This is a great reminder for all pastors/preachers/teachers from my friend, Pastor Chris Williamson. He posted this on Facebook today: To be God’s preacher, you must preach the whole counsel of God’s Word and not just the parts that align with your personal comfort zones. You don’t bend the Scriptures; the Scriptures bend you. You must preach whether you are applauded or rejected because both will occur. If you preach the text right, at times you will be considered “too…..

Read more

This is an excerpt from a sermon I preached yesterday on the theme of LOVING THE STRANGER — part of a larger series on marriage influenced by Timothy Keller’s excellent book, The Meaning of Marriage. It is part of the section that discusses Bible illustrations of people who married a stranger. In the Bible story of Adam and Eve, you might say that they had the original “arranged” marriage. But then, what other options did they have?   When God…..

Read more

Baseball legend, Bill Buckner left several important legacies. He played major league baseball for 22 years. He had a stellar career. Buckner won a batting title and all-star nod back-to-back, and finished top-15 in MVP voting three consecutive years. His career consisted of 2,715 hits, 1,208 RBI, 1,077 runs scored and 174 home runs. It was a great record! But many fans forgot all the great things he did and turned against him for ONE PLAY. Sadly it’s that singular play at first…..

Read more

When trouble comes, a Christian’s first instinct is to ask God to deliver them. Jesus modeled another response: “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason [to die for the sins of the world] I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27). Observations: 1. It’s not wrong to have a troubled heart in the face of suffering. Jesus did. 2. It is…..

Read more

Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth (John 9). He employed a “down-to-earth” visual by mixing saliva with mud which he placed on the man’s eyes and sent him to wash in a nearby pool. Imagine the indescribable joy of the man and all who knew him when he suddenly saw everything perfectly! But Jesus’ enemies were incensed. Their excuse for attacking Jesus was that it was the Sabbath and they defined Jesus’ healing as forbidden “work”…..

Read more

“I am the light of the world.”   If I made that audacious claim, even (or especially) those closest to me would assume I was joking or insane. But when Jesus said it, He spoke the truth.   Think of the symbolism of light versus darkness.   Jesus is the embodiment and provider of understanding, clarity, guidance, life, new life, growth, health, warmth, transparency, righteousness, beauty, optimism, and hopefulness.   He makes it personal and gives a promise: “I am…..

Read more

In the original creation, why was their no need for either gender to have authority over the other? Here’s a brief paragraph from the chapter of my book entitled, What God Intended From the Beginning:   “Considering my assertion that there are no gender-based hierarchical distinctions in God’s creation design, it is helpful to remember that in that perfect, pre-sin world there was no selfishness, competition, conflict, pride, ambition, jealousy, manipulation, or desire for domination. There was no need for…..

Read more

From a Sermon Central article: “Three Powerful Words We Rarely Hear from Preachers: I’m a student of preaching and a sort of morbid fan of politics. One of the frustrating observations I have across both of those mediums is the allergic reaction people have to the words ‘I don’t know.’There is something explicitly or implicitly understood that public personalities need to have an authoritative position on everything.” The truth is that only God/Jesus knows everything. Everyone else needs to be…..

Read more

Pastor Harry Richard grieved as he watched flames consume Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Just two weeks earlier, his church in Louisiana was set ablaze. It was one of three predominantly black churches in his area that were intentionally burned down, according to police.   But the Baptist minister sensed the Lord at work: “I think that God is using these moments to bring us closer together as a world. This is God’s hand on our lives to make us…..

Read more

If Jesus had not risen, millions would still follow His teachings (think of Buddha, Mohammed, and many others whom people follow though they never rose from the dead). His teachings, if followed, would still change lives and make the world a better place. But without the resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15), our sins would not be forgiven, loved ones who have died would be gone from us forever, much of the Bible would never have been written or would necessarily…..

Read more