Posts by Preaching Magazine
Resurrection
The great preacher Phillips Brooks is perhaps best known for writing the beloved Christmas song, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Brooks also had something to say about Easter. He once wrote an Easter song that includes these words: Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;Death is strong, but Life is stronger;Stronger than the dark, the…
Read MoreService
S. Truett Cathy passed away Sept. 8, 2014, at the age of 93. He had lived a remarkable life. He started his professional life at a small café near Atlanta, where he developed a chicken sandwich that became the foundation of his successful restaurant chain, Chick-fil-A. Cathy wrote five books. He won numerous awards and…
Read MoreJesus Responds with Authority
Authority means power, strength, or ability over something weaker and subordinate. Jesus demonstrated His authority and power in this passage over disease and death. Christ’s authority, blended with God’s power, combined with a woman’s daring faith for a result of healing. Christ’s omnipotence, coupled with a father’s daring faith and love, produced life over death.…
Read MoreListening, but Never Hearing
OK, I admit it. I’m a bad listener. Sometimes, I just don’t listen. Ask my wife. She’ll tell you. In my defense, I would like to make the point that I do listen—to ESPN, to the game announcers, to the pundits on the editorial talk shows. I just, sometimes, don’t listen to her. I will,…
Read MoreChrist & Sacrifice
Robert Shannon tells the story of Edwin T. Dahlberg, who was a celebrated Baptist minister in St. Louis, Missouri. Dahlberg said he had an older brother who had the same name as he—a brother who died in infancy. He said that when the baby died, his mother was inconsolable in her grief until she learned…
Read MoreEncouragement
Homer Hickam has an impressive résumé. He served in the Army in Vietnam, where he won a Bronze Star and rose to the rank of Captain. Later, he fulfilled his lifetime ambition to be an aerospace engineer with NASA. He has written over 15 books. One of his books was turned into a popular movie.…
Read MoreUsing All of Their Faith Just to Get There
When I began to explore my calling as a pastor, I latched onto the images of the Old Testament prophets. Who could have been a better role model for a young pastor than Elijah calling down fire from heaven or Elisha calling bears to attack the boys who taunted him? Red-faced, fist-swinging, vein-bulging, Holy Ghost…
Read MoreReconciliation
The Ron Chernow biography of Grant has caused a reappraisal of a man whose presidency has been unappreciated. While some of Ulysses S. Grant’s staff were corrupt, he was not and remained popular with the American people. While Grant was a tough general, his campaign motto was, “Let us have peace.” He worked hard to…
Read MoreThe Gift of God’s Presence
All that has come before is preparation, and now is the day the gift is unwrapped and we meet God. All of the wrapping has come off. The prophecy of a coming forerunner in John, the dazzling annunciation from a heavenly being, Joseph the loving and faithful fiancé, and the virgin birth are all just…
Read MoreGrace Enriches Us
Verse three opens with a salutation of grace and peace, a common expression for Paul that functions both as a reminder and as a segue to his prayer. He reminds his audience that God is the source of grace and peace and that they are the recipients of that grace. Grace becomes the great theme…
Read MoreBible
John Quincy Adams was the son of a president, cabinet member, diplomat, member of Congress, and president himself. He came from a family that held strong anti-slavery views. After his presidential term, he was elected to the House of Representatives. Also in his post-presidency, he took up the case of some African tribal people who…
Read MoreChristlikeness
In the south of Scotland, there is an old legend about a Scottish lord whose daughter fell in love with a man, but the father refused to let them marry. The young man left the area, and the girl became overcome with grief. The father relented and said the man could come home and they…
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