In Sermons: showing 286-300 of 337

Countdown To War Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 25, 2011

The four horsemen - war, slaughter, famine, death and pestilence - have accompanied humanity since the dawn of time; they remind us of our sin, and God's judgment, and his ultimate control over all of history.

When I mapped out this year’s preaching schedule I did not - repeat NOT - know that war with Iraq would begin the week the seals on the scroll detailing the fate of the world would be opened and the four horsemen let loose. And I’m not egotistical enough to think that God arranged the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:1-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Opening Ceremony Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2011

Jesus won in the end, but not through the usual methods. Jesus was authorized to break the seal on the deed to eternity because he was slain.

The academy Awards are coming up... next week, as a matter of fact. How many of you enjoy watching them? Who do you think deserves Best Actress? Best Actor? Best Director? What will be the best picture? I’m hoping for The Two Towers, but most people seem to think it will be Chicago or ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fading Vision Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2011

We are never farther from Jesus than when we are satisfied with ourselves, and we are never closer to him than when we have nothing and no one else to rely on

All of you are familiar, I’m sure, h the Hans Christian Andersen story about the Emperor’s new clothes. It begins, “Many, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his only ambition was to be always ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Beginning At The End Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2011

If we know how the story ends, and who is in charge of it, we can feel secure even through turbulent times.

I’ve heard it said that the world can be divided into two kinds of people: the ones who read the end of the book first, and the ones who don’t. Which one are you? I’[ve always thought I was the second kind - the one who never read the ending first - until I stopped to think ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:1-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Here And There

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2011

God is not only with us through the Spirit, he is holy, wholly different and apart from us; and we should not take our access to him for granted.

As you all know I flew to Minneapolis between Christmas and New Year's. And since the terror alert is at orange, inspections are more thorough and lines are longer. Also both the Minneapolis and Philadelphia airports have X-ray machines for the checked baggage. Fortunately the standards aren't ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:7-9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Love Story

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2011

Love doesn't mean never having to say you're sorry; it means being loved before you've even said it.

They came, streaming down to the Jordan from Judea, Galilee, Perea and Decapolis, Jewish men, women and children, hoping to hear the word of God. And they saw just what they expected. They saw a wild man, a hairy man, a man straight out of the Old Testament tradition. He was dressed, so Matthew ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Open Door Policy Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 22, 2011

It isn't size, or status, or wealth, or popularity that measures the worth of the church: it is faithfulness.

We began the week with the story of the Chicago nightclub fire in which 21 people were killed as they rushed to the exit. The club had already been cited for overcrowding and other safety violations - like not enough doors and windows. What happened was that a bouncer used pepper spray to break ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Wake-Up Call Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 22, 2011

When God calls, don't hit the snooze button.

Probably the hardest part of writing a sermon is the beginning. If I don’t catch your attention right away, I could lose half of you. Now, some of you listen to everything I say regardless, and some of you - and I know who you are - sleep through all my sermons - but I do try to set the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Pure And Unadulterated

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 21, 2011

It doesn't matter how active you are in ministry if you are teaching a distorted Gospel.

Some of you may remember my telling of an incident that took place in our Presbytery last fall. A woman pastor from the Netherlands was received into membership in our Presbytery even though she does not believe that Jesus is God, or in the atonement - that is, that the death of Jesus on the cross ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Intolerable Tolerance Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 20, 2011

Sometimes tolerance is not a virtue; a deviation outside the specifications can be a matter of life and death, not just sub-optimum functioning.

It’s been a week of tragedy, hasn’t it. Not on the scale of September 11, of course, but still - a tragedy. No one ever thought that the Columbia would crash. Particularly no one ever thought that it would crash on re-entry... But something did, and so today we are mourning the death ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:12-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Rooted And Grounded Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 20, 2011

To remain faithful in the face of pressure, we need to be grounded in our identity as followers of Christ, with knowledge, obedience, and love.

We spend one Sunday a year praying for persecuted Christians around the world. Of course there’s the “Martyr of the Month” column in the newsletter, and occasionally our bulletin inserts will highlight a trouble spot or a new martyr. But that’s all the time most of us spend ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

First Love Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 20, 2011

No matter how many and good the works you do for the church, if Jesus is not at the center of them you are missing the target.

Have you ever been in love? Remember back to those first dizzy days. Nothing else really mattered, did it, beyond when you would see your sweetheart next. Spending time with him or her was the most important thing in your life. Did you rush through chores to be ready earlier, or linger in front ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Focal Point Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 19, 2011

Jesus is not only the beginning and the end, he is also the center, around which everything holds together and without which everything falls apart.

John never expected what happened that long-ago Sunday morning. There he was, worshiping as usual on Sunday morning, when all of a sudden a clear, loud voice - a voice as impossible to ignore as a trumpet call, lifted him to his feet and spun him around. And there before him was a vision, a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:9-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seeng Things Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 19, 2011

Things that go bump in the night stop being really scary if you (a) understand what's going on (b) know what do do and (c) have confidence in the expert - AKA God..

A couple of days after I got back from my vacation I was relaxing in my comfy chair, watching TV and doing needlework, when all of a sudden I heard a great banging and clattering, as if - I don’t know, as if a coal truck were dumping the winter’s load down a chute into the basement. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Is The Judge Unjust?

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 19, 2011

Why does a just God delay justice? How can a loving God allow evil? Why do we think we can judge God by our standards?

Have you ever felt that God was just like the judge in Luke’s parable? Perhaps you have a problem, a need, a pain, a burning question; you bring it before God, and - nothing happens. You remember what Jesus said about persisting in prayer, so you go on battering at the heavenly gates - for ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed