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

Doctors have found that laughter is good for you. One study showed that "a good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease."

It turns out Reader's Digest was right all along. Laughter IS the best medicine! That shouldn't surprise anyone who has read Proverbs, though. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine."

God created laughter to heal, and he created you to laugh. So in this message, we'll dig into Proverbs 17:22, laugh a little, groan a lot, and learn to share one of God's greatest gifts with others.

Laughter is the BEST Medicine; Proverbs 17:22

Romans 6 has a lot to say about baptism--and all of it is directed towards the baptized! People who are already committed to Christ! When I look back on my baptism, what should I feel? What should I see? What should I know about the commitment I have made to God and he has made to me?

I Have Been Baptized - Romans 6

I was driving home the other day when I noticed it again. As the utility poles passed by, I couldn't help but catch the shape of the cross. Has that happened to you? Maybe you see the cross in the panels of a door, the mast of a ship, or just two pieces of wood that happen to fall together right. Something within us seems drawn to the cross; its image is ever before us.

In a moment of wry humor, we might even call it our "cross-eyed view." I believe it's born out of our desire to see Jesus at the center of everything in our lives. As we draw near him, the story of the cross and his resurrection pull at us, changing how we view our world, the people around us, and ourselves. We see hints of his presence everywhere. 

We're spending a few weeks looking at Easter Stories as we lead up to our celebration of the resurrection, finding stories that point to the cross and new life in the Bible and the lives of our friends. All the while, the image of Jesus comes into sharper focus for us.

Resurrected Hope; Hosea 6:1-3

I just did a quick search on Twitter for "#Blessed." Among the results were:
- A pool party for someone's grandson.
- Before and after pictures from a diet.
- The results of a soccer match.
- And someone was celebrating finally hitting 500 followers on Twitter.

#blessed indeed! 

When we count our blessings, we calculate the positive things that lift us up and make us feel valued—and we should! But how does our #blessed list stack up against Jesus' list?

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

I seldom see Jesus' idea of blessings hashtagged and celebrated on social media. Jesus' list sounds painful! Like if they don't bless you, they'll kill you! 

In this message, we begin exploring the Beatitudes, the blessings Jesus offers to those who follow him. As we do, we may have to redefine what a blessed life looks like to us.

Blessed are the Poor in Spirit; Revelation 3:14-22

Robin Hood was my favorite. As a kid, it was just bows and arrows, good guys and bad guys; I didn't understand the setting or conflict that gave birth to the story. Good King Richard is off fighting, and miserable Prince John is in charge. Robin and his band of Merry Men remained loyal to the king, even though he was absent. They held to the true king's standards and fought to maintain his kingdom.

Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come," but I wonder if we shouldn't hear it more as a rallying cry than a prayer. "Your kingdom come," tells us all is not right in this world and calls us to loyalty to Jesus and to live in such a way as to bring His reign, along with his love, to all those we encounter.

His Kingdom Come; Acts 1:6-8

One of my first roles in the church was as a shepherd. I don't mean that in a pastoral sense, but rather in a Christmas pageant sense. In Junior High, for our church's live nativity, I was one of the three guys chosen to play shepherds. I had the headgear (one of mom's tea towels wrapped around my head), a staff (a stick with a bent clothes hanger duct taped to one end), and an old bathrobe. The only thing I didn't have—that none of us shepherds had—was sheep.

We looked the part, but without sheep, we were just three guys standing to the side of the manger, waving at passing cars. We were as useless as the fake frankincense among the three Magi's gifts.

A shepherd simply isn't a shepherd without sheep. So, when Jesus describes himself in John 10:11 by saying, "I am the good shepherd," what he tells us is as much about his followers as it is himself. "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

Jesus as the Good Shepherd defines who we are together as much as it describes Jesus. Dad's old bathrobe and mom's tea towel do not make a shepherd. A shepherd needs sheep, and sheep need each other to be the flock.

The Shepherd and His Flock; John 10:11-18

Some churches have a long-held tradition of placing salt on the tongues of newly baptized believers and giving them a lit candle to remind them they are "the salt of the earth and the light of the world." I love the symbolism and the message it sends. It's not, "Go out there and try to be the salt of the earth," or "You better make sure you keep your light shining!" Instead, with commitment fresh and hair still wet from baptism, it lets the new believer know precisely who they are in this world because of Jesus.

Salt and light are two identities given to us by Jesus himself. If Christians are to understand who we are together, we need to grasp the impact these two images have on the world around us.

Salt and Light; Matthew 5:13-16

It had been a late night and an early morning. Sitting at the breakfast table with my friends, bleary-eyed, and wading through another cup of coffee, I confessed, "Look, I'm barely here. If you have anything important to say, you're going to need to repeat it, like, three times."

My exhaustion was a convenient excuse, but we would all have to confess that we don't always pay attention. But I was right; repetition is the key to remembering. Way back in 1885, Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered that repeating a name three times locks it into our long-term memory (though I have my doubts it would work on a name like "Hermann Ebbinghaus").

