In Sermons: showing 1-10 of 10

The Healing Sin

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Feb 25, 2008

Jesus’ healing of a blind man confirms his identity as a sinner in the eye of the Pharisees.

Who could POSSIBLY object to the healing of a blind man? Well, plenty of people. Jesus is strolling around the town when he sees a man who has been blind since birth. The common thinking at that time was that such afflictions as blindness and deafness were brought about by sin -- somebody’s sin. ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How To Seduce A Drunk Businessman And Get Your Story In The Bible

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Feb 25, 2008

Modern Christians can learn a lot from Ruth’s commitment to her mission.

Our call to worship this morning is a good reminder of one of the great truths of the Old Testament: The Jewish faith was inextricably linked to the bloodline and family tree of the Hebrew People. The punch line of story of Ruth is that she ends up being the great-grandmother of the Great King ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

We Need The Easter Eggs

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Apr 23, 2007

Easter is the celebration of an impossible miracle. We forget this at our peril.

As people of faith have been saying for centuries, “The Lord works in funny ways.” I mean, REALLY funny. In my case, God actually set me about the task of watching my DVD of Woody Allen’s ANNIE HALL at about one in the morning when I knew good and well I had to get up and go in to the hospital at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Good Ol' Jesus

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Apr 22, 2007

Charlie Brown, the Apostle Paul, and Jesus want us to ask, "How does the other team feel?"

You may recall that on Easter Sunday I made reference to Charles Schulz’s comic strip PEANUTS. The fact that I have to identify it as “Charles Schulz’s comic strip PEANUTS” just shows you how much things have changed. In the circles where I grew up, you could quote “PEANUTS” with no more ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-19

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Tale Of Two Dances Series

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Jul 19, 2002

The tragedy of Herod contrasts with the triumph of King David.

There are two different gatherings mentioned in our readings this morning. One of them takes place in the court of King David, and the other takes place in the court of Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Judæa. They are similar in that they tell about two powerful leaders putting on elaborate feasts of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:14-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Sometimes Only A Party Will Do

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Jul 19, 2002

Fellowship is fine, but the miraculous joy of Easter requires something more.

Please note: The “Party Rules” herein referred to are taken in large part (and without permission) from P.J. O’Rourke’s Modern Manners, Chapter 19: Real Parties. We still tell the story in my family of how my great-grandfather and my great-grandmother -- Dad Benson and Mama Benson -- John and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

One Last Sheep Sermon Series

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Jul 19, 2002

Fed up with life as a sheep, Lance seeks to live life as a leopard.

Over the years I have preached a couple of different sermons about a certain flock of sheep and their shepherd. I have to admit that I may have had more fun WRITING these sermons than you have had HEARING them, but I’ve written two of them already, so I felt like I had to complete a trilogy of ...read more

Scripture: John 10:22-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

More Sheep, More Trouble Series

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Jul 19, 2002

Fed up with the leadership of their shepherd, a flock of sheep seek to go it alone.

Some time ago we heard of Roger, an uncooperative, troublesome sheep who caused much distress among his fellow sheep when the shepherd left all the good, cooperative sheep to go and find the uncooperative, annoying Roger. Things have been pretty quiet for Roger, but there is news from his flock. ...read more

Scripture: John 10:22-30, Acts 9:36-43

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Roger, The Lost Sheep Series

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Jul 19, 2002

Roger the sheep is lost and found, and the flock doesn’t like it.

There was great distress among the sheep. Little Wally, the son of prominent flock members Drusilla and Arthur, was missing. The panic had begun in early afternoon, when he did not return from play. Soon, though, the shepherd found out that Wally was gone, and about nightfall he set out to search ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Liar And Thief At The Gate Of Heaven Series

Contributed by Bradley Hall on Jul 19, 2002

Despite his past, Jacob encounters God and sees that nothing is the same. God in Christ shows us how to protect ourselves from the devil’s claim that life is ordinary and meaningless.

Last week we established the fact that Jacob was a cheat. After that incident, and before the incident we read of today, we learn that he is a liar and a thief as well. You all know the story of how Jacob masquerades as Esau to obtain his father Issac’s blessing. It is not too much later that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43, Genesis 28:10-19

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed