Common Lectionary

April 1, 1990Something Worse Than Death(John 11:1-45)In November 1988, I was asked to preach a person's funeral service who had never been involved in the church. He had, however, family members scattered throu... Continue Reading...

February 4, 1990Salt and Light(Matthew 5:13-16)When we speak of the Sermon on the Mount, many folks think specifically of the Beatitudes. In those tremendous verses, Jesus provides a charter for the Kingdom lif... Continue Reading...

December 3, 1989 (Advent I)True to the Vision(Isaiah 2:1-5)Fred Craddock, Professor of Preaching at the Candler School of Theology, has been heard to say that the longest trip he ever took was from his head to ... Continue Reading...

October 1, 1989What Do We Need for Faith?(Luke 16:19-31)There are plenty of laws "on the books." If we were to visit the great law libraries of the world we would be overwhelmed by the number of volumes of laws... Continue Reading...

August 6, 1989Christ Changes Life(Colossians 3:1-11)The Christian gospel is a story of changes. The cross is transformed from an emblem of shame to a symbol of glory. Easter Sunday is the reality of a change fr... Continue Reading...

June 4, 1989Worship: Priority, Place, and People(1 Kings 8:22-26, 41-43)One of Solomon's major accomplishments was the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. The words in 1 Kings 8:23-24, 41-43 were spoken by Sol... Continue Reading...

April 2, 1989Oh to Be a Witness!(Acts 5:27-32)One of the churches I pastored in the suburbs of Chicago came under a half-million-dollar law suit. Two weeks of driving downtown to the Federal Court building, a s... Continue Reading...

January 8, 1989The Dynamic of Life(Acts 8:14-17)The Jewish church in Jerusalem heard of a Samaritan revival breaking out. They quickly dispatched Peter and John as a committee of two to investigate, leding us t... Continue Reading...

December 4, 1988Old Things Made New(Malachi 3:1-4)In the television drama, a woman returns to college after fifteen years. In one scene, she stands before a mirror, dressed in shorts and her college sweatshirt.... Continue Reading...

October 2, 1988Like a Child(Mark 10:2-16)I would rather preach about anything than preach about divorce. I've often wondered why this is true. Maybe it is because divorce is too painful. Or maybe it is because ... Continue Reading...