A Body You Have Prepared

Introduction

At Christmas we remember that Jesus came among us. The Second Person of the Trinity lowered himself, condescended, and became a man. That’s ...

A Bad Day

Introduction

As we walk thru life all of us are going to have some good days, some average days, and some bad days.

One of my bad days happened ...

How to Appreciate the Book of Leviticus

Introduction

As we begin our trek through the Book of Leviticus, some of you might be excited. You might only be excited to see what in the world ...

Our Great High Priest

Introduction

The overall message of Hebrews is to keep moving forward, don't turn back. The writer to the Hebrews is doing this by showing ...

What Shall I Bring Him?

Introduction

A Christian comedian once said this story would be far different had these been women instead of men. For one thing, women would have asked ...

A Better Trust

Introduction

Hebrews 7 has this great theme of Jesus as a high priest, not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedek. It is ...

A Better Covenant

Introduction

These Jewish Christians, who've grown up under the law, but now they've come to trust Christ are facing possible persecution ...

A Better Hope

Introduction

Hebrews 7 breaks down for us what it means that Jesus is a priest forever after or in the order of Melchizedek. That sounds strange to our ...

Our Suffering Servant

Introduction

With every step we have taken, the cross has slowly been coming into view. Certain death is looming over the Savior. As the tour continues, ...

The Gain of Sacrifice

Introduction

I returned from a two-week trip to Nairobi, Kenya, and Jos, Nigeria, where we were visiting some of our dear friends and ministry partners ...

Sent to Sacrifice

Introduction

I was gathered around a huge bonfire many years ago in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I was part of a larger Christian camp and I had students ...

The Beauty of Sacrifice

Introduction

On October 1, 2017, as a shooter was spraying the field where concertgoers were attending a country western concert in Las Vegas, there was ...

Courage to Sacrifice

Introduction

I have to say on a Sunday when I get to kick off a new study, it does feel a little bit like Christmas morning and I finally get to open that ...

Fully Alive: The Call of Men

Probably one of the top five Ruch family favorite films would be a really beautiful film made several years ago called The Nativity. As a matter of fact, ...

A Life of Risk

Introduction

(Read Matthew 25:14-30)

About 10 years ago I got on a plane to see some friends on the East Coast. I was in the window seat and after I got ...

The Promise

Introduction

I first got to know my friend Muhammed in the summer of 2001. I'd stop at the Mobil station near our house on Sunday mornings to get a cup ...

The Test

Introduction

Elie Wiesel, the great Jewish writer known best for his writing about the Holocaust, wrote many other things as well, including Messengers ...

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 ...

The Love Reaction

Introduction

(Read 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10)

A single mother struggles to pay for a college education for her only child. She hates her job but knows she ...

The Love Expression

Introduction

(Read 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5)

God is the source of love, Jesus is the proof of love, and believers must be the agents of love in this world.

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, ...

The Counterintuitive Life

Introduction

I'm going to say something you can't argue with, and in fact, if you try to argue with it, you will simply prove my point. You ...

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: Sacrificing Our Children to the Gods of this World

Introduction

We see in Romans 13 that the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: "Love your neighbor as yourself." The reason it says ...

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 ...

Personal Transformation

Introduction

Today we are asking the question what does it mean to be whole people in the presence of others. What does it mean to be shaped into wholeness, ...

The Priest

Introduction

The year is almost over, and 2015 is almost here. Before we move on, let's take a moment to reflect on 2014. Looking back on the year, there ...

The God Who Answers By Fire

Introduction

Read 1 Kings 18:16-46

I want to praise God very much for Jesus who came into my heart when I was eighteen. I was [raised in the church]. My ...

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 ...

BFFs

Introduction

There's a famous speech in Shakespeare's play Henry V. It's the night before the battle of Agincourt. As a young king, Henry prepares to lead ...

God Is Self-sacrificing

Introduction: Recovering a knowledge of God

As wonderful as life is in so many respects, many of us look at our world today and wonder how we are ever ...

As Good As It Gets

Introduction

In 1969, Malcolm Muggeridge, a British journalist, broadcaster, and the editor of Punch, a satirical magazine, went to Calcutta to make a ...

Deep Love

I want to know what love is.

Sooner or later, it had to come around to love. For six weeks now, we have been considering tests of true faith—the ...

Heart Murmur

In our lesson from Matthew 25 today, Jesus tells us a parable that is likely to be a bit disturbing to most of us if we really examine our lives in light ...

Murderers and the Murdered One

Introduction

We're in our sixth week in our series on the Ten Commandments and today we're talking about the sixth commandment, Deuteronomy 5:17: "You ...

God Only

Introduction

This morning we're beginning a series on the Ten Commandments. These are familiar to just about everybody. Well, sort of. I heard about a ...

Why the Biggest Loser Wins

Introduction

In Mark 10:17-27, we meet a man who is a lot like us. For one thing, he has clearly been through the part of the spiritual journey where a ...

Strong Grace, Hard Word, Good Memories

Introduction

Be strong. Suffer hardship. Remember Jesus Christ. These are Paul's words of counsel to Timothy in a fallen world and imperfect church. Timothy ...

God's Jealousy

If you've been to London, you probably have been to Westminster Abbey. In the shadow of Westminster Abbey is a little church, St. Margaret's. Edward Pearse ...

Recognizing Divine Interruptions

Matthew 1:18-25:

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, ...

The Use of Money

From the editor

From time to time, we like to feature a classic sermon from a celebrated preacher of old. Bill White, a frequent contributor to PreachingToday.com, ...

Givers and Takers

Introduction

My son is the assistant manager of a Potbelly's sandwich shop in the northern suburbs of Chicago. When you ask for a glass of water, most ...

The Discipline of Communal Examination

From the editor

Next week we start to roll out all of our new Easter sermons, but seeing as many congregations have just begun observing the Lenten season, ...

The Christmas Plunge

From the editor:

Who doesn't love reflecting on the amazing story of Mary, a teenage girl swept up in something so unexpected, so epic? The Incarnation ...

More Better

Introduction

On my way to work this week, I had this peaceful time to think as I drove. Actually, I had even more time than usual, because I was kindly ...

Regime Change

From the editor:

Here's a sermon by Kevin Miller that might inspire a few ideas for your own Palm Sunday sermon (April 5, 2009). As you read the sermon, ...

What if it's true?

Introduction

Several friends were talking in a restaurant when the conversation came around to dying. They asked each other what they would like to have ...

On the Cross

Introduction

A.D. abbreviates the Latin words "Anno Domini," which means "Year of Our Lord." Our calendars are all dated by the birth ...

Crown of thorns for the King of Kings

Introduction

It's almost Easter, but do you remember Christmas? We heard the joyous story that starts on the first page of the New Testament. Matthew ...

The Greatest Trial Ever Held

Introduction

It was a long and difficult night. Jesus' best friends abandoned him. One of his closest colleagues committed suicide. Police arrested ...