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How to be both a good Christian and a good citizen

You Can’t Lose

You Can't Lose Philippians 4:10-20His name was Cyprian. He is one of my great heroes in the faith. He was born in Carthage in North Africa... not converted until he was middle aged... lived so faithfully then that ultimately he was elected Bishop of Carthage......

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...

The Table That Turned The World Upside Down

The Table That Turned The World Upside Down Matthew 26:20-30 It was such a simple ordinary event, and yet it wound up having earth-shaking, world-changing implications. .. I am referring to the meal shared one evening by a little-known, traveling preacher and a small...

Breakfast By The Sea: The Rest Of The Story

Breakfast By The Sea: The Rest Of The Story John 21:1-19Paul Aurandt is one of the best known, most admired figures of our time. Most people know his face. Everyone knows his voice. Now you may be thinking to yourself, “What in the world is he talking about? I have...

Ten For Our Time #8: When Robbery Seems Respectable

When God Is God When Tolerance Creates Trouble When Profanity Takes Precedence When The Sabbath Is Kept Wholly When Family Comes First When Pro-Life Becomes Principle When Marriage Is A Many-Splintered Thing When Robbery Seems Respectable When Honesty Takes A Holiday...

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,...

Ten For Our Time #2: When Tolerance Creates Trouble

When God Is God When Tolerance Creates Trouble When Profanity Takes Precedence When The Sabbath Is Kept Wholly When Family Comes First When Pro-Life Becomes Principle When Marriage Is A Many-Splintered Thing When Robbery Seems Respectable When Honesty Takes A Holiday...

Why I Believe #6: Why I Believe The Bible

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...

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...

On Not Making The Northwestern Mistake

On Not Making The Northwestern Mistake Matthew 6:1-6Anyone listening to me now who has a connection to the city of Chicago will know the name of Marshall Field, the department store magnate whose business and generosity exercised such a shaping influence on that great...

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...

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...

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 Great Gospel, A Great Church, A Great Time To Be A Christian

A Great Gospel, A Great Church, A Great Time To Be A Christian September 13, 1998 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | Romans 1:8-17The second Sunday of September, 1968,1 stood for the first time to preach my first sermon in my first church, The First Presbyterian...

A Journey With God #1: That’s What Friends Are For

That’s What Friends Are For A Tale Of Two Sisters Love Means Saying "I'm Sorry" Cross Prayers The Gift You Won't Want To Return A Journey With God: That’s What Friends Are For Luke 5:17-26This last week, my dad’s incredible journey through this life came to an end....

Two-Thirds Of God Is Go!

Two-Thirds Of God Is Go!November 9, 1997 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | Genesis 12:1-9; Matthew 9:9-13Some years ago, the late Dr. Bruce Thielemann preached a sermon under the title: “Two-Thirds of God is Go!” The title intrigued me then; it intrigues me still....

The Heart of a Champion #6: Serve Others

Be Strong! Keep Faith Stay Loyal Have Courage Share Christ Serve Others Go Deep The Heart of a Champion: Serve Others Acts 3:1-10I wonder why they called it "the Beautiful Gate". Did you hear it mentioned in the reading of the story from Acts 3? Listen again. "One day...

The Heart of a Champion #2: Keep Faith

Be Strong! Keep Faith Stay Loyal Have Courage Share Christ Serve Others Go Deep The Heart of a Champion: Keep Faith Mark 1:14-20Have you heard the story about the elderly woman named Mrs. Jones who called the bank one morning to check on her accounts and to ask about...

The Whole World In His Hands

The Whole World In His Hands Matthew 25:26-29I look for the truth of God wherever I can find it, and sometimes I find it in the most unexpected places. Like Taco Bell. Let me explain. A handful of years ago, the executives of Taco Bell noticed something that concerned...

The King Is In The Audience

The King Is In The Audience John 20:19-29Back in 1970, God in His gracious goodness, allowed me the privilege of meeting Catherine Marshall. My mother and Catherine Marshall had been in college together at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, and therefore, during...

Why Not You? Why Not Me? Why Not Now?

Why Not You? Why Not Me? Why Not Now? John 21:15-19Scott Levy was a pastor who was preaching for a friend on Sunday morning in Nebraska. He went early to the church on that Sunday morning to see what it was like and to get a feel for the church's atmosphere. He was...

