Sermons on Jack Zenger:

Words Worth Dying For! "i Love You."

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Jan 1, 2021

This sermon focuses attention on the kind of relationship that God desire each of us to aspire to in order to enjoy genuine relationships. It uses the story of the friendship between Jonathan and David to illustrate the type relationship God blesses.

Three simple words, words worth dying for! “I Love you.” Ernest T. Bass, a character from “The Andy Griffith Show” gives us a glimpse of a friendship moment: “Malcom, I ain’t gonna touch a hair on your head. You’re my friend, my true friend. I don’t care if you did take my job away from me and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Josh's Journey Through Silence: Spirituality In The Making

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Jan 4, 2021

This is a narrative sermon that illustrates how people often struggle with spirituality due to life's situation. It follows this narrative for developing a sensitivity to those who struggle to find meaning on their spiritual journey.

Following the pastoral prayer, the minister of music prepared to lead the people in a hymn of praise. As the pastor reflected upon the worship service and the sermon he was to preach his mind drifted to the text for his sermon. It was the first passage of scripture he had heard read from the ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Word Of Life Celebrated Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Feb 1, 2021

John says, “We write this to make our joy complete. He presents Jesus as the source of the completed life. John says, “and the life was manifested.” Jesus is not a mysterious entity that is evasive, he is real, and Christians find their joy through him.

Reality shows continue to draw people’s attention. . . In an article, 10 Reality Shows That Aren't Real At All (And 10 That Totally Are), Chris Littlechild, talks about how they claim to be real; however, “the producers are just looking to stir up drama with fake moments. These shows are ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Truth Or Consequences Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Feb 3, 2021

Acknowledgement of sin is perhaps one of the most difficult things for Christians. Yet, it is paramount for experiencing the abundant life. Honest confession opens the door for having a close relationship with Jesus and other believers.

Travel about 150 miles south of Albuquerque and you will enter Truth or Consequences. For the tenth anniversary of the popular show Truth or Consequences, in 1950, Ralph Edwards, offered any town in America the opportunity to be the site of the show’s April Fool’s Day birthday broadcast bash. On ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Living In The Light Lane Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Feb 4, 2021

John uses familial, language (e.g., children, young men, and fathers) to talk about the fellowship/koinonia, the church. These are terms to describe Christian maturity. The church is energized by a flow of those in each stage of maturity.

Has Christianity been rejected by many based on a caricature which has been mistaken for the real thing? Perhaps! Yet, John calls us back home, to our foundation, to the fundamental matters of our faith. God uses John to help the church repair that which is broken, to correct the twisted ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:3-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Put Your Investments In Bags With Holes

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Feb 17, 2021

Haggai's messages led to the restoration of the Temple. He challenged the people by using three themes : Encouragement, Warning, and Hope. This message raises critical questions for Christians and churches as we seek God's will, especially while witnessing a changing landscape.

God often uses a single voice to stir the hearts of his people. These prophetic voices often come at crucial points in history. Here are some examples. • The Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s inspiring oratory is believed to have helped save Britain in WWII. • On November 2, 1863, several ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 2:6-7, Matthew 19:21, Haggai 1:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Empathic Compassion: Experiencing Your Pain In My Heart

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Feb 18, 2021

When I think of Jesus I think of empathy and compassion; they are embedded Jesus' salvific mission. Too often clergy and Christians take a propositional approach to the Gospel. Loving and caring for people according to the example Jesus set requires us to demonstrate empathy and compassion.

I carefully watched him as he walked down the hall; he was dressed in a long flowing white coat. His head hung unpersuasively from his shoulders. The doctor's demeanor suggested he was intensely contemplating what he would say to us, or he was envisioning another appointment. Halfway down ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 49:13, Isaiah 63:7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Completed Joy Of A Christian: The Word Of Life Celebrated

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Jun 28, 2021

This is a series of sermons based upon 1 John that focuses on the foundation of the Christian experience, love and fellowship with God. 1 John is about application of these two themes. This is sermon 1 of 14, a series about a genuine relationship with God and right living.

