The “Rich Young Ruler” is a sermon interpretation of Mark 10: 17-31.  Wealth and generosity.   Money and abundant sharing.  Riches and giving it away.  The combination of these concepts are at the very heart of Jesus’ teaching.
The richest person in the world is the person who gives it away. Jesus teaches us to give away [...]

“Equal Partners” is a sermon interpretation of Mark 10: 2-16.
Sometimes and too often, the church gets into arguments about the issues of subordination and equality e.g. wives are to be subordinate to husband; women are to be subordinate to men.
In preparation for the sermon to today, I typed the words “Genesis 2:18” into my [...]

“How did it happen” is a sermon interpretation of Mark 9:38-50.
Jesus said, “Temptations, stumbling blocks, enticements are surely to come, but whoever causes one of these little ones to sin, it would be better that a giant millstone would be tied around their neck and they would be thrown into the heart of the sea.”
How [...]

“Whoever welcomes a child like this” is a story interpretation of Mark 9: 30-37.
Yesterday, I had a wedding and a funeral. I would like to share with you the story of the funeral. It was the funeral of Bill Grant who died at age 59 from pancreatic cancer. Bill was married to Mary for almost [...]

“Persistence Pays” is a sermon interpretation of Mark 7:24-37.  The persistence of the Greek woman pays off!  She has a sick kid and she will not give up until she gets help.  Any parent can relate to the determination of getting help for one’s child.  
It is that kind of persistence that is needed in [...]

"Rest Area"  is a sermon interpretation of  Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56.  There are signs and areas along every major freeway for travelers to rest and stretch their legs.  Let these signs be a metaphor, a reminder that every individual needs a rest area, a time away from the stresses and hurried routines of our lives. [...]

"Speaking the truth is dangerous to your health" is a sermon interpretation of Mark 6: 14-29.  Speaking out against the popular, the powerful, the status quo, may result in  consequences to your job, social circle, health, family life and privacy.      
Some days are shockers. Bombshells. Pure Disasters. The morning of Sept [...]

“Home Town Unwelcome” is a sermon interpretation of Mark 6: 1-13.   Any preacher,  pastor or prophet would love to be welcomed to their hometown with a sign like the following photo, with his or her name of course.         
     
Its Friday night and Jesus was coming into his home town and home sanctuary.  [...]

“If only I could touch his garment” is a sermon interpretation of Mark 5: 21-43.       How does such a primitive, magical, superstitious story apply to our scientific generation more than twenty centuries later? How does a story like this, of a woman who faith seems almost magical, apply to us who live in a [...]

“Stilling the Storm” is a sermon interpretation of Mark 4:35-41.      
The disciples were afraid. They were experienced fishermen who weren’t easily frightened by storms but this storm was nasty enough to make them afraid. They grabbed Jesus’ shirt and shouted, “Jesus, wake up.” They spoke that classic line from Biblical literature when they said, [...]

Theme:  Retraction!  A mistake in the Obituary! 
                                    If Jesus would have had a funeral, and if there had been newspapers in those days, his obituary would have been listed in the Nazareth News, along with all the other obituaries, Section E, page seven. It would have been listed under the J’s e.g. [...]

Consider purchasing our HOLY WEEK images for visual illustration while the following Passion Story is being reenacted.
       
THE PASSION STORY
(Seven people are needed for the parts in this play:  Narrator, Jesus, Pilate, High Priest, Crowd Leader, plus bit parts by two others. The two other people with the “bit parts” read the [...]

Theme: Kings and kingdoms come and go, but you can’t kill this King.
     
In the madness of the morning, you may not have heard it.  In the kaleidoscope of craziness, you may not have heard the refrain.  In the midst of the circus and the carnival, you may not have heard those words repeated [...]

If anyone would be my disciple, tet them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me;  Whoever finds their life, loses it;  Whoever loses their life, finds it.What does it profit you, if you gain the whole world and lose your own soul?
This verse and its variations is found six times in the [...]

Many of us struggle with temptation.  It would be nice if the primary temptations of life had to do with cookies, Twinkies and ice-cream!  But the reality is that temptation and struggle are not with these, but with the gut issues of life such as pride, greed, lust gluttony, laziness, anger and envy.                                                                 [...]