In Sermons: showing 106-120 of 337

Double Or Nothing

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

Ignorance of God’s character and law often renders our loving feelings toward our neighbors empty or misguided.

There used to be a terrific program on PBS called the Religion and Ethics Weekly. They covered everything from Pentecostals to the Pope. I’ve seen programs on Jews and Buddhists and Hindus and Islam. One time they reported on a rise in Hindu fundamentalism. I wasn’t paying as much attention as I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Rsvp

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

It is because we’re only human that we can come into God’s presence only under Jesus’ sponsorship, and clothed in his grace.

I got an offer last week that I almost didn’t refuse. It was from a travel company who, in return for my coming to a one-hour pitch for their company, would give me 4 free days and nights in any one of dozens of different destinations, and if I came between Tuesday and Thursday they’d double the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Out Of Sight...

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

God can see us all the time, whether we acknowledge him or not.

How many of you have played peek-a-boo with a baby? Fun, isn’t it? But eventually they figure out that you can see them even when they can’t see you, and the thrill goes away. It’s a control thing, I think... they’re learning that what they do has an effect on their environment, and sometimes it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

You And Who Else?

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 3, 2023

The Pharisees paid lip service to God, but were actually operating under their own power, for their own agendas, not God's. That is why they didn't really want to be told that Jesus was operating under God's authority.

“Who do you think you are? What right have you to tell me what to think?” Has anyone ever said that to you? It’s not very pleasant. But it happened to me, once. Back when I was just starting seminary. I had run into an acquaintance of mine named Nora. She was pretty vulnerable and sensitive to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:23-32

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Service Entrance

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 2, 2023

In God’s kingdom it’s how we handle our everyday lives, not whether or not we make a big splash, that truly matters.

Anybody remember the riots that broke out some years ago when Sony’s PlayStation 3 was scheduled for release? Nearly 400 people in Boston’s Copley Place mall overwhelmed mall security. Nearly a dozen police cruisers responded to the call. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the crowd dispersed when ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28, 1 Peter 5:1-5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God Isn’t Fair

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 2, 2023

God isn’t fair. God is lavish. Everything is a gift, including our lives, whether short or long.

Do you remember the Palm Sunday five years ago when twin suicide bombings took place in Egypt? One was at St. George’s Church in the Nile delta, and the other was at Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria, the seat of the Coptic papacy. It’s one of the oldest Christian communities in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Condition Critical

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 1, 2023

The differences between us - you and me - and the brothers and sisters we find it so easy to criticize - shrinks to nothing at all when we look, instead, at the difference between ourselves and Jesus.

A few years ago I had an interesting talk with my mother about the nature of friendship. At one point I made the comment that the only bottom line requirement I had for a friend was that I needed to know I’d be forgiven for my mistakes. Her response was telling. She said that I had unrealistically ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35, Matthew 7:1-5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Getting Even

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 1, 2023

We can be sure that if payment needs to be made, God will see to it - and he keeps better accounts than you and I ever could.

Robert Simon is dead. He was killed last Tuesday. His family knew him as Robbie. Maybe you know him better as “Mudman.” And maybe you thought, as I did when I heard the news, that justice had been done. Because, you see, Mudman Simon killed Franklinville police officer Lee Gonzalez four and a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Family Obligations

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2023

Why is it that we come to church? Why do we open ourselves up to the possibility that we might have to confront ourselves, to repent and even to change?

How many of you have heard someone say, “Why do I have to go to church? Can’t I be just as good of a Christian at home, reading the Bible, doing good deeds, praying by myself, maybe watching a favorite preacher TV in the comfort of my own living room? Why should I bother getting up on Sunday ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Mission Possible

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2023

Peter could only do the impossible as long as he focused on Jesus instead of on his surroundings.

As sometimes happens, this sermon took a turn I had not expected once I really got into it. Not a very big one, mind you, but I would up focusing on the gospel lesson instead of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. I do like, when I can, to tie the three lessons together, and these three seemed to be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-32, Matthew 19:21-26, Galatians 1:11-24, Genesis 37:1-28

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seed Pearls

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 24, 2023

Every act that you perform is a seed of one kind or another. Something will grow from it. What will your seeds produce?

Wars have been fought over differences seemingly smaller than the contrasts we see between the five parables in this passage from Matthew’s gospel. There were riots in the streets of Constantinople during the 4th century over whether Jesus was of “like” substance with the father or “the same” ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-52

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Excuses, Excuses

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2023

Everybody has an excuse for not getting seriously involved with God. And some of those reasons are genuine. But some excuses are just another way of saying “I have more important things to do with my life, don’t bother me.”

Jesus had been preaching and teaching, healing all kinds of sicknesses and casting out demons, up and down the Sea of Galilee for months. Everywhere he went people gathered, waiting for hours - some just to hear him speak, others hoping for the chance to ask him a question or even just to touch ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:16-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Great Expectations

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2023

John the Baptist's followers struggle with changing their allegiance to Jesus.

Zach was tired. He had been coming down to Tiberias every week for almost two months, bringing news and food to John in prison, and it looked like he’d probably be doing it for the rest of the year. Nothing had changed. After Herod arrested John for publicly accusing him of incest and adultery, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

20-20 Vision

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 21, 2023

The reward of knowing the mind of God, the reward of living in the will of God, is freedom. Fear of people keeps us imprisoned; fear of God sets us free.

At the Alpha conference I went to a few weeks ago I had a very interesting conversation with a colleague on the more liberal end of our denominational spectrum. It was particularly interesting in that the Alpha program is for evangelism, and I was surprised to see someone on the other end ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:24-33, Romans 12:1-2, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 2 Corinthians 2:12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Search Party

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 21, 2023

God chooses to work through people, weak and sinful as we may be, to be the finders of the lost, the bearers of his message, the search party to find and redeem the lost ones, the captives, the hostages. We’re it, folks.

Samuel Goldwyn, the famous movie mogul who was half of Metro Goldwyn Meyer, was once criticized for not being more socially conscious in his movies, that he produced entertainment without any redeeming social importance. He replied, “If you want to send a message, use Western Union.” And he had a ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed