Sermon Leftovers

This is really more of a "sermon appetizer" as it is likely material for an upcoming sermon (September). These thoughts came together while reading a book, so I thought I'd throw them into a slideshow which I can watch later when it's time for sermon research.

 I wrote this post the day the Supreme Court ruled regarding marriage. I didn't publish it until now because I didn't want to be part of the massive rush of people using the decision as click-bait. Over the coming weeks, I may post more of my thoughts on marriage, the supreme court and the Christian life in America. You can no longer live with your head in the sand. The Supreme Court has ruled that American marriage can now mean two people of the same gender contracting with one another for life. As Ayn Rand said, "You can ignore reality, but you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality." Reality is that marriage, as defined by our government, is no longer what it once was. It is broader and more inclusive than many ever thought it would be. Is this a quantum shift in the life of the church? What does it mean? Will pastors be mandated to perform homosexual weddings? Is the tax-exempt status long enjoyed by churches at risk? Can c

Posted this on Facebook today. I may park it here for a couple days but it might not be a permanent post.  I'm going to wait and see how this Planned Parenthood thing plays out. It may not be as bad as it looks, or it might be worse. We'll see.  However, the idea of it got me thinking today.  Assuming that virtually everyone is troubled by the idea of a black market for "baby parts".  I imagine even the most ardent pro-choice people are disturbed by this rumor.  I have a serious question, though. If you are pro-choice and this bothers you, why? I won't assume to know your assumptions, but it seems to me that some rational inconsistencies exist for those who would abort a fetus but be opposed to selling it. Please help me out.  (Of course if your discomfort with this story is based on your opposition to capitalism, no need to explain; you're being perfectly consistent) See the disturbing video here.  http://youtu.be/jjxwVuozMnU

"Stupid is as stupid does." People aren't stupid because they look stupid or sound stupid. Someone who is different or unique isn't necessarily stupid. It's impossible to know if someone is stupid without knowing how they act. Stupid people are those who do stupid things. Perhaps it's not even appropriate to say someone is a stupid person. Maybe it's better to simply say, some people do stupid things. Even the Bible says this! Proverbs 12:1 says, "To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction." When was the last time someone corrected you? How did you respond? If left to ourselves, most of us would reject or avoid correction. Why do we dislike correction so much? Sometimes we hate correction because we don't want anyone to say anything bad about the people we love, and most of us love ourselves more than anyone else. Sometimes we hate correction because it hits too close to home. We all have dark parts of our

Several years ago, I came across a book called  Church is a Team Sport . Written by Jim Putman, it was essentially a mashup of church philosophy and ministry memoirs. I didn't finish it, because it slowed a bit in the middle, but I really enjoyed the beginning. (I've noticed over time that many books start great, but fizzle in the middle and at the end. I think it's because the author puts their great idea out there, explains it and then has to create enough filler stuff to get the publishing houses to bite. Like sermons, books should be short and to the point. That said, it could also be a me-problem. Maybe I just have too short an attention span) I wrote down some of my favorite quotes from the book, and recently came across them. I'm always interested in thinking about how to be a better team builder, so I re-read them. I figured you might enjoy some of these also: "When I speak of church, I mean a body of believers working as individuals and toget

A checklist can never guarantee a successful life. Too many unexpected things can happen. However, a set of principles by which you live can go a long way in helping you make the most of cards you are dealt. The following principles are all ACTIONS you should take every day. They are based on true statements about the nature of life. Live out these principles to take responsibility and  seize control of your own life. Your decisions have consequences. Don't be impulsive. Danger exists. Think before you act . You cannot control some things. Relax . You can control some things. Work hard . You don't have all the answers. Listen to others. You cannot solve everything today. Be patient. You need to solve some things today. Be decisive. It's okay to be afraid. Don't let fear stop you. It's okay to have regrets. Don't let regrets hold you back . You don't need everything you want. Learn contentment. Be grateful. Treat everyone with respect. Give m

Don't Be Stupid.  Allow people to correct you. “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. (Proverbs 9:7,8) What is your first reaction when someone suggests you have done something wrong? Do you argue? Become defensive? Pout? Or do you give them a hug? It is very difficult to respond well to a person who corrects you. Even if we know they love us (and if we know they are right), it still hurts to feel we don’t measure up. Ironically, most of us regularly acknowledge that we are sinful people who have missed the mark God set for us. Yet, for some reason we are often more sensitive to the suggestion that we fall short of other’s standards than we are about falling short of the God's standard. The Mocker Four main characters play the starring roles in the book of Proverbs. The wise man, the simple man, the fool, and the mocker are symbolic