Psalm 111: 1-10
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Sermon Starters (Epiphany 4B)(2024)
From my former CEP co-writer Stan Mast comes this observation stemming from Psalm 111’s call to praise God for his works and deeds. “If we stop to think about it, we do know what it means to extol the attributes of God as revealed in his works on our behalf. We extol the virtues of god-like figures in our society all the time. We praise sports stars for their hitting abilities, for their jump shots, for their speed. We praise entertainment figures for their beauty, for their acting ability, for their voices, for their performances. We even praise preachers once in a while for a good sermon, for compassionate pastoral work, for their leadership ability. We know how to praise mere humans for their performance. We just need to pay more attention to God’s performance in Christ and become as avid in our devotion to Jesus as we are in our adulation of our human heroes.”
Resources from 2021 to 2023
Sermon Starters (Proper 23C)(2022)
When a few years ago Beatles singer Paul McCartney appeared on Stephen Colbert’s late night show. The audience gave McCartney a sustained standing ovation with thunderous clapping and cheering as they extolled the songwriting skills of a man whose music has touched millions for over 50 years now. It’s not that it’s unusual to suggest people extol someone for their great works of art or other achievements. It’s just that we too often fail to notice what God has done. If we could see more clearly the wondrous works of God, probably no psalmist would need to goad us to extol God for it all. We’d be too busy standing on our feet, clapping, and cheering!Sermon Starters (Epiphany 4B)(2021)
The first and great commandment tells us to love the Lord our God with everything we’ve got. We are called to be lovers of God. But when you love someone, you love what that person loves, you are invested in what brings your lover joy. If your spouse is an artist, then you as a lover take a keen interest in your spouse’s artwork, gladly go with that person to art museums and then listen carefully to how your spouse describes the works of art you encounter there. Good lovers take an interest in each other’s work and so listen attentively at the end of any given workday when the events of that day at the office or wherever are described. We are all called to be amateur students of God’s creation, studying the works of the Lord because the Bible tells us that God himself takes delight in those things. Why would any of us who claim to love the Lord above all take anything other than also a keen delight in all the works of the Lord? And when we do, as Psalm 111 reminds us, we find an ever-expanding list of reasons to praise the Lord our God!
Resources from 2018 to 2020
Preaching Helps (Proper 15B)(2018)
The first and great commandment tells us to love the Lord our God with everything we’ve got. We are called to be lovers of God. But when you love someone, you love what that person loves, you are invested in what brings your lover joy. If your spouse is an artist, then you as a lover take a keen interest in your spouse’s artwork, gladly go with that person to art museums and then listen carefully to how your spouse describes the works of art you encounter there. Good lovers take an interest in each other’s work and so listen attentively at the end of any given workday when the events of that day at the office or wherever are described. We are all called to be amateur students of God’s creation, studying the works of the Lord because the Bible tells us that God himself takes delight in those things. Why would any of us who claim to love the Lord above all take anything other than also a keen delight in all the works of the Lord? And when we do, as Psalm 111 reminds us, we find an ever-expanding list of reasons to praise the Lord our God!Sermon Starters (Proper 23C)(2019)
In late-September Beatles singer Paul McCartney appeared on Stephen Colbert’s late night show. The audience gave McCartney a sustained standing ovation with thunderous clapping and cheering as they extolled the songwriting skills of a man whose music has touched millions for over 50 years now. It’s not that it’s unusual to suggest people extol someone for their great works of art or other achievements. It’s just that we too often fail to notice what God has done. If we could see more clearly the wondrous works of God, probably no psalmist would need to goad us to extol God for it all. We’d be too busy standing on our feet, clapping, and cheering!Epiphany 4B (2018)
Tim Keller has written another brilliant book titled Making Sense of God. In my humble opinion, it is the best apologetic for the Christian faith since Lewis’ Mere Christianity. It doesn’t approach the faith with the same imaginative whimsy as Lewis. Rather, Keller’s book is a powerful engagement with the cultural currents of our society and the philosophical underpinnings that make it what it is. He shows that religion in general meets the needs of human beings better than the secular alternatives and, then, that the Christian faith does that better than any other religion, because of the person of Jesus. I recommend it to everyone, especially to the “cultured despisers.”...
Resources from 2014 to 2017
Epiphany 4B (2015)
("In a report entitled, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Eyes of American Teenagers, researchers with the National Study of Youth and Religion at the University of North Carolina conclude that most American young adults believe in something the researchers label, 'Moralistic Therapeutic Deism'...")
Resources from the Archives
Epiphany 4B (2012)
("A 2011 Gallup survey suggests that more than 90% of all Americans still claim to believe in God. Evidence also, however, suggests that they're deeply confused about this God in whom they claim they believe. Some people seem to think of God largely as a toothless, benign grandparent-type who always gives and never asks. Others perceive God to be a fiery tyrant who does nothing but ruin people's fun...")