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Montreat Conference Center: Summer Worship Series 2021

Montreat Conference Center Summer Worship Series 2021 John 20:3-8This sermon can be viewed on Vimeo. I wish to read for you from the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John. I shall begin to read at the third verse. This is the Word of God. "So Peter and the other...

Living Generously #3: All My Begs In One Asking

The Gospels According To The Dead Sea Everything You Thought You Knew About Generosity All My Begs In One Asking Living Generously: All My Begs In One Asking I Timothy 6:3-12I wish to read for you these words from Paul's first letter to Timothy. This is the Word of...

Living Generously #1: The Gospels According To The Dead Sea

The Gospels According To The Dead Sea Everything You Thought You Knew About Generosity All My Begs In One Asking Living Generously: The Gospels According To The Dead Sea Acts 20:25-35The great Apostle Paul is on his way to the city of Rome, where he will be put to...

Faces and Places Around The Cross #7: The Empty Tomb

Gethsemane The Roman Barracks Simon Of Cyrene Mary: The Mother Of Jesus Unknown Soldier Jerusalem: The Triumphant Entry The Empty Tomb Faces and Places Around The Cross: The Empty Tomb John 20:3-8I wish to read these words written by John, but they are the Word of...

Faces and Places Around The Cross #5: Unknown Soldier

Gethsemane The Roman Barracks Simon Of Cyrene Mary: The Mother Of Jesus Unknown Soldier Jerusalem: The Triumphant Entry The Empty Tomb Faces and Places Around The Cross: Unknown Soldier Mark 15:33-39This is from the Gospel according to Mark. But this is the Word of...

Faces and Places Around The Cross #4: Mary: The Mother Of Jesus

Gethsemane The Roman Barracks Simon Of Cyrene Mary: The Mother Of Jesus Unknown Soldier Jerusalem: The Triumphant Entry The Empty Tomb Faces and Places Around The Cross: Mary: The Mother Of Jesus John 19:25-27I wish to read from the 19th chapter of the Gospel...

Faces and Places Around The Cross #3: Simon Of Cyrene

Gethsemane The Roman Barracks Simon Of Cyrene Mary: The Mother Of Jesus Unknown Soldier Jerusalem: The Triumphant Entry The Empty Tomb Faces and Places Around The Cross: Simon Of Cyrene Mark 15:21-24Reading from the Gospel according to Mark. This is the Word of God....

Faces and Places Around The Cross #2: The Roman Barracks

Gethsemane The Roman Barracks Simon Of Cyrene Mary: The Mother Of Jesus Unknown Soldier Jerusalem: The Triumphant Entry The Empty Tomb Faces and Places Around The Cross: The Roman Barracks Matthew 27:17-31 This from the Gospel according to Matthew, and this is the...

Faces and Places Around The Cross #1: Gethsemane

Gethsemane The Roman Barracks Simon Of Cyrene Mary: The Mother Of Jesus Unknown Soldier Jerusalem: The Triumphant Entry The Empty Tomb Faces and Places Around The Cross: Gethsemane Mark 14:32-42Mark chapter 14, beginning at verse 32. This is the Word of God. “They...

The Story We Thought We Knew #6: The Family We Love To Know

The Story We Should Know The Father We Wish We Knew The King We Wish We Never Knew The Wise Men We Ought To Know The Christ We Can Know The Family We Love To Know The Story We Thought We Knew: The Family We Love To Know Luke 2:25-40Pray with me, please. Give me Jesus,...

The Story We Thought We Knew #4: The Wise Men We Ought To Know

The Story We Should Know The Father We Wish We Knew The King We Wish We Never Knew The Wise Men We Ought To Know The Christ We Can Know The Family We Love To Know The Story We Thought We Knew: The Wise Men We Ought To Know Matthew 2:1-12I wish to read for you from the...

The Story We Thought We Knew #3: The King We Wish We Never Knew

The Story We Should Know The Father We Wish We Knew The King We Wish We Never Knew The Wise Men We Ought To Know The Christ We Can Know The Family We Love To Know The Story We Thought We Knew: The King We Wish We Never Knew December 15, 2013 | Memorial Drive...

The Story We Thought We Knew #2: The Father We Wish We Knew

The Story We Should Know The Father We Wish We Knew The King We Wish We Never Knew The Wise Men We Ought To Know The Christ We Can Know The Family We Love To Know The Story We Thought We Knew: The Father We Wish We Knew Matthew 1:18-25I wish to read for you just a...

The Story We Thought We Knew #1: The Story We Should Know

The Story We Should Know The Father We Wish We Knew The King We Wish We Never Knew The Wise Men We Ought To Know The Christ We Can Know The Family We Love To Know The Story We Thought We Knew: The Story We Should Know Luke 2:8-20I read for you a portion of the story...

The Church Is Always Asking For Money: True Or False?

The Church Is Always Asking For Money: True Or False? Matthew 6:19-21 I wish to read for you from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, just a handful of words from the lips of Jesus. But these few words are nothing less than the Word of God. "Do not store up...

When Is It O.K. To Be O.T.T.?

When Is It O.K. To Be O.T.T.? John 12:1-7 Personal word, please, before I preach. Let me remind you that the elders of our church have called all of us at MDPC to engage in a day of fasting and prayer. That will begin after the evening meal on Tuesday of this week,...

Spiritual Arson: Setting The World On Fire For Christ

Spiritual Arson: Setting The World On Fire For Christ Luke 12:49-50 I wish now to focus your attention upon Luke 12. These words of Jesus are the Word of God. “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled. But I have a baptism to...

Tithing Is A Selfish Thing To Do

Tithing Is A Selfish Thing To Do Malachi 3:8-10I'm about to read for you these words from the Old Testament prophet, Malachi. This is the Word of God. "’Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, “How do we rob you?” In tithes and offerings. You are under a...

Encounters With Christ #3: The Woman Christ Complimented

The Nobody Who Became Somebody The Somebody Who Became Nobody The Woman Christ Complimented The Odds Are In Our Favor The Man Locked In A Prison Without Bars The Man Who Died Twice The Beast Who Became Beautiful Encounters With Christ: The Woman Christ Complimented...

Lessons Learned From My Two Fathers

Lessons Learned From My Two Fathers Proverbs 2:1-8 Today I’d like to share with you some lessons I have learned from my two fathers. I refer, of course, to my earthly father and to my Heavenly Father. You see, so many times in my life, my Heavenly Father used my...

The Tomb Is Important Because The Tomb Is Not Important

The Tomb Is Important Because The Tomb Is Not Important Revelation 1:4-8, 22:12-13 If you were to visit the city of Jerusalem today, you would be shown two tombs both of which claim to be the tomb of Jesus. First, you would be shown what is called “The Garden Tomb.”...

Palm Sunday: Celebration Or Confrontation

Palm Sunday: Celebration Or Confrontation John 18:33-38When Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem on that first Psalm Sunday, because of the way He entered the city and because of the response He received, He knew that He was signing His own death warrant. Let me...

A Mother’s Worst Nightmare

A Mother's Worst Nightmare John 19:23-27 It had to be a mother’s worst nightmare… The Bible says, “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother...” Note that please. His mother was there. It was a ghastly, hideous, terrible thing for her to see. She had brought Him into...

The Best Loved Carol Of Them All

The Best Loved Carol Of Them All Matthew 2:7-12 Today, I wish to tell you the story of the best loved Christmas carol of them all, weaving in its sublime message and meaning. It is a story which will introduce to us seven people: a village priest, a substitute...

Keeping Christmas Holy And Wholly

Keeping Christmas Holy And Wholly Luke 2:1-14 Christmas is more than just a season. Christmas is a time to keep. The things that make Christmas Christmas ought to be true all year round. In the first place, Christmas gives us a new understanding of power. In King...

Christmas Is For Ordinary People

Christmas Is For Ordinary People Luke 1:26-38 Christmas has been, is now, and always will be for ordinary people. In other words, Christmas is for you and for me. When we stop to examine the Christmas story, what strikes home to us is its ordinariness. Christmas came...

Home Improvement #9: Mistakes Mothers Must Not Make

The Commandment You Can't Always Obey What Adam Should Have Learned About Eve What Eve Should Have Learned About Adam Teenagers: The People God Didn’t Create Growing Old Without Getting Old Lessons Learned From Two Adoptive Dads The Gripes Of Wrath: Love's Number One...

The Story I Never … #2: The Story I Never Tire Of Telling

The Story I Never Tire Of Hearing The Story I Never Tire Of Telling The Story I Never Tire Of Telling John 20:1-18Easter is a lot like Christmas. It is not a time for learned discourses or complex theology. Rather it is time to tell a story—a story that is so simple,...

The Story I Never … #1: The Story I Never Tire Of Hearing

The Story I Never Tire Of Hearing The Story I Never Tire Of Telling The Story I Never Tire Of Hearing Luke 19:29-44I wish to read these few verses from Paul's letter to the Philippians. A handful of words, really. But these words are nothing less than the Word of God:...

The First Family Of Our Faith

The First Family Of Our Faith Matthew 1:18-25 Once upon a time ... in a little town called Nazareth, there lived a young woman named Mary and a young man named Joseph… Interesting that for all the impact Mary and Joseph ultimately made upon the world, we know so...

Simeon And Anna: No Songs Like The Old Songs

Make Your Heart Christ’s Home The Best Christmas Presents Are Wrapped In Heaven No Songs Like The Old Songs When It Is More Blessed To Receive Some Christmas Memories Simeon And Anna: No Songs Like The Old Songs Luke 2:25-38You know what they say—“There are no songs...

Mary: A Faith Too Important Not To Share

Mary: A Faith Too Important Not To Share Luke 1:26-35Once in a while, there are lines in television commercials which I can’t seem to get out of my mind…Once in a while, there are lines in television commercials which I can’t seem to get out of my mind… For example,...

Joseph: A Star On The Christmas Stage

Joseph: A Star On The Christmas Stage December 4, 2005 | PROVIDENCE Presbyterian Church | Matthew 2:19-23A friend I know set out to try to make Christmas an especially significant faith experience for his family one year. So three weeks before Christmas, he bought a...

Innkeeper: When God Knocks, How Will You Answer?

Innkeeper: When God Knocks, How Will You Answer? Luke 3:1-7 The inn at Bethlehem has become the most famous of all inns—not because of what happened there, but because of something that might have happened, but didn’t. How does the Bible say it? You know the words by...

It’s Never Easy To Be A Father

It's Never Easy To Be A Father Luke 2:41-52 No sermon is so bad that you can’t get one good thing out of it. No book is so bad that you can’t get one good idea from its pages. No movie is so bad that you can’t find one good line within it. Take, for example, the movie...

Cross Words #6: A Dying Word And A Living Faith

You Can't Step In The Same River Twice Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart The Very First Christian God's Light In Dark Times A Staircase To Heaven A Dying Word And A Living Faith Cross Words: A Dying Word And A Living Faith Luke 23:44-49During these weeks leading up to...

Cross Words #5: A Staircase To Heaven

You Can't Step In The Same River Twice Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart The Very First Christian God's Light In Dark Times A Staircase To Heaven A Dying Word And A Living Faith Cross Words: A Staircase To Heaven John 19:28-30Nothing—not even Calvary—could conquer...

Cross Words #4: God’s Light In Dark Times

You Can't Step In The Same River Twice Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart The Very First Christian God's Light In Dark Times A Staircase To Heaven A Dying Word And A Living Faith Cross Words: God's Light In Dark Times Mark 15:33-39In the Cathedral at Dijon, France at...

Cross Words #3: The Very First Christian

You Can't Step In The Same River Twice Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart The Very First Christian God's Light In Dark Times A Staircase To Heaven A Dying Word And A Living Faith Cross Words: The Very First Christian Luke 23:39-43Two thieves were crucified with Jesus....

Cross Words #2: Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart

You Can't Step In The Same River Twice Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart The Very First Christian God's Light In Dark Times A Staircase To Heaven A Dying Word And A Living Faith Cross Words: Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart John 19:28-29I ask you to come with me now to...

Cross Words #1: You Can’t Step In The Same River Twice

You Can't Step In The Same River Twice Thirsty Lips and A Thirsty Heart The Very First Christian God's Light In Dark Times A Staircase To Heaven A Dying Word And A Living Faith Cross Words: You Can't Step In The Same River Twice Luke 23:26-34“No one can step into the...

Christmas Eve: Communion And Reunion

Christmas Eve: Communion And Reunion Luke 2:8-14 I love Christmas . . . I love all that is so beautiful and inspiring about our annual observance of Christmas. I find it fascinating to note that even those who make no profession of faith or no practice of our...

The Story We Thought We Knew: Why Were the Wise Men Wise?

The Story We Thought We Knew: Why Were the Wise Men Wise? Matthew 2:4-12Why were the Wise Men Wise? Good question. The Wise Men have both fascinated and baffled Bible students for centuries. Precisely who they were we do not know. From whence they came we can only...

The Story We Thought We Knew: A Tale of a Terrorist

The Story We Thought We Knew: A Tale of a Terrorist Matthew 2:7-18 Today I wish to tell you a tale of a terrorist... The terrorist to whom I refer is not the odious, hideous Osama bin Laden but the equally odious and hideous King Herod of Biblical times. History...

For President, I Am Voting For…

For President, I Am Voting For… Daniel 6:1-4 This coming Tuesday, November 2, we shall elect the President of the United States. It is without any question the most powerful office on the face of the earth. That office has been occupied by some saints, some sinners,...

A Day Of Pain And Gain

A Day Of Pain And Gain Mark 3:31-35 Tuck this away in your memory bank. The first Mother’s Day service was held in Grafton, West Virginia on May 10, 1908. It was the brainchild of a woman named Anna Jarvis as a tribute to her own mother. One year earlier in 1907, Anna...

Why I Believe #10: Why I Believe In The Resurrection

Why I Believe In The Incarnation Why I Believe In Angels Why I Believe In The Virgin Birth Why I Believe In Jesus Christ Why I Believe In God Why I Believe The Bible Why I Believe In The Church Why I Believe In Heaven Why I Believe In The Atonement Why I Believe In...

Was The Triumphal Entry A Triumph?

Was The Triumphal Entry A Triumph? Mark 11:1-10 I stand before you today rather like the blindfolded discus thrower—he didn’t set any records, but he sure kept the crowd alert! Well, I’m not planning on setting any records today, but I sure would like to keep you...

Human Cruelty And The Gentleness Of God

Agony In A Garden Blind Justice In The Fox’s Den No Exit Human Cruelty And The Gentleness Of God Human Cruelty And The Gentleness Of God Matthew 27:27-31It is a rare thing, I suppose, for a preacher to spend much time describing the pains and the privations which...

Why I Believe #3: Why I Believe In The Virgin Birth

Why I Believe In The Incarnation Why I Believe In Angels Why I Believe In The Virgin Birth Why I Believe In Jesus Christ Why I Believe In God Why I Believe The Bible Why I Believe In The Church Why I Believe In Heaven Why I Believe In The Atonement Why I Believe In...

Why I Believe #2: Why I Believe In Angels

Why I Believe In The Incarnation Why I Believe In Angels Why I Believe In The Virgin Birth Why I Believe In Jesus Christ Why I Believe In God Why I Believe The Bible Why I Believe In The Church Why I Believe In Heaven Why I Believe In The Atonement Why I Believe In...

Why I Believe #1: Why I Believe In The Incarnation

Why I Believe In The Incarnation Why I Believe In Angels Why I Believe In The Virgin Birth Why I Believe In Jesus Christ Why I Believe In God Why I Believe The Bible Why I Believe In The Church Why I Believe In Heaven Why I Believe In The Atonement Why I Believe In...

Have You Met Jesus? #7: The Woman Christ Complimented

The Nobody Who Became Somebody The Somebody Who Became Nobody The Man Locked In A Prison Without Bars The Men Who Crashed The Party The Man Who Put Christ First The Man Who Was Both Saint And Sinner The Woman Christ Complimented Have You Met Jesus?: The Woman Christ...

A Prayer for Christmas #5: Obedience Of Mary And Joseph

Joy Of The Angels Eagerness Of The Shepherds Perseverance Of The Wise Men The Peace Of The Christ Child Obedience Of Mary And Joseph A Prayer for Christmas: Obedience Of Mary And Joseph Luke 2:1-14Once upon a time… There lived in a little town called Nazareth, a young...

A Prayer for Christmas #4: The Peace Of The Christ Child

Joy Of The Angels Eagerness Of The Shepherds Perseverance Of The Wise Men The Peace Of The Christ Child Obedience Of Mary And Joseph A Prayer for Christmas: The Peace Of The Christ Child Luke 2:1-14Nobody loves Christmas more than I do. However, I do feel constrained...

A Prayer for Christmas #3: Perserverance Of The Wise Men

Joy Of The Angels Eagerness Of The Shepherds Perseverance Of The Wise Men The Peace Of The Christ Child Obedience Of Mary And Joseph A Prayer for Christmas: Perseverance Of The Wise Men Matthew 2:1-12I suppose that we all get sucked into the frantic rush that is...

A Prayer for Christmas #2: Eagerness Of The Shepherds

Joy Of The Angels Eagerness Of The Shepherds Perseverance Of The Wise Men The Peace Of The Christ Child Obedience Of Mary And Joseph A Prayer for Christmas: Eagerness Of The Shepherds  Luke 2:15-20It has always seemed to me that God has a special relationship with...

A Prayer for Christmas #1: Joy Of The Angels

Joy Of The Angels Eagerness Of The Shepherds Perseverance Of The Wise Men The Peace Of The Christ Child Obedience Of Mary And Joseph LUKE 1:26-38Last Christmas, at Westminster Abbey in London, the worshipers gathered there prayed this prayer, May the joy of the...

Faces About the Cross #5: The Disciple Thomas

Simon Of Cyrene The Dying Thief The Mother Of Jesus The People Of Jerusalem The Disciple Thomas Faces About the Cross: The Disciple Thomas John 20:19-38It’s a terrible name to give to a man. Yet for 2000 years now people have called him “Doubting Thomas”. But is that...

Faces About the Cross #4: The People Of Jerusalem

Simon Of Cyrene The Dying Thief The Mother Of Jesus The People Of Jerusalem The Disciple Thomas Faces About the Cross: The People Of Jerusalem Luke 19:29-44It’s a story I never tire of telling and I never tire of hearing. The Passover holiday crowds were gathering in...

Faces About the Cross #3: The Mother Of Jesus

Simon Of Cyrene The Dying Thief The Mother Of Jesus The People Of Jerusalem The Disciple Thomas Faces About the Cross: The Mother Of Jesus John 19:25-27I wish to read from the 19th chapter of the Gospel according to John. This is the word of God. “Near the cross of...

Faces About the Cross #2: The Dying Thief

Simon Of Cyrene The Dying Thief The Mother Of Jesus The People Of Jerusalem The Disciple Thomas Faces About the Cross: The Dying Thief Luke 23:32-43Two thieves were crucified with Jesus. One thief cursed and ridiculed Christ; the other called and reached out to...

Faces About the Cross #1: Simon Of Cyrene

Simon Of Cyrene The Dying Thief The Mother Of Jesus The People Of Jerusalem The Disciple Thomas Faces About the Cross: Simon Of Cyrene Mark 15:21-24Reading from the Gospel according to Mark. This is the Word of God. “A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of...

