In Sermons: showing 301-315 of 337

Shape Up Or . . .

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 19, 2011

Amos sends Israel a clear message from God: you are not meeting my standards, and I am about to cut you off.

Good morning. I am special correspondent Shinon Byorus for the Mesopotamian News Network, coming to you live from Bethel in Israel, where controversy has been stirring for months around the inflammatory rhetoric from the prophet Amos, who appeared some time ago from Judea with a very harsh message ...read more

Scripture: Amos 7:7-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Pardon Me Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 18, 2011

Forgiveness is hard, but God shows us how and makes us able.

Do any of you remember the movie Love Story? From at least 30 years ago, starring Ryan O’Neill and Ali McGraw? It was a real tear-jerker. Spoiled rich young man at Harvard meets gifted beauty from the wrong side of the tracks... she dies, eventually, of some unspecified wasting disease that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

No Shelf Life Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 18, 2011

The bread God provides for us can’t be acquired at a drive-up window, or purchased in bulk from Costco to stockpile in your freezer. In fact, it isn’t only food: it’s all of our needs, and we need to look to him daily to provide.

How many of you have ever used those Pillsbury refrigerated dough products? Dinner rolls or biscuits or croissants? The ones where you peel off the paper and then rap the cylinder smartly on the corner of the counter and it bursts open? They’re really popular because you can make so many things ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:11, Exodus 16:12-21

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Kingdom-Ocracy Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 18, 2011

A kingdom is better than a democracy - if the king is God..

What is a kingdom? Why would anyone want one? Isnt democracy the cure for everything? One of the words that the religious left uses to put down traditional interpretations of Scripture is "patriarchal." As if just because a system is run by a single male person it must necessarily be a bad ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Repeat After Me

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 18, 2011

Repetition isn’t rote; it’s practice. All of these words become part of us, digging deep into our hearts and minds, helping to form in us habits of thought and action that honor God, that put God first.

Everything in this sEverything in this service is old hat. We know the Apostles Creed so well that many of us don’t have to use the worship notes except to remember to say "sitteth" instead of "sits." I chose the most commonly used prayer of Confession in the English language. The 23rd Psalm is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:7-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Private Viewing

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 16, 2011

Piety should not be on public display; this doesn't mean that Christianity should be practiced in private.

An old joke says, people would be equally shocked if they saw Christianity doubted or saw it practiced. Of course nowadays lots more people openly doubt Christianity than they used to, but I don’t think many more people openly practice Christianity than they used to. At least not in this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Free To Do What? Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 16, 2011

Freedom is a pathway, not an end point.

What is freedom? For Kelly, it meant graduating from high school and getting out from under her parents thumb. Carl thought that freedom would come when he had his own car and could come and go as he pleased. Rosa longed for the freedom to quit work so that she could stay at home with her children, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Present Perfect

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 11, 2011

Our behavior should reflect our relationship with the perfect God, rather than our relationships with imperfect people.

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 longtime ago. I started working for the Pillsbury Company over 30 years ago. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Broken Speech

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 11, 2011

God doesn't simply forbid swearing falsely, he forbids speaking falsely, which grows out of living 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. ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Thy Kingdom Come

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 11, 2011

Responding to unfairness and disrespect with grace and generosity imitates God’s own treatment of us, and requires three preconditions: realism, humility, and trust.

I had a difficult decision to make this week. I had to choose between continuing my series on the Sermon on the Mount, or take a break to preach on Palm Sunday. But the more I looked at the passage for this week, and meditated on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem that long-ago Sunday afternoon, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Promises, Promises Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 11, 2011

The system of sexual morality which begins with God operates on three levels, in three dimensions. First it binds the individual, then the couple, and finally the entire society. And each dimension reflects something of the nature of our Creator.

So what is all this fuss over marriage about, anyway? And why shouldn’t any two people who love each other be given the blessing of church and state? Come to think of it, why should it be limited to two people? After all, David had any number of wives, at least 8 that we know of not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:27-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Murder Mystery

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 10, 2011

Anger, the impulse to destroy, is the direct opposite of love, the force which gives life. This is why anger is equivalent to murder in the eyes of God, who looks on the heart.

Have you ever caught yourself looking at your reflection in a shop window? I have to confess that I sometimes do. Or maybe you're not that vain, or not as self-conscious. Maybe you're one of those blissfully secure people who (once you get your clothes on) never give your appearance another ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-22

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Righteousness Plus

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 10, 2011

Righteousness greater than that of the Pharisees isn't about behavior: it's about bone-deep transformation.

We’ve been shocked and horrified once again this week at the shooting of children by children, from Santee CA to next door in Pennsylvania. And the commentators and pundits are asking once again what kinds of laws we should pass to keep this from happening. Most are honest enough to admit ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Peace Work

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 10, 2011

Making peace is hard work; having peace is a gift from God.

Making peace is work. Hard work. And it’s not cheap, either. Can you imagine President Bush offering a cabinet post to Al Gore? And if you can imagine that, can you imagine Gore accepting the offer? And yet that’s almost exactly what has just happened in Israel, with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Heart-Eye Coordination

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 9, 2011

Our ability to see clearly is dependent on the condition of our hearts, which are made and kept pure through Scripture, worship and prayer.

How many of you wear glasses? I’ve worn mine since I was seven years old. I was able to wear contact lenses for about 20 years but after about 40 they don’t work so well. And even contacts with the new technology, entails juggling with reading glasses, since I have to wear bifocals. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:8, Matthew 6:22-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed