Sermons and Biblical Studies

Topics: Acceptance; Attitudes; God’s Will; Loss; Tragedy References: Job 1:21; 2:10; Matthew 26:42 When United States district judge Joan Lefkow came home to suburban Chicago on February 28, 2005, she found her mother and husband murdered. The killer was a man whom she had ruled against in court. She later told the Chicago Tribune, “As … Continue reading “ACCEPTING
TRAGEDY”

Topics: Courage; Dedication; Devotion; Love for Christ; Martyrdom; Overcoming; Persecution; Trials; Victorious Living; Wholehearted Devotion References: Psalm 27:1–6; Matthew 5:10; 10:22; 16:24–26; Acts 5:41; 14:19; 2 Corinthians 11:24–26; Philippians 1:29 On a Sunday morning in January 2006, five young men attacked and threatened to kill a Protestant church leader in Turkey. Kamil Kiroglu, twenty-nine, had … Continue reading “STRENGTHENED
IN ATTACK”

Topics: Baptism; Commitment; Courage; Evangelism; New Life; Opposition; Oppression; Persecution; Testimony; Threats; Victorious Living; Wholehearted Devotion References: Matthew 24:7–14; 28:19; Mark 1:9–13; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 1:6–7 Through Athens, Greece, runs one of the world’s refugee highways, on which millions of desperate people travel after being forced from their homelands by violence, … Continue reading “SCALDED
FOR CHRIST”

Topics: Atonement; Awe; Blood of Christ; Cross; Crucifixion; Holy Week Reference: Philippians 2:5–11 It is curious that people who are filled with horrified indignation when a cat kills a sparrow can hear the story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at all. —Barbara Brown Taylor, God in … Continue reading “UNAFFECTED
BY HORROR”

Topics: Caring; Compassion; God as Father; God’s Love References: John 3:16; Romans 8:31–32; 1 Peter 5:7 While Patrick, the two-day-old son of President John F. Kennedy, was fighting for his life because of a lung condition, Kennedy went to see him on the hospital’s fifth floor, which had been cleared of all visitors. On his … Continue reading “SHOWING
CONCERN”

Topics: Discipline; Pain; Problems; Rescue References: Psalm 119:6, 71; Hebrews 12:4–13; James 1:2–4 A train was rolling down the rails of Lafayette, Indiana, at twenty-four miles per hour. Suddenly the conductor, Robert Mohr, spotted an object on the tracks roughly a city block away. Initially the engineer, Rod Lindley, thought it was a dog on … Continue reading “OUT
OF HARM’S WAY”

Topics: Acceptance; Patience; Sacrifice; Self-denial; Spiritual Disciplines References: Matthew 16:24–25; 2 Corinthians 1:5–7; 1 Peter 1:6–7 Self-denial has its place in a Christian’s life, but God doesn’t ask you to choose what is most painful to you. If you followed this path, you would soon ruin your health, reputation, business, and friendship. Self-denial consists of … Continue reading “SELF-DENIAL
GOD’S WAY”

Topics: Disabilities; Inclusion; Justice Reference: Amos 5:24 Lost causes are big business in the United States. There is more effort put into curing spinal cord injuries or discussing the legal issues involved in suicide for the severely disabled than in integrating disabled folks into society at large. Pray to be normal, no matter how impossible … Continue reading “PROFITING
FROM SUFFERING”

Topics: Discouragement; Fruitfulness; Growth; Spiritual Formation; Trials References: Psalm 119:71; Romans 5:3–5; James 1:2–4; 1 Peter 1:6–7 Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys. —Billy Graham, Montreat, North Carolina

Topics: Commitment; Devotion; Discipleship; Ministry; Sacrifice; Surrender Reference: Philippians 2:5–11 I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee, Exalted for thee or brought low … Continue reading “A
PRAYER IN SUFFERING”