Reality shows continue to draw people’s attention. . . In an article, 10 Reality Shows That Aren't Real at All (And 10 That Totally Are), Chris Littlechild, talks about how they claim to be real; however, “the producers are just looking to stir up drama with fake moments. These shows are ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Enjoying The Maturing Process

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Jul 10, 2021

This is a series of sermons based upon 1 John that focuses on the foundation of the Christian experience, love and fellowship with God. 1 John is about application of these two themes. This is sermon 4 of 14, a series about a genuine relationship with God and right living.

What mother ever gives birth to a child with the goal for the child to remain a baby, never to grow into maturity? What mother would ever delight in seeing her child go immediately from infancy to heaven? On this day, my heart is heavy when I think about the children who never get to enjoy their ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:12-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Making Wise Investments Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Jul 27, 2021

Perhaps the greatest challenge the church faces is finding her place in changing world, on that doesn’t appear to be getting better. John gives an imperative for the church, make investment on in God’s promises which are eternal, not in a worldview that is destined to fail.

Our society is infatuated with extremes, there seems to be no common ground for living. I developed a model, Pathway to Recovery, that illustrates this dynamic. While at a bookstore, I observed a group of students. They were polls apart when discussing religious thought. I had made the comment to ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Staying Clam In A Storm Of Heresy Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Jul 29, 2021

A major concern for John is heresy within the church and the manner it is causing problems and robbing believers of their joy. John uses antichrist in reference to those who perhaps start with seemingly sincere faith; yet, their teaching becomes contrary to Christ and abiding in him.

There is a universal theme that runs through the book of 1 John, abiding in Christ. This is the key to “living in the world but not of the world. When we refuse to live in the world, we fail to serve Christ. Joe McKeever wrote the following. In the 1987 meeting of the Southern Baptist ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:18-29

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thank God, I Am A Child Of God Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Aug 2, 2021

John’s letter contains instructions, warnings, assurances and promises; however, the greatest thing he does is to affirm Christians’ uniqueness in Jesus. John writes in such a way that the confidence of God’s children is affirmed. John has highlighted several confidence builders in his letter:

We are a miracle of love! There are many things in life that cannot be explained apart from a loving creative God. One day, while walking around your beautiful, landscaped yard you observe something. First, you discover that something has been eating on some of your plants. Then you stand in ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Right Father Enhances Our Walk With Jesus Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Aug 4, 2021

Our culture attempt to redefine our God-given morality code to make it feel comfortable living while outside that code for godly living. John reminds us that Jesus takes away, forgives, our sin and enables us to experienced changed lives.

In 1969, the year I graduated from high school, 500,000 young people made a trip to Sullivan County and set up camp in Max Yasgur’s pasture. The Woodstock Music and Art Festival was billed as “three days of peace and music.” True believers see it as an era devoted to human advancement. Cynics ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:4-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love, The Infallible Test Of Salvation Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Aug 5, 2021

The church has a different goal–we are to model for the world the authentic way to love. The spiritual quest we must follow is that Jesus calls us to be different. John suggest the failure to love extravagantly, as God first loved us, is perhaps one of the greatest sins.

How do you explain the hatred and evilness in our society? How do you comprehend the hatred between the Jews and Palestinians? How can we support the evilness we see on the political scene? How we process the anarchy in our society? How do you explain Columbine? Families wounded by divorce? ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:11-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gps Series

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Aug 6, 2021

Postmodernity has given birth to the idea that all spiritual views are simply different roads that lead to God. We have created a confusing web of “spiritual paths” for those on a quest to know God. John gives a process for gaining and maintaining our bearings while on our spiritual journey.

GPS is a satellite-based radio navigation system that was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense. It permits land, sea and airborne users to determine their three-dimensional position, velocity and time anywhere in the world. The accuracy of it far exceeds anything that we have seen in the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational