying two large hunks of rock, with what appears to be writing on them. The elders are nervous, understandably, given what’s been happening - the golden calf, and so on. Moses ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:18, Matthew 5:27-28

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Murder Mytsery Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 25, 2022

How the prohibition against murder expands to include anger.

Have you ever caught yourself looking at your reflection in a shop window? I have to confess that I sometimes do. I'll wager there's not one person in this room who doesn't take at least one good look at him or herself in the mirror every day. Maybe you don't care much. But you ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:17, Matthew 5:17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Worry Warts Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

If you really believe that God is in charge, and that He loves you and will meet your needs, then you can live in faith rather than in fear.

Anxiety is no joke. Maybe that’s why there are so many jokes about it. Take the old Peanuts cartoon that shows Linus coming up to Charlie Brown, dragging his blan-ket as he observes, “You look kinda depressed.” “I worry about school a lot,” Charlie replies. Then he adds, “I worry about my worrying ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Reading Light, Leading Light Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

People see the world from different angles. I’d like to suggest that the Holy Spirit gives us Christ’s perspective. We need to start seeing the world through Christ-colored glasses, which is not the same as rose-colored glasses. Jesus saw compassionately, but he also saw clearly and realistically.

How many of you own a flashlight? I probably have half a dozen, and most of them have dead batteries in them. I’d be lost without the flashlight app on my smart phone, because it’s always charged. It works. It helps me see where I’m going. It is, to use Jesus’ word, healthy. I think you can all ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:22-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Smart Investing Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

Make a deliberate investment decision to spend your time, money, effort and attention on the things that last. And what lasts? Loving God, and loving your neighbor.

Last month I had the fun of deciding how to invest the profit of the sale of my New Jersey house. And it was fun, and I think I’ve made good choices. But my track record is nothing to boast about. When I cashed in a chunk of my IRA for the down payment on that same house, I told my broker that I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Private Relations Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

God gives us what we value most. If it’s public recognition, we get it. We get God’s approval only if that is what we value.

Our culture admires publicity. People are famous just for being famous. We grow up watching people who command the public eye; we call them stars. They are the people with money, fame, position, power and recognition. They are held up by the media as larger than life, people to be envied. We ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-8, Matthew 6:16-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Present Perfect Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

God is always love, and I am to reflect him all the time, regardless of how people behave towards me.

Once upon a time, long long ago, in a galaxy far far away, that passage from Matthew changed my life. Well, it wasn’t another galaxy, exactly, but it was certainly another world. And it certainly feels like a long time ago. I started working for the Pillsbury Company over 40 years ago. But this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Second Mile Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

Responding to sinners with grace imitates God’s own treatment of us.

Preacher David Hoke tells a great story about a weary truck driver who pulled his rig into an all night truck stop late one summer evening in Broken Bow, NE. He was tired and hungry. The waitress had just served him when three tough looking, leath-er-jacketed bikers of the Hell's Angels type ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Broken Speech Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

God’s interest isn’t limited to whether or not you are swearing falsely. God’s interest is in whether or not you are speaking falsely.

I’ve been racking my brains all week to find a lead-in to this week’s commandment without referring to politics. But I keep coming back to it like a moth to a candle. At least we’re no longer right in the middle of actual accusations of perjury... but the question of truth vs. political advantage ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:33-37

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed