Anguish in the Garden

Introduction

We have left the upper room where Jesus has identified the one who will betray him as he reclines at a table to celebrate Passover and institute ...

What Do We Want in Prayer?

Introduction

In the event of a fire in your home, the last thing you want to do is run around in the burning house (as is often seen on TV). The temperature ...

Why Pray?

Introduction

Even though we know we should pray constantly, many—if not most—of us would confess we don't pray as often as we should. But I ...

The King Liked to Listen

Introduction

The king liked to listen to him. So did most people.

"Repent. Stop what you're doing. You know it's wrong, so stop it. Make a ...

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 ...

Perfectly Provided For

Introduction

The reason we are looking at John is to learn what it means to meet the Lord Jesus on his terms. John is a little different than the other ...

To Live Is Christ, and to Die Is Gain

Introduction

I don't like it when people take Bible verses out of context and slap them on coffee mugs, put them on bookmarks, put them on bumper stickers. ...

Making Room for God to Burst Forth in Your Life

Introduction

Today we will talk about making room for God to burst forth in your life. The story of the young ruler reflects one of the major themes in ...

How to Learn What You Need to Know About God

The story behind the sermon (by Kevin Miller)

This text from Matthew, "Who do you say I am?" is a prophetic text: it challenges; it confronts; it calls ...

It's God's Party, Not Yours

Introduction

People question my wife and me about where we live and how we choose to spend our money. They basically say, "You know, it's OK with God if ...

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 ...

The Greatest Invitation Ever Made

Introduction

All of us enjoy receiving invitations—to a meal, a wedding, or a concert. Usually, when the invitation is printed on a little card, there ...

Hungry World

Story behind the sermon (from Mark Buchanan)

"Hungry World" is part of series our church's preaching team did in the fall of 2010. The series was called ...

Looking Up to Heaven

A shattered Colossus

The poet Percy Bysshe Shelly tells of meeting a traveler from an "antique" land who describes the ruins of a great statue in the desert. ...

Think Hard, Stay Humble

Today I'm going to preach on humility. This is the topic assigned to me for this conference. Let's start by looking at 1 Corinthians 8:1-3:

Now concerning ...

Who Can We Trust?

From the editor:

Here is another sermon from one of our featured preachers, David Anderson. Anderson uses the story of Samson and Delilah to explore issues ...

You're Fantastic

Introduction

Of all the comic books turned into motion pictures of late, my favorite one is the Fantastic Four. For those not in the know, it is a tale ...

Trophy Kids

Introduction

When our eldest son was making preparations to start his freshman year of high school, I overheard him telling a classmate that he was planning ...

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 ...

FSTR

Introduction

I've jumped into this series on inSanity not because I'm throwing stones, but because crazy has become the new normal for me. I feel like ...

The Neighbors Are Nuts

Introduction

When I was a kid, my parents used to drag me out to church on Sundays. I'd walk into this big building in a shirt and shoes that seemed too ...

Total Freedom

From the editor:

Here's another great sermon from one of our featured preachers, John Ortberg. This is actually John's message from Palm Sunday (2009). ...

Welcome to the Pearly-Gated Community

Introduction

In the first sermon in our series, I talked about the primary person we will get to see in heaven: Jesus, face to face. Now I want to talk ...

Trusting in God's Process

Introduction

Coco was a pit bull mix, just barely one year old. As a puppy she was dumped on the freeway and rescued by a teenager who handed her off to ...

Freedom

Introduction

In the summer of my 11th year of life, I learned the power and joy of surrender. It happened in Minnesota at the Edina community swimming ...

Focus

Introduction

There's good news and bad news about our gospel passage. First the bad news: this is one of the most difficult, disturbing, and surprising ...

The World's Greatest Talk: Choices

From the Editor:

Just below, you'll find a few introductory remarks from Ortberg about his sermon. With that in mind, there really doesn't need to be much ...

Desperate Hearts

Introduction

Some years ago I experienced something that just about every stressed-out, 40-something American male experiences - chest pains. You know, ...

Solomon's Wish

Introduction

If you could wish for anything in the world, what would it be? Some people wish they had different abilities. Others wish for a change in ...

Putting the Kingdom First

Introduction

In an article entitled "A new kind of urban Christian," Tim Keller argues that "Christians should be a dynamic counterculture. It is not enough ...

David's Last Words

Introduction

A life is a terrible thing to waste. In his life saving book, Don't Waste Your Life, John Piper recounts a story his father often told in ...

Long Live the King!

Introduction

According to ancient custom, the death of a ruler is greeted with the following words: "The king is dead; long live the king!" This may seem ...

A Royal Conspiracy

Introduction

The right to rule as king has been the occasion of many bitter conflicts. Often brother has fought against brother to wear the crown, forcing ...

The House of Expectancy

Introduction

Have you wondered what makes one person open to God and the next person closed? What makes Sally receptive, attentive, responsive to God's ...

The Miracle of Christmas

Introduction

In Luke 11:33–35, Jesus says, "Your eye is a lamp, lighting up your whole body. If you live in wide-eyed wonder and belief, your body ...

Life on Wings

Introduction

The biblical image of the kind of life Christians are called to live is, "The way of an eagle in the air." I have lots of experience with ...

Wrestling with God

Introduction

Soon after my wife and I married, we began decorating our house by putting things on the walls. When we came to the kitchen, I came up with ...

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Introduction

I don't know much about sheep. I was born and raised in the suburbs, and we didn't have sheep. In fact, they were probably illegal. ...

What God Wants from You More Than Anything Else

Introduction

What does God want from you? What does he expect? Do you know?

That's a question that every person has to answer. Because if there is a God—and ...

The Process of Transformation

Text: 1 John 3:1–10
Topic: How to attain holiness

Introduction

Imagine that you've been asked to write a book on marriage. Your publisher says, "We ...

Taking God as your partner

Introduction

A little more than 300 years ago, a middle aged man named Nicholas Herman entered a monastery in France and lived the remaining 30 years of ...

Going with God's Game Plan

Today is Super Bowl Sunday, and I want to congratulate all the football fans for choosing to be here this morning, rather than at home watching the ...

Easter in An Age of Terror

I suppose everyone has heard Alan Jackson's song, "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?" It's about the tragic events that took place in our ...

Why Is My Christian Walk So Unstable?

Several years ago my grandmother agreed to allow a Craftmatic Adjustable Bed salesman come to her home and make a presentation. She thought this might ...

Living with a Focus

When a country goes to war against itself, as ours did during the 1860's, it becomes impossible for the country to thrive. The entire focus of the nation ...

Encounter: The Vision of Witnessing

Introduction

Several years ago, I was enjoying a day of recreation on a ski slope in central Wisconsin. While other friends from the church had gone ...

Prayer as Surrender

Prayer as Surrender

The main condition of successful prayer is seeking God's plans rather than our own.

by John Powell

I have to make a disclaimer right ...

Followership

 

Scripture records of Jesus Christ that on one particular occasion he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, and he saw two Simon, who called ...