03 – A – RCL – What Do You See?
Text: Matthew 11:2–11 Introduction Have you ever wondered why the great God of the universe — the God who spoke and stars were born (Psalm 33:6), the God who split …
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You Must Be Going Somewhere: Sermons and the Groove of the Blues
Introduction – The Problem of a Stalled Sermon Not long ago I listened to a sermon that left me restless. The preacher had a strong voice, good content, even some …
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Hope in a Minor Key
I. Opening Lyric – The Song as a Sermon “Lord, don’t move this mountain, but give me the strength to climb.<br>Lord, don’t take away my stumbling blocks, but guide me, …
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One for the Jukebox, One for the Bus Fare: A Gospel of Survival
Johnnie Taylor told a story in Last Two Dollars that sits right next to the story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath. Both are women at the bottom. Both …
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Sabbath in a Blues Key
When I entered Vanderbilt Divinity School, a place outside my denomination, I carried a question with me: What happens when the theology I was raised in collides with the theology …
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Blues Christology: Jesus Did Not Sidestep the Blues
James Cone once declared that “Jesus is Black.” By this, he didn’t mean melanin; he meant that Jesus identifies with the oppressed, the disinherited, the crucified peoples of the world. …
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02 – A – RCL – The Rules Done Changed
Isaiah 11:1–10 (KJV) Opening — Naming the Old Rules There are some rules this world will hand you before you even know how to write your name. You learn them …
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The Blues and Eschatology: Hope in the Dirt
Too many sermons hang hope on two hooks. Some promise heaven tomorrow — a mansion over the hilltop, streets of gold, no more crying. Others promise a hookup tomorrow — …
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How Blues Rescues Us From Hollow Celebration
Some preaching can holler loud, hit the right runs, and get folks on their feet… but when you sit down and really think about it, there ain’t much meat on …
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Trouble in My Way: Preaching When the Answer Is Still “No”
Some of you know that old gospel-blues number: Trouble in my way, I have to cry sometimes. Trouble in my way, I have to cry sometimes. I lay awake at …
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Blue Note Preaching
You ever notice the real note isn’t always the one on the page? In the blues, the right note is often in between the notes. Not the clean pitch the …
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01 – A – RCL – March at Midnight
Isaiah 2:1–5 March at Midnight The church year don’t start at high noon. It doesn’t begin when the sun’s shining, the bills are paid, the choir is tight, and everybody’s …
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The I, The Us, and the Hope In Preaching
I was listening to Wynton Marsalis recently—one of the great jazz trumpeters of our time—and he broke jazz down into three essential elements. This is my summary of what he …
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The Blues, The Dance, and Preaching
There’s something strange and beautiful about the blues. It’s a music soaked in pain—lost love, long nights, empty pockets, broken promises, unanswered prayers. The blues doesn’t pretend everything is alright. …
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