More Sermon Nuggets

Fred R. Zimmerman served as an active parish minister of the United Church of Christ in Ohio for sixty-two years. During the middle of his professional career, he filled a significant post on the administrative staff of Defiance College, Defiance, Ohio. He is the author of Destiny and Decision (Hamilton Books, 2013).

• ABRAHAMHis Trust in God’s PromiseADVENT SEASONAs God’s Offer of GraceALTARAs Furniture of Worship Made Holy by GodASCENSIONAs Fulfillment of the IncarnationJesus Christ Is Now Lord in Heaven as on EarthAUTHORITYOf Jesus as Given, Not ProvenBAPTISMAs God’s Promise to Us of His GospelBIBLEAs Comfort Amidst ConflictAs Inward ConfrontationGenesis—The Book of BeginningsHoly Spirit as Its Only True InterpreterSpeaks of God in His SovereigntyUpfront about Human WrongdoingBURDENOf Daily Life Endured as Rest under the Yoke of ChristOf Our Humanity Overcome by ChristCHRISTIAN EXISTENCEAs Conflict of Flesh and SpiritAs a Fruitful Branch of the True VineAs Growth in the Grace of ChristAs Living with ChristAs a Pilgrimage, Not a Tourist SiteAs the Call to FreedomAs True in a Hidden BelongingExercised in CommitmentKeeping Alert to Being IN ChristLearned in the Cradle of ForgivenessLetting God-in-Christ Fulfill His Purpose for YouNot Defined by Human StandardsCHRISTIANITYAs Limited to the Golden Rule—St. Luke 6:31As Merely Religious SummonsCustomary Versions ofCHRIST JESUSAs Being Surprised by HimAs Guest in Our HomeAs Light that Overcomes DarknessAs Our Eternal ContemporaryAs Reality of God’s WordBaptized by John the BaptistDaily Rebirth inDemonstrates the Wideness of God’s LoveFriendship ofHis Consummate Word from the CrossHis Entry into the Dominion of DeathHis Love the Basis of Family CareIn Being Beyond Our KnowingRecognized by the Demon-PossessedSovereignty ofCHRISTMASAs Both Poetry and ProseAs Experienced by the Bethlehem ShepherdsAs God’s Event Announced Only by Heaven’s AngelsAs God’s Gift that Requires a Wilderness ExperienceAs God’s Own StoryAs Good News to Someone for EveryoneCelebrated in a Hymn of InvitationCHURCHAs Community of God’s Own People As the School for Issues of Gospel FaithIts Worldly DisorderLike Being with Abraham and FamilyCOMFORTWorldly, in Being Self-ConsolationAs That Which Abounds in the Father of MerciesCONFIRMATION RITEAs God’s Claim on You in Christ JesusCONSCIENCEAs Fear and Shame before GodCONVERSIONCREATIONOf Light, as God’s First WorkCROSS of CHRISTAs God’s Righteous JudgmentDECISIONFor God, as God’s Calling of UsDISCIPLESHIPAs Being a Brother to All PersonsAs Fellowship with Christ’s DeathAs Following along with Christ and Doing as He DoesAs a Humanly Impossible RequirementAs Laying Life’s Burdens down at the Cross of ChristAs Oneness with God-in-ChristAs Remaining Steadfast in ChristAs Summons to Implicit ObedienceAs the Impossible RenunciationAs the Way of the CrossBeing Responsible to the Presence of ChristEASTERAs Celebrated in ConfusionAs God’s Own PurposeAs Living and Dying in ChristELISHAHis Vision of Spiritual RealitiesFAITHAs a Continuing StruggleAs Focused on God’s Commanding PurposeAs Promise in God’s PowerAs Tested by Discouragement and DespairAs Tested by Obedience to GodAs Thoughtful, Not MindlessDependent on Loyalty of Devoted LoveIs Staying in the Company of JesusNot a Way of Proving GodFORGIVENESSAs the Fire of Divine CleansingGLORYDivine, as Revealed by the WordGODAnd Religious PatriotismAs Confronted by His RealityAs David’s TrustAs Potter of a New HumanityAs the Only Solution to One’s LonelinessDimensions of His LoveGlory as All His OwnHis Everlasting WordHis FaithfulnessHis Friendship as a Reckoning RelationshipHis HandHis Love as David’s Only TestimonyHis Silence a Price in Learning to BelieveSecure under His WingsTo Whom We Are Bound to Give AccountGOD, POWER OFAs Denied by PharaohExercised in Fulfillment of His PurposeGOD, PRESENCE OFAs a Problematical ConcernIn the Birth of JesusNot to Be Mistaken as a “Good-Luck” CharmTo Be Sought Whether Asleep or AwakeGOD, RIGHTEOUSNESS OFRevealed in Death as God’s WrathRevealed in God’s Calling of the Prophet: Isaiah 6:1-8GOD, SOVEREIGNTY OFAs Revealed in the Cross of ChristGOD, WORD OFAs Absolutely TrustworthyAs Challenge of the NEW in ChristAs a Joyful ImperativeAs a Misunderstood VoiceAs Power and TruthAs Spiritual FoodIts Fullness in ChristGOSPELAs Wholly Contained in Psalm 23As God’s Holy Love, Subverted by Cultural ChristianityGRACEAs Dwelling in Community of God’s LoveIts Three-Fold Dimension of Christian ExistenceGUIDANCEAs Being Alive to GodGUILTAs a Prevalent Human ConditionHEARTAs Channel of Life’s IssuesAs Determination of CharacterHOLY COMMUNIONIts Reality Is in Being ReceivedJesus Giving Himself in an Intimate EventHOLY SPIRITAs Power in the Name of Jesus ChristReplaced by Evil When WithdrawnRepresents the Reality of Christ JesusHOPETrue as Being Grounded in GodIGNORANCEConcerning ChristINSECURITYAs a Clue to the Gospel’s RelevanceJACOBAs Confronted by God’s Purpose in a VisionJESUSAs Awesome ConfrontationAs Not Just Another PreacherAs Not Primarily a HealerAs Our Kingly GodAs the Crucified ChristAs the Distinctive New Among the OldAs the Invisible “Light of the World”Comes to Us as Christ the LordCrucified with Two CriminalsHis Freedom in MissionHis Ministry Ordained through John’s BaptismHis Resurrection a FACT, Not a PRINCIPLEHis Resurrection Not Just Another MiracleHis Suffering as Eternal SorrowHis Teaching as the Gospel EnigmaMission and Message MisunderstoodMore than a Teacher of GoodUnacceptable as Prophetic FulfillmentJOB, BOOK OFJOYAs Distinct from Pleasure and HappinessEncompassed for Us in ChristJUDGMENTBy and of Man in the Cross of JesusKINGDOM OF GODAs Present in Christ CrucifiedAs Promise of God’s Victorious DominionBears Fruit by Those Only with Ears to HearDiscovered and Gained as a Costly TreasureEntrance PriceEntrance RequirementLIFEAs Barren without GodAs Eternal in Its MissionAs in Christ before Death and ResurrectionAs Mystery of Darkness and Light in GodAs Profane When Without GodAs a Spiritual StruggleAs the Light of Eternity in ChristAs Transformed by ChristFacing Its RealityIts Fulfillment in GodPoses the Ultimate Question to God-Fearing PeopleLOVEAs GOD’S Purpose for UsAs Sacrