John 17 records Jesus' last prayer in this world. It's not a prayer for a pain-free death (he wouldn't get that). It's not a prayer for a death surrounded by his loved ones (he wouldn't get that either). It's a prayer for you and me that we would be one. 

If our unity was such a priority that Jesus made it his last prayer, shouldn't it be a priority for us? Shouldn't it be seen in how we relate to each other, treat each other, and love each other?

John 17 records Jesus' last prayer, and then John 19 records his final words, "It is finished." There's no second prayer, no better prayer, no other desire from the heart of Christ than that you and I would be one. This prayer is his heart for us. It needs to be first in the way we relate to each other.

That The World May Believe; John 17:20-26

Praise Points to Promise; Mark 11:1-10

This past week I asked the question, "What makes your best friend your best friend?" So many of you gave me excellent, heartfelt answers. Some mentioned loyalty and faithfulness; others said honesty, accountability, and transparency. In all your answers, it was apparent to me that you not only have a best friend, but you also have a friend for whom you want the best.  

Proverbs 27:17 is one of the most vital verses on the topic of friendship. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." In this message, I dig into this verse and find exactly what we need to bring to a friendship that sharpens and shapes us.

Iron Sharpens Iron; Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 17:3 says, "The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold." You've had times in your life when you felt like you were going through the furnace, difficult times that put your faith to the fire and tested if it was really there. 

The imagery of refining metal doesn't work without the presence of the refiner. So the refiner sits, almost hovering over the silver, carefully observing and taking the heat with his precious metal. Likewise, we come through those difficult times all the more aware of the presence of our loving Creator. And those who stand by us in our trials come away with a greater view of His image in us.

In this message, we look at Proverbs that speak of the crucibles and furnaces in our lives and the promise that the refiner is making something beautiful within us.

The Crucible & The Furnace; Proverbs 17:3, 27:21

There are some words we use almost exclusively in church settings. I call these words "Christianese." If you weren't brought up in Sunday school, you probably don't know how to define them. Well, honestly, even if you were, it might still be a stretch. 

You know the words I mean; words like "justification," "holiness," and one of the biggies, "righteousness."

"Righteousness" just sounds entirely beyond us. The only part we really understand in it is "right," and we know we aren't right. There are some times we are very wrong. Right from the beginning, this word looks hopeless to us! 

But Proverbs 21:21 calls to us, "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness . . . " We may not do well with righteousness, but we know what kindness is! From childhood, we're taught to be kind. So what happens when we put kindness and righteousness together? I think we get a better understanding of what God calls us to, and we start defining those "Christianese" words with our love.

Pursue Righteousness & Kindness; Proverbs 21:21

"DoubleThink" is a term first coined by George Orwell in his book 1984. DoubleThink is defined as "the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them as true." 

Sound familiar? On any day, you can find plenty of examples of DoubleThink on the news, in social media, and our conversations. We are a mass of contradictions, whether we recognize it or not.

The Bible has its own take on DoubleThink. In this message, I wrap up my series on Proverbs with a contradiction from the Bible. I know you're going to appreciate this one.

When Wisdom isn't Enough; Proverbs 26:4-5

"Don't pray for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs." I like that quote, even though I would prefer lighter burdens. 

In Philippians 1:6, Paul writes, "I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." It almost sounds like a promise of lighter burdens, or at the very least burdens God bears for us. Paul's confidence is in the God who promises to see us through to the end. But just a few verses later, he accompanies this promise with a prayer for stronger backs, stronger love, and deeper commitment.

In this message, we dig into God's promise and see the prayer that accompanies it.

The Promise of the Perseverance of God; Philippians 1:3-11

We're fascinated with famous last words. Everything from the inspiring, like Todd Beamer's recital of the Lord's Prayer followed by "Let's roll," to the ironic, like Union General Jon Sedgwick, whose last words were, "They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist—." Will our last words reflect the faith that sees us to death?

The Bible doesn't record Paul's last words, but we would imagine them to be something like his words in Philippians 1:21, "To live is Christ, and to die is gain." Those are worthy words, and we all hope that our last words reflect something of that kind of faith. But that's not a matter of memorizing and rehearsing the words, and it's not a matter of waiting until the end to say something brilliant. Instead, it's about the faith we live out today that sees us to that moment. 

How do we live today with a faith that will see us through this life and to the other side?

To Live is Christ, To Die is Gain; Philippians 1:18-30

Paul's belief in Jesus as his Savior caused him to have to re-think his whole life and everything he had ever believed. Was it really worth it? Paul must have struggled with that question at one time because he has to affirm to us, "I am NOT ashamed of the gospel." What Paul declared with certainty is what we can trust in with certainty.

I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel

There are some people we know by name and others we know by shame. We know their stories and mistakes and how they've disappointed themselves, their families, and their communities. But everything we know about someone is in the past. So how do we look ahead and see the possibilities known only to God?

In John 4, Jesus encounters a woman at a well. Everyone in her community knows her story and shame. As far as they're concerned, they know exactly what she is. But the one who knows her heart sees potential she hasn't even seen in herself. And through one encounter with Jesus, everything changes; her life, home, and community. 

I think about her encounter with Jesus, and I think about those we know who convinced themselves long ago that they were too broken to be of any use to anyone—especially Jesus. How might we convince them of the potential Jesus has in store for them? How do we see that same potential in ourselves, for that matter?

Today at Kansas Christian Church, we invite you to "come and see" what Jesus does through this woman at the well and see what he longs to do in the lives of people we may have written off long ago.

Come and See a New Identity; John 4:1-42

It Is Finished! Every hurt, every pain, every failure and every loss are met in those three words. They mean your debt is paid, you’re forgiven and you belong to Him forever! They also mean that no matter what tomorrow brings NOTHING changes the truth of the empty cross and the empty tomb. It Is Finished!

It is Finished! - John 19:28-30

Confession time: In my first year of preaching, I had no clue what Palm Sunday was. I didn't grow up in the church, and while I knew about Easter (even beyond the bunny and eggs), I had no idea there even was a Palm Sunday. I had never shouted "Hosanna!" and had never even seen a palm tree, let alone waved a branch! 

It's worse than that, though. I remember doing the research, reading the Gospels backward, counting from the Sunday Jesus was resurrected, backtracking his path through Jerusalem day by day, and uncovering that one week earlier, he entered Jerusalem. I was pretty sure I was the only one who had made this discovery. I probably even started working on a paper to document my findings. 

It's still available for peer review if anyone's interested.

Somehow, though, Palm Sunday has gone from complete obscurity to one of the most significant memorials in my year. Palm Sunday stops me in my path and puts me on Jesus' path, walking with him through the week to the upper room, the cross, and the empty tomb. 

Indeed, the Lord's Supper on Thursday night will draw me into Christ's presence, and the darkness of Good Friday will place me at the foot of His cross, but Palm Sunday starts me on that journey. Today's "Hosannas" prepare me for next Sunday's "He Lives!"

It's Not About the Donkey; Luke 19:28-40

Mom had a cute little nickname for all of us when we were growing up, including Dad (maybe especially Dad). She liked to call us “hard-headed Hammonds.” Apparently, the ability to stick to your convictions despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary was not a quality Mom valued as much as the rest of us. But, of course, she was likely the one who had to clean up the messes that resulted from our hard-headedness, so she had her reasons.

Maybe my reputation as a hard-headed Hammond is what impresses me so much about Thomas in the Easter story. Jesus is resurrected, but Thomas isn’t there to see him. Then, for a solid week, he hears Mary tell him about seeing Jesus in the garden. How many times did Peter and John tell him about the empty tomb (with John mentioning how he won the foot race)? Finally, Cleopas and his friend run back from Emmaus and tell him about encountering Jesus on the road. But still, hard-headed Thomas stands by his convictions for eight days. “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). 

That’s some Shorty Hammond-level hard-headedness right there!

But despite doubts and hard-headedness, Jesus shows up alive and shows himself to Thomas. I take comfort in knowing that the truth of the resurrection is greater than my doubts. And in Jesus’ correction to “doubting Thomas,” I hear a blessing for you and me; for all of us hard-headed ones.

In this message, we hear from Thomas himself. 

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

My Name is Thomas; John 20:24-29

In 1927, following the sudden death of his wife, Arthur John Gossip preached his sermon, "But When Life Tumbles In, What Then?" This sermon continues to impact us as we search for a faith that will take us through the troubles of life.

The full text of this manuscript can be found at https://www.brethammond.com/2023/04/but-when-life-tumbles-in-what-then/

But When Life Tumbles In, What Then? by Arthur John Gossip

It's been a difficult weekend for our community. One of our high school students took his own life on Saturday. This is the message I shared the following day. Is your God too small?

Is Your God Too Small?

When a young man in our high school took his own life our whole whole community was devastated. The message I preached at his funeral was the result of years of working through a tragic suicide in my own family.

A Funeral Sermon for Austin Thompson

It’s been called the most well-known verse in the Bible, “God helps those who help themselves.” The problem is it’s not in the Bible. The bigger problem is, you can’t actually help yourself. So what does the Bible actually say?

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

How far away is heaven? There are days when it feels very close, aren't there?

I've often returned to the words of the preacher Arthur John Gossip. He was about my age when his wife suddenly and tragically died. The following Sunday, he was in the pulpit, preaching a sermon he titled, "But When Life Tumbles In, What Then?" Given the freshness of his grief, he spoke words I've only begun to feel with my limited pain and perspective:

When we are young, heaven is a vague and nebulous, and shadowy place. But as our friends gather there, more and more, it gains body and vividness and homeliness. And when our dearest have passed yonder, how real and evident it grows, and near it is, how often we steal yonder. 

I confess I didn't preach much about heaven when I was younger; it didn't seem important. But, over the years, as more and more friends have taken up residence in that "happy land, far, far, away," it's become a vital topic, and heaven has felt much closer. Wouldn't it be something if we could "steal yonder" and see what those who have gone on before us see? We would be amazed at how near heaven truly is.

Today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll do our best to "steal yonder" with John as he tours the throne room of God in Revelation 4. We will see both the strange and familiar on the other side of the sea.

A Tour of the Throne Room; Revelation 4

In this sermon podcast, we revisit a Christmas message I presented at the end of 2020. With so much turmoil in our world and our lives, all we wanted was for God to show up.
https://brethammond.com

All I Want for Christmas is for God to Show Up; Matthew 1:18-25

Luke doesn't begin his Christmas story with Mary, Joseph, and the manger in Bethlehem. He begins a whole year earlier in the temple in Jerusalem and an elderly couple caught between a dying hope and a living prayer. 

Click here for the whole sermon series: https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/unpacking-christmas.

https://brethammond.com

Unpacking Christmas; Luke 1:5-17

Of all the names listed in Jesus’ genealogy, there is one that isn’t named. Matthew only identifies her by her failure. He says, “she who had been the wife of Uriah,” but we know he means Bathsheba.

There’s a message for everyone who has ever been identified by their failure; everyone who has ever been uninvited to a Christmas dinner; everyone who has longed for a second chance and a new identity. 

The entire series, "Awkward Family Christmas" can be found at this link:https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/awkward-family-christmas

Awkward Family Christmas: Bathsheba; 2 Samuel 11:1-27

Click here for the entire sermon series "What Child Is This?" https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/what-child-is-this-christmas?si=dfc8a9abb2374a899fc42017210d5ec6&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

The Word Became Flesh; John 1:1-18

Few books of the Bible go off the rails as quickly or completely as the book of Job. Before the end of chapter one, there's a cosmic bet and a family left devastated. From there, things get worse! 

Before chapter two ends, three of Job's friends show up. They'll spend the following twenty-two chapters expressing their ignorance of God and assumptions about their friend. But before they insert a single foot into their collective mouths, they do the smartest thing they could have ever done. Job 2:13 says of those three friends, "They sat with Job on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great."

Having spent time sitting with the suffering, mourning with those shaken by loss, and keeping company with those numb from the news of diagnoses, one of the most important lessons I've learned is the one in which Job's friends should have persisted: You don't need to say anything; you only need to be there.

That's what our friends who are hurting need more than any words of wisdom we can spout or silver lining we can find in their pain. They simply need someone to show up. There is great peace in realizing that, without saying a word, we can bring the presence of God into their need by just showing up.

In this message we go to Psalm 122, accompany King David to worship, and find encouragement from Drew Dyck's new book, "Just Show Up."

Just Show Up; Psalm 122

When Trish and I went out for dinner the other night, I held the door open for an older couple walking into the restaurant. That same night, an older man opened a door for me because I was carrying precious cargo—a pizza to take home to the kids! We have dedicated greeters at South Side who hold the door open for everyone. An open door is an invitation and so much more. It lets people know they're welcome, not just into the building but the community. Opening the door for someone tells them that they belong. 

Psalm 24 calls for doors to be opened for an honored guest. Verse 7 calls out, "Be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!" We hold the door for guests, friends, and those weighed down with years and pizzas. And we open the door for God as well, that the King of glory might enter our lives and join us in our joys and sorrows, celebrations and struggles. 

In this sermon, we wrap up our look at Psalm 24 by opening the door for the King to come in.

Who Wins the Good Life? Psalm 24:7-10

"Have you heard about Jim? The tests were negative." You reply with, "That's good news!" 

"Did you hear about Carrie? She had the baby! It's a boy, and both are doing great!" And again, you reply, "That's good news!" You know good news when you hear it!

It would be entirely accurate to say that the Bible is a book of good news. That's what the angel brought, right? Doesn't it seem like we just read Luke 2:10 a few weeks ago? "I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people." Good news causes joy. Good news brings relief. Good news is worth telling! 

And so, when Paul was worried about his friends in Thessalonica—did their faith survive after he was torn away from them so abruptly? Timothy returned with a report about them, and the only way to express his response was with words usually reserved for his Savior. "Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love" (1 Thessalonians 3:6). 

It's a biblical oddity; one of only two times "good news" is used in the New Testament for anything other than salvation. But its usage makes me wonder, what's the good news about you and me? What about us is worthy of language reserved for our King?

I suspect the good news about the Thessalonians could likely be the good news about you and about those who share their faith love with you.

Growing from Faith and Love; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13

I lost an hour of sleep last night, but that doesn't begin to compare to the hours of sleep I lost as a teenager contemplating the text I'll be preaching today! Growing up, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 was read as a warning. One day, a trumpet would sound, and in the twinkling of an eye, Christians all over the world would disappear. Those left behind would be plunged into a time of tribulation and difficulty like never before. That thought terrified me!

Of course, it terrified me before I became a Christian. I didn't want to be left behind with the rest of the losers! I distinctly remember driving back to town after an early morning hunting trip with my dad and seeing no cars on the road. "It's happened, and I've missed it!" I thought. "It's going to be every man for himself, and I didn't even get a single squirrel this morning! I am SOOO dead!"

But it terrified me after I became a Christian, also. The thought of leaving friends and family behind filled me with anxiety about how they would fend for themselves and what they might have to endure. And, of course, as a teenage boy, I was plagued with the fear of what I would miss out on if Jesus came back today! There was so much of life ahead of me—cars, college, and . . . well . . . other stuff. Sociologists told me there was something I was thinking about at least once every six minutes. "Dear Jesus, I want to go to heaven, but please, not until after I've done THAT!"

If only I had read the next verse. After all that bizarre stuff in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, verse 18 concludes with, "Therefore encourage one another with these words." Not "terrify one another," not "scare teenage boys out of misbehaving," but "encourage one another!" I would have slept much better if I had only read that last verse!

In this message, needing one more hour of sleep, I do my best to bring encouragement as we unpack the hope Paul loads into these few verses.

Encourage One Another With These Words; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Jerry Seinfeld once noted that most people's number one fear is public speaking, and number two is death. This means that the average funeral attendee would feel more comfortable being the person in the casket than the person delivering the eulogy. 

Moses would have preferred the casket. In Exodus 4:10, he cries to God, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." There's something familiar to me in Moses' words. I've heard many people tell God what they can't do, but I've also witnessed what happens when they overcome that fear and serve anyway. I've listened to amazing messages from people who told me they couldn't speak, heard heartfelt prayers from those who told me they couldn't pray out loud, and seen God's grace poured out on those who said "yes" to him.

Before we list our limitations to God, let's pause and listen to what he can do through us—all of us. Just as God addressed Moses' concerns before he left the burning bush, he speaks to each of us. If we listen carefully, we can hear his call for us and his promises as well.

Show Up Together; Exodus 4:10-17

What would it take? That's the question I've been asking myself this week. From time to time our kids disappoint us. We are at times upset about their choices. But as disappointed as we can be we would never abandon our children . . . would we?

And yet God the Father did exactly that. Jesus cried out those words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" because for the first time in all eternity he was truly alone. 

Famous Last Words: My God, My God, Why have You Forsaken Me?

In Jesus' final words we find the answer to our greatest need.

Famous Last Words: It Is Finished

We know gossip is wrong but we wink, giggle and tell it anyway. Reading through the Bible, though, God never winks or giggles when he talks about gossip. He takes it seriously. Why? Why does God not tolerate gossip and why shouldn't we?

Gossip - 2 Corinthians 12:19-13:14

"I'm trying to thrive." What if it's not about us trying, though?

Thriving Faith

Hosea laments Israel's lusts for idols, but never loses sight of God's unfailing love and compassion. In Hosea 11, we hear God's constant call for his people to return to him.

This sermon follows the Four Pages of the Sermon method developed by Paul Scott Wilson, a framework designed to move from trouble to grace both in the text and in our lives. It invites listeners to reflect deeply on the nature of divine love—one that refuses to abandon, even when abandonment seems justified.

For more on the Four Pages approach and how it shapes sermons like this, visit: https://www.brethammond.com/2025/04/four-pages/.

How Can I Give You Up? Hosea 11:1-11

Life-Shaking Prayer Acts 4:23-31

Do we have the kind of commitment that shines in this world, that burns brighter in this world? Or would we actually ruin manure?

Shining in the Manure Pile, Luke 14:25-35

It's not about us, it's about who we carry. 

It's Not About the Donkey, Luke 19:28-40

How you react to change is an indicator of how well you trust God.

Stranger Things from the Bible: Elisha and the Bears, 2 Kings 2:15-25

Goodness transforms you and enables you to transform your world.

5-4-3-2-1, Goodness, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

We bring the presence of God to each other.

Pray a BIG Prayer, Ephesians 3:14-21

YOu have victory over sin because Jesus is victorious.

Jesus' Victory is Our Victory; Luke 4:1-13

When Jesus calls you to follow, trust that he's already shown you the way.

Bret Hammond

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