Sermons on Lectionary:

Be Patient!

Contributed by Hans Krause on Oct 23, 2018

Curiosity and greed are part of our DNA, patience is not. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and must be cherished and fed in order to grow in our lives. We must be patient with others and with God just as God is patient with us.

[Sermon preached on 10 December 2017, 2nd Advent / 3rd year, ELCF Lectionary] I remember how as a young child I became very impatient when Christmas was drawing near. Not so much because of Christmas, but because I also had my birthday. Like most kids, I also had many things on my wish list. My ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-11

Denomination: Lutheran

The Great Dilemma

Contributed by Hans Krause on Nov 1, 2018

Does our faith permit us to disobey the government or to evade taxes? Are Romans 13 and Acts 5 incompatible? How can we sincerely and creatively live as citizens of two kingdoms? What is the underlying principle that governs our choices?

[Sermon preached on 4 November 2018, 24th Sunday after Pentecost / 3rd year, ELCF Lectionary] Some years ago, we needed to get a little home renovation done. I asked someone for a quotation. When he had given me the price, he added: “That’s without a receipt. If you want a receipt, I will have to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7, Matthew 17:24-27, Acts 5:29

Denomination: Lutheran

Give And Take

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 26, 2023

Givers trust in God, rather than in themselves; they are focused outward. Takers have not learned to trust in God and focus on their own needs.

Anybody remember the televangelist scandals of the 80’s? Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Oral Roberts and his highly publicized plea for - what was it, $8 million? - to keep God from striking him dead. Remember the uproar in all the secular news media and the shame felt by so many evangelicals at being ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:38-44

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Dancing With Wolves

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 17, 2023

The false prophets dance around the cost of discipleship, but dancing slippers don’t suit the hard road that leads to the narrow gate, and the wolves never warn their people that they need hiking boots instead

I am trying to navigate the theological tsunami that is threatening to permanently alter the face of our denomination. The amendments to the constitution regarding ordination standards, diversity, inclusiveness, interpretation of Scripture, and so on, are incredibly important to our identity as a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:15-19, Revelation 22:18-19

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Get A Life

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 24, 2023

The life we get from Jesus, a gift from God through the Holy Spirit, requires cleansing and renewal daily, not just at the beginning.

This familiar chapter from John’s Gospel is the lectionary text for today, the 2nd Sunday in Lent. It’s a good text, a familiar text, so familiar that when I first wrote it I expected it to be relatively smooth sailing. But it wasn’t. It was a difficult sermon for me to write, partly because it’s ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-17, Numbers 21:8, Ezekiel 36:25-27

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Jesus Is Greater Than Moses, Part 2 (John 6:22-51) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Jan 28, 2022

Eat Jesus' bread-- the bread still available-- and you will live forever.

Chapter 6 is really one long story, and we are supposed to read it all at once (5:1, 6:1, 7:1 all begin with "After these things," marking new sections). But it's 71 verses, and I can't hold that much together at once. I tried, and I started to lose my mind a little. Today, ...read more

Scripture: John 6:22-51, Deuteronomy 18:18

Short Cuts

Contributed by Jeeva Sam on Mar 20, 2001

We can resist temptation by refusing to take short cuts

I am told that one of the hottest shows on Television these days is called "Temptation Island." It is a ’reality’ show like "Survivor". Four unmarried couples, who are in long-term relationships, are taken to a Caribbean island for two weeks to test and explore the strength of their commitment. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Denomination: Methodist

Lord's Prayer 3 Series

Contributed by Steve Gladwell on Sep 8, 2002

Looking at why we should forgive.

Lord’s Prayer 3 Forgive us our sins as we forgive others Which came first, the chicken or the egg? People have been debating that question for years and as far as I know, they have still failed to come up with an answer to it. Fortunately, as we look at the subject of forgiveness today, we are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Baptist

"The Compassionate Christ"

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Jun 9, 2008

A sermon for the 5th Sunday after Pentecost

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost Proper 6 Lectionary 11 Romans 5:1-8, Matthew 9:35-10:8 "The Compassionate Christ" 35* And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. 36* When ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Contentment

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Jul 30, 2007

A sermon for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost A sermon about being contentment with what you have

10th Sunday after Pentecost Proper 13 August 5 Lectionary 18 Luke 12:13-21 Ecclesiastes 1:2,12-14 2:18-23 "Contentment?" "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity." Ecclesiastes 1:2, RSV. "I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

Denomination: Lutheran

Proper 27 B Be Thou A Blessing Motive For Ministry

Contributed by Charles Scott on Nov 20, 2006

Christians sometimes fail to realize the great eternal value of the gifts God has given them if used in his service; the widow’s mite and the poor widow in Elijah’s day are examples of how God values our gifts.

Proper 27 B BE THOU A BLESSING MOTIVE FOR MINISTRY I Kings 17:8-16 The word of the Lord came to Elijah the prophet, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-16

Denomination: Anglican

Harmony Series

Contributed by Tim Zukas on Apr 25, 2006

Building God’s Church through Harmony(Bob Russell - When God Build’s a Church)

Jim and John were both elders at Prince of Peace Christian Church, but they never got along. In fact, whenever an issue came up where Jim voted “Yes”, you could be sure that “John” would vote “No.” As was bound to happen, Jim passed away. There he was at the Pearly Gates and St. Peter was there ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Examined Life

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 7, 2008

We need to examine our lives to see how they match up to God’s expectations of us.

I assume you’ve all heard of Socrates, the great Greek philosopher. He was sentenced to death in 399BC because he dared to criticise the immorality of Greek Society. His only defence at his trial was that he was doing Athens a great service by questioning the way they thought. When his friends ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25

Denomination: Anglican

How To Listen To A Sermon

Contributed by J Bernard Taylor on Jul 12, 2020

How many sermons have you heard in your life? What has been the result of all those sermons you have heard? Are you any closer to the Lord as a result of all those sermons?

HOW TO LISTEN TO A SERMON How many sermons have you heard in your life? Depending upon your age, you may have heard hundreds of sermons. Say you hear about 40 to 50 sermons a year based on your worship attendance. For the average person who has been attending church for about 40 years that comes ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Worship Is A Verb!

Contributed by Scott Coltrain on Mar 31, 2017

Worship services are first and foremost to offer worship to God through Christ Jesus, rather than satisfy the attendee. Many have lost sight of the fact that Church services are more about the attendee giving than receiving.

“I used to attend congregational worship services but I quit because I got nothing from it.” “Church is boring.” “When I sit in the pew during church services, I think about how much more I could be accomplishing if I had stayed home.” Through the decades, I have heard a multitude of people ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