Because He Loved Us

Introduction

About 25 years ago I almost became a hero for the cause of justice and compassion. For my first job after college, every morning ...

More Faithful Than Moses

Introduction

At the end of Hebrews 2, we are told that Jesus had to be made like us. He had to become one of us in order to redeem us. He had to be made ...

Facing the No or No Answer

Editor’s Note: Kevin Miller was kind enough to share his notes he used while developing this sermon. Take a look below to see the types of questions ...

Be Strong and Courageous

Introduction

Can one person make a difference? Can one person change the direction of an entire family tree? Can one person stand up in the face of fear, ...

The Danger of Descending into Sin

Introduction

To err is human—am I right? We as human beings, we often do things wrong. We mess up. We sin. And when we sin, when we mess up, we usually ...

The Jesus Alternative

Introduction

One of my favorite things about going to the grocery store is going down the cereal aisle. I love going down the cereal aisle. One, because ...

The Time That it Takes

Introduction

At the end of the Sermon on the Mountain, Jesus Christ made an amazing claim. He said those who hear his words, in which our Lord claimed ...

A Good Friday Intervention

Introduction

One of my favorite Chicago landmarks is the iconic breakfast destination known as Ann Sathers, on 909 West Belmont. Ann Sathers is a good ...

Running to the Lost

Introduction

Should God have any enemies?

The popular answer these days is basically this: "No, God shouldn't have any enemies … if there is a God, ...

God Hasn't Turned His Back

Back Story to the Sermon

(Editor's Note: Preaching Today asked Pastor Dan Meyer to tell use the reason he decided to speak about the shootings that took ...

R-Rated: The Bible's Flawed Superman

Introduction

There are a lot of heroes in the Bible, but there's really only one superhero, and that's Samson. If you think about it, Samson ...

Beyond Sympathy to Solidarity

Introduction

In the immediate aftermath of the tragic shooting of nine persons at Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina, the sympathy of ...

R-Rated: Rated R for Redemption

Introduction

(Read Joshua 2:1-20)

In 144 AD, the church father Marcion was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church in Rome, Italy, because he held ...

R-Rated: Life Is in the Blood

Introduction

For me, because I didn't grow up in the church, when I first started reading the Bible I was reading it as a skeptic. Even after ...

R-Rated: Genocide and Jericho

Introduction

I think if you're at all human, there are tensions that come up. The idea of genocide, or of this powerful people massacring innocents, ...

R-Rated: What Really Happened at Sodom and Gomorrah?

Introduction

What happened at Sodom and Gomorrah? Whether you have been to church one time or 1,000 times you have probably heard something about ...

Get a Grip

Editor's Note: This sermon was given from an empty gymnasium. To prepare for the topic and really connect with the idea of "letting go," John Ortberg ...

Be Afraid of Not Fearing

Introduction

You need to look the other way, pastor. This is business. You're not cut out for this. My friend had been pastoring this church for a few ...

God's Big Story: The Bible on Homosexuality

Editor's Note: This sermon was originally part of a three-sermon series given by Jim Nicodem. (That's why you'll notice that this sermon ends ...

The Great Exchange

Introduction

The New York Times magazine ran an article that was simply called "Happiness 101." They want to get to the root of what really makes people ...

The Illusion of Money

Introduction

I want to talk with you about the most controversial subject in the church. It's not homosexuality, it's not the use of the sign gifts, and ...

Formulas and Fantasies Will Always Fail

Introduction

A few years back when I was pastoring Aspen Grove Community Church, we had a terrific team of volunteers for VBS and a great plan for that ...

Enjoy Your Life Now

Introduction

Age is becoming a bigger and bigger issue in our society because more and more Americans are living longer and longer. 10,000 Americans turn ...

Satan Strikes Out

Introduction

Years ago Scott Peck wrote a book called The Road Less Traveled. He began that book with these memorable words: "Life is difficult. This is ...

