Sermons on B Proper 14:

Thirty-First Sunday In Ordinary Time, B: Shema

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 16, 2024

Prostrating oneself in prayer helps me to mean all the words of this creed, with all its intensity and wide scope.

This is the most Jewish and Catholic prayer possible, in our Gospel today, from Mark 12:29, which Jews call the Shema, which means “hear” in Hebrew-- we have the first line of the Shema in our Gospel today: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34

Denomination: Catholic

Sixth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B-- Heal

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 14, 2024

The answer to the “tsunami of secularism” is nothing less than a tsunami of the Spirit.

In the film “Dead Man Walking,” there is a striking moment of contrasting pastoral styles. As the condemned prisoner, Matthew Poncelet, walks to his execution, the prison chaplain, Father Farley, suddenly appears to offer his blessing — a dispassionate ritual performed from a safe distance. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

Denomination: Catholic

Third Sunday Of Lent, Year B- Made To Crave

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 30, 2024

“What if Jesus made a whip out of cords, knotted them with the Ten Commandments. What would he clear out of you?

There were two kids looking at the Ten Commandments at Sunday school and one of them says, “Seems like there’s a lot more things my parents won’t let me do than these.” Let’s clean up some misunderstandings of some of the specific commandments-- 1.As part of the First Commandment: “You shall ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17, John 2:13-25

Denomination: Catholic

Third Sunday Of Easter, Year B- The Physicality Of The Resurrection

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Mar 15, 2024

Incarnational spirituality

A mother proudly told her pastor: “My teenage son has finally learned one bible verse: It’s Luke 24, verse 41, from today’s Gospel, where Jesus says to his disciples, “Have you anything here to eat?” Literally, in the Greek, it’s “anything edible,” so they looked around, and most likely gave him ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:35-48

Denomination: Catholic

Jesus' High Priestly Prayer (Part 2b) Series

Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Nov 16, 2013

A sermon examining the greatest prayer recorded in the Bible.

JESUS’ HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER (Part 2b – Jesus’ Prayer For His Disciples) John 17:6-19 John 17:6-8 records the second main section in the Lord’s High Priestly Prayer. In the first five verses Jesus prayed for Himself; then in verse 6 the Savior transitions from praying for Himself to praying ...read more

Scripture: John 17:6-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Unjust Steward

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Sep 12, 2013

Some thoughts on a challenging text.

THE UNJUST STEWARD. Luke 16:1-9. For centuries interpreters have been more than a little puzzled, perplexed and disturbed by the parable of the unjust steward, at the beginning of Luke 16. The Emperor Julian, otherwise known as Julian the Apostate, even tried to use this parable to show that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Dungeon Of Disobedience And The Mystery Of Mercy

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 8, 2017

God's gifts and calling are irrevocable.

THE DUNGEON OF DISOBEDIENCE AND THE MYSTERY OF MERCY. Romans 11:1-32. The extended passage of Romans 9-11 may not with any justification be written off as nothing more than a parenthesis: as if it was a break in the flow of Paul’s argument. On the contrary, to omit or down-grade these chapters ...read more

Scripture: Romans 11:1-32

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Passion For The Ancient People Of God

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 5, 2017

Setting the scene for the whole discussion of Romans 9-11, Paul finds himself astonished at his own people's failure to embrace Christ.

A PASSION FOR GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE. Romans 9:1-5. From the dizzy heights of Romans 8, the Apostle Paul seems to suddenly hit an unprecedented low in Romans 9:1-5. The crescendo of the previous glorious chapter meets the jarring note of Paul’s passion for his own people - God’s ancient people, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Strange Land.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 18, 2022

Strangers and pilgrims in this world.

A STRANGE LAND. Psalm 137. The exile is over (at least for those who chose to return), and Babylon as a world power has fizzled out: her nobles sailed downstream to safety, and the Persian conqueror Cyrus allowed the many misplaced peoples dwelling in Babylon to return to their own lands. ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Petulance Of Jonah.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 25, 2023

God, for His part, cares for the whole of His creation.

THE PETULANCE OF JONAH. Jonah 3:10, Jonah 4:1-11. The LORD is merciful to those who repent (JONAH 3:10; cf. Psalm 130:3-4). When Jonah at last arrived in Nineveh after his circuitous journey, his message was simple: ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown’ (cf. Jonah 3:4). ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:10, Jonah 4:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Golden Calf Incident.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Sep 1, 2023

The mercy of God elicited by the intercessor between God and man.

THE GOLDEN CALF INCIDENT. Psalm 106:1-6, Psalm 106:19-23. PSALM 106:1. It is good to raise our voices in praise to the LORD, our covenant God, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. It is good to give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, by which He has washed us from our sins by the blood of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1-6, Psalm 106:19-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jacob And Esau.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 23, 2023

The purposes of God and the scheming of Jacob.

JACOB AND ESAU. Genesis 25:19-34. 1. The two nations in Rebekah’s womb. GENESIS 25:19-20. As the genealogy passes from Abraham to Isaac we are told that Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah. GENESIS 25:21. Once again there is a record of prolonged barrenness within the family. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Complaint And Restoration.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 29, 2023

God’s purposes are in no way thwarted by persecution, but rather, somewhat ironically, helped forward by the sufferers’ steadfastness.

COMPLAINT AND RESTORATION. Jeremiah 15:15-21. This is one of the laments of Jeremiah. There is a complaint here (Jeremiah 15:15-18), and also a reply from the LORD (Jeremiah 15:19-21). JEREMIAH 15:15. The prophet is bold in his approach: “O LORD, thou knowest.” The LORD does know all our ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 15:15-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Recommissioning Of Ezekiel.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 11, 2023

I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.

THE RECOMMISSIONING OF EZEKIEL. Ezekiel 33:7-11. EZEKIEL 33:7. The prophet Ezekiel had first been commissioned by the LORD to be a “a watchman” for “the house of Israel” back in Ezekiel 3:17. This is now a renewal of that commission. Again the warning comes from the LORD. EZEKIEL 33:8. As a ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 33:7-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let Us Sing Unto The Lord.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Sep 8, 2023

This is serious worship, with its focus upon who the LORD is (the Rock), and who He is to us (the rock of our salvation).

LET US SING UNTO THE LORD. Psalm 95:1-7a. In days gone by not everybody who gathered in our churches could read, so it was useful to learn things by rote. So when the praise-leader sang “O Come let us sing unto the LORD” (Psalm 95:1), the congregation knew to join in the singing of Psalm 95. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational