Sermons on Maundy Thursday:

Karma Or Compassion?

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 16, 2019

If we listen to the word of God and trust in His promises, we will have a happy, fruitful life even if everything around us is going to pieces.

Thursday of the 2nd Week in Lent 2019 Karma or Compassion? Only St. Luke among the four Gospel writers records this story of the rich man and the poor beggar, Lazarus. A superficial reading of the words may suggest to us that this is an example of the Asian principle of “karma,” where the good or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 1:1-6, Jeremiah 17:5-10

Denomination: Catholic

Open The Doors Of The Church Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 29, 2014

Jesus enjoins us to do the will of the Father, but learning how to do God's will is a lifelong journey.

Thursday of the 1st Week in Advent Joy of the Gospel When I read this passage from the great prophet of Advent, the Hebrew priest Isaiah, my memory goes back almost ten years to our pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Both the Old and New Testaments contain a recurring theme, one we see most perfectly ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-27

Denomination: Catholic

Bearing Much Fruits

Contributed by Bala Samson on May 21, 2021

THE bent branches are proof of abundant fruits!

PLENTY OF FRUITS Thursday, May 20, 2021 Bearing much fruits John 15:8”My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” The tree was erect and stiff around March, but I watched the branch of the mango trees in our garden almost touch the ground by the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:8

Denomination: Pentecostal

Prayer For Our Nation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 23, 2020

The problem is not something solvable by election returns, and we have to stop acting like it is.

Thursday of the 25th Week in Course 2020 National Day of Prayer/Fasting Herod Antipas was the primo politician of Palestine two thousand years ago. As one of the few surviving offspring of Herod the Great, Antipas ruled Galilee and Perea, but he was pretty paranoid. John the Baptist had preached ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:3-6, Luke 9:7-9, Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

Denomination: Catholic

The True Purpose Of Pentecost Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 20, 2021

All of us need clear vision, and not just of material things.

Thursday After Pentecost 2021 It has been said, probably ever since humans walked the face of earth, that the “winners write the history.” The winners also endeavor to craft the culture that they live in. So, for example, after the Norman invasion of England in 1066, the Norman princes built ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:30, Mark 10:46-52

Denomination: Catholic

The Celebration Of Passover Series

Contributed by Roshelle Brenneise on Apr 7, 2025

Evening arrived and all the disciples were there. A sense of expectation filled the room – something special was about to happen – they just knew it!! Maybe Jesus was FINALLY going to establish his kingdom and announce his cabinet (which, of course, would be them).

April 05, 2025 The disciples had been with Jesus for more than 3 years. They had listened as he taught and watched as he worked. They had witnessed the feeding of the 5,000, the raising of the widow’s son, the healing of the lame, the restoring of sight to the blind. Peter had even walked with ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Greatest Saint Meets The Greatest Criminal Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 14, 2025

We don’t know what was going through Judas’ mind as he took the bread and wine offered by Jesus as His Body and Blood, but we can be pretty certain that he didn’t think he was doing evil.

Wednesday of Holy Week 2025 Is it possible for the greatest criminal not to know he’s doing evil? Today we have a case study from Scripture on the greatest saint who ever lived, and the greatest sinner. The saint, of course, is Our Lord Jesus Christ. The sinner—and we are all sinners, after ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:14-25, Isaiah 50:4-9

Denomination: Catholic

Running This Easter Morn

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Apr 18, 2022

There is much running going on this Holy week.

John 20:1-18 “Running” 1. There is lots of running going on this Easter sermon • We have Mary Magdalene running to tell the others he is not in the tomb the Scripture says, “Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Methodist

What's In A Name--The Divine Name? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 9, 2024

Jesus is standing between the Father and the people, very much like Moses on Sinai or in Jordan before they cross over into the land of promise.

Seventh Sunday of Easter 2024 Today we celebrate the Seventh Sunday of Easter, so we have had six full weeks since our Resurrection day. Most US Catholics today celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, but we operate here on the calendar that prevailed for almost two thousand years, until the US bishops, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:7, Acts 1:15-26, 1 John 4:11-16, John 17:11-19

Denomination: Catholic

Betrayal

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Apr 3, 2023

Jesus is betrayed by the crowd, Judas, Peter, and Pilate.

Betrayal Matthew21:1-11 1. Betrayal has been a part of our History • While the Continental Congress were gathered in Philadelphia, July 4, 1776. In Independence Hall. The Declaration of Independence is adopted, and in so doing, the 13 American colonies sever their political connections to Great ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Denomination: Methodist

My Last Week Lesson 7 Series

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Jul 6, 2023

The last words of a person, will reflect his character and purpose in life. “The religious leaders had announced that anyone seeing Me must report it to the authorities so I could be arrested” (John 11:58).

Note: All Scripture references in this lesson are from The Bible by Jesus unless otherwise noted A. MY LAST WEEK “The religious leaders had announced that anyone seeing Me must report it to the authorities so I could be arrested” (John 11:58). The Week That Changed The World: April A.D. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-19, Luke 23:34

Denomination: Baptist

Inclusion Is What We Need, Not Power Hungry People

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Aug 11, 2021

Jesus rebuked His disciples because they wanted to keep the power of healing for themselves. This is happening in church today even though Jesus said it is wrong!

I think that it is sad that when I read this narrative, it made me think about the control the church has held over people for almost 2000 years. The church used only one verse, thus out of context, to control people. Catholics could not own a Bible until 1964 CE. The idea that a person has to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:38-41

Denomination: United Methodist

Oh God, Why? - 1 Peter 2:19 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Dec 21, 2024

Job responded to horrible suffering with worship. How could you learn to respond like that?

Thursday evening after I put the finishing touches on my sermon, I went out for a walk with all the prayer cards to pray for you all, and about ten minutes into my walk I received the most painful phone call I have ever received. One of the dear sisters in our church went to be with Jesus at age ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:19

It’s Party Time - Mark 2:18-22 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jul 29, 2023

Jesus is asked why his disciples don’t engage in the expected fasting like John’s and the Pharisees. Answer: his presence is the arrival of God as bridegroom bringing salvation to Israel, so fasting would be inappropriate.

Mark 2:18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” 19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:18-22

How To Handle Holiday Stress

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Dec 10, 2001

By looking at the story of Jesus in the home of Mary and Martha we find what is really "needed" during the Christmas holiday season.

December 6, 1998 INTRODUCTION A little boy and a little girl were singing their favorite Christmas carol in church the Sunday before Christmas. The boy concluded “Silent Night” with the words, “sleep in heavenly beans.” His sister elbowed him, and said, “No. Not beans, peas!” The way many of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