Showing posts with label 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Timothy 1:12-17. Show all posts

9/16/2019

Nurture

Sermon podcast from yesterday at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL. 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Let’s not hold on to anger and a desire for vengeance. Let’s not spend all our energy reliving our mistakes

Video Sermon Preview
"Nurture" podcast


9/12/2016

Growing

Sermon podcast from Rally Day Sunday 2016 at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL
"Growing" podcast

9/15/2013

The Notorious Sinners

This week's Bible reflection (Where Art Thou?) begins what was the kind of sermon I wish I could preach.  Oh wait -- I did.  Today at St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Downers Grove, IL.
"The Notorious Sinners" podcast

9/09/2013

Where Art Thou?

 “O Brother, Where Art Thou” is a brilliant film. If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it.  If you have seen it.  I still highly recommend it.  In this brilliant film (have I said that enough?) one of the characters, escaped convict Delmar O’ Donnell, gets baptized in the river.  Here’s how the scenario goes:

Delmar: Well that's it, boys. I've been redeemed. The preacher's done warshed away all my sins and transgressions. It's the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting's my reward.  The preacher says all my sins is warshed away, including that Piggly Wiggly I knocked over in Yazoo.
Everett: I thought you said you was innocent of those charges?
Delmar: Well I was lyin'. And the preacher says that that sin's been warshed away too. Neither God nor man's got nothin' on me now. C'mon in boys, the water is fine.

Everyone makes mistakes.  Most make really big mistakes. Some make even worse mistakes.  Some do things that they are sure are unforgivable.

They're not.

"Wait!  Are you saying that what Delmar said is true? Are you saying that people who commit crimes shouldn’t have to go to jail? Are you saying that people should try to do bad because it'll be forgiven?  Are you saying that what people do doesn't matter?"

No.  I simply said that those things are not unforgivable.  They're forgivable.

Delmar still had to answer to the law of the land.  Being forgiven by God doesn’t wipe out responsibility for our actions.  But God does forgive completely.

Do you believe that?

9/07/2010

The worst thing

We’ve all made mistakes.  Most of us have made really big mistakes.  Some of us have made even worse mistakes.  A few probably have done things they are sure are unforgivable. 

God already forgave that.

"Wait!  Are you saying that people who commit crimes shouldn’t have to go to jail? Are you saying that people should try to do bad because God forgives?  Are you saying that what people do doesn't matter?"

No.  I simply said that God already forgave that.

The worst thing you have ever done?  God forgave that. 

Jesus has the utmost patience towards you.
God has unending mercy towards you

Can you get past the worst thing to serving God?

God already has.