In Sermons: showing 31-45 of 62

Who Ya Gonna Call? Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 30, 2009

Life offers many answers, but only one Answer. Hosea calls God’s people out for their lack of faithfulness to God’s Answer, and by implication, challenges us to faithfulness.

If you’re a fan of comedy movies like I am, the title of today’s sermon will ring a bell. The theme song of “Ghostbusters” went something like, “When there’s something weird in your neighborhood, who ya’ gonna’ call? Ghostbusters!” There was something about the idea of a S.W.A.T. team ready to deal ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 7:11-16

Denomination: *other

Hot To Trot Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 30, 2009

When God’s leaders, whether secular political, secular business, or church religious leaders, fail, the result is disastrous for both God’s people and those around them.

Some of you are bound to be offended at the title of this sermon. If you are familiar with the slang of a couple of generations ago, this was the ‘40s and ‘50s description of a person who had cast moral considerations aside and wanted to have a hot and heavy affair. It usually denigrated women as ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 7:1-10

Denomination: *other

Giant Killing For Beginners

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 23, 2009

Living victoriously has much in common with David’s victory over Goliath. The shepherd didn’t act in faith that hadn’t already been tested; he acted according to his consistent experience with God.

When I was young, I was a huge fan of the Walt Disney version of Zorro. I loved the idea of a person who would dress up in a costume, ride a beautiful horse, and cross swords triumphantly with the forces of injustice and oppression—though I would have defined those forces merely as “the bad guys” ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:1-53

Denomination: *other

What A Relief

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 16, 2009

If our society is so sophisticated that it is tolerant of what was once known as sin, why do we still have so much depression, fatigue, illness, and violence? Is there a prescription for the underlying guilt?

I wonder….If our society is so sophisticated that we are supposed to be beyond our need for God, why do we have so many depressed and suicidal people in our population? And if Freud was correct that all of our guilt can be tied to repression, why is it that our society of tolerance and acceptance ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-11

Denomination: *other

Left Alone

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 7, 2009

Even though God is omnipotent, God allows Himself to be hurt. In this sermon, Jeremiah speaks of the irony of substituting the inadequate for the Omnipotent.

Sometimes, even when a pastor is as true to God’s Word as possible and has preached a number of sermons to the text that have elucidated the Truth, God’s Holy Spirit comes back to that same pastor and causes something new to be eliminated, something passed over in previous readings and study. ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 2:13

Denomination: *other

Bad Medicine Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 2, 2009

Settling for answers other than God’s answers is like taking poisoned medicine for a headache.

Bad Medicine More than 25 years ago (1982), seven residents of the Greater Chicago area made an assumption that proved fatal. They all took a dose of Extra Strength Tylenol® that had been laced with potassium cyanide. What they thought was medicine proved to be poison. This crime, still being ...read more

Denomination: *other

That Special Invitation Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 2, 2009

God’s purpose in judgment is to give us a chance to make a "comeback." Here is an invitation to repentance in the midst of "negative" prophecies.

This week, I heard a radio interview with a fellow who has built a business on invitations to Super Bowl parties. He calls his business, “Man-vite.” It’s an online invitation service that helps men organize social events. The whole reason this service exists is because the first such service, ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 6:1-6

Denomination: *other

A Pattern For The People Of God

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 2, 2009

It is amazing to look at how even the arrangement of the camp in Early Israel provides a message about the need for leadership, vision, and devotion among God’s people.

Many churches are going through difficult transitions, whether due to the graying and silvering of their constituents, the changing demographics of their neighborhoods, the scheduling demands of a time-shifting society, a change in leadership, a change in vision, a merger with another congregation, ...read more

Denomination: *other

Unexpected Joy

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 27, 2009

We sing and quote that "The joy of the LORD is your strength," but learning to live it in challenging service to our King is a daily "workout" for our faith (that brings "unexpected joy").

How many of us have ever said, “As soon as I get this accomplished, I’ll focus on helping out at the church?” How many of us have ever said, “As soon as I have my degree in hand, I’ll start seriously serving the Lord” or “As soon as our church finds a building (or a pastor), I’ll really get ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-10

Denomination: *other

Be Careful!

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 25, 2009

The words of an ancient wise man remind us that the "awe" of God is foundational for wise living.

Be Careful Text: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (English) Most of us can relate to having a parent’s anxiety or remembering a parent’s anxiety when we either allowed our children a bit of independence or when we were ourselves allowed the opportunity to do something autonomous. I can well remember hearing my ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Denomination: *other

Jeremiah's Living Sermon On Fatherhood

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 23, 2009

Jeremiah’s experience with the Rechabites shaped his message on fatherhood and guidance. We need to renew our commitment to parenting and to responding to parental guidance.

I guess every teenager grapples with who he is. For me, a 17-year-old, away from home and “on my own” at college, I was ever so much “smarter” than I am today and certainly “much smarter” than my own father who had attended college and seminary on a “catch as catch can” basis and had no degree to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 35:1-19

Denomination: *other

When We Are Called To Those Who Are Ready

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 22, 2009

Philip’s call to travel the road to Gaza doesn’t make human sense, but it reminds us to trust God when we have to go through the wilderness of life experiences.

There is a theme in American Literature, U.S. movies, and Broadway musicals where protagonists from rural areas come to the big city and make it big. Even Clark Kent has to move from the farm to Metropolis before he makes the big time as the investigative reporter who doubles as Superman. And we ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40

Denomination: *other

How To Get Yourself Killed Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 22, 2009

Stephen’s martyrdom calls to minds questions about our own faithfulness and witness.

In the magazine business, there is an inexorable law that says that you will sell more copies of an issue if you convince people that they can do more things or do multiple things more effectively. That’s why you always see lots of cover lines like: “100 Ways to Make Your Green Thumb Glow” or “50 ...read more

Denomination: *other

Too Much On The Plate Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 22, 2009

God’s people aren’t immune from grumbling and murmuring, but those who wish to lead effectively will pray for divine solutions in handling dissension.

In a small, struggling situation like those of many churches, it is tempting to look upon the “growing pains” of the early church with some degree of envy. They were adding to the church daily. They were filling up Jerusalem to overflowing with excitement about Jesus’ resurrection and the presence ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7, Acts 6:1

Denomination: *other

To Serve Man? Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 20, 2009

What is it about active, vital believers that is so threatening to popular culture?

One of my favorite television episodes of “The Twilight Zone” television series was a humorous episode where the entire plot revolved around a misunderstanding with an alien species and culminated in the discovery of a book. The title of that book was “To Serve Man” and the misunderstanding was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:27-42

Denomination: *other