The Third Day Comes: The 911 War

The Third Day Comes: The 911 War Isaiah 2:1-4 On September the 11th, America was attacked with a grievous loss of life. War was declared—war, which in the words of our President, would be like no other war ever fought. Because of that, no one seems to know what to...

Matthew’s Messiah #6: His Resurrection

His Designation His Coronation His Confrontation His Isolation His Humiliation His Resurrection Matthew's Messiah: His Resurrection Matthew 28:1-10Few of us who ever sat at the feet of Dr. Kenneth Phifer, my professor of preaching at seminary, will ever forget the...

Matthew’s Messiah #5: His Humiliation

His Designation His Coronation His Confrontation His Isolation His Humiliation His Resurrection Matthew's Messiah: His Humiliation Matthew 27:27-31It is a rare thing for a preacher to spend much time describing the pains and the privations which Jesus was made to...

Our Father Who Art In Hell

Our Father Who Art In Hell Psalm 22Tonight we are just days away from our observance of Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified. Tonight, as has been our habit during these Wednesday evenings together this year, I want us to focus on a Psalm. Tonight, Psalm 22, and I...

Matthew’s Messiah #4: His Isolation

His Designation His Coronation His Confrontation His Isolation His Humiliation His Resurrection Matthew's Messiah: His Isolation Matthew 28:36-46It is said that when Michelangelo was painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he kept fastened to the visor of his cap...

Matthew’s Messiah #3: His Confrontation

His Designation His Coronation His Confrontation His Isolation His Humiliation His Resurrection Matthew's Messiah: His Confrontation Matthew 19:16-22 You know how it is, don’t you, that sometimes brief, apparently insignificant incidents in life turn out, upon deeper...

Matthew’s Messiah #2: His Coronation

His Designation His Coronation His Confrontation His Isolation His Humiliation His Resurrection Matthew's Messiah: His Coronation Matthew 16:13-20It is, I believe, the single most important question in all of the Bible… I refer to the question Jesus put to His...

Matthew’s Messiah #1: His Designation

His Designation His Coronation His Confrontation His Isolation His Humiliation His Resurrection Matthew's Messiah: His Designation Matthew 3:13-17The words seem so simple, so straight-forward, so matter-of-fact: “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to...

The Faces and Places of Christmas #4: Jerusalem And The Jealous King

Israel And The Family Tree Nazareth And The Holy Parents Bethlehem And The Wise Men Jerusalem And The Jealous King The Faces and Places of Christmas: Jerusalem And The Jealous King December 24, 2000 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | Matthew 2:13-23It has always...

The Faces and Places of Christmas #3: Bethlehem And The Wise Men

Israel And The Family Tree Nazareth And The Holy Parents Bethlehem And The Wise Men Jerusalem And The Jealous King THE FACES AND PLACES OF CHRISTMAS: Bethlehem And The Wise Men Matthew 2:4-12Why were the Wise Men wise? Good question. The Wise Men have both fascinated...

The Faces and Places of Christmas #2: Nazareth and the Holy Parents

Israel And The Family Tree Nazareth And The Holy Parents Bethlehem And The Wise Men Jerusalem And The Jealous King THE FACES AND PLACES OF CHRISTMAS: Nazareth And The Holy Parents Matthew 1:18-25Nazareth was not much of a place. It is not mentioned a single time in...

The Faces and Places of Christmas #1: Israel And The Family Tree

Israel And The Family Tree Nazareth And The Holy Parents Bethlehem And The Wise Men Jerusalem And The Jealous King THE FACES AND PLACES OF CHRISTMAS: Israel And The Family Tree Matthew 1:1-17Call them “skeletons in God’s closet”. I am referring to that long list of...

Only One Came Back

Only One Came Back Luke 17:11-19 As I thought about what to say to you on this Thanksgiving Day, one of the things that I did was to dig back into my old history books to remind myself of the story of the first Thanksgiving. The story began well over a year before the...

Let’s Make America Beautiful Again

Let's Make America Beautiful Again I Peter 2:13-17Back when this nation was being ripped apart by divisions over the Viet Nam war, a bumper sticker appeared and became rather popular. It read “America—Love It or Leave It.” I hated that bumper sticker because the...

Miraculous Moments in Mark #7: Kangaroo Court: Before The Sanhedrin

Let Down By Friends: Paralytic On A Pallet Boat-Huggers And Wave-Riders: Storm At Sea Woman In The Crowd: A Bloody Shame A Dog's Life: Canaanite Woman Saved By A Semi-Colon: Epileptic Boy Eye-Opening Experience: Blind Bartimaeus Kangaroo Court: Before The Sanhedrin...

For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free🎧📺

For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free Galatians 5:1-14Of all the spectacular exhibits at Disney World’s Epcot, the one I love the best is the “American Adventure.” I never experience that stunning portrayal of our American ideals without rejoicing all over again that I...

It Doesn’t Take A Great Hero To Be A Great Father!

It Doesn't Take A Great Hero To Be A Great Father! Luke 8:40-42, 49-56It Doesn’t Take a Hero. That’s the title of a wonderful autobiography written by General Norman Schwarzkoff. One of the most powerful passages in the book is the text of a letter General Schwarzkoff...

Finishing The Unfinished Symphony

Finishing The Unfinished Symphony Acts 2:43-47Giacomo Puccini is widely regarded as one of the great music masters of all time. He wrote “Madame Butterfly”, “La Boheme”, and “Tosca”—all incredible operas with fluent melodies and dramatic harmonies. In 1922, Puccini...

Vision For The New Millennium #4: Celebrating The Church

Our Vision For The New Millennium Civilizing The City Confronting The Culture Celebrating The Church Capturing The Children Concentrating On The Content Vision For The New Millenium: Celebrating The Church Hebrews 10:19-25They say that timing is everything. Sam...

Vision For The New Millennium #3: Confronting The Culture

Our Vision For The New Millennium Civilizing The City Confronting The Culture Celebrating The Church Capturing The Children Concentrating On The Content Vision For The New Millenium: Confronting The Culture Joshua 4:1-8, 19-24Out walking one day, Alfred Lord Tennyson,...

A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend #5: His Power

His Person His Purpose His Peace His Position His Power A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend: His Power John 20:1-18Easter is a lot like Christmas. It is not a time for learned discourses or complex theology. Rather, it is a time to tell a story—a story that...

A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend #4: His Position

His Person His Purpose His Peace His Position His Power A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend: His Position John 18:33-38When Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, because of the way He entered the city and because of the response...

A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend #3: His Peace

His Person His Purpose His Peace His Position His Power A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend: His Peace John 14:15-27My great friend, Leonard Sweet, shared a collection of headlines which have actually appeared in newspapers in recent years. The headline...

A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend #2: His Purpose

His Person His Purpose His Peace His Position His Power A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend: His Purpose John 10:14-18It is said that there are two great beginnings in life: the day when we were born and the day when we discover why we were born. Not long...

A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend #1: His Person

His Person His Purpose His Peace His Position His Power A Portrait of Jesus Painted By His Best Friend: His Person John 1:1-5To be perfectly frank, I could hardly believe what I was reading. A prominent minister stood before his congregation of several thousand people...

A Valentine’s Day Love Story

A Valentine's Day Love Story Genesis 29:15-20 This past Thursday, I scanned down the USA Today list of best-selling books. I noticed that the vast majority of the titles on that list are novels of love and romance. How ironic, then, that the Bible, the biggest selling...

A Carpenter’s Christmas

A Carpenter's Christmas December 1998 | First Presbyterian Church OrlandoScene 1: Joseph in the workshop This is very awkward for me because I’m not accustomed to standing in front of people and speaking. I am a man who has been known more for my brawn than for my...

Christ Was Born For This

Christ Was Born For This Luke 2:1-20In the Golden Days of the settling of the American West, an old prospector was exploring new territory looking for gold. As he pulled his mule along behind him, he trudged over a rise and suddenly came to an abrupt halt at the very...