Sermons on Ordinary Heroes:

When Joy Overflows! In These Extra Ordinary Times!

Contributed by Mark Van Cuylenburg on Jan 4, 2021

What happens when the joy in heaven overflows to earth?

When Joy overflows! In these extra ordinary times! By my calculations its just five days to Christmas Day Morning and I’m trying to get a sense of the anticipation that might have been in the air some 2020 years ago. First of all, I suppose that we ought to ask who it was who was anticipating? ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Denomination: Baptist

Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time; Year C

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jun 5, 2022

We have archeological evidence that some ancient Jews had recourse to magic or superstition. For example, many wore an amulet with the stated purpose of to attract people to them, or to prevent against curses.

There is an old story of a man who needed to send a letter from his remote camp to the neighboring village, so he asked his son to make the trip. The son had never traveled to the village on his own. He looked at the trail ahead of him and said, “I’ll go, Dad, but I don’t see how that path will ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13, Genesis 18:20-32

Denomination: Catholic

Eighteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time C- Greed

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jun 28, 2022

We are the people living in stone houses. And Jesus is challenging us with this teaching.

Some Blog writers collect lists of humorous First World Problems, like Losing the TV Remote, Being Hungry But Not For Any Of The Food In Your Fridge, your walk-in closet is not big enough. Our Gospel today mentions two people who suffered from “First World Problems.” 1). “Teacher, tell my ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21, Colossians 3:1-11

Denomination: Catholic

Fear No One (Twelfth Sunday In Ordinary Time)

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Jun 19, 2020

No pandemic can overpower us because we have the gracious gift of Jesus with us.

Reflection 1. Fear no one: Today, Jesus says that fear no one. We live in constant fear of something. We read in the first reading, where Jeremiah says: “I hear the whisperings of many:       ‘Terror on every side!       Denounce! let us denounce him!’   ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 20:10-13, Romans 5:12-15, Matthew 10:28-33

Denomination: Other

Eighth Sunday In Ordinary Time- Speck And Beam

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 11, 2022

Thomas Merton said, “Nothing is more suspicious in a man who seems holy, than an impatient desire to reform other men.”

Many issues have both psychological and spiritual components as we hear today in our Gospel, “How can you say to your brother,‘…let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? The message is: Be careful of pointing out the shortcomings, moral ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:39-45

Denomination: Catholic

Sixteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time- Weeds And Wheat

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jun 27, 2023

Sanctity is less about the evil we resist than the good we embrace.

There was an interesting report in the news a while back. It was about an event designed for college kids. The purpose was to get them to take weeds seriously. One pundit called it “the World Series of weeds.” Agriculture students from universities in the U.S. and Canada competed in being able to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43

Denomination: Catholic

Twentieth Sunday In Ordinary Time- Clever Dogs

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jul 4, 2023

The woman understood the testing or riddle or allegorical challenge of Jesus.

Jesus puts Jews and gentiles under the same roof, and the first to get there is the Canaanite woman from our Gospel today. In fact, you could say that the day the gospel went to the dogs was the day it came to us. In Catholic Christianity, the word dog is used positively in mottos, by saints, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Denomination: Catholic

In Memory Of Christ, More Than An Ordinary Memory Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 31, 2024

The one commandment that Christians have kept, religiously, over the twenty centuries of the Church is “This is my Body. . .This is my Blood. . .do this in memory of Me.”

Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ 2024 The 20th century English priest and convert, Msgr Ronald Knox, used to say that if you go over all the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ, you find instructions for leading an exemplary Christian life, including the Ten Commandments and the rather ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 24:3-8, Hebrews 9:11-15, Mark 14:12-16, Mark 14:22-26

Denomination: Catholic

Thirtieth Sunday In Ordinary Time, B: Bartimaeus

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 11, 2024

Jesus never gave any person with a disability, who was begging, money or any material goods.

Bartimaeus, called “a blind man,” in Mark 10:46, is begging on Jericho Street, we hear in our Gospel today, and a verse from the First Reading, Jeremiah 31:8, describes those such as him as the “blind and the lame.” Today, we would be more sensitive and say that Bartimaeus is “person who is blind; ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:46-52, Jeremiah 31:7-9

Denomination: Catholic

Noah, A Dad Who Saved His Family Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jun 13, 2018

In this message we will unpack 5 characteristics that enabled Noah to save his family. First message in the series, 'Heroes, Amazing Stories of Faith.'

Noah, A Dad That Saved His Family #biblicalheroes OKAY – this morning we are kicking off a new series for Summer 2016 called, ‘Heroes, Amazing Stories Of Faith…’ AND – what we will be doing from now until the end of Summer is looking at a different biblical hero each week to see what they can ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Twelfth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Cycle A - Year A -- Sparrows

Contributed by Paul Andrew on May 4, 2020

SPARROWS AND STORIES OF PROVIDENCE

In Granville, Ohio, there was a woman who was going through some difficult times. She thought that she would never experience joy in her life. However, one day when she was sitting in her kitchen crying, she noticed a small sparrow. Somehow it had gotten into her kitchen. Anyhow she opened the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:26-33

Denomination: Catholic

Faith Lessons From The Lord Of The Rings

Contributed by Greg Hanson on Apr 15, 2007

Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is filled with Christian imagery (intentional or not). This message looks at four spiritual themes found in the first of the trilogy.

In just 3 days, the story will be complete. Actually, the story was completed 48 years ago, but in 3 days the final part of the trilogy will be released on the big screen. I’m talking, of course, about The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien released his first fantasy work called The Hobbit way ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-10

Denomination: Wesleyan

My Grace Is Sufficient

Contributed by David Trexler on Dec 30, 2004

Yes Paul is a Hero, but is he a hero we desire to follow

Corinthians 12:7-10 (January 27th, 2002) Who has been a light in your life? Well, since you’all don’t have the opportunity to stand up here today and answer that question, I’m going to turn it around and share with you who has been a light or a hero in my life. First of all, let me say that all ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Denomination: Lutheran

Hang In There Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Nov 30, 2017

We need to patiently endure as we wait for the soon coming of our Lord Jesus.

HANG IN THERE! Text: James 5:7-12 Introduction 1. Illustration: Several years ago, an experiment on endurance was conducted at the University of California at Berkeley. The experiment involved placing Norwegian field rats in a tub of water, where they were forced to swim until they grew ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-12

Denomination: Methodist

Wonder Of Wonders - Advent 3

Contributed by Chris Surber on Dec 11, 2008

Jesus is no ordinary man, no ordinary King, and no ordinary saviour. Wonder of Wodners; Jesus Christ.

Wonder of Wonders, Mathew 2:1-11 Introduction Someone went to visit a great painter while he was working in his studio. To his great amazement he saw attached to the easel of the artist various costly precious stones in many colors. In answer to his question why they were there the artist ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-11

Denomination: Christian Church