Sermons
Marriage, Adultery, and Divorce
Gouging out an eye, cutting off a hand--this is both gruesome and unforgettable language, powerful words that emphasize the destructive nature of sexual sin.
Can't We All Just Get Along
We need to connect the reality and authenticity of our worship with the condition of our relationships. If we are at odds with our brother, then we have no business coming to God for his blessing.
Don't Worry Be Happy
“Happiness—who has it and why” serves as the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount. I discover two solid truths in these simple observations.
Fill Up the Banquet Hall
This story is wide and deep. It tells us about the wonderful invitation that the king is giving to come into the banquet hall. It tells about those who received invitations early on, how busy they were, and how many of them ended up declining the offer.
Amazing Grace Just Doesn't Seem Fair
The employer’s decision in this story does seem unfair. He pays the very same wage to his employees whether they work all day or just the last hour. The pay is fair for a day’s work, but it is exceedingly generous for an hour’s work.
490 Forgivings
One of the strangest and most memorable pictures Jesus ever painted with his words is this one—the unmerciful servant. Here is a man whose master forgives a crushing debt far beyond the servant’s ability to pay even in a lifetime of labor.
Your Hidden Treasure
Jesus combines two pictures again, a hidden treasure and the finest pearl. In each case, the seeker finds what is of unsurpassed value. He sells everything else he owns so that he might possess this single reward.
You Can Grow Faster
Here are two similar parables placed together for emphasis. Jesus starts both stories by using a simile: "The kingdom of heaven is like..." In each case the point is that small beginnings can produce great results.
On Being Seeds or Weeds
The authenticity of people who claim to be in the kingdom of God has always been a concern. Some people are just pretending. They look like followers of Jesus on the outside, but they never had a real change of heart.