Don’t Be So Heavenly-Minded That You’re No Earthly Good!

Don't Be So Heavenly-Minded That You’Re No Earthly Good!February 4, 1996 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | I Corinthians 12:27-31If you have ever turned an eye toward the "Peanuts" comic strip, you know that Lucy is madly in love with Schroeder, the musician, but...

Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude!

Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude!November 26, 1995 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | Romans 12:1-2Ann Turnage is a most remarkable woman. Her husband, Mac Turnage, is an associate pastor at the Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas. Her...

Are You Standing On The Promises Or Just Sitting On The Premises?

Are You Standing On The Promises Or Just Sitting On The Premises? John 14:15-17Are you standing on the promises, or are you just sitting on the premises?Clever language.Tough question. Don't duck it. Do you claim and embrace and celebrate the great promises of God...

Some Things We Can’t Repay, But We Can Pass Them On

Some Things We Can't Repay, But We Can Pass Them On Luke 19:1-10So many times I read something written or hear something said, and I think to myself: "Golly, I wish I had said that!" For example, I came across a series of quotes from different individuals on the...

The Transforming Touch #4: Chained By A String

Taking People Where They Are And Loving Them Into Life O.J. Simpson, Jesus Christ, And Us Nobody's Born A Bigot! Chained By A String What Jesus Wrote In The Sand, He Also Wrote In Blood The Heart Inflamed The Transforming Touch: Chained By A String Mark 10:17-22Years...

Against the Odds #3: The Sandals Of Peace

The Belt Of Truth The Breastplate Of Righteousness The Sandals Of Peace The Shield Of Faith The Helmet Of Salvation The Sword Of The Spirit The Whole Armor Of God Against the Odds: The Sandals Of Peace Ephesians 6:10-15I love the story about the Indian tribe gathered...

Against the Odds #1: The Belt Of Truth

The Belt Of Truth The Breastplate Of Righteousness The Sandals Of Peace The Shield Of Faith The Helmet Of Salvation The Sword Of The Spirit The Whole Armor Of God Against the Odds: The Belt Of Truth Ephesians 6:10-14aThey called her "B. W.". They called her that...

You Make a Difference #1: Total Commitment

Total Commitment Promises To Keep Priming The Pump You Make a Difference: Total Commitment Luke 9:57-62Not long ago, I was on a long uneventful flight home to Orlando. I suppose one ought never to complain about an "uneventful" flight, but in this case "uneventful"...

Tales With a Twist #1: Eyes Too Busy To See

Eyes Too Busy To See A Forgiving God In An Unforgiving World It's The Little Things That Count The Cost Of Not Loving Is Too Great To Pay Who Said Life Is Fair? Jesus And The Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day God Threw A Party But Nobody Came! E Unum Pluribus...

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians #6: Reconciliation

Trust Tenderness Goodness Commitment Mercy Reconciliation Purity A Postscript The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians: Reconciliation Matthew 5:1-2, 9The Reader's Digest tells about a young boy named Matthew, age 4, setting in the back seat of the family car,...

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians #5: Mercy

Trust Tenderness Goodness Commitment Mercy Reconciliation Purity A Postscript The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians: Mercy Matthew 5:1-2, 7Until recently, Apartment #213 on the west side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin was an anonymous place. Now it is universally...

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians #4: Commitment

Trust Tenderness Goodness Commitment Mercy Reconciliation Purity A Postscript The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians: Commitment Matthew 5:1,2,5Some reflections from my heart… Before I left for India two weeks ago, a number of our members expressed their best...

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians #3: Goodness

Trust Tenderness Goodness Commitment Mercy Reconciliation Purity A Postscript The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians: Goodness Matthew 5:1, 2, 6Steve Lyons will always be known as the baseball player who dropped his pants! I know, you can't believe what you...

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians #2: Tenderness

Trust Tenderness Goodness Commitment Mercy Reconciliation Purity A Postscript The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians: Tenderness Matthew 5:1, 2, 4It happened in April of 1984. It wasn't a big thing really. It didn't make the evening news. It had no...

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians #1: Trust

Trust Tenderness Goodness Commitment Mercy Reconciliation Purity A Postscript The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians: Trust Matthew 5:1-3If, in the last couple of years, you have had any exposure at all to the world of management training and leadership...