Sermons on Ordinary Moments:

"Searching For Elijahs”

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Mar 1, 2002

"How tos" of prayer, for ordinary humans like us!

“Searching for Elijahs” James 5:16-18 Where is the God of Elijah? Mired in problems, onslaughts of disappointments, difficulties, we long for miraculous breakthroughs of God, don’t we? And we ask where is God, especially in the time we need Him the most. To that question, the Bible rings out ...read more

Scripture: James 5:16-18

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Obadiah

Contributed by Kevin Litchfield on Oct 17, 2005

God uses ordinary men to do extraordinary things.

This morning we saw how God uses ordinary people with ordinary jobs to do extraordinary things for God. But tonight I want to connect the two pictures and people. In verse one the Lord speaks to Elijah to go back to Ahab and say the drought will end. In verse 3-4 Obadiah is asked to go with Ahab to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Hall Of Fame # 3 Series

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Nov 19, 2007

A look at the ordinary people mentioned in Ezra’s list.

INTRODUCTION On the 5th anniversary of 9/11 all 2749 names of the victims were read out. No-one would dare to say that this was a waste of time. Our attitude should be the same when we come to a much shorter list of names found in Ezra 2. This register is so important that the Holy Ghost inspired ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 2:3-35

Undeniable God Centered, God Powered, God Miraculous!

Contributed by Marianne Unger on Jul 23, 2003

How God uses ordinary people to perform miracles.

I admit that more times than not, I have stood in this position confessing my favorite scripture passages, but beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is one of my very favorites. This story is undeniably God centered, God powered, God miraculous! Jesus Christ takes what little we have…a simple lunch ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-21, 2 Kings 4:42-44

Denomination: *other

Seeking A Grace Filled Life Series

Contributed by David Taylor on Mar 13, 2014

Seeing God in the Ordinary: Seeking a Grace Filled Life

Seeing God in the Ordinary: Seeking a Grace Filled Life Ruth 2:14-23 As I have been reading Ruth I am struck with the theme that God is behind, under and working through the ordinary events of life. We see this in the flow of farming, in Ruth ‘happening’ upon Boaz’s field, ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:14-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Out Of The Pit

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jul 29, 2019

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

In our First Reading, Jeremiah was thrown into a pit. Illustration- A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out. A PHARISEE said: "Only BAD people fall into a pit." A MATHEMATICIAN calculated HOW he fell into the pit. BUDDHA said: "Your pit is only a state of mind." ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 38:4-10

Denomination: Catholic

Narrow Door

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Aug 5, 2019

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

The Screwtape Letters is a classic book, where C.S. Lewis came up with the idea of a senior demon named Screwtape telling his trade secrets about how to corrupt a human soul- Regarding the narrow gate mentioned in our Gospel today, Screwtape would say: 1). A broad, constructed road, requires a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:22-30

Denomination: Catholic

Fourteenth Sunday Ordinary Time, B— Thorn Of Paul: His Faith Narrative

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jul 2, 2021

Application about Paul’s teaching about his thorn: He was active in interpreting his life experience to himself and others

Paul Powell said, “Troubles knock a lot of nonsense out of us.” Like Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” from our Second Reading taken from 2 Corinthians, chapter 12 , which he says was given to him by “an angel of Satan.” It was not a sin problem. e.g. Winne-the-Pooh comes downstairs, bump, bump, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Denomination: Catholic

Fifteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B: Only Sandals And A Walking Stick

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jun 11, 2018

In contrast, Cynic philosophers of the era were known for their provision bag, staff, and big mouth!

15B My favorite ancient Greek philosopher is the stoic Epictetus (epic-TEE-tus), who taught, “It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters," which is at the heart of some Catholic Christian adaptations of various Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. Epictetus, who taught ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:7-13

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Eighth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A: Marriage Supper Of The Lamb

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Sep 2, 2023

Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfilment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness

At the wedding rehearsal, the bride told the priest that she was nervous that she would not remember what to do during the wedding. The celebrant told her that she only needed to remember 3 things. First the aisle, because that is what you'll be walking down. Secondly, the altar because ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Catholic

Twenty-Fourth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A.- Forgiveness In 621 Words

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Aug 8, 2023

The New Jerusalem Community in Cincinnati has “70 x 7” painted over the main doorway.

We hear in our Gospel, we have to forgive, “not seven times but seventy-seven times.” One guy responded, “Great, not only do I have to forgive my brother, now I have to do math.” Jesus adds: Forgive from your heart. Without forgiveness, the weight of the debt over time means the residual ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Catholic

Third Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year C: Using Your Top Three

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 30, 2024

Our “why” will be Biblical, related to your vocation and, within that, your specific top three charisms.

Today is the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, now dedicated each year to promoting a love and knowledge of Scripture, it’s like our new annual “Bible Sunday” for Catholics. We hear in the three-year cycle of Sunday Mass readings, plus the two-year cycle of daily Mass readings: 13.5 percent of the Old ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:2-10, Luke 1:1-21

Denomination: Catholic

Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B-- Pointing Out The Lamb Of God

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 15, 2023

The suggested response for how to process that and thank him is simply to be his friend.

In all the artwork that portrays our Gospel scene today, the artists show John the Baptist pointing at Jesus, often with his whole arm extended, saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God." The only people who are allowed to point at others, and even yell, are Drill Sergeants! John was not ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:3-19, John 1:35-42

Denomination: Catholic

Thirteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B- Reach Out And Touch Him!

Contributed by Paul Andrew on May 25, 2024

What does it feel like to touch Jesus’ clothes? What does it feel like to have power come out from you?

Our Gospel today is about two people who came to Jesus for help with a medical problem. “My left arm hurt me,” said a senior citizen, “and so did my right foot, my neck and my back. Then I went to the doctor and he tapped my knee with a little hammer.” “So how are you now?” asked a friend. “Now ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:21-43

Denomination: Catholic

Thirty-First Sunday In Ordinary Time, C- What Is Our Sycamore Tree?

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 2, 2022

“It isn’t necessary for [others] to like me to save my life, and I don’t need to like them for me to be saving their lives.”

The Guinness Book of World Records keeps track of some very unusual records. The 1999 edition contains one entry titled, “The longest time living in a tree.” It seems a man in Indonesia named Bungkas went up a tree in 1970 and has been up there ever since. He lives in a crude tree house made ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Catholic