Search Results on Frederick Buechner

Frederick Buechner says that humans are engaged in two battles: competition with other people for success; and the struggle "to become whole and at peace inside our skins." The latter is the subject of Ephesians 6:10-18.

Ephesians 6:10-18

Sanctification, Selfishness, Spiritual Warfare

Divine healing? Try it. Pray for it.

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner reflects on Jesus' many healings (e.g. Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-42). He encourages praying for healing, and "if God doesn't seem to be giving you what you ask, maybe he's giving you something else."

Mark 10:46-52

Jesus Christ, Healing, Bartimaeus, Prayer

Compassion

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Scripture Meditation or Sermon and 2 more types

In this devotional on Colossians 3:12-15, Frederick Buechner points out that compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it's like to live inside somebody else's skin.

Colossians 3:12-15

Joy, Compassion, Love For Others, Love

Jesus Saves

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner provides commentary and a sermon illustration for Matthew 16:24-25, exploring what it means that "Jesus saves," and why it sometimes seems preposterous that Jesus saves people like us.

Matthew 16:24-25

Disciple, Following Of Christ, Salvation

See Our Neighbors

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner provides commentary on Romans 13:8-10, exploring what it means to love God and love others. He reminds us that we must first pay attention to those around us.

Romans 13:8-10

Great Commandment, Love For God, Love For Others

God So Loved the World

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner offers commentary on John 3:13-16, exploring the essence of the Christian message and the cross as its chief symbol of God's love and Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection.

John 3:13-16

Eternal Life, God's Love, Good Friday, Sacrifice

The Road Goes On

Frederick Buechner | Faith and Leadership

This sermon excerpt on John 14:6 by Frederick Buechner gives perspective on ministry, the heart, and how Christ is consistently present and can be trusted.

John 14:6

Ministry, Heart, Trust, God's Presence

God Is Here, and I Didn't Know

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner's sermon illustration says Jacob's dream (Genesis 28:10-17) means that God doesn't love people because of who they are, but because of who God is.

Genesis 28:10-17

Dream, God's Love, God's Presence, Grace

The Road Goes On

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner’s sermon on John 14:6 at a seminary commencement reflects on the foolishness, the faith, the grace, the truth, the trust involved in the journey of Christian ministry.

John 14:6

Faith, God's Grace, Ministry, Truth

The Way He Carries Me

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner offers a commentary on Psalm 138:3, exploring how we might be sure of God's existence, because he built into us a deep hunger for truth, goodness, and love, which is God himself.

Psalm 138:3

Apologetics, God's Love, Image Of God

A Path From God

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner offers an imaginative exploration of the implications of Exodus 14:19-30 and the treasures available to us through scripture, if we follow where God leads.

Exodus 14:19-30

Exodus (event), God's Deliverance, Moses, Red Sea

Job

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner comments on the story of Job. Job never got an explanation for the losses he had suffered, and that did not matter, because he had experienced God directly.

Job 38:1-7, 34-41

God's Will, God's Wisdom, Job (person), Suffering

Jairus' Daughter

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner offers a sermon on the resurrection of Jairus' daughter from Mark 5:21-43. Jesus has the power to make those who live in darkness alive.

Mark 5:21-43

Jairus, Life, Jesus Christ's Power

Easter Symbols

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner reflects on Matthew 28:1-10 and explores ways in which modern culture has distorted Easter. The narrative that the Gospel writers give is as fragmented, shadowy, and incomplete as life itself because something unimaginable happened.

Matthew 28:1-10

Easter, Tomb, Truth

Not for the Ill I've Done

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner's sermon illustration, based on Romans 7:15-25 and 1 Corinthians 4:10, is an imaginative account of the baptism of Godric (c. 1065-1070 - 1170).

Romans 7:15-25; 1 Corinthians 4:10

Baptism, Folly, Law, Mercy

Christmas Itself Is By Grace

Frederick Buechner | Global Worship

Book Quote

Frederick Buechner's quote on the incarnation explores John 1:14, marveling that the stupendous miracle of it resists our efforts to domesticate it.

John 1:14

Christmas, Grace, Incarnation, Salvation

Deborah

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner reflects on Deborah's serving as a judge of Israel, commanding their army, and singing with Barak about their victory (Judges 4:1-7, 17-21, 5:7, 28, 31).

Judges 4:1-7 (+ more)

Barak, Deborah, Jael, Prophecy

Sermon Illustration: Bartimaeus

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Frederick Buechner examines our understanding of healing in light of Jesus’ healing ministry. If our prayer for healing is unanswered, this may tell us more about ourselves and our prayer than it does about God.

Mark 10:46-52

Doctor, Healing, Miracle, Power

Mark

Frederick Buechner | Day1

Scripture Meditation or Sermon and 2 more types

Frederick Buechner reflects briefly on the authorship, writing style, context, audience, content, and the rhetorical impact of the Gospel of Mark. Buechner suggests that though it seems written in haste, it ends in hope.

Mark 13:24-37

Jesus Christ, Mark (book), Hope, Jesus Christ's Work

On Preaching

Bob Abernethy | Religion & Ethics Newsweekly

Article about Preaching

In this interview, writer and preacher Carl Frederick Buechner suggests that the key to preaching is listening and observing life deeply and religiously rather than living on auto-pilot.