The Robbing ‘Hood

Introduction

(Read Amos 5:4-15)

A week ago, I was coming home from Midway Airport, and I asked my Lyft driver, “Do you also drive for Uber?” ...

Called to Pray and Never Give Up

Introduction

Before I jump in, I’d love to share a bit about who I am. Prior to starting seminary I had the privilege of being a 5th grade teacher ...

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 ...

The Hope for the World

Introduction

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year for many reasons. And one of those reasons is that Christmas allows us to take stock of the ...

Are You Awake?

Introduction

Typically, sermons begin with a prayer for illumination and end with a prayer of application. The preacher starts by asking God to open their ...

What Difference Does Christmas Make

Introduction

Here we are, at the very beginning of the Christmas season. Oh, I know the malls and stores have been playing Christmas music and hanging ...

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 ...

America: It's Time for a New Song

Introduction

We all stand privy to the tragic and horrific developments of the shootings in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas. Unfortunately, it's not the ...

The Final Week, Were You There?

Introduction

Artist Hieronymus Bosch painted Christ carrying his cross in 1505. Christ was surrounded in the painting by such notably ghoulish and revolting ...

Rethinking the Great Commission

Introduction

We believe in our community that the gospel is the account of God coming to dwell in the midst of his people, so we read the gospel lesson ...

Guidelines for a Constructive Church

Note from PreachingToday.com: We asked a handful of preachers the following question: What aspect of Dr. King's life and work has had the greatest ...

Later On, We'll Conspire

Introduction

There's something subversive about Christmas. To subvert something is to overthrow it, usually by indirect means. Subversion isn't a frontal ...

Rebels Have More Fun, for Now

Introduction

Everyone knows rebels have more fun: from "The Music Man" to "Footloose," which was the hip teen movie of my teenage years, to "True Blood"; ...

Crime, Punishment, and Vindication

Introduction

A few years ago I got an unexpected phone call from an old college friend. She had given up a promising medical career to get married, put ...

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 ...

The Warrior Rises

Introduction

Do you ever watch wrestling? If you do, are you afraid to admit that you watch it? I recently read that you probably watch too much wrestling ...

God Will Bring Justice for You

Introduction

When the Scripture was read, you may have thought, This is a strange message for a weekend when we are welcoming large numbers of first-time ...

Decision

Introduction

For the last couple of weeks we have opened the front door wide open to the topic of reconciliation. Each week we've gone to the foot of the ...

The Crook in the Lot

Introduction

One of the first people that I hope to meet in heaven is the Scottish theologian Thomas Boston, who was the subject of my doctoral research ...

Measuring the Clouds

Introduction

Turn in your Bible to Matthew chapter 5, beginning with verse 38. Jesus says: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for ...

The Uncomfortable Truth of Easter

From the editor:

At the 2008 National Pastors Conference in San Diego, Preaching Today got to interview N. T. Wright about his book Surprised by Hope and ...

Captured by the Word

Introduction

I knew I would be changing this message when just last week twelve jurors in the state of Michigan decided that Jack Kevorkian did not break ...

You Shall Not Kill

Introduction

The sixth commandment is short. "Thou shalt not kill." Ratsach, the Hebrew word used here for "kill," is more properly ...

The Sermon That Inspired Murder

From the editor:

We feel that this featured sermon from regular contributor Kevin Miller can inspire ideas for two different sermons: a sermon on the divinity ...

Divine Revelation

Introduction

We've been in a series called "Can Smart People Believe in God?" Last week we had Dallas Willard with us to answer some tough questions, and ...

The Peace Jesus Brings

Introduction

In this Advent season, we are looking at the theme of God's promise of better days for our lives. That is the hope of Advent and Christmas, ...

The Writing on the Wall

From the editor

William Willimon tackles the difficult subject of God's temporal judgment in a direct yet conversational way. He begins by mentioning Rabbi ...

How Do We Handle Dangerous People?

From the editor

When people gather for worship on a Saturday night or Sunday morning, they bring with them their questions. The questions vary, but it's ...

Annihilate the Amalekites

From the editor:

One of the chief hang-ups people have with God is the wrath he pours out in the Old Testament. How can a loving God call for the slaying ...

It's About the People

Introduction

Recently our church softball thoroughly trounced our opponents. The game ended with what's called the mercy rule: when one team is ahead ...

Why Would a Good God Send People to Hell?

Introduction

I thought long and hard about a clever, lighthearted way to introduce this morning's message. I thought about praying for a really hot day ...

The Promise of Better Days

Introduction

As a 5th grader at Cornelia Elementary School in Edina, Minnesota, I always felt sorry for a fellow student named Gary. With his high squeaky ...

Weighing Others Heavy

Text: Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21–24; Romans 12:14–21; Romans 13:8–10
Topic: How to apply the sixth commandment

Introduction

The sixth commandment ...

Doing Justice

Introduction

I want to talk to you about a concern that lies at the heart of the Prophets, but let's start with a question. Think about the basic human ...

The Second Extreme: Contempt for the Lost

Introduction

I've got good news, bad news, and hard news.

The good news: The best argument for God is the church. Everyday, God becomes accessible to a ...

Stewards of Just-Us or Justice?

I graduated from college over 20 years ago now. As communication majors, one of the things we learned is that people respond to positive messages and ...

Stewards of Just-Us or Justice

Text: Malachi 2:17–3:5
Topic: What Christians should do about social justice

Introduction

I graduated from college over 20 years ago. As communication ...

Father Abraham-Father's Day

Introduction:

On Father's Day we admit that fathers have something to teach us. So this morning I would like to take a look at one of the most dramatic ...

Triumph of the Self-giving One: Meditations for Holy Week from the Book of Isaiah

Triumph of the Self-giving One:Meditations for Holy Week from the Book of Isaiah

by Kevin Conrad

Introduction: God responds to suffering.

As long as humans ...

And Justice for All

Have you ever noticed that sometimes this world just doesn't make sense? We live in a nation that takes pride in providing "justice for all"—but ...

Lord, Give Us Leaders Who Can Lead Us to Justice

I believe that justice might just be God's only concern. Everything we know about God might have its roots in God's concern for justice. And if justice ...

A Deeply Moving Religious Experience

It was Pentecost Sunday and I had been invited to speak at Washington Cathedral on that occasion because my background has something to do with earthquake, ...