The Way of Embrace

Introduction

A few months ago something strange happened on an airplane bound for Los Angeles. The actress Amy Adams was shooting a new film in Detroit ...

Heaven: Hope for the Long Tomorrow

Introduction

Don't you love Easter? There's something about it, isn't there? Here are a few fun facts about Easter you may not have known: The word, "Easter" ...

Resurrection Realities

Introduction

Concerned with the quantity of church growth and the quality of church life confronts us on every hand. We are barraged at conferences with ...

Yet . . .

Introduction

I'm sure there are times when you have wondered, "What will become of me?" Were you standing, bewildered, outside of your boss's office door? ...

Last One Standing

Introduction

I'll tell you the best news you will ever hear: "The righteous shall live by faith!" So why doesn't hearing that evoke the response of other ...

Sturdy Grace

Introduction

For a community like ours, in the place of promise that we're in, we have a fork in the road that's coming down the pike. There's a fork in ...

God's Favor

Introduction

It is so good to gather on this special Christmas morning and welcome our Lord Jesus Christ into the world to celebrate his birth together. ...

It's Just Sex!

Introduction

I'm starting a four week series on sex, marriage, and singleness. My text for this series will be 1 Corinthians 6:12-7:40, where Paul addresses ...

God's Stolen Identity

Introduction

Identity theft is one of the most rampant crimes sweeping across America. A thief steals someone's Social Security number and personal information ...

Grace Alone

True North Backstory

One reason I enjoyed preaching the sermons in this series was the contrast between a "head" message and a "heart" message.

The message ...

You Are So Welcome

The story behind the sermon (by Mark Buchanan)

This sermon opened a quick series that kicked off our fall 2011 ministry. The immediate background (which ...

God's Great Heart of Love

Introduction

In John Bunyan's famous Pilgrim's Progress, right from the outset of the book we are introduced to a man who is deeply troubled and who is ...

A God Who Redeems

Introduction

Today, we're not only talking about a God who is with us, but also a God who redeems us. I want to talk to those who feel helpless and hopeless ...

The Guest List

Introduction

We're in part two of a series called The Heart of Christ, and I want to begin this week with a question: Do you remember the first Christian ...

Lost and Found

Introduction

Some of you may have heard of Anthony Bourdain. He has a reality show on The Travel Channel called "No Reservations." He's a chef who travels ...

God Is Good

Introduction

Can you recall the first prayer you learned by heart? Was it for you, as it was for me, the one still prayed by children around dinner tables ...

Believe the Blessing

Introduction

Ten years ago I had an experience that changed my life in a profound way. I was working at a Christian camp in the mountains of L.A. I lived ...

God's Courtroom

Introduction

I have a confession to make. It's going to date me, and for some of you, it's going to lower me in your esteem, but I'm going to say it anyway. ...

God's Sacrifice

Introduction

I went to a university that was known for its basketball team. The students who attended the games (like me), were known as the sixth man ...

Blessed Forever

Introduction

In his book Leaving Home, Garrison Keillor tells a fictional story about a family from Lake Wobegon, Minnesota. Grace Tollefson married Alex ...

The Price of Pride

Introduction

You've probably heard the expression, "Into every life, a little rain must fall." I was reading an article about a movie star who was having ...

What Makes You Happy?

In John's first letter of correspondence to the churches, there are some troublesome verses. First John 4:9-10 is not difficult: "This is how God showed ...

Jesus Christ: His Human Nature

"The gospel of God … regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendent of David …" (Romans 1:3).

Paul says, "Jesus Christ is ...

Jesus Christ: His Resurrection from the Dead

"The gospel of God … regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendent of David according to the flesh, and who was declared to be ...

The Judgment of Grace

Chapter five of Daniel addresses the question of what would happen if you gave a party, and God crashed it. Nebuchadnezzar was no longer on the throne. ...

The Good Life

Introduction

People may not sing it much anymore, but the following Herb Magidson song was popular in its day:

You're gonna take that ocean trip, no matter, ...