Day1 Podcast/Sermon Feed

Heaven's Audit of One's Soul

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

The Rev. Dr. B. Wiley Stephens is senior minister of Dunwoody United Methodist Church in Dunwoody, GA.

This Sunday is the final Sunday of the Church's liturgical year. Next Sunday will be the first Sunday of Advent and we will start the year afresh as we prepare for the coming of Jesus into the world at Christmas. This Sunday is designated as Christ the King Sunday or the Reign of Christ. A day set aside to express our faith that after all is said and done, at the end of this world, God's Kingdom will come and his reign in our lives and the entire world will be complete.

But how does one know if he or she will be a part of that kingdom? How does one know if one is a part of that kingdom even now? Our Gospel lesson for the day is the answer I think that Jesus would have for us. In the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew he shares his vision of what the final judgment will be like. You might call it heaven's audit of one's soul.

Having Trouble Sleeping Through the Night?

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

The Rev. William J. Carl III is president of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA.

Years ago, I heard Gardner Taylor, that great African-American preacher, say from a pulpit, "I am for anything that can help a person get through the night." How about you? Are you having trouble sleeping through the night? You're not alone. Most of the world does. And, certainly, Samuel did. He tossed and turned like some preachers I know whose sermons finally come to them in the middle of the night. Have you seen the commercial for one of the sleep aids that shows the husband flicking on the light and saying, "Honey? Are you awake?" And his wife replies, "I am now!" Young Samuel keeps tossing and turning all night, then getting up and running to old Eli saying, "Are you awake?" And all Eli can say is, "I am now! Go back to sleep, kid, you're hearing things!"

For some people the real problem is their dreams. We dream about all kinds of things, sometimes waking up in a cold sweat. Some of the dreams are terrifying. Some are about things you'd never dream of actually doing. Other times you are frustrated because you can't remember all the details like the cartoon about a minister on a psychiatrist's couch saying, "I have a recurring dream in which I have all the members of my church board pleading for mercy; but when I wake up, I can never remember how!" Is that what Samuel was doing that night, dreaming about the way things could be because religion in his time had taken a turn for the worse? After all, says the biblical writer, "The word of the Lord was rare in those days." Maybe Samuel was the only one who could dream because "there was no frequent vision." People had lost their way and their connection with God.

Tickets for Tarshish

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

The Rev. William J. Carl III is president of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jonah is my kind of missionary. Reluctant, withdrawn, stubborn. Never quite ready to go to Nineveh. All over the Bible, people are getting up and going. Abraham and Sarah move out on a promise and a prayer. Moses heads for Egypt with nothing but a shepherd's crook and Aaron to write his sermons. Elijah stands defiant, facing four hundred and fifty Baal prophets. But not Jonah. Jonah stands on the dock with tickets for Tarshish.

All over the New Testament people are getting up and following Jesus. Fishermen are dropping their nets, tax collectors are forgetting about credit and debit, and others are leaving their parents behind. A little man called Paul travels the Mediterranean spreading the Word. But not Jonah. Jonah stands on the dock with tickets for Tarshish.

Podcast Extra Interview-Tisdale

Thu, 6 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CST

In this Day 1 Podcast Extra, the Rev. Nora Tubbs Tisdale, professor of homiletics at the Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Ct., shares her personal insights and experiences with Day 1 host Peter Wallace.

Glimpsing Heaven in Thin Places

Sun, 2 Nov 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Nora Tubbs Tisdale is professor of homiletics at the Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Ct.

On the coasts of Scotland and Ireland there are certain sites that the locals call "thin places." Thin places are not so named because the altitude is any higher or the air any thinner there. Rather, they are called "thin" because it is believed that in these places the distance between heaven and earth shrinks, and the veil between the two worlds is so "thin" you can actually perceive something of heaven itself.

