Sometimes You Can’t Go Back Home
Sometimes You Can’t Go Back HomeGalatians 3:1-9Sunday, October 17, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, IowaGalatians 3:5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?• IntroductionIn 1940 Edward Aswell, editor for the late novelist Thomas Wolfe, published You Can’t Go Home Again, a novel about George Webber, a writer who pens a best seller that makes several…
When it’s All About Trusting Someone
When It’s All About Trusting SomeoneGenesis 12:1-4; Romans 4:16-18Sunday, October 2, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa• Introduction: the boys in the flooded caveI remember, a few years ago, of a group of boys in Asia who explored a cave only to have the cave flood, trapping them deep inside. Professional divers rescued them. They would outfit the boys with diving gear, sedate them. and pull them through the underwater tunnels by rope. The boys had to…
The Long March
The Long MarchHebrews 11:10; Genesis 12:1-4Sunday, September 19, 2021 at The First Congregational church of Marshalltown, Iowa• Intro. the journey of the people of God is a journey to heaven. Or maybe it is a journey through time to return to our home.“When the world my heart is rending With its heaviest storm of care, My glad thoughts to heaven ascending, Find a refuge from despair. Faith’s bright vision shall sustain me Till life’s pilgrimage is past; Fears may vex…
The Christ
The ChristMark 8:27-30 2 Timothy 1:10Sunday, September 12, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa• Introduction: your goal in life is a person, not an accomplishmentIn ancient times the empire of Rome considered Christianity an illegal religion, so it was dangerous to be public about your faith. From what we understand of those times, if you were in a public place and you suspected that the person next to you was a Christian, you could use your big…
Jesus Gets Pestered
Jesus Gets PesteredMark 7:24-30Sunday, September 5, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa• IntroductionMany years ago I heard a divinity student from a prestigious university preach on this passage. His main point is that Jesus had to outgrow cultural biases just like the rest of us and this mother, whose child was very ill, helped Jesus to grow. But I don’t think that Jesus needed to outgrow any cultural bias, but rather this episode was a lesson in…
The Power of Words
The Power of WordsSunday, August 22, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, IowaJohn 6:60-63Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The…
Taught By God
Taught by GodSunday August 15, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, IowaJohn 6:44-45 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, “and they shall all be taught by God.” Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. • IntroductionIt is a wonderful complement to all educators that God is a teacher.…
Bread From Heaven
Bread From Heaven August 8, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa John 6:26-27 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food with endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on…
Some of the symbolism of Holy Communion
Some of the Symbolism of Holy CommunionSunday, August 1, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, IowaJohn 6:53-55Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is…
The Easy Yoke
The Easy YokeMatthew 11:25-30Sunday, May 16, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa Introduction:A former Marine started a new career as a teacher. Just before the school year started, he injured his back. He was required to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, the cast fit under his shirt and wasn’t noticeable. On the first day of class, he found himself assigned to the most challenging students in the school. The students,…
Mary and the Great Prayer
Mary and the Great PrayerSunday, May 9, 2021 at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, IowaLuke 1:38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. (repeated on Sunday, May 9, 2021, Mothers’ Day, at The First Congregational Church of Marshalltown, Iowa) There was a little boy named Johnny who used to hang out at the local corner market. The owner didn’t know what Johnny’s problem was, but…