Dr. Ken's Sermons & Studies

In this story from Mark 8, Jesus and Simon Peter get into a heated argument, complete with name calling! Listen to find out what all the fuss is about!

There's a difference between carrying on the living the faith of those who have gone before us and holding on to a dead faith that was never intended to last. It's the difference between tradition and traditionalism. Jesus was a very traditional guy; he faithfully practiced the traditions of Judaism. But he has some hard words for those religious leaders who wanted to worship their tradi...

We are now in the 6th chapter of Mark's gospel where we find Jesus returning to his hometown of Nazareth. Instead of receiving a hero's welcome, he ends up offending nearly everyone with his Good News!

Did you know that there is only one place in the entire Bible where Jesus is recorded to be sleeping? Where he takes his little nap is the key to the story!

Why did Jesus' family think he was crazy? Why did the Pharisees think he was possessed by the Lord of the Flies? And why does Jesus invite us to do a little breaking and entering?

We continue to walk with Jesus through the Gospel of Mark and today we come to a message we all need to hear. Do you think God rested on the seventh day because creating the world exhausted Him? Or maybe He was also creating a rhythm for us to live by...

Mark 2 begins with the well-known story of the man whose friends lowered him through the roof in order to find healing for his paralysis. What Jesus does next leaves everyone scratching their heads!

Continuing our journey through the Gospel of Mark, we don't get too far before learning about one of the most important characteristics of Jesus: his compassion.

Continuing our study of the Gospel of Mark, we're looking at Mark 1:21-28, the first recorded occasion in which Jesus goes to church...er, well, synagogue. You might say that all hell breaks loose...

The first thing Jesus does when he begins his ministry is to proclaim the good news that the Kingdom of God has come near - and then he calls people to follow him. Mark's gospel shows us that there are four verbs that encompass Jesus' call to discipleship. Listen to find out what they are!

We recently began a series of messages that will take us through the entire Gospel of Mark! This episode is the second in that series and takes a hard look at Mark 1:12-13 - Jesus' 40 days of temptation in the wilderness...as well as our own days in the wildernesses of life.

With this episode we begin a journey through the gospel of Mark. I believe anyone who wants to begin a serious study of the Bible should start with this book, so I hope you'll join the journey as we hear the main theme of Mark's gospel: Jesus.

In the eleventh chapter of Matthew, three groups of people are mentioned: followers of John the Baptist, citizens of three towns where Jesus performed miracles, and his own followers. Jesus has very different things to say to each of these groups. When this message was originally recorded, I used three chairs to symbolize each of the three groups. I trust that this will not be too confusing as you...

In the end...when all is said and all is done...who has the last word? And what will that word be?

We have shared a few of the collaborative sermons/songs that my good friend, Jack Gorham, and I have done together. This very special episode is the latest effort. It is based on a song Jack has written titled, "She Wants to Know." It is about a woman he knows who struggles with occasional homelessness and other challenges. When he played it for me, I could imagine the compassion of Chri...

To put it succinctly, this message summarizes the Gospel of Jesus Christ as I understand it and believe in it. If you are wondering what is meant by the Good News of Jesus Christ, please listen and see if this sounds like Good News to you!

Listen to hear the story of two brothers, each of whom thought the other deserved more of the family profits, and how that story reflects the amazing miracle that happens when we set aside time and space for worship.

Following the previous episode, we add one more small word to create one of the most powerful phrases in our language, and in our faith.

It isn’t a noun or a verb but it is one of the most powerful words in any language, and it is one of God’s favorite words!

"Elijah, what are you doing in that cave?" asks God in 1 Kings 19:9. Some say Elijah is depressed. Others say he is afraid. But, I think it is something else - something many of us experience all too frequently. Here's what I think it is, and what God says to do about it.

In this Christmas season there is joy but there is also sadness. This time of year always seems to have more than its share of stress and grief, along with the happiness and cheer. I'm excited to share this interweaving of song and sermon that my good friend, Jack Gorham, and I put together a while back. May it bring comfort and joy - not only this Christmas, but always.

While Mary certainly deserves to be honored as an example of faith, we very often forget about Joseph. He, too, is a man of great faith, an example the rest of us would do well to follow. We might even write a song about him!

Out of an overreaction to the days when Mary was over-venerated, we Protestants tend to underemphasize the example Mary should be for all of us, like being an ark of the covenant and a magnifying glass!

Just think how much further he could have gone if John had just made a few simple changes...

We give Mary credit for a lot of things, but one we rarely consider is her ability to celebrate what is to come as though it has already happened - an act of faith we would do well to emulate!