Search for sermons - John 18
Before The Rooster Crows - John 18:25-27 - Mar 17, 1991 - 207
There are some sounds that we do not hear very often. One of them is the sound of a rooster crowing. In Chicago, you can hear almost anything, but you would probably have to go to a zoo to hear a rooster crowing. We have all the sounds that go with modern life—automobiles and buses, trains ... More
Great Is Thy Faithfulness - Lamentations 3:22-25 - Mar 23, 1997 - 471
How many people do you know who do exactly what they say? Before you answer, let me rephrase the question? How many do you know who do exactly what they say every single time? Now before you answer, let me rephrase it again. How many people do you know who do exactly what they say every single time ... More
Before the Rooster Crows - John 18:25-27 - Jun 29, 2009 - 1205
There are some sounds that we do not hear very often. One of them is the sound of a rooster crowing. In Chicago, you can hear almost anything, but you would probably have to go to a zoo to hear a rooster crowing. We have all the sounds that go with modern life—automobiles and buses, trains and ... More
The King Has Come! - Matthew 2:1-6 - Dec 16, 2001 - 686
We begin with the words of Flannery O’Connor: “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” Truth is truth whether we like it or not. The fact that I personally may object to the truth doesn’t matter. Those things that are objectively true remain true ev ... More
Acorns to Oak Trees: How Are the Dead Raised? - 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 - Jul 2, 2000 - 218
No question is more fundamental to the human race than this: What happens when we die? Since death comes to all of us sooner or later, we are all forced to face this question and to come up with some kind of answer. There are a number of opinions in current circulation: Some say that nothing happens ... More
The King Has Come! - Matthew 2:1-6 - Dec 13, 2006 - 85
We begin with the words of Flannery O’Connor: “The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.” Truth is truth whether we like it or not. The fact that I personally may object to the truth doesn’t matter. Those things that are objectively true remain true ev ... More
Truth or Consequences - Exodus 20:16 - Jul 26, 1992 - 721
When I was growing up my mother had a little rhyme she often repeated to her four sons. You probably heard it many times while you were growing up: Sticks and stones may break my bones But words will never hurt me.As much as I hate to admit it, my mother (who wasn’t wrong about many thing ... More
A Man Called Pilate - Mark 15:1-15 - Mar 24, 1991 - 208
Here is yet another man we’d all like to meet. His is the story of a man caught in a terrible dilemma. No matter how many times we read his story, it is still not fully clear what he really thought and how he really felt. His name is Pontius Pilate. He is the man who handed Jesus over to b ... More
Thirty Pieces Of Silver - Matthew 26:14-16 - Mar 10, 1991 - 206
There are two things that perplex us about Judas. First, why did he do what he did? Second, after he had done it, why did he feel so guilty? He was so evil that he sold the Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Yet afterwards, he felt such remorse that he committed suicide. Over the centuries ... More
The Easter Conspiracy - Matthew 28:11-15 - Apr 7, 1996 - 179
"The resurrection of Christ is either the greatest miracle or the greatest delusion which history records." Philip SchaffIt’s been a good week for Jesus if you count cover stories as good news. For the first time in my memory Jesus is on the cover of the three major newsmagazines in the same w ... More
Ready to Give an Answer - I Peter 3:15 - Sep 17, 1995 - 800
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord; always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that you have” (I Peter 3:15). Peter says to be ready to give an answer. Are you ready to give an answer for what you believe? Are you ready to answer the reall ... More
Babbling for Jesus: Speaking Truth to Highly Intelligent People - Acts 17:18-21 - Jun 7, 1998 - 242
I’d like to begin by telling you about a new mission statement that has just been approved by the elders of the church. Several months ago the pastoral staff and the elders began working together to write a new mission statement for our church. Although we’ve done this several times in t ... More
How to Be a Leader People Want to Follow - Jan 22, 2008
Recently I was asked to speak to a group of youth leaders on becoming a credible, authentic leader. In preparing my first message, I decided to focus on two key words. According to the dictionary, the word credible comes from the Latin credo, meaning “I believe.” If something is credible ... More
Midnight Miracle - Luke 22:49-51 - Jun 18, 2009 - 818
When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and heale ... More
What Christ Does With Failure - John 21 - Jul 1, 2009 - 1197
Let’s begin with a poem called “And God Said If” that helps set the scene:If you never felt pain,Then how would you know that I’m a Healer?If you never went through difficulty,How would you know that I’m a Deliverer?If you never had a trial,How could you call yourself a ... More
Are We All Hindus Now? - Exodus 20:1 - Sep 5, 2009 - 1212
Recently Newsweek magazine published an article by Lisa Miller with the provocative title We Are All Hindus Now. It begins this way: America is not a Christian nation. We are, it is true, a nation founded by Christians, and according to a 2008 survey, 76 percent of us continue to identify as Christi ... More
Kingdoms in Conflict - Matthew 6:10 - Oct 6, 2009 - 1219
“Your kingdom come.” Matthew 6:10Before we begin: What is the kingdom of God? In what sense is it a present reality? In what sense is it yet to come? How would things be different if you had a “God invasion” in your life? Your family? Your workplace? Your neighborhood? Someti ... More
Three Questions for Christmas - Revelation 1:5 - Dec 8, 2010 - 1268
“Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5). You never know how a baby will turn out. I feel like more of an expert on this subject than I was a year ago. Over Thanksgiving our new grandson Knox came ... More
Barabbas or Jesus? - Matthew 27:15-26 - Apr 21, 2011 - 1283
“It isn’t right.” That’s what Roger said after he watched The Passion of the Christ with a group from our church. Roger was in the 7th grade when he saw the movie. He gripped my hand, his eyes filled with tears, his lips quivering. For a long time he couldn’t say anythi ... More