The ancient Celts--sensing the deep spirituality of these sites--built many of their worship places on them, some still marked today by circles of stone. Later Christians also built churches and monasteries and cemeteries there. And people who visit these sites today sometimes say they lose all track of time and space while there, and they know--deep down inside--they are on holy ground. For in thin places, boundaries of time and space fade away. There is no yesterday, today or tomorrow--only eternity stretching forth in a timeless continuum.

The University of Adversity

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Dr. Cleophus J. LaRue is the associate professor of homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey.

This is a very interesting passage of scripture before us today, for in a portion of this scripture God is portrayed as the one who is doing the talking. Jeremiah, who places these words in the mouth of God, is acting as if he has called God into court to give an account of his actions. In verses 1-4, Jeremiah charges God with catering to the wicked; and in verse five, God answers the charge, "If you have raced with foot-runners and they have wearied you..."

I want to be especially careful with this text, for if I am faithful to this text, then I will treat verse five, as Jeremiah treated it--as a word directly from God. In preaching this as a word directly from God, there are some things I must avoid.

What Makes a True Patriot?

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Nora Tubbs Tisdale is professor of homiletics at the Yale Divinity School in New Haven, Ct.

This past summer, there was a debate afoot in our land regarding what it is that makes a true patriot. On one side were Republicans, accusing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama of not being a true patriot because, that far at least in his campaign, he had refused to wear an American flag lapel pin.

On the other side of the debate were Democrats suggesting that Republican presidential candidate John McCain may have given noble service to our country in the military, but that such service alone did not make him a patriot--or at least one qualified to serve as President of the United States.

Why Bother?

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Dr. Cleophus J. LaRue is the Francis Landey Patton associate professor of homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey.

Splattered across the front doors of a trendy restaurant in Palo Alto, California, were these words: This is a bad place for a diet! That most visible, in-your-face warning suggested to me that there are certain places where some requests are out of order and certain times where some appeals are in poor taste. No matter how noble, how worthy, how life-giving they are in and of themselves, there are certain times and certain places where it is simply unseemly to speak of some things.

In like manner it appears to me that we could splatter across the pages of our text this day a similar warning: This is a bad place for the gospel. Whether one regards Acts as a bona fide historiography or simply a piece of well-crafted Hellenistic literature, the gospel in Athens comes off sounding like a bunch of misguided, out-of-place "hooey."

Podcast Extra Interview-LaRue

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Who's in Charge Here?

Sun, 5 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Dr. B. Wiley Stephens is senior minister of Dunwoody United Methodist Church in Dunwoody, GA.

"Who's in charge here?" can communicate so many different feelings. It may be in reaction to chaos, such as following a disaster, when we are looking for one who can make certain decisions. It can be a plea to help when the normal lines of communication are down. Or it may be an irritation said to a subordinate, in this case reminding the one being spoken to who has the authority. Or it may be simply an inquiry in trying to find some guidance or information. Haven't we all found ourselves in a strange setting and we cannot always know who might be in a position to give us accurate directions?

"Who's in charge?" is the heart of our parable from Matthew twenty one. The landlord demonstrated that he considered himself in charge by the careful preparations he made as he planted the vineyard, built a fence around it, dug a wine press, and built a watch tower. These were all expensive improvements you would not make to property you did have control of. By taking these steps he was increasing the value of his investment. No one would do this to someone else's land. You would not go to the expense or trouble to improve the value of someone else's property. Obviously, he thought he was in charge.

Podcast Extra Interview-Pennington-Russell

Fri, 3 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT

A Passion for Christ's World

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Dr. Michael Foss is senior pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines, IA, and the author of several books.

In July I visited our Habitat for Humanity site. I have had the opportunity to work alongside the women and men of our congregation who give their time and energy to building homes for the responsible poor. This time, as I was shown the project, I was struck by the remarkable transformation that this means for our community and the lives of others.

The project, as I remember it, is an entire cul de sac of Habitat homes and townhomes. The quality of workmanship from the design to the construction was excellent. There were three soon-to-be owners working along with some of our disciples. As I watched their efforts, it suddenly dawned on me. Habitat for Humanity is about building lives, not houses.

