Sermons on Clergy Education:

Choices: A Teenage Dream Or A Greater Purpose Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Nov 25, 2020

The Star and Stars of Christmas is a series of messages for Advent. Using the idea of a play on a stage. Each message will look at different characters in the Christmas story. The introduction takes a critical look at how many in our society are portrayed as celebrities—bigger than life.

Many Americans are star struck, enamored with stardom. It is like we idolize celebrities, to include animated and fictional characters. Hollywood stars are put ahead of the heroes of faith, as mentioned in the book of Hebrews. Sport celebrities are stronger figures in our mind than people of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Priesthood Of All Believers (Part 1)

Contributed by Roddy Chestnut on Oct 18, 2000

Thesis: God has always wanted all his people to be priests.

Thesis: God has always wanted all his people to be priests. Intro.: 1. < Read Exodus 19:1-8 > a. God is ready to make Israel his covenant people. b. God's intent was for Israel to be "a kingdom of priests." 2. That didn't happen--why not? < Read Exodus 20:18-21 > a. Twice we are told: "The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Prepare To Share Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 6, 2016

"To interpret a biblical text, we need to be patient, to put aside all other concerns, and to give it our time, interest and undivided attention."

Thursday of 18th Week in Course This day we commemorate St. Clare of Assisi, the friend of St. Francis who founded the second Order of Franciscans for women religious, or the Poor Clares. As we look at the first reading about Ezekiel digging a hole in the wall of his house, we are reminded that ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 12:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Eusebius Versus Arius: A Critical Defense Of The Faith

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 27, 2018

The word "consubstantial" is so important that we either bow or kneel when we commemorate the conception of Jesus in Mary’s womb during that prayer.

Thursday of 17th Week in Course St. Eusebius of Vercelli Today’s Scripture gives us two parables, one from Jeremiah and the second from Jesus Himself. Jeremiah visited a potter, probably a novice potter, because what he threw on the wheel turned out badly. But one thing every potter learns is that ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-6, Matthew 13:47-53

Denomination: Catholic

How Much More Will God Give His Holy Spirit Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 7, 2017

If there is evil in our lives, God has to permit it to happen, or it wouldn’t. But God never wills evil. He only wants our good.

Thursday of 27th Week in Course 2017 Reformation/Revolution Who among us has not looked on some captain of industry or some venal politician and wondered why “evildoers not only prosper but when they put God to the test they escape.’” as the people did in Malachi’s day? Sometimes it does seem vain ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:5-13

Denomination: Catholic

To An Ever Greater Love Of The Word Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 8, 2011

Two guides help us in our journey with the Scriptures: St. Paul and the prologue to John's Gospel

Monday of 29th Week in Course St. Ignatius of Antioch Verbum Domini Our saint today, Ignatius of Antioch, is a most appropriate patron for our reflections on the Word of God. He was the third bishop of Antioch, but, more importantly, was a disciple of John the Apostle. His writings give us a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:69-75

Denomination: Catholic

The Witness Of John Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 27, 2011

John, and we, need to be prophets to our cultures.

Martyrdom of John the Baptist August 29, 2011 Testimony of the Saints Popular culture almost always gets everything wrong. Thus today’s celebration, which in the pre-Vatican II liturgy was a feast, not a memorial, is totally misinterpreted by pop culture. In the view of the secular world, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:17-29

Denomination: Catholic

Attaining The Countenance Of Jesus

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 1, 2014

Love is always lived out in body and in spirit

Thursday of Fourth Week in Course Lumen Fidei All of us long for a world, a culture, of perfect justice, of perfect peace, where everyone is centered on doing the will of God, and no one is impoverished in spirit, soul or body. David got it, and the apostles preached it. When Jesus sent them ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:7-13

Denomination: Catholic

A Christian Approach To Technology

Contributed by Frederick Meekins on Jul 28, 2014

A Christian Approach To Technology

In Jurassic Park, the chaos theorist played by Jeff Goldblum quipped that scientists were in such a hurry to find out if they could that they never took the time to consider whether they should when it came to resurrecting extinct dinosaurs through genetic cloning technology. The comment was quite ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-27

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Special Role Of The Laity Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 2, 2015

Lay people in the Church, especially women, serve a vital role in spreading the Gospel and building community.

Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter 2015 Joy of the Gospel Both of our readings today are concerned with what the Catechism calls “The Christian Life,” or the moral and virtuous way of life. Paul and Barnabas were traveling through the lands of what is now Turkey and Greece, going to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:17-21

Denomination: Catholic

Some Actions Are Always Wrong So What Do We Do? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 19, 2021

Murdering the innocent is always gravely immoral. Thus we have been taught since the first Christians accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and celebrated communion together.

Homily Monday of 12th week in ordinary time If we are to understand what the Lord is saying to us today, and more importantly what He is not saying, we need to find the key word in the Gospel: it’s “hypocrite.” A hypocrite is someone who calls sin a sin in other people, but ignores the sin in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9, Matthew 7:1-5

Denomination: Catholic

What A Mom

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 5, 2000

A look at the widow at Zarephath in light of mother’s day

You ever been broke? I mean really broke? She was and she couldn’t believe her ears! She was at the end of her rope. Life was hard enough for a widow in that day and age, but the drought that they had been experienceing had been the straw that broke the camels back. Well she should have been ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-24

Denomination: Wesleyan

Grandma's Legacy: The Story Of Ruth Series

Contributed by Keith Manry on May 18, 2004

Mother’s Day Sermon - Part 3 in a series on the Life of David

Insights from the Life of David – Part 3: “Grandma’s Legacy: The Story of Ruth” Ruth 1:1-22 This week I heard some fascinating statistics on motherhood. In modern history the oldest mother on record was 69 years old when she gave birth to a child in April of last year. The youngest mother ever ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-22

Denomination: Methodist

Slippery Rocks

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 15, 2003

Even the fundamentals of our faith -- the Bible, prayer, the church, spiritual experience -- can become slippery, unsure. The way to certainty is through obedience.

Although generally I stay away from stories that begin, “There were a Baptist minister, a Catholic priest, and a Jewish rabbi,” today I’ll make an exception. Sometimes you just have to be corny to get your point across. So, sure enough, there were a Baptist minister, a Catholic priest, and a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

Simeon And The Savior

Contributed by Dr. Franklin Kirksey on Dec 7, 2007

Simeon and the Savior by Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey is a message of encouragement to believers to stand on the promises of God.

Simeon and the Savior Luke 2:25-35 By Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey INTRODUCTION “The days were very dark for Israel; no John the Baptist had sounded his trumpet not; everything seemed hopeless for the Jews, and some of the noblest of them had taken refuge in despair.”1 “The times were degenerate. The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25-35

Denomination: Baptist