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Freely Given

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  The Way of Jesus:  Freely Given Matthew 6:14-15   Introduction The message I am about to give to you is based on one that I wrote and delivered over ten years ago.  Proverbs 16:9 informs us that “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”  Like the series we are currently exploring regarding the Lord’s Prayer, I had planned to preach through Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount, for the church I was serving at the time. Well, the Lord certainly predetermined my steps!  On the week before I was to deliver the sermon on Christian forgiveness, my wife and I experienced the most traumatic betrayal from church leadership that we have ever known.  The timing of the betrayal and the sermon I was to preach was providential.  While my recovery from that trauma took many years, my deep dive into the nature of Christian forgiveness likely preserved my soul and calling in ministry.  What I will share with you was forged right in t...
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God of the Underdog

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  God of the Underdog I Samuel 1:4-20; I Samuel 2:1-10 Homily for 11/13/24   You and I, according to Scripture, are made in the image of God.  Into every human soul, God has hard-wired what one theologian calls “echoes of a Voice.”  Among those echoes are a yearning for beauty, relationship, spirituality, and justice.  Those human yearnings are unique among all of God’s Creation.  They demonstrate the distinctiveness of the human soul. I want to focus this morning on the yearning for justice.  No one has to teach a child the phrase, “That’s not fair!”  It seems to come naturally to us all.  And when we are the subject of injustice, we all rebel.  Rightly so.  Things are not the way they should be.  And so, we appeal to someone who can make things right.  That was the case with Hannah: I Samuel 1:4-20 (NLT) There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. H...
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God For Us

God for Us A Reflection on Psalm 146 November 6, 2024   In the providence of God, I find the selection of this psalm for this day after a national election to be simply amazing.   Did that fourth verse catch your attention?   Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.    I am sure that there are millions of people across this country who are feeling despondent this morning because their candidate or candidates – their “powerful people” – did not win.   On the other hand, there are millions who may be feeling euphoric today because they are on the winning side.   Both perspectives are short-sided.   As the psalm reminds us, “When [our politicians] breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.”   Instead, the psalmist puts his trust in God and lifts his spirit in praise.   Psalms 146 through 150 are all expressions of exuberant praise.   They all begin with ...
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A Good Christian Funeral

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  A Guide for Gospel-Centered Services Dr. Robert A. Myers The Need for Guidance Ever since the middle of the twentieth century, we have been enamored with youth.   It’s easy to see.   Our fixation on being young is manifested in our entertainment, our music, our advertisements, the prevalence of cosmetic surgery, and ageism in the workplace.   One author has even coined the term “juvenilization” to describe our cultural milieu.   It is no surprise, then, that most people are averse to talking about death and dying until the topic is forced upon them.   When the subject becomes unavoidable, many people are at a loss as to what to do at the time of death.   Increasingly, many people are opting to forego any sort of funeral service.   Others chose to do some sort of event at a neutral site to avoid the solemnity of a church or funeral home.   The difficult questions that death evokes are purposely avoided. People of faith don’t need to ...
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Parting Words

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The following sermon was delivered on January 9, 2022 as my final message to the congregation of the First Baptist Church in Galesburg, Illinois.  Keep me safe, O God,     for I have come to you for refuge. I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!     Every good thing I have comes from you.” The godly people in the land     are my true heroes!     I take pleasure in them! Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.     I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood     or even speak the names of their gods. Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.     You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land.     What a wonderful inheritance! I will bless the Lord who guides me;     even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me.   ...
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