The Generosity of God

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Dr. Michael Foss is senior pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines, IA, and the author of several books.

When Rabbi Menachem Mendel was a small child, his grandfather, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, held him on his lap and asked, "Where is Zeide?" That is, "Where is Grandfather?"

The child touched the grandfather's nose. "No," the rabbi said, "that is Zeide's nose. But where is Zeide?"

A Word for the Wind and the Waves

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Julie Pennington-Russell is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Decatur, GA.

A few years ago at our house our family was going through the typical school morning routine, you know, packing lunches, making breakfast, getting clothes on and hair combed. Our daughter Lucy, who was 7, asked if she might light a candle on the dining room table, just to make breakfast more special. And so my husband Tim supervised the lighting and then went to check something on his computer while I continued stirring the eggs on the stove. A few minutes later our son Taylor, who was 11, and a little neighbor girl, whom we drove to school every morning, burst into the kitchen, crying and hollering: "Lucy's on fire!"

Well, it was one of those surreal moments--both Tim and I flew into the dining room and, sure enough, Lucy was running around in circles with the top of her head blazing like a tiki-torch. She'd leaned a little too close to the candle, her hair had ignited, and apparently it didn't occur to her to stop, drop and roll. I got there first and immediately smothered her head with my robe. I made sure the fire was out, did a quick examination and saw that her skin hadn't been burned, only her hair, and so I relaxed a little and held Lucy who by that time was shaking like a leaf. Tim and I breathed a big sigh of relief. She was all right and that was the main thing.

Our First Calling

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Julie Pennington-Russell is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Decatur, GA.

Maybe you've noticed that one of the features of Mark's Gospel is that the BIRTH of Jesus is completely left out. No Bethlehem, no shepherds, no Wisemen, no angels. Doesn't say anything about Mary or Joseph--or the baby. By the time Mark picks up the story--Jesus has long--since crawled out of the manger--and is done with his swaddling clothes. He's developed his voice--he's found his legs--and he is loose in the world.

At Christmas we pretty much have Jesus the way we like him best--weak and silent. There's a terrific movie scene that bears this out--and OK--I guess it's time to confess that I paid hard-earned money to see "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." In this movie Will Ferrell plays the role of Ricky Bobby, the most successful driver on the NASCAR circuit.

Podcast Extra Interview-Kinman

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Eye Contact

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Mike Kinman is the executive director of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation in St. Louis, MO, and the 2008 recipient of the John Hines Preaching Award from Virginia Theological Seminary.

"Just look preoccupied. And don't make eye contact, and you'll be just fine."

It was 11:00 p.m. on a July night. I was 20-years old and arriving in New York City for the first time as my train pulled into Grand Central Station. Ahead of me was a walk west on 42nd Street to Times Square to catch the 3 Train to South Harlem where my friend Wells lived.

Podcast Extra Interview-Markham

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Podcast Extra Interview-Love

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

How Do We Know What God Is Like?

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Very Rev. Dr. Ian Markham is the dean of Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA.

Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

Let me start with a confession. My eleven-year old son and I love dining in McDonald's. We like French fries. And it was at one particular lunch that we were sitting together discussing the life, universe, and everything. And like you do, we found ourselves musing on the speed of light.

Listening in Love

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dr. Jan Love is the dean and professor of Christianity and World Politics for the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Psalm 133 is a pithy, powerful tribute to the possibilities of genuine human community, even in the midst of differences, difficulties and conflict. It is one of a number of Songs of Ascent associated with worship in ancient Israel, probably during pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Travelers singing on the road knew first hand deep divisions among themselves and between their people and others. Yet together in worship they sang about a vision of unity. "How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!"

