Sermon: Our Risen, Returning Savior

Our Risen, Returning Savior John 14:1-3 April 12, 2020 What do you offer a man who is discouraged and hopeless? What do you offer someone whose world is shattered? What do you offer someone who has captured a glimpse into the future, and the fear of it is not startling, but terrifying in its deadliness? […]

Jesus’ seven words from the cross

While He hung on the cross, Jesus made seven statements. The first three words concern His personal relationships — a prayer for His executioners, a promise to the thief (His fellow-sufferer on that day), and a provision for His mother. The next three words concern His work of salvation — the cry concerning His moral […]

“Into Your hands I commit My spirit”

What do you say when you are suffering? What comes out of your mouth when you are hurting? Those are not theoretical questions. In the middle of Covid-19, we know what comes out of our mouths when we suffer. We don’t have to guess at what we might do and say when we have troubles. […]

Sermon: Since Christ is Resurrected…

Since Christ is Resurrected… Romans 8:33-34 April 21, 2019 Sometimes, when you are given a good gift, you don’t realize just how good that gift is: The first time someone gave us fresh eggs, I thought, “that’s nice…I like eggs…” And then I tasted them. Wow…the difference was remarkable! When I transferred seminaries in […]

“It is Finished” — a word of victory

What follows is the manuscript of the devotional given at our Good Friday worship service this evening. “It is finished.” “I’m done.” “It’s over.” When we use those words and say something is finished, we might mean one of several different things: We might mean we have simply endured a process — e.g., “the house […]

Final Words

When I take a trip somewhere without my wife, Raye Jeanne, as I recently did, I will remind her of some household essentials — repairs to the house that I have made or need to make, the status of our bills and check book, and similar items. As I leave my home in the morning, […]

Why the resurrection is important

Sometimes people get into debates (arguments?) about what is most necessary for a particular task. What is the most essential component in flying an airplane? Or in building a house? Or in parenting children? Or in educating college students? Or in growing a church? And it is amazing the diversity of answers you might receive […]

Sermon: “O Foolish Men”

“O Foolish Men…” Luke 24:13-35 April 1, 2018 A pastor in California tells the story of a secondhand store in California that resells wardrobes of “the stars” of Hollywood. If you have enough cash, you can buy something worn by your favorite actor and play your own role, pretending to be that star. A number […]

“I am thirsty” — a Good Friday meditation

This is the manuscript of my message from last night’s Good Friday service. You may also download a PDF version of the message here. Explanations of why you love whom you love are sometimes difficult. A baby might have been born only minutes earlier, but her new mother or father will undoubtedly be willing to […]

Sermon: Blessed Are Those Who Believe

“Blessed Are Those Who Believe” John 20:19-31 April 16, 2017 — Easter Morning As a young man, Benjamin Franklin wrote an epitaph for himself that he hoped would be used on his gravestone after his death (though it wasn’t): The body of B. Franklin, Printer, Like the cover of an old book, Its contents torn […]

Woman, Behold Your Son

When you talk about Jesus Christ you must talk about the uniqueness of Christ. He is different from every other person that has ever lived. There are similarities between us and Him — He was born, He developed intellectually, physically, and relationally like all others, He experienced physical pain and hunger and weariness, and He […]

A good word for Good Friday

Am I a stone, and not a sheep That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross, To number drop by drop Thy Blood’s slow loss, And yet not weep? Not so those women loved Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee; Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly; Not so the thief was moved; Not so […]

The crucified Christ — forsaken and loved

Several years ago, after participating in and observing a great many miscommunications, I began saying, “Communication is a beautiful thing — when it happens.” Too often, for all our desperate attempts to be clear and concise, we misspeak, or speak incoherently enough that our intended meaning is misunderstood. And people are puzzled by our speech, […]

Sermon: The Victorious, Resurrected Christ

“The Victorious, Resurrected Christ” John 16:25-33 March 27, 2016 Author Sidney Sheldon and Groucho Marx were close friends and neighbors for a number of years. As Groucho got well into his 80s, he started a daily habit of visiting Sidney’s house each afternoon for a snack of an apple and a piece of cheese. “It […]

Near the cross – and far from it

“The two malefactors were crucified together. They were equally near to Christ. Both of them saw and heard all that transpired during those fateful six hours. Both were notoriously wicked; both were suffering acutely; both were dying, and both urgently needed forgiveness. Yet one of them died in his sins, died as he had lived […]