Sermons on Ordinary Heroes:

Twenty-Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, Cycle Or Year C-- Table Talk: Take The Lowest Place

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jul 30, 2022

It’s easier to ignore people at rectangular tables.

Recently there was a man from Ireland who became an internet sensation for a silly mistake he made while on vacation. This gentleman was visiting Las Vegas for the first time. So he borrowed his son’s GoPro camera, put it on a stick, and walked all over the Las Vegas Strip. He was filming all the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:1-14

Denomination: Catholic

Seventh Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A: What Loving Your Enemies And Being ‘perfect’ Mean

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 8, 2023

“Now raise your hands if you have only one or two enemies.” And even fewer people raised their hands. “See,” says the priest, “most of us feel like we have enemies.”

A priest is giving a homily like I am right now on “What loving your enemies and being ‘perfect’ mean.” “Now,” says the priest, “I’ll bet that many of us feel as if we have enemies in our lives. So, raise your hands if you have a few enemies.” And several people raise their hands.” “Now raise ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Ninth Sunday In Ordinary Time; 29th Sunday B -- Can You Drink The Cup?

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 18, 2021

For training purposes, the supervisor suddenly handed the nurse a wine glass that happened to be on a nearby shelf. The "director" asked the nurse to "lose" her thumbs by tucking them into her palms. It was uncomfortable and difficult to hold the glass.

Jesus asked James and John, “Can you drink the cup that I drink?” To answer, One can use Theology as Drama. e.g. A supervisor and a nurse did a re-enactment when a patient was going to have an operation on her thumbs the following day. The nurse asked, "Why? What's the matter with ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:42-45

Denomination: Catholic

Fourteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B: Country Music, I Aint Leaving You, Thorn

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jun 4, 2024

then I realized that God uses not just our gifts, but our thorns too

Country music often tells stories about real life problems, thus the joke, “What do you get when you play country music backward?” You get back your wife, your dog, and your truck. One song tells about a man taking his beloved wife, whom he truly loves, to his 10th High School reunion, where he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Sixth Sunday In Ordinary Time—b ; 26th Sunday B-- Lessons From Lizards

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Sep 24, 2021

According to the artist "the Thinker" is sitting in mute amazement as he contemplates lost people in hell.

Lizards scatter when they perceive a threat, and they will self-amputate their tail if a predator seizes it. It will leave its tail behind and run but with modified locomotor performance and mechanics. The lizard says to itself: 'It's better to lose my tail than to lose my ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:38-48

Denomination: Catholic

Thirty-Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A: Ten Virgins- Bring Your Own Oil

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 13, 2023

“The trumpet, scattering its awful sound. Across the graves of all lands, Summons all before the throne. Remember, gentle Jesus, that I am the reason for your time on earth, do not cast me out on that day, When the damned are confounded, and consigned to keen flames, call me with the blessed.”

BYOB stands for Bring Your Own Beverage. Today’s parable is about preparing for our individual and irrevocable particular judgment at death and it is always a Bring Your Own Oil affair—BYOO. [Thanks to Troy Borst for this phrase] The inevitable sleep of death overtook all ten of them, and our ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Seventh Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year C: Mulberry Tree Transplant-Power Compact Faith

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 3, 2025

How? By (1) being small; (2) daily fervent prayer (3) and knowing that God’s grace precedes and enables our good works, the (4) fourth is tapping into the “fulfillment formula” of God’s sovereignty by God’s divine passives.

Walking or moving in the Opposite Spirit is a teaching from Saint Ignatius of Loyola, [Agere contra, Latin “to act against"]. This spiritual practice involves purposefully acting in the opposite direction of your natural inclinations to produce a positive spiritual resolve and result. So, the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10

Denomination: Catholic

Complaint Department Series

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Jan 1, 2014

But what do we do when we have a complaint in life? Where do we turn? The Psalmist tells us. 1- We pour out our complaints to the Lord 2- We confess the Lord as our refuge 3- We ask for the Lord’s help in time of need

INTRO.- ILL.- A monk joined a monastery and took a vow of silence. After the first 10 years his superior called him in and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" The monk replied, "Food bad." After another 10 years the monk again had opportunity to voice his thoughts. He said, "Bed hard." ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 142:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Man In The Wheelchair Who Changed My Life Though I Never Met Him.

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Sep 18, 2020

How Tim Zingale, forced out by his church because of his disability, became used by God in amazing ways. A sermon on Philippians 2.

............. “For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pressure” Phil 2:13 I’d like to talk to you about someone really special to me - though I have never met him. You know him too, though you don’t know you know him and you have never met him. His ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-13, Matthew 27:40, 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Denomination: Anglican

"Samson's Fury & Infatuation" Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Aug 25, 2002

Samson is a tragic hero of Scripture, especially gifted but ensnared by the pagan culture, which captured him morally and then literally. He was a man of great physical strength but ethical weakness.

“Samson’s Fury & Infatuation”, Judges chapters 13-15 Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts Introduction Samson is a tragic hero of the Bible. He was especially gifted but he became ensnared by the pagan culture, which captured him morally and then literally. ...read more

Denomination: Congregational

Women Who Did What Was Right

Contributed by Norm Beckett on May 29, 2002

Ordinary women who possessed a courage that was remarkable. In their actions they mirrored the very nature of God – God is the giver and sustainer of life.

WOMEN WHO DID WHAT WAS RIGHT “But the midwives were God-fearing women: they disobeyed the command of the king of Egypt and let the boys live” (Exodus 1: 17). The scene is set for us, “…there came to power in Egypt a new king who knew nothing of Joseph” (v. 8). He was a king who saw the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 1:17

Denomination: Holiness

The Kind Of People God's Uses

Contributed by Douglas Bryan on Jan 20, 2003

In this Christmas message we see that God uses ordinary people like you and me to accomplish His diving purpose.

THE KIND OF PEOPLE GOD USES Luke 1:26-38 INTRODUCTION: A. The Bible shows that God is looking for people to use 1. So, what kind of people does God use to build His Church„Ÿto build His Kingdom B. Well, we do know that God chose to use Mary for a very special purpose„Ÿto bring His Son into the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Personal Holiness

Contributed by Alan Tison on Dec 16, 2003

Daniel’s early life reminds us that holiness is not reserved for super saints but ordinary people making extraordinary choices

Sermon Series: Sermon Title: Personal Holiness Text: Daniel 1:1-21 Page in Pew Bible: Introduction: As a child I used to sing the following song in Jr. Church… O BE CAREFUL LITTLE EYES WHAT YOU SEE O be careful little eyes what you see For the Father up above is looking down in Love O be ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:2-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Son Of God..the Shepherd

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 27, 2011

What a remarkable scene ...ordinary man face to face with the Son of God. One on one with the Creator...The Good Shepherd.

John 9:35-38 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

"The Birth Of Church"

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on May 14, 2018

Pentecost sermon sharing what is church? Church is the gathered, the fire and wind of God, the heavenly Language, the witness, the ordinary, and the United.

“The Birth of Church” Acts 2:1-21 1. Today is Pentecost the birthday of the church • It is The birth of something special • It is the birth of the Holy Spirit It came into being on Pentecost and was given birth by the Holy Spirit, the One who intercedes on our behalf with utterances unknown to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Methodist