Repetition helps us remember. I think God already knew that. In the New Testament, we find 100 passages that tell us what we should do for "one another." We should pray for one another, speak truth to one another, bear one another's burdens, and serve one another, just to name a few. If Ebbinghouse says three times is the charm, the Bible's 100 "one anothers" shows us that God doesn't want us to forget how to love one another!

Love One Another; Romans 12:9-13

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the church is the body of Christ, comparing the church's individual members with the members of the human body. I've always heard this as a metaphor for how we serve together. Hands and feet of Jesus, working and moving us together. Eyes and ears, seeing the needs around us, and hearing the cries of our neighbors so we can reach out to them better. However, my perspective on this metaphor has changed in recent years, and I have a sneaking suspicion that change has something to do with getting older.

I often opt for stairs instead of elevators and find my hand on the handrail, helping out my knees after a few flights. I've learned the pain in my right shoulder when I reach high probably isn't go away, so my left arm is ready to make those reaches. And then there are those times when I get on the floor to play with my granddaughter. I'm careful to lower myself down in such a way that I'm confident I can get back up again!

For me, the metaphor has become less about how we work together and more about how we care for one another, and I think that's a big part of Paul's intention here. After all, in 1 Corinthians 12:24-25, Paul writes, "God has so composed the body . . . that the members may have the same care for one another." We can work with our individual talents and gifts, but without a care for one another, we're still not serving as the body of Christ.

Care for One Another; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

I call it my "Blurb," and I post it on Facebook every Sunday morning. In fact, you're reading this week's blurb right now! I try to keep it short and encouraging and use it as a preview for the sermon I'll preach later in the morning. My goal is always that the blurb will stand on its own, but if I've done it right, it might whet your appetite for what I'll be serving up in the sermon.

I was in a preaching class last summer when our professor posited that while we're all interested in learning to preach better, our listeners could benefit from an occasional message on how to hear a sermon—listen for our main points, follow the structure, recognize the power of illustration, and anticipate our conclusions. I thought it was a great idea and took it as a challenge, so today, on the first day of 2023, I'll be presenting the "How to Listen to a Sermon" sermon.

I believe in preaching and take my calling seriously. I'm also aware that (to misappropriate an old quote) "Sermons are like sausages, no one should have to see how they're made!" It's a messy business, but today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll take a peek at how the sausage is made and see where we will be going with our messages in the coming months.

Preach the Word; 2 Timothy 4:1-5

In John 12 some people come to the disciples with a simple question, “We wish to see Jesus.” Not, “We want to see a miracle” or “entertain us!” but simply “let us meet Jesus.”

People still come to His disciples simply wanting to see Jesus in us. They want a glimpse of authentic faith and real commitment in our lives. They want to see Jesus. Can we show them that?

We Wish to See Jesus - John 12:20-26

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

I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel like I lost at least an hour of sleep last night, maybe more! I just tried to make coffee without water in the coffee maker. I was taking my pills and cautiously tried to remember which ones were chewable and which ones weren't. I'm going to need clear and straightforward instructions this morning, and then I'm going to need a nap!

Thankfully, we're in Micah 6:8 today. It doesn't get more clear and more straightforward than that verse! Micah answers the question for us, "What is good, and what does the Lord require of you?" Cut through all the confusion, Micah! We've all had a rough night! Please give it to us in simple language we can understand! And then Micah delivers. 

In this one straightforward verse, we find more than a picture of what it means to be faithful; we find the image of Jesus, the one who has faithfully loved us. Today, of all days, we need simple and straightforward. We need Micah 6:8.

And then we need a nap.

Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly; Micah 6:8

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

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

I've joked that the only reason I keep going to school is to maintain my Spotify student discount. Spotify is a service that contains a massive collection of music. It's introduced me to new songs I've fallen in love with and allows me to build playlists of my old favorites. So whatever mood I find myself in, there's a Spotify playlist that speaks to it. 

This summer, we're going to the Psalms, that carefully curated playlist of songs in our Bibles. Spotify's got nothing on the Psalms! Whatever you're feeling or need to feel, there's a Psalm that speaks to your heart.

Today, we'll begin with Psalm 1, with blessings for the one who "delights in the law of the Lord." As we hear these ancient songs resonate through our hearts, we may find that we're not just reading the Psalms; the Psalms are reading us.

Ringtones; Psalm 1

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

A man once told me I was taking communion wrong. "It has to be one loaf," he said. "If it isn't, you're sinning." I countered by asking him, "What if it's a really big church? How do you make one loaf that serves a thousand in worship?" He explained to me that was why there shouldn't be any big churches. "A church should never be bigger than one loaf can serve," he said confidently. 

I realized that's nowhere in the Bible! I also wondered if he had ever seen that episode of I Love Lucy where she bakes her own bread (if you know, you know).

In my years of faith, I've had communion with one loaf and multiple loaves. I've had unleavened bread, homemade bread, crackers, and croutons. I've had grape juice, wine, blackberry juice, and, one difficult Sunday, a glass of water. I've placed cracker crumbs on the tongues of the dying and given them a single drop of juice off the tip of my finger, reminding them of Jesus' presence and the nearness of his promise for them. "His body and His blood. Christ be with you."

I've come to believe there is only one essential element to the Lord's Supper, and it's not found in what's served on the table but who is encountered at the table. Oh, and sometimes there isn't even a table! 

This message has been brewing in me for over thirteen years. In this passage, we meet Jesus at the table, and I'll tell you about another table where "a woman of the city" encountered Jesus. I'll also tell you about the long night when I learned a new communion song.

A Communion Hymn; Luke 7:36-50

I'm sure my count is off, but by my records, I've now preached something north of 1,500 sermons. The vast majority of those were written for the Kansas Christian Church, a church that challenged and encouraged a young man to preach again and again. 

I was in junior high when the youth minister recruited three of us to help him preach a sermon one Sunday morning. I read my portion as fast as possible, knowing that the sooner I got done, the better for me and everyone else.

Then, as a freshman in Bible College, I was asked to come home to preach for a Youth Sunday. The night before, I tossed and turned and preached the sermon repeatedly in my head. That Sunday morning, the sermon took all of seven minutes, and I swore I'd never preach again! 

Before we get to the messy goodbyes today, I can't help but commend Kansas Christian Church. Serving my home church for over two decades has been an honor, but our bond goes back further than that. We would be hard-pressed to name every soul who put us on this course together. 

We could point to lessons learned in VBS fifty years ago, relationships built through youth groups, and families who brought an extra plate so the kid who came to church alone would have a place to sit during potlucks. We would point to those who thanked a nervous young preacher at the door thirty-eight years ago and assured him he did a fine job and they'd listen to him again. 

And, from eternity's perspective, we would see the prayers of faithful saints who believed God could do more with a young man's life than he ever thought possible. And I know God continues to answer those kind of prayers. 

In this, my final sermon at Kansas Christian Church, we'll pray a prayer we've been praying together for at least twenty-one years. I'm eager to share a message and a prayer with you.

Praying God-Sized Prayers; Ephesians 3:20-21

Our Bibles are not the clean, happy books we think they are. They’re full of scary stuff. Yes, there’s faith, hope, and love in those pages; but look hard enough and you’ll find witches, ghosts, dragons and things that go bump in the night. The Bible is full of strange things . . . and even stranger things.

In 2016, I spent October, a month we normally look for ghosts and goblins, digging into some often ignored passages. I titled the series Stranger Things from the Bible after the Netflix series that drew us into the Upside Down. There’s much in the Bible that might also seem upside down.

The Stranger Things series, set in the fictional small-town of Hawkins, Indiana. Hawkins doesn’t feel all that far removed from our own small-town in Illinois. I felt the similarities and the callbacks to the heydays of the 1980s would go over well with our crowd. I also hoped that the strangeness of the stories would disarm my hearers and allow the punch of the message to surprise them.

And it helps that I love these weird Bible stories!

These stories might make us uncomfortable, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), right? The Bible’s stranger things deserve our attention. We can gain much from these stories.

https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/stranger-things-from-the-bible-saul-and-the-witch-of-en-dor/

Saul and the Witch of Endor; 1 Samuel 25

I think about all the lessons I’ve heard from the book of Jonah over my life. There have been lessons about obedience, faithfulness, and love for neighbors and enemies. But I don’t think I ever heard a lesson about thanksgiving.

That is, until now.

It’s right there in the heart of the story and in the belly of the great fish! Jonah cries out to God, “I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (Jonah 2:9).

And if Jonah can give thanks in his very dark place, maybe we can give thanks even when the darkness seems to consume us. Thanksgiving from the Pit - Jonah 2:2

https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/thanksgiving-from-the-pit/

Thanksgiving from the Pit; Jonah 2:1-10

The command in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Let’s be honest and admit that’s not always easy. Some circumstances are so difficult we may never find our way to thanksgiving. This is not a reason to beat ourselves up or condemn ourselves for our rebellion against a biblical mandate. Instead, it’s an opportunity to open our eyes and see that thanksgiving isn’t something that just happens in ourselves; thanksgiving happens in community with others.

https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/thanksgiving-at-the-end-of-the-world/

Thanksgiving at the End of the World; Revelation 11:15-19

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

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." These may be the most personal and the most difficult words Jesus spoke while on the cross. 

Father Forgive Them

Jesus calls us to a life of complete surrender.

Jesus Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem, Luke 9:51-56

When you're feeling small, the majesty of God is available to you.

The Majesty of God; Luke 9:37-45

When Jesus calls us to follow, nothing less than total commitment will do.

Popular tracks by Bret Hammond