Sermons on Ken Idleman:

"every Day Is Pentecost"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on May 14, 2024

A sermon about change in the church.

“Every Day is Pentecost” Acts 2:1-21 The Book of Acts is the story of the early Church and how it evolved. It’s an amazingly exciting adventure. And in it we get a very intriguing picture of a group of people—folks just like you and me—who are continually being changed and formed and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: United Methodist

"we Can't Save Ourselves"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on May 22, 2024

A sermon about Law versus Grace.

“We Can’t Save Ourselves” Genesis 17:1-2, 9-15 Acts 15:1-21 Good Christian people, with the best of intentions, have been having disagreements from the very beginning. Sometimes, a dispute can lead to new insight and understanding. It happens in marriage. Most of us have heard marriage ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:1-15, Acts 15:1-21

Denomination: United Methodist

The Compassion Of Christ

Contributed by Ken Sauer on May 29, 2024

Living as Christ's followers in a world starving for love and compassion.

“The Compassion of Christ” Matthew 9:35-38 A while ago, I was reading a story from a mainstream news outlet about a young couple who moved to Los Angeles, California looking for fame and fortune but quickly found themselves homeless and destitute. It was a moving story. In any event, when ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38

Denomination: United Methodist

Jesus' Family Values

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Jun 4, 2024

A sermon about the Church as Family.

“Jesus’ Family Values” Mark 3:20-35 Family is a foundational concept in the Bible. The Bible begins in Genesis, not with talk about nations and tribes, but families—big families, real families. Sometimes God’s people are likened to the bride of the Bridegroom and our infidelities are compared ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:20-35

Denomination: United Methodist

Jesus Is Enough

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Jun 11, 2024

A sermon about putting aside our differences because Jesus is enough.

“Jesus Is Enough” Matthew 28:16-20 On my first Sunday here, 6 years ago, I sat in my office as some of the first people started to come into the building. And the first Sunday in a new church for a new pastor is stressful. I was nervous. I didn’t know anyone and didn’t know much about this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Denomination: United Methodist

"just The Way We Are"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Jul 8, 2024

A sermon about how God chooses to love us and claim us no matter how we feel about ourselves.

“Just the Way We Are” Ephesians 1:3-14 Is there anyone here that struggles with shame? Do you ever feel as if you have let God down, to the point where you find it hard to believe that God could possibly love you? If this is the case, you probably also struggle with despair, which is the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Denomination: United Methodist

"you Give Them Something To Eat"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Jul 23, 2024

A sermon about trusting in Christ.

“You Give Them Something to Eat” Matthew 14:13-21 Jesus liked to eat. The disciples of John the Baptist noticed this enough to ask Jesus why He didn’t fast. Jesus’ enemies noticed this enough to ask the disciples why Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. They called Him a glutton and a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21

Denomination: United Methodist

"no Outcastes"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Aug 15, 2024

A sermon about living into the all inclusive love of God.

“No Outcastes” Mark 7:1-8, 14-23 When I was interning in the News Department of a Television Station during college, the Bureau Chief gave me a nasty assignment. There was someone running for office, he must have already been in government somehow, and she wanted me to dig up dirt on him. She ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Denomination: United Methodist

"surprised By Grace"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Nov 16, 2023

A sermon about remembering what God has done for us.

“Surprised by Grace” Ephesians 2:1-10 We are a forgetful people. I know I am. I think that is one reason some of us wander from the faith. To remember what the Lord has done is something the people of God have always been called to do. For example, the Lord told the Israelites, back when ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: United Methodist

The New Creation

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Nov 21, 2023

A Church that centers on Jesus alone will bear witness to the Lamb and His Way offering a foretaste of the "new things" of the new creation.

The New Creation Revelation 21:1-7, 22-27-22:1-5 I recently ran across a cartoon that pictured three churches, all of different denominations, standing side by side with a thought bubble above each building saying: “Finding time for all our prayers is difficult when we have to practice ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

"journey To Bethlehem: "can Anything Good Come Out Of Nazareth?"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Nov 29, 2023

The first in a four-part series for Advent.

“Journey to Bethlehem: Can Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth?” Luke 1:26-38 Early in Jesus’ ministry, when Philip, one of Jesus’ first disciples told his friend Nathanial: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth…” Nathanial ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: United Methodist

"journey To Bethlehem: The Paradox Of Blessedness"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Dec 5, 2023

We are blessed when our lives are used for God's good purposes.

“Journey to Bethlehem: The Paradox of Blessedness” Luke 1:39-55 Last week we started our Advent journey to Bethlehem by reading about how the angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her that she would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and bear a son, and He will be holy and be called the “Son of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:39-55

Denomination: United Methodist

"journey To Bethlehem: The Carpenter And The King"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Dec 13, 2023

A study in the contrast between Joseph and King Herod.

“Journey to Bethlehem: The Carpenter and the King” Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph must not have believed Mary’s story about the angel and her pregnancy through the Holy Spirit. If he had believed it, he wouldn’t have been looking for a way to break off the engagement. The only logical explanation ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: United Methodist

"the Bread Of Life Is Born"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Dec 19, 2023

A short sermon for Christmas Eve.

“The Bread of Life is Born” Luke 2:1-20 The Bible in 1st John tells us that we love because God first loved us, and Christmas is one of the best examples of this. God came into our world, took on flesh, and became vulnerable, a vulnerable baby. He was born into poverty, in a barn, and on His ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: United Methodist

Christmas Pic

Contributed by Ken Henson on Dec 23, 2023

Jesus' Presence, Light/Illumination and Commission (PIC) are the central themes of Advent-His birth.

A few days ago we took some of our family to the airport so they could fly home for Christmas. (Personal presence is so important in seasons of celebration. In the US Thanksgiving and Christmas are the biggest travel days of the year). Of course, we took a Picture with some of the decorations in ...read more

Denomination: *other