Sermons on B Proper 26:

Reflection B.1 / Does God Have A Purpose In Coronavirus? / How To Approach The Question

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 11, 2020

We should ask whether God has a purpose in coronavirus. It's a logical and reasonable question to ask. But we first need to think about how to even approach the question.

In my second Reflection I wrote: “Some Christians are asking why we’re experiencing this pandemic. Is coronavirus a judgement from God? Are we living in end times?” In my fifth Reflection I noted that the Daily Express [an English newspaper] had asked another question: “What does the Bible say ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-11

Denomination: Baptist

Reflection B.9 / Does God Have A Purpose In Coronavirus? / The Siege Of Jerusalem By Rome

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on May 11, 2020

The story of the siege of Jerusalem by Rome reminds us that God judges. But it also tells us that in a time of judgement, God protects his people.

In an earlier 'Reflection' I mentioned that I would include a few Reflections on notable events in Christian history, mainly to give us a bit of variety. Today we’re going to have the first of those. The event is the siege of Jerusalem. In 66 A.D. a Roman prefect attempted to seize money ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:20-22

Denomination: Baptist

Sixteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time B-- 16th Sunday-- Come Away By Yourselves

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jul 16, 2021

“When are we going to stop rewarding each other for doing too much?”

Marilyn McEntyre said, “At a faculty council meeting a few years back, a colleague raised what I thought was the best question of the year: “When are we going to stop rewarding each other for doing too much?” “I admired her for asking it,” Marilyn said, “It was rooted in sound ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:30-34

Denomination: Catholic

Arrows Of Truth # 11 - What Is The 3rd Step Of The Hunters Strategy (Part B)? Series

Contributed by Louis Posthauer on Mar 22, 2022

A weekly series to help believers engage with loved ones, friends and neighbors who are dropout believers to restore them to the church - the Body of Christ.

Arrows of Truth # 11 - What is the 3rd step of the Hunters strategy (part b)? The 3rd step of the Hunters strategy is to “pursue”; ie. to begin to develop a focused relationship of restoration with the dropout believer - but only after the Lord has affirmed to us His desire for our pursuit of this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 30:9-10

Arrows Of Truth # 15 - What Are Key Strongholds Holding Dropouts Captive? (Part B) Series

Contributed by Louis Posthauer on Mar 22, 2022

A weekly series to help believers engage with loved ones, friends and neighbors who are dropout believers to restore them to the church - the Body of Christ.

Arrows of Truth # 15 - What are key strongholds holding dropouts captive? (Part b) The purpose of this and the three following weeks is to identify/discern false belief(s) that dropout believers have accepted and believe which result from five types of strongholds. These false beliefs dictate ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 10:3-5, 1 Samuel 30:11-16

Twenty-Seventh Sunday In Ordinary Time- B. 27th Sunday-- Divorce And Remarriage

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 1, 2021

The Catechism teaches that the spouses are ministers of the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church. They confer Christ’s grace upon each other (no. 1623).

Today’s readings bring before us some fundamental teachings on marriage. Marriage requires a couple to prepare 4 types of "RINGS”: - The Engagement Ring - The Wedding Ring - The Suffer-Ring - The Endue-Ring 1) One highlight on marriage from Saint Pope John Paul II-- Is on what he calls ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:2-16

Denomination: Catholic

Will You Come And Follow Me? (3rd Sunday Before Advent - Year B)

Contributed by Ian Bullock on Nov 4, 2021

We consider how the calling of the fishermen affects our lives, and allows us to focus on our own calling and why it is important for us to share our faith beginnings with others.

In the name of the Living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. As I sat thinking about our Gospel this morning, a film that I watched a number of years ago came to mind, a comedy called School of life, starring Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds was a school teacher whose job was to teach his students ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Denomination: Anglican

Twenty-Ninth Sunday In Ordinary Time, B- Servant Leadership. Blah-Blah-Blah

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Sep 29, 2024

Once you accept the cup. Then your path to glory is by your service.

Servant leadership. Blah-blah-blah. and so on; and so forth. Ever since Robert Greenleaf coined the term, there has been so much information out there on servant leadership that is too academic, or filed with unpractical generalizations like servant leadership is not command and control, nor ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45, Mark 10:45

Denomination: Catholic

Thirty-Third Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B: The End Of The World And Tender Branches

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Nov 1, 2024

The date of the end of the world cannot be known based on prophecy.

We are nearing the end of Ordinary Time as Advent draws near and so the theme this time of year is on the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the world. People are telling end of the world jokes like there is no tomorrow! E.g., A comedian spoke of a Pentecostal preacher who had predicted the end ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:24-32

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B - Dirty Hands And Dirty Thoughts

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jul 29, 2024

“Nothing ever happens in the world that does not first happen inside a mind...”

An illustration for those who deny the reality of concupiscence: A visitor was once being shown around an art gallery. The gallery contained some beautiful paintings which were universally acknowledged to be masterpieces. At the end of the tour the visitor said, "I don't think much of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8-9, Mark 7:1-23

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Eighth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B: No One Is Good But God Alone

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Sep 18, 2024

The principle of “No one is good but God alone

Jesus knew He was God and said so: He was accused of being God at his trial. Jesus revealed his divinity by miracles, and by His Resurrection, but he never says to the crowds, “Hey, everyone, I’m God.” In today’s Gospel, he goes undercover. To illustrate: In the TV show, Undercover Boss, a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-30

Denomination: Catholic

Fourth Sunday Of Easter, Year B- We Are All Sheep And Some Of Us Are Shepherds

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Mar 22, 2024

There are problems with sheep too

Problems and challenges for shepherds and sheep-- Timothy Laniak in 2007 tells the story of a Bedouin Arab and an American scholar sitting under a tent discussing what it takes to be a true shepherd. The Jordanian shepherd insisted that the heart is the most important thing. He lamented, “My ...read more

Scripture: John 10:11-18

Denomination: Catholic

Fifth Sunday Of Easter, Year B-- Vine And Branches-- See You Later, Suckers!

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Mar 27, 2024

“We’re dying on the vine here!”

Today, we hear about pruning and abiding to bear fruit. Regarding pruning, “There’s a sucker born every minute,” is an expression used in the hope of making money selling something worthless to a gullible customer. Similarly, in gardening, sucker shoots are false branches or stems that suck the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Denomination: Catholic

How To Study The Bible Like A Pro - Class #8b - Methods Of Bible Study Series

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Sep 13, 2022

A Continuation of Class #8a

C. Interpretation Phases The Bible is not merely a collection of various literary genres but that it represents God's revelation of Himself (and of His actions in history) to humanity. 1. Biography/History The primary distinction of the Biblical material is presented in the context of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Help For Keeping "Stuff" In Perspective Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Jan 17, 2013

Dominant Thought: a proper view of things will help us to carry through the command to not steal

You shouldn’t have been following the car so closely – not on State Street at 5:30 on Friday evening. Maybe they had a brake light out – hard to tell – it all happened so quickly. One minute you’re tooling along thinking about supper, the next you’re watching ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