Sermons on John Bergsma:

The Solemnity Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King Of The Universe- "the Thief That Stole Heaven"

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Nov 21, 2025

He calls on the name of Jesus.

The phrase "the thief that stole heaven" refers to the penitent thief, also known as St. Dismas, who was crucified alongside Jesus, was made famous by Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. While the soldiers and crowd mock the Lord’s kingship, the good thief prays: “Remember me when you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:35-43

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-First Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B: John 6:66: Satan’s Six Pack.

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jul 20, 2024

These disciples refused to sign-on to Jesus’ Eucharistic teaching that Eucharist not a symbol.

Marriott's Fairfield Inn's require guests at certain times of the year to sign No Party Agreements. The actual document reads as follows: We understand that hotels are the ideal place to celebrate new adventures; however, problems occur when the celebration becomes a disturbance to our ...read more

Scripture: John 6:60-69

Denomination: Catholic

Twentieth Sunday In Ordinary Time- Year C-- Fire

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Aug 15, 2025

Fire, judgment, separation, crisis, – can bring a new opportunity for growth in faith.

Lodgepole pinecones are very compact, and they will only open to disperse their seeds under intense heat, as in a forest fire. We hear a similar idea today in our Gospel that fire means judgment, which results in separation, creating a crisis, but which also means opportunity. So, fire, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-53

Denomination: Catholic

Twelfth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B: "I Climb Fences When I Got Fences To Climb."

Contributed by Paul Andrew on May 17, 2024

“Our biggest challenge is to recognize those invisible fences “that ain’t ever strang up yet” and to ignore them."

John Steinbeck wrote about Jim Casy and Tom Joad traveling to California looking for a better life in a land they’ve never seen. When their ragged old car breaks down, Casy begins to pour out his doubts to Tom about this seemingly jinxed rush to California. Tom resists Casy’s pessimistic ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Catholic

Pentecost Is Kind Of "Wild Ecumenism.”

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Apr 16, 2024

Lightning

At Pentecost, the room shook and wind blew and the whole room crackled with the Holy Spirit’s electric presence. With this in mind, United Methodist theologian Albert Outler tells of a small town he once visited which had three churches in it, and each of the three churches, he said, had an ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-11, John 20:19-23

Denomination: Catholic

Eighth Sunday In Ordinary Time Year C- Mote And Beam

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 27, 2025

We get impatient with others who represent aspects of ourselves that we have pushed away

Doctor Jesus is like an ophthalmologist and a psychologist in our Gospel today. He is speaking about projection. We get impatient with others who represent aspects of ourselves that we have pushed away.1 We are aware of all the mitigating factors that go into our own mistakes but not those ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:39-45

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Fifth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year C: Dishonest Steward Or Shrewd Manager

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Sep 18, 2025

Baptized believers should use the worldly resources they possess to serve God's eternal kingdom by being generous and helping the poor, and do it in a way that involves street smarts, enterprise, and proactive initiative.

There’s an old story about Moishe, a medieval Jewish astrologer who prophesied that the king’s favorite horse would die soon. Sure enough, the horse died a short time later. The king got angry at Moishe, certain that his prophecy had brought about the horse’s death. He summoned Moishe and commanded ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-13

Denomination: Catholic

Tenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B: Combat Boots

Contributed by Paul Andrew on May 4, 2024

“feet shod with the kind of shoe created for the Gospel of peace.”

General Douglas MacArthur wrote that there are 4 things necessary to win any battle. One is strength-- We hear Mark 3:27 in our Gospel, “no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder the house.” Jesus explains that ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:27, Genesis 3:15, Ephesians 6:15, Ephesians 4:27

Denomination: Catholic

John’s Question

Contributed by Dan Finch on Dec 25, 2010

Everybody wants to be a winner and be on the winning team. John the baptizer was afraid that he was mistaken about Jesus because he saw him headed toward a cross. We are still a lot like John. Following Jesus is often not about winning.

It’s hard to be sure when you are in pain It’s easy to be confident when things are going well – when you are young, strong – LeBron James for instance, went on TV and had a whole show just to say that he was going to the Miami Heat. Look at me, look how confident I am. This is going to be great. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Methodist

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

John Series

Contributed by Richard Pfeil on Apr 18, 2005

a biographical sketch of John

“JOHN” TEXT: MARK 9:38-41; 10:35-45 Sunday, March 28, 2004 It’s a good song leading into a message on the apostle John because John often spoke about the love of God, especially later in his life. The love of God is defined by his sending his son as the sacrifice; Christ becomes the true ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

John Series

Contributed by Roshelle Brenneise on Oct 22, 2021

The Deity of Jesus ---- The Great I AM

October 23, 2021 Today the book of John. Once again, the author of the book is not identified within the text. Early church tradition identifies John, “the beloved disciple” as the author and it is widely believed that it was the final book of the New Testament to be written = between 95-100 AD ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, John 15:1-5, John 14:1-6, John 11:1-26, John 8:1-59, John 6:1-35, Exodus 3:13-14, John 18:4-6, John 20:30-31  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Overview Of John’s Gospel

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 23, 2010

Overview of John’s Gospel - "That You May Believe". (PowerPoint slides to accompany this talk are available on request - email: gcurley@gcurley.info)

Reading: John chapter 20 verses 30-31. Ill: • One of Penny’s favourite books is Hungarian writer Baroness Orczy’s novel; • The Scarlet Pimpernel. • It is a great adventure story about an English count; • Who travels to Paris during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French ...read more

Scripture: John 20:30-31

Denomination: Brethren

John’s Christmas Story

Contributed by Asun Delong on Mar 25, 2010

Who is this man, Jesus?

Theme: John’s Christmas Story Text: John 1:1-18 Introduction: How many are looking forward to Christmas? Most of us don’t realize that there are two sets of Christmas stories in the gospels. One set is from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke and the other from the Gospel of John. The first set is ...read more

Denomination: *other

John’s Ministry Begins Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jun 21, 2017

John the Baptist steps out on the stage of history. He is a New Testament personality, but I classify him as an Old Testament prophet, because of his character and his message.

-AD 7-8- Judean Wilderness John’s Ministry Begins (Malachi 3:1) Matthew 3:1, Mark 1:1-4, Luke 3:1-2, John 1:19-28 God planned the ministry of John the Baptist. We know this because we find him in prophecy. Malachi 3:1 says of him, “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before ...read more

Scripture: John 1:19-28, Luke 3:1-2, Mark 1:1-4, Matthew 3:1, Malachi 3:1  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist