Sermons and Biblical Studies

Topics: Indifference; Marriage; Mortality; Relationships Reference: Titus 2:4 An old man was lying on his deathbed. He had only hours to live when he suddenly smelled chocolate chip cookies. He loved chocolate chip cookies more than anything in the world, so with his last bit of energy, he pulled himself out of bed, struggled across … Continue reading “NO
COOKIES FOR YOU”

Topics: Family; Marriage; Responsibility Reference: Ephesians 5:22–33 When my youngest sister, Dorothy, and her boyfriend, Sonny, both nineteen, decided they wanted to get married, they approached my father with the news. “You’re mighty young to be taking on a family,” Dad said to my future brother-in-law. “But I don’t want the whole family,” protested Sonny. … Continue reading “TAKING
ON THE FAMILY”

Topics: Death; Mortality References: 2 Samuel 14:14; Psalm 49:10; Ecclesiastes 8:8; Hebrews 9:27 “I’m afraid you have only three weeks to live,” the doctor told his patient. “OK, then,” the patient replied, “I’ll take the last two weeks of July and the week between Christmas and New Year’s.” —Van Morris, Mount Washington, Kentucky

Topics: Conscience; Fasting; Foolishness; Hypocrisy; Integrity; Lent; Resisting Temptation; Vices References: Proverbs 20:11; Matthew 23:13–36; 1 Corinthians 8:8; Titus 1:16; 1 John 3:18 A priest was coming back to his rectory one evening in the dark when he was accosted by a robber who pulled a gun on him and demanded, “Your money or your … Continue reading “THE
ROBBER AND THE PRIEST”

Topics: Death; Fun; Happiness; Meaning of Life; Mortality; Youth References: Job 14:1–2; Psalm 39:5; 90:12; James 4:14; 1 Peter 1:24 Nancy Walker of Newport Beach, California, was invited to attend the burial of a goldfish owned by her neighbor, Jimmy Yeargan, age five. Since Jimmy couldn’t write, he asked Walker to do the honors for … Continue reading “ODE
TO A FISH”

Topics: Eternity; Money; Perspective; Time Reference: 2 Peter 3:8 An economist who read 2 Peter 3:8 was amazed. “Lord, is it true that a thousand years for us is like one minute to you?” “Yes,” God said. “Then a million dollars to us must be like one penny to you,” the economist said. “Well, yes,” … Continue reading “PLAYING
WITH GOD’S NUMBERS”

Topics: Envy; Greed; Materialism References: Proverbs 14:30; Colossians 3:5–6 A hip young man bought one of the best cars around: a Ferrari GTO. He took it out for a spin and stopped at a red light. An old man on a moped pulled up next to him. The old man looked over at the sleek, … Continue reading “HOOKED
ON A CAR”

Topics: Family; Forgiveness; Marriage; Reconciliation References: Matthew 6:14–15; 18:21–22; 2 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 4:32 During a children’s sermon one Sunday morning, I held up a summer shirt that I wore around the house. I told the children that someone said the shirt was ugly and should be thrown away. “I’m having trouble forgiving the person … Continue reading “UGLY
SHIRT”

Topics: Morality; Movies; Reality Reference: John 8:32 Watch enough movies, and you pick up a system of truisms. Some of them: •     All grocery shopping bags contain at least one stick of French bread. •     The ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place. •     The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window in Paris. … Continue reading “LAWS
OF THE MOVIES”

Topics: Celebration; Gender Differences; Joy; Laughter Reference: Luke 6:21 A man laughs, on average, 69 times a day. A woman laughs 55 times. —Cindy Hall and Genevieve Lynn, USA Today “Snapshots” (March 4, 1999)