We Christians similarly sing hymns that proclaim our common bond as members of the body of Christ. Yet we, too, know the reality of deep divisions among us and across our societies. For example, we can tell by the attack ads that we are in an election year, can't we? Do you come from a red county or a blue county; a red household or a blue household? Have you observed that substantive, reasoned discussion and debate often give way to strident, heated exchanges? Have you experienced any road rage lately, yelled impatiently at your family members, or stormed out of a church meeting angry at the idiots who disagreed with you? At times our homes, communities and even our churches feel like a war zone.

Encountering Christ

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

Dr. Jan Love is the dean and professor of Christianity and World Politics for the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

I have lived most of my life in the Deep South, but my last job took me to New York City where I lived for two and a half years. Being in this fascinating city on a regular basis was quite an adventure. For example, I became alert to sightings of celebrities and other famous people, who, as it turns out, eat at restaurants, shop, and otherwise carry on somewhat normal lives like the rest of us.

One time as we were going through the security line at LaGuardia Airport, our daughter exclaimed to me with whispered excitement, "Mommy, do you see who that is?" She had spotted a famous member of a rock band just ahead of us, and we both were star struck. We lingered as we unloaded our boxes from the screening machine just so we could watch him tie his shoes.

Life's Turning Points

Sun, 3 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. Dr. Jimmy Allen is coordinator of the New Baptist Covenant in Big Canoe, GA.

Some of life's crucial turning points are recognizable only in retrospect. We look back and discover decisions made thoughtlessly or casually changed the whole direction of our existence. In other times, we are keenly aware of the intensity of that struggle. Our difficulty in perception is one of the reasons we need so deeply the guidance of God when we take him seriously in our lives. We have read today the Bible's description of one of the crucial turning points in the life of Jacob as he wrestled through the night with the messenger of God by the Brook Jabbock. Jacob was a con man in the process of moving from being a man who lived by his wits and whose name really meant "thief" to a man of faith whose name would be "Israel," one who prevails with God.

As we look at the pattern of the pilgrimage of the man for whom the people and the nation of Israel is named, we can see turning points that parallel our own. Jacob grew up in what we would call today a dysfunctional family. His mother Rebecca was a strong-willed woman who had come courageously across deserts and mountains to marry the son of Abraham. Abraham had left Ur years before and wanted a person for the mate for his son who shared the worship of the Unknown God who had summoned him to the distant land. She had never met Isaac and responded to the challenge. It is no surprise to find her aggressive in seeking to assist her favorite son in the struggle to secure the birthright and blessing of his father over the claims of his twin brother Esau. So the stage was set for Jacob to deceive his blind father Isaac into thinking he was giving up his blessing to Esau. He also preyed on the weakness of the hunter Esau when he was famished for food. He offered his meal of lentils to Esau in exchange for the birthright.

Day 1 Podcast Extra- Barnes

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. M. Craig Barnes is pastor and head of staff of Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA, and is a professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. In this Day1 Podcast Extra, he talks to host Peter Wallace about his work in the church and the seminary, and where he sees the church heading in the future.

The Problem with Two Spouses

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT

The Rev. M. Craig Barnes is pastor and head of staff of Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA, and is a professor at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Our text today begins with Jacob running away from home. He's running because his older brother Esau was trying to kill him for deceiving their father and stealing the blessing of Esau's inheritance. Jacob traveled up to Haran, where his uncle Laban lived. And as soon as he arrived, he saw Laban's daughter Rachel out in the fields with her father's sheep. It was pretty much love at first sight for Jacob who was enraptured by Rachel. Jacob started working at Laban's sheep farm, and eventually they hammered out a deal. The deal was that if Jacob worked for seven years, Laban would let him marry Rachel.

We are told nothing about those seven years except, "They seemed to Jacob but a few days because of the love he had for her." But you can imagine how many times he tried to catch a glimpse of Rachel. Every time she pushed that wisp of hair behind her ear, it drove Jacob crazy. You can imagine how many times he passed her a note through her older sister Leah and how many times he spent the night dreaming about their upcoming marriage. This was going to be the blessing for which he had been striving his whole life.