Sermons on Chris Buell Reels:

Marks Of Maturity

Contributed by Chris Tiller on Oct 18, 2005

A description of four marks of Christian maturity.

I found a poem on the internet that I would like to share with you. It bears some striking resemblances to a very well-known poem. Listen carefully, though, because it is not quite the poem that you might expect. One night, I had a wondrous dream; One set of footprints there was seen. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-16

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Obstacles To Maturity

Contributed by Chris Tiller on Oct 24, 2005

In the parable of the sower and the seeds, Jesus identifies three categories of obstacles to maturity.

The Bible uses a lot of agricultural metaphors. The prophet Isaiah describes Judah as a vineyard planted on a fertile hillside. “He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Saul And Ananias

Contributed by Chris Tiller on Oct 24, 2005

Christ’s call to Saul on the Road to Damascus and Christ’s call to Ananias to visit Saul in Damascus both provide insight into the nature of Christ’s call.

This passage is most typically known as Saul’s conversion story—his Damascus Road Experience. It describes a dramatic encounter between Saul and Jesus on the road to Damascus…the encounter that started Saul down a new path that would make him the most prolific evangelist of the early church and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-19

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Council At Jerusalem Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 25, 2005

At the first Council of teh Church, held in Jerusalem it was affirmed that the preaching of the gospel brings freedom because the gospel is all about the grace of God, the freely given forgiveness won by Christ on the cross.

What are we on about as a Church? How do we decide what’s central to our life together? What is there that we must have if we’re to be a truly Christian Church? What are the guiding principles that govern our life together? They’re the sorts of questions that arise out of today’s passage from ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:1-35

Denomination: Anglican

How God Uses Human Weaknes To Bring About His Purposes Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 25, 2005

GOd used Paul and Barnabas’ disagreement over John Mark to expand the work of the gospel. In his sovereignty he can even use our weaknesses to further his ends.

By Camille Lang Have you noticed the world and people in it are just … well, out of control? A life lived seems messy … even off the rails at times…. However it seems to me that today people seem to be showing even less tolerance … more impatience and more anger and I seem to be coming ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Thessalonica And Berea Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 25, 2005

Paul centres his message on the historic Jesus, arguing from Scripture that he’s the Messiah. He persuades people by careful argument, opening the Scriptures to allow people to discover the truth for themselves. And he works as a leader of a team, includi

It’s interesting that we think of Paul as someone who stands out on his own. He’s the great apostle to the Gentiles, a man who stands head and shoulders above the rest. Yet in reality he was a man who loved to work as part of a team. He started out with Barnabas, then joined up with Silas, then he ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:1-15

Denomination: Anglican

The Gospel Is Preached At The Areopagus Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 25, 2005

Paul takes the context of a pagan city and uses their apparent spiritual thirst to tell them about Jesus and his rescue from the judgement to come.

Here’s Paul, left alone in Athens, the cultural capital of the world. How do you think he’d be feeling? Overwhelmed? Excited? Fascinated? Imagine this is you, not in Athens, but in New York or Paris or Rome or Berlin? How would you be feeling? Like you couldn’t wait to get out and start exploring? ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-34

Denomination: Anglican

Paul In Corinth Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 25, 2005

we can be confident in sharing the gospel with our friends and neighbours because we know that God has already called out people to hear and respond when they hear the good news of salvation.

I want to finish this part of our series on Acts by reflecting on the way God continued to encourage and support Paul in his preaching of the gospel, despite the great opposition he faced. God’s empowering was such that many people came to believe in Jesus. Paul was able to keep going despite the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-17

Denomination: Anglican

Just For You -- For The Common Good

Contributed by Chris Tiller on Oct 26, 2005

Encouragement to explore and develop the gifts of the Spirit—not as a responsibility to weigh you down, but as a way for you to love and honor the God who loves you.

I have a few questions for you. You don’t have to answer out loud. No show of hands required. You don’t need to nod your head. You don’t need to shake your head. But these are not rhetorical questions. They are real questions, serious questions, important questions. What do you think God ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How (Questions In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Katrina)

Contributed by Chris Tiller on Oct 30, 2005

How could God have let this happen? How can we speak to God of what has happened? How can we respond to the need before us?

Lamentations 2:11-13, 18-19; 3:19-23, 40-42, 46-57 The Lamentations were written by someone, probably Jeremiah, who observed the devastation of Jerusalem following the Babylonian invasion in 586 BC. Jerusalem was literally leveled. The temple was destroyed. Anybody who was anybody was carried ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Reflections On Halloween

Contributed by Chris Tiller on Oct 31, 2005

How does a Christian deal with Halloween in a way that glorifies God?

Halloween can be a troubling holiday. Many of us carry fond memories of Halloweens long ago, back when we were growing up. Many of us remember it as innocent fun—a special day just for children. I remember dressing up in silly costumes and going door to door begging for candy. When I was ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Long Term Investment Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 21, 2001

How we respond to God’s Word in this life determines our life in the next.

The scene is a familiar one. The mansion with the ornate ironwork front gate. Marble steps and carved mahogany doors. Overlooking a well cared for street. A street marred only be the presence of a filthy beggar, sprawled beside the entrance to this palatial mansion. A beggar who hardly moves, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Anglican

Seek Those Things Above Series

Contributed by Chris Sparkman on Oct 22, 2001

Many times it is necessary for us to get back to the basics, we do that here by learning to first of all, seek those things above!

Basic Principles of the Christian Life Part I Seek Those Things Above Colossians 3:1-4 Throughout Chapter 2 of the book of Colossians, Paul talked about different dangers that threaten to pull us away from Christ. These dangers led to believers only demonstrating an outward Christianity. In ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

What's That Smell

Contributed by Chris Mason on Oct 24, 2001

Cologne and Perfume cover up the smell, but only for a time. Nice clothes and a fake attitude cover up hidden sins, but only for a time. The only way to be truly clean is to be seperated from sin.

WHAT’S THAT SMELL INTRODUCTION One day while walking through the department store, I decided to stop by the cologne displays and try on some cologne. Now, I just couldn’t just try on one (could I?) I had to try on all the different brands that they had. Need less to say when I got into the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-17, Romans 6:1-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

31 Flavors Of Religion

Contributed by Chris Mason on Nov 2, 2001

God has laid out a clear plan on what to do in order to be saved. However you have to follow the plan in order to make it work. You see the truth is the truth whether you believe it or not.

INTRODUCTION I want to tell you a secret! You have to promise not to tell anyone, O.K.? The secret is: I LOVE ICE CREAM! Not just any ice cream, not Hy Vee or Walmart or even Albertsons, but rather the greatest ice cream of all time: Baskin Robins Ice Cream. When I go to Baskin Robins, I have ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:38-41, Acts 16:31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