Sermons on Paradigm Shift:

Dare To Hope

Contributed by Sajeev Painunkal, Sj on Oct 22, 2010

There are no hopeless situations. Jesus asks us to trust and to keep praying. If we don't give up, miracles can happen in our lives.

Last week I went to visit an elderly nun in her retirement residence. She was very happy to meet me and we spent some time chatting. While looking around in her room, I noticed a small table in a corner of the room and three small statues facing the corner. One looked like the statue of our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Denomination: Catholic

The Astonishing Experience Of Gift Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 5, 2009

Mary is the opposite of Eve, totally open to the plan of God as Eve was closed in, and thus she was able to accept the Greatest Gift, Jesus Christ.

Immaculate Conception December 7-8, 2009 Caritas in Veritate “Charity in truth places man before the astonishing experience of gift.” (CV 34) These words of Pope Benedict from the encyclical begin a new section that is incredibly appropriate for the solemnity we celebrate today, the patronal ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:9-20

Denomination: Catholic

A Few Good Men

Contributed by Sherman Gordon on Jun 20, 2009

WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR 1992 WAS A FILM STARRING TOM CRUISE AND JACK NICHOLSON ENTITLED “A FEW GOOD MEN.” FROM THIS MOVIE WE GET THE MEMORABLE QUOTE FROM JACK NICHOLSON’S CHARACTER (COLONEL NATHAN JESSUP) TO TOM CRUISE CHARACTER

WITHOUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR 1992 WAS A FILM STARRING TOM CRUISE AND JACK NICHOLSON ENTITLED “A FEW GOOD MEN.” FROM THIS MOVIE WE GET THE MEMORABLE QUOTE FROM JACK NICHOLSON’S CHARACTER (COLONEL NATHAN JESSUP) TO TOM CRUISE CHARACTER (LT. DANIEL KAFFEE) “YOU WANT THE TRUTH, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:35-42, Matthew 1:1

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Resurrection--Focal Point Of Our Music Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 23, 2011

We must strive for renewal of our liturgical music from within

Monday in the Octave of Easter 25 April 2011 Spirit of the Liturgy The Gospel today documents a coverup. It was not the first coverup in history, but it certainly is the one with the worst results. The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and the simultaneous appearance of a number of dead ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:8-15

Denomination: Catholic

An Open Letter

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 20, 2019

No longer a slave.

AN OPEN LETTER. PHILEMON 1:1-21. Onesimus was a slave who had escaped from his Christian master, Philemon. Yet in a beautiful irony, having not ‘made it’ alone in the big city, he found himself at last brought under the direct personal influence of “Paul the prisoner” (Philemon 1:1). Many a ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Your Servant Is Listening

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 29, 2017

The subtle theology of revelation that comes from listening to God.

Jed Harris, producer of Our Town and other plays, became convinced he was losing his hearing. He went to a specialist, who gave him a thorough checkup. The doctor pulled out a gold watch and asked, “Can you hear this ticking?” Harris said, “Of course.” The specialist walked to the door and held ...read more

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

Denomination: Catholic

Seeing The Plan And Hearing The Word

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 25, 2014

Like Augustine, we must integrate into our lives the need to see God's vision and to hear God's call.

Thursday of 3rd Week in Course 2014 Lumen Fidei The vision of God is always broader and deeper than any plan of a human. King David was in a really good mind when he wrote this prayer of thanksgiving to God. Remember that Saul, his predecessor, had wanted a dynasty, but he turned against ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:18-29

Denomination: Catholic

Jingle Bells

Contributed by Bala Samson on Dec 5, 2012

We have been singing ‘Jingle bells’ for too long, let us understand the true meaning of Christmas! Santa Claus, Christmas tree, reindeer, turkey, cake and wine have crowded our life and blurred our vision, let us come off it today.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord! John 9:39”And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." We have been singing ‘Jingle bells’ for too long, let us understand the true meaning of Christmas! ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Bring Us Together By Thy Word Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 25, 2012

The existence of the Word of God makes it necessary to have a living and authoritative interpretator "of last resort," in the Church.

Monday of 21st Week in Course St. Monica/St. Augustine Verbum Domini St. Monica could easily be called the patron saint of frustrated prayer. A Catholic herself, she found herself married to a pagan, with a son who, unbaptized as a child, turned into a kind of semi-pagan hellion during his youth. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:13-22

Denomination: Catholic

Tolerance Vs Inculturation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 8, 2012

The Church loves sinners but abhors sin; instead of accommodating itself to the world, and tolerating sin, it should adopt a habit of inculturation as a means of spreading the Gospel.

10 September 2012 Monday of 23rd Sunday in Course Verbum Domini One of the most abused words in the English language is “tolerance.” These days it is often wedded to the word “diversity.” We live in a diverse culture, we are told, and so we are to understand and tolerate ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8

Denomination: Catholic

And Who Would Betray Him Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 28, 2021

Let's try to enter into the mind of Judas Iscariot, and learn something about ourselves

And Who Would Betray Him Of all the men and women who followed Jesus during his active ministry on earth, one is a total enigma. He was one of the twelve apostles. He was the treasurer of the group, so he was educated to some extent. The name: Judas Iscariot, son of Simon Iscariot (Jn 6: 71). In ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:15-25, John 12:6, John 13:27

Denomination: Catholic

Future Faith Versus Past Failures Series

Contributed by Chip Monck on Feb 22, 2007

The fourth in a series exploring victory and freedom in the Christian walk. The message wrestles with the burden of past failures in our life.

(Extensive inspiration for this message, and this series taken from Francis Frangipane’s "This Day We Fight".) Here we go. 2 minute drill. A high speed recap of where we left off two. Okay. . .Joshua is hanging out, looks up, and sees standing before him a being with a sword drawn, ready for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 5:1-10, 1 Samuel 5:6-19

Denomination: Wesleyan

Why I Am No Longer An Evangelical

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jun 2, 2008

The Evangelical movement has been slipping from its moorings for many years. I believe the departure from orthodoxy is now complete and it is time to separate ourselves from much that is proclaimed under the banner of “Evangelical Christianity.”

Note carefully the indefinite article. This sermon will examine Evangelical the noun. I am not speaking about being evangelical. In that sense, the word evangelical is an adjective describing ones attitude toward sharing the gospel. I am not repudiating my Christian faith, but rather the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

32. Context Of Jesus' Teachings Series

Contributed by Gary Regazzoli on Nov 5, 2018

Jesus' teaching focused on Kingdom Ideals

[IN GOD’S IMAGE 32 – CONTEXT OF JESUS’ TEACHINGS] This message is part of a series of 90 sermons based on the title, “In God’s Image – God’s Purpose for humanity.” This series of free sermons or the equivalent free book format is designed to take the reader through an amazing process beginning ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-12, Philippians 3:6, Matthew 5:20-22, Acts 15:10-11, Romans 3:19-21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

What's Marriage Really All About? Series

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Nov 18, 2014

We cannot fully understand or appreciate what marriage is really all about until we see a picture of the way things really are.

“Getting A Clue: What’s Marriage Really All About?” Mt. 19:1-12; Eph. 5:22-33 Sometimes, to fully understand something we need to see a picture of how things really are. For example, we know our heart pumps life-giving blood that keeps us alive. But it’s only when we see a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed