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July 2018

July 06, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Getting My Oil Changed

Confession: I HATE getting my oil changed. In fact, hatred isn't a strong enough word...

July 03, 2018

Waiting While Walking

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While he was still on the...

June 2018

June 29, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Recommitted?

Studying for this week's sermon on the Second Sign of Jesus from John 4:43-54, I...

June 26, 2018

Mary’s Instruction & The Shock of a Headwaiter

"Do whatever He tells you." (John 2:5) "You have saved the best for last!" (John...

June 22, 2018

Sermon Illustration: A Father’s Day Gift I Had Nothing to do With

To illustrate the point that we cannot love like Jesus on our own, I began...

June 19, 2018

Day 2 of VBS: A Fragrant Offering

"...walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial...

June 15, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Social Media and Relationships

This Sunday, I will be wrapping up a series on healthy relationships. As with every...

June 12, 2018

4 Questions from 1 Corinthians 7

After preaching through the last few verses from 1 Corinthians 7, I closed theÂ message by...

June 08, 2018

Altar Calls & Book Recommendation

Ladies and Gentlemen - today we will break away from our usual "Fridays are For...

June 05, 2018

Strawberry Picking and John 15

Recently, my wife and I had the opportunity to go and pick strawberries together at...

June 01, 2018

Illustration of the Role of a Pastor: The Harpooner

I honestly cannot think of a better illustration of a pastor for his people.Â I found...

May 2018

May 29, 2018

Don’t Be a Preparation Sluggard!

Proverbs 26:16 -Â â€œA sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer...

May 25, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Yanny or Laurel?

To open a sermon on the definition of biblical marriage, I played the audio of...

May 22, 2018

Gospel at Arm’s Length

8Â Though you have not seenÂ him, you love him;Â though not seeing him now, you believe in...

May 21, 2018

A Week of Lasts

I can no longer say I am married to a 30 something.Â Katie turned 40 on...

May 18, 2018

Sermon Illustration: That’s Not Good!

To set up a sermon on the bizarre reality of God's declaration that it was...

May 16, 2018

Thomas’ 5-Word Prayer

Wisdom from Eugene Peterson: When we follow Jesus, it means that we donâ€™t know exactly...

May 15, 2018

Follow Your Heart?

Iâ€™ve always hated the phrase, â€œfollow your heart.â€ Mainly because God tells us through His...

May 11, 2018

Sermon Illustration: The Expositional Opening to a Topical Sermon

Last week, we began a topical sermon series on healthy relationships. I try to be...

May 08, 2018

No Self-Guided Life Tours

James 4:13-17 13Â Come now, you who say, â€œToday or tomorrow we will travel to such...

May 04, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Using the Bible to Illustrate the Bible

Often the preacher doesn't have to go very far to find an illustration for his...

May 01, 2018

Barzillai

Imagine with me a conversation between Barzillai and his wife Phoebe (fictional name) after the...

April 2018

April 27, 2018

Sermon Illustration: When a Quote Saves the Day

To begin a sermon from John 21:18-19, IÂ confessed my struggle with the text the previous...

April 25, 2018

Eyes See Facts, Not Truth

Frederick Buechner: What we have to remember is that our eyes are not all we...

April 24, 2018

“I Love You. Do You Love Me?”

â€œMom, I love you. Do you love me?â€ I vaguely remember repeating these words to...

April 20, 2018

Sermon Illustration: The Most Important Question

ToÂ begin a sermon on the conversation between Peter and Jesus in John 21, I started...

April 17, 2018

Teaching vs. Preaching

Eugene Peterson: â€œTeaching tells us what we need to know and do; it is about...

April 13, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Facebook and the Awkward Leak

In a recent sermon from John 21, I wanted to set up a situation to...

April 10, 2018

Flood the Passage with Questions

Recently, when preparing a sermon from John 21:9-14, a young preacher working on the same...

April 06, 2018

Sermon Illustration: Annual Physical & Easter Sunday

I would love to hear how some of you preachers started out your Easter sermon...