Search for sermons - 1 John 2
Swimming Upstream - Romans 12:2 - Oct 15, 2006 - 726
There are times when we need to see a familiar verse in a new way. The ESV translates the first part of Romans 12:2 this way: “Do not be conformed to this world.” Simple, clear and concise. But what exactly does Paul mean? Other translations bring out various shades of meaning:“Do ... More
How to Help a Caveman - 1 Kings 19 - Jun 25, 2006 - 426
We do live in strange times. Someone has called this the Age of Anxiety, and it seems appropriate enough. Not long ago I found this headline: “Most Think Country Headed in Wrong Direction.” Those words could be slightly altered to read like this:“Most Think Family Headed in Wrong ... More
Life on the Edge: Make the Most of Every Moment - Matthew 25:14-30 - Nov 25, 2001 - 691
This wonderful little story is called the Parable of the Talents. Readers are drawn to it because it is simple, clear and easy to understand. And its lessons are impossible to miss. This parable tells what to do while we wait for Jesus to return. While we are waiting, we are to work for the Lord. We ... More
A Friend in High Places - Hebrews 4:14-16 - Apr 30, 2000 - 9
If you were raised in Chicago, you no doubt recognize the name of Mike Royko. For over 30 years he was the voice of Chicago to the nation. At the height of his career over 600 newspapers carried his columns. After he died several years ago, his family and friends published 110 of his columns (out of ... More
Goats 1, Rams 0 - Daniel 8 - Feb 6, 2000 - 159
Before we jump into this chapter, several observations are in order. First, Daniel 8 on the surface appears to be dry as dust history in that it tells a story about a vision that was fulfilled in history over 2000 years ago. Second, the specific focus of the chapter centers around a time period that ... More
The World According to God - Daniel 2 - Nov 21, 1999 - 153
This is one of the pivotal chapters of the Bible. Daniel 2 contains important truth about world history from God’s point of view. You won’t learn what this chapter teaches at any secular university, yet it is entirely trustworthy. One writer calls Daniel 2 “the Prophetic Alphabet&r ... More
Propitiation: God's Not Angry At You - Various - Mar 5, 1995 - 378
You never know where you are going to find spiritual truth. I found some the other day in the pages of USA Today. It was about a month ago during the height of the questions surrounding Newt Gingrich’s book deal. They published an article by former Speaker of the House, Jim Wright. You may rem ... More
Healing the Hurts of the Past - Genesis 32-33 - Nov 1, 1992 - 352
Which is more difficult? To forgive or to be forgiven? You could argue it either way.If you say it’s more difficult to forgive, you are right. When you forgive someone, you are doing at least two things: 1. You are choosing to overlook the pain of the past. 2. You are choosing to g ... More
Can I Lose My Salvation? - Philippians 1:6 - Nov 2, 1997 - 525
I would like to begin with the observation that this is a controversial question in Christian circles. It would be difficult to find a subject about which believers are more deeply divided. To the question, “Can I lose my salvation?” there are whole denominations that answer yes: The Met ... More
When is Jesus Coming Back? - Matthew 24:32-51 - Dec 28, 1997 - 528
"He may come at any time. He’s sure to come some time. Let’s be ready when he does come.” Andrew Blackwood Several weeks ago (December 15, 1997) U.S. News and World Report carried a cover story called “Dark Prophecies.” In it the author reported that according to a rece ... More
A Forgotten Doctrine: The Wrath of God - Romans 1:18-20 - Apr 6, 1997 - 476
Sometimes the title tells the whole story. My sermon today is about the wrath of God. It is truly a forgotten doctrine, even in the evangelical church. I’ll dare say that many of you have never heard a sermon on God’s wrath—that is, not a full sermon devoted to this one topic. The ... More
The Barnabas Factor - Romans 12:8 - Jun 3, 1990 - 577
If someone were to give you a name indicative of your personality, what would it be? What nickname or adjective would sum up who you really are? We do that sort of thing all the time. For instance, if I mention Honest Abe, you immediately know that I am talking about Abraham Lincoln. If we are d ... More
How to Spot Counterfeit Christianity - I Corinthians 12:10 - May 27, 1990 - 573
I’d like to begin by quoting from an article published in 1988 in Celebrity magazine. The article is entitled, “The Cult Rage Possesses the Stars,” and is subtitled “Shirley Maclaine, Linda Evans and Sharon Gless believe in spirits beyond the grave—Do you?” In t ... More
Can I Lose My Salvation? - Philippians 1:6 - Nov 2, 1997 - 525
I would like to begin with the observation that this is a controversial question in Christian circles. It would be difficult to find a subject about which believers are more deeply divided. To the question, “Can I lose my salvation?” there are whole denominations that answer yes: The Met ... More
He Ascended Into Heaven: Why It Still Matters Today - Acts 1:9 - Mar 29, 1998 - 634
"After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." Acts 1:9This is one of the most remarkable statements in Holy Scripture. We call it the ascension of Christ into heaven. All the major creeds mention it and every Christian group believes it. There ... More
Does God Lead His Children Into Temptation? - Matthew 6:13 - Oct 10, 2009 - 1223
“And lead us not into temptation.” Matthew 6:13aBefore we begin: What is the difference between temptation and testing? How can a temptation to sin become an avenue for spiritual growth? Does God lead his children into temptation? This is not an easy question to answer. We know what th ... More
The Shaking of the Nations - Haggai 2:20-23 - Jun 8, 1997 - 295
All of us need some special encouragement from time to time. It may be that you need encouragement to stay in school, or to stay on the job, or just to get out of bed in the morning. Maybe you’re facing the surgeon’s knife and you fear what the future may hold. Perhaps you are struggling ... More
Do You Know What Time It Is? - Romans 13:11-14 - Jan 17, 2007 - 724
“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out” (Romans 13:11 NLT). All of us are slaves to time. We wear wristwatches with quarter-hour beepers to keep us on schedule. We have digital clocks in our car and alarm clocks on our nightstands. Many of us have ... More
Deliver Us From Evil - Matthew 6:13 - Oct 11, 2009 - 1224
“And deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13b Before we begin: If you were Satan, how would you attack the children of God? How can our failures prepare us for greater things in the future? Out of the blue I got an e-mail message from my college roommate - a man I haven’t see ... More
