Image of a Bible

The ever-present power of the Holy Spirit

Why I Believe #12: Why I Believe In The Trinity

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 #11: Why I Believe In The Holy Spirit

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 #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...

Have You Met Jesus? #5: The Man Who Put Christ First

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 Man Who Put...

Minor Men With A Major Message #21: The Man Who Put Christ First

The Man Who Snatched Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory The Man Who Wanted Somebody With Skin On The Man God Marked The Man Who Died With No One's Regrets The Man Who Chose The Wrong Friend The Couple Who Paid The High Cost Of Low Living The Man Who Put Profits Before...

A Provocative Church #1: Embracing In Spirit

Embracing In Spirit Focused On The Truth Teaching With Boldness Holding Fast To Hope Centered On The Savior Undaunted By Difficulty Saved By Grace Courageous At All Costs A Provocative Church: Embracing In Spirit Acts 9:10-22(Oxford University Professor Graham Tomlin...

Confessing Church #2: The Bible

Jesus Christ The Bible A Holy Life Confessing Church: The Bible II Kings 22:8-13Whenever I stand to read the Scripture, I always say as firmly and as categorically as I can: “This is the Word of God.” Notice that I do not say: “Listen for the Word of God.” I do not...

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...

When You Have To Go To Plan B

When You Have To Go To Plan B January 30, 2000 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | II Corinthians 12:1-10I love that “Peanuts” cartoon where Charlie Brown and Lucy are engaged in conversation. Lucy says: “You know, Charlie Brown, life is like a deck chair. Some...

I’m Dying And You’re Asking Me Riddles!

I'm Dying And You're Asking Me Riddles! May 30, 1999 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | II Corinthians 13:11-13There is a wonderful story about the late Cardinal Cushing of Boston who was walking through a Boston department store one day. The manager of the store...

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...

The Church Of My Dreams

The Church Of My Dreams Acts 2:38-44 I can tell you today that First Presbyterian Church of Orlando is the church of my dreams, and I can tell you that I spend practically every waking moment trying, with your help, to make this, the church of my dreams, into the...

Christmas … For #3: Christmas Faith For The Faithless

Christmas Hope For The Hopeless Christmas Spirit For The Spiritless Christmas Faith For The Faithless Christmas Faith For The Faithless Luke 2:15-20A decade ago, in 1987, I spent the summer studying at the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies in Israel. It was a...

Christmas … For #1: Christmas Hope For The Hopeless

Christmas Hope For The Hopeless Christmas Spirit For The Spiritless Christmas Faith For The Faithless Christmas Hope For The Hopeless Isaiah 6:6-9Years ago, when I was in seminary, I worked as an intern in a church where the church custodian was not blessed with an...

Can One Be A Christian And Not Belong To The Church?

Can One Be A Christian And Not Belong To The Church?September 28, 1997 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | Ephesians 4:11-16Lend me your ears, your minds, and your hearts for just a few minutes, and let's focus on trying to answer the question: Can one be a...

To Know Him And To Make Him Known

To Know Him And To Make Him KnownSeptember 14, 1997 | First Presbyterian Church Orlando | Romans 1:8-17On the second Sunday of September, 1968, I preached my first sermon in my first church. Every year since, on the second Sunday of September, I do two things. I...

Is Your Face Like The Face Of An Angel?

Is Your Face Like The Face Of An Angel? Acts 6:12-15Of all the great artistic masters, Rembrandt Van Rijn painted more pictures of himself than did any of the others. We have more than 1200 canvases by Rembrandt. They are found in most major museum collections in the...

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...

All Stressed Up And No Place To Blow

All Stressed Up And No Place To Blow Matthew 11:25-30If you are a member of our congregation here at First Presbyterian, you are aware of the fact that my partner-in-ministry, Dr. Jim Cook, and I are enjoying a lively, loving, light-hearted competition with each other...

We’re Here For Life #2: A Call To Confidence

A Call To Continuity A Call To Confidence A Call To Compassion A Call To Commitment We're Here For Life: A Call To Confidence Nehemiah 12:11-18There's a wonderful story about a man who happened upon a Little League baseball game one night. He noticed right away that...