Sermons on Bill:

Love That Is Better Than Life Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

Before David was forced into the wilderness he was obsessed with his own comfort and the satisfaction of his own needs. It’s only when everything is taken from him that he becomes obsessed with God Himself, finding full satisfaction in his praise of Him.

Love That is Better Than Life I came across some actual signs this week. On a plumbing company’s van: “A flush beats a full house!” At a tire shop in Milwaukee: “Invite us to your next blowout!” At a towing company: “We don’t charge an arm and a leg. We want tows.” On a maternity room door: ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 62:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

God's Global Glory Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

David could have questioned God, but instead he went on a quest to find God. Instead of wondering, He chose to worship. We can do the same thing as we follow the progression of his faith, from deep inside the cave, to the entrance, and then to the world

God’s Global Glory Pastors get asked questions all the time. Here are a few actual letters that kids have sent to ministers: Dear Pastor, does God like everybody? If so, He never met my sister. (Arnold, age 9) Dear Pastor, do you think my father should be a minister? Every day he gives us a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 57:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

When Life Does Not Seem Fair Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 20, 2003

Life doesn’t seem fair. Nonbelievers seem to experience more blessings than we do. In order to find some spiritual stability we need a reality check.

When Life Doesn’t Seem Fair Let’s begin this morning by talking about perception. How we view something becomes reality for us. The New Scientist magazine has compiled a list of actual statements made by children regarding their perspective about scientific matters. There are three kinds of blood ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 73:1-28

Denomination: Baptist

Becoming A Servant Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

In contrast to our self-seeking ways, Jesus is the personification of servanthood. Just as He came to serve and not to be served, we’re expected to do the same. Becoming a servant means that we swim against the cultural current and follow the model of t

Becoming a Servant Q. What do you call a chicken crossing the road? A. Poultry in motion. Q. What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t work? A. A stick. Q. What do you call four bullfighters in quicksand? A. Quatro sinko. Q. Where do you find a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28, John 13:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Understanding Your Shape Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

Since we’ve been saved so that we can serve, it’s important for us to understand how God has wired us. When we serve in ways that maximize who we are, and what we’ve been given, the church will be fortified and we’ll experience fruitfulness and fulfillmen

Understanding Your Shape During experiments aboard the space shuttle “Columbia,” scientists discovered that there are twenty-six lakes underneath the Sahara desert. It’s heartrending to think of the people who are starving and dying of thirst because these hidden resources have not yet been ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Defrosting Your Spiritual Assets Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

In order to serve according to our giftedness, we must make sure that we not only understand spiritual gifts, we must discover, develop and deploy our gift mix. Since ignorance about this topic may be a chief cause of retarded spiritual growth, it’s impe

Defrosting Your Spiritual Assets A man from Illinois decided to travel to Wisconsin to go duck hunting. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer’s field on the other side of the fence. As the flatlander climbed over the fence, a dairy farmer drove up on his tractor and asked what was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Denomination: Baptist

Using What God Has Given Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

God gives each of special abilities and expects us to be faithful in using what we’ve been given. Instead of “hiding” our gifts we’re to invest them in kingdom service. There’s no getting around the fact that we are responsible for what we’ve been given

Using What God Has Given A man from out east had always dreamed of owning a cattle ranch and had finally saved enough money to buy his dream spread in Wyoming. His best friend flew out to visit and asked, “So, what’s the name of your ranch?” His buddy told him that he had a really hard time ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 25:14-25, Romans 12:6-8

Denomination: Baptist

Hannah: A Model For Motherhood Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

Using What God Has Given A man from out east had always dreamed of owning a cattle ranch and had finally saved enough money to buy his dream spread in Wyoming. His best friend flew out to visit and asked, “So, what’s the name of your ranch?” His buddy

Hannah: A Model for Motherhood In a recent Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, Calvin is standing by his mother’s bed when he says, “Hey, Mom! Wake up. I made you a Mother’s Day card.” His mother was very pleased and started to read it out loud. “I was going to buy a card with hearts of pink and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Ruth: A Loyal Love Story Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

This morning we’re going to listen to a loyal love story from the Book of Ruth. Many people have said that the Book of Ruth is the most beautiful short story ever written. It’s an account of anxiety, fear, love, and commitment that inflames the imagin

Ruth: A Loyal Love Story I like looking at old scrapbooks. For most of us, our family picture albums are stored away in boxes somewhere. Whenever I pick up one of my mom’s old albums, the ancient black and white pictures start to fall out, and I get to relive the memories of my youth all over ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Samson: Dealing With Fatal Flaws Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

In our series called, “Keeping the Story Alive,” we’ve looked at Hanna, Gideon, and Ruth. Today, we’re going to focus on Samson as we seek to deal with our own fatal flaws

Samson: Dealing with Fatal Flaws I love what happens when children retell Bible stories. Here are a few of my favorites: The first three books of the Bible are Genesis, Exodus, and Laxatives. Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark. Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Esther: Maximizing Ministry Potential Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Mar 26, 2003

One of the most exciting stings in all of literature is found in a true story that has been preserved for us in the Bible. It contains some romance and a lot of action and has a plot that contains more twists than a treacherous mountain road. If you’re

Esther: Maximizing Ministry Potential Beth and I enjoy watching movies but we don’t always like the same kind. She usually prefers the love stories while I go for the action-oriented ones. On rare occasions, we find a movie that has both romance and action. Actually, even though I often make a ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Forgiving The Unforgivable Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Apr 2, 2003

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” The Cross is the only place we can find forgiveness. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done, or how often we’ve done it, we can be forgiven - not because we deserve it, but because we don’t.

Forgiving the Unforgivable The last words of a dying person are normally never forgotten. A person’s closing comments often reveal their pain and agony. Some enter eternity without saying anything, while others utter sentiments that disclose their values, priorities, and innermost ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-34

Denomination: Baptist

Last Second Salvation Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Apr 2, 2003

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” The story of the thief receiving salvation is the most amazing example of saving faith in the entire Bible. It’s never too late to turn to Christ and even the worst of sinners can be saved at

Last-second Salvation Last Sunday I mentioned that it’s much easier to preach about forgiveness than it is to practice it. This was made very clear to me right after the second service when I was talking to a 9-year-old boy. He had a scratch on his forehead and I asked him if he had gotten into a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:39-43

Denomination: Baptist

Final Words Of A Family Man Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Apr 2, 2003

“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’” In the midst of His pain and recognizing that He is about to die for the

Final Words of a Family Man In the days before expectant fathers were allowed in the delivery room, four dads-to-be gathered in a Minneapolis hospital waiting room while their wives were in labor. The nurse arrived and announced to the first man, “Congratulations, sir. You’re the father of ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Denomination: Baptist

The Forsaken Christ Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Apr 2, 2003

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” The answer to this question causes us to tremble when we realize that Jesus was forsaken because of our sins. Jesus felt the full weight of sin rolled onto His shoulders and endured the Father’s revulsion at the

The Forsaken Christ (Lights are turned off in the auditorium) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 27:45-46

Denomination: Baptist