Jesus the Evangelist

Jan. 25, 2009 Third Sunday After Epiphany (B) Mark 1:14-20 Two men who were earthly cousins shared a common faith and a heavenly Father. In this passage John the Baptist is ending his ministry in the Machaerus prison. Jesus is beginning His ministry in the Galilean hills preaching. John came pointing others to the Word. Jesus was the Word. John was mighty in his preaching. Jesus was the Almighty. John called for repentance. Jesus commanded a new birth.

Jesus the Pastor-Teacher

Feb. 1, 2009 Fourth Sunday After Epiphany (B) Mark 1:21-28 Jesus has now chosen four men to be His first followers. They were two sets of brothers. Simon Peter and Andrew were casting their net. This is a beautiful picture of what Jesus asked them to do for men. This is the task of the evangelist. The other two brothers were James and John. They were mending their nets.

Proclamation Demands An Invitation

Sometime ago I was invited to preach in a church that emphasizes relationships. The individual who called made it clear that their pastor does not give an invitation at the conclusion of his message. "We don't want to put people on the spot" was the way he phrased it. Politely I informed the...

Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

The Preacher's Kid Who Was Called Jeremiah 1: 4-10 I am a preacher's kid as are some of you. I have heard all the jokes about our particular subculture. If preacher's kids are the meanest kids in town it is simply because they run with the deacon's kids. I was six weeks old before my sin na

Third Sunday After Epiphany

When The Word Reads You Nehemiah 8: 1-10 What pastor or evangelist has not preached from the first six chapters of Nehemiah using the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem to launch into the deep with the necessity of rebuilding life, character, church or society? But, when the last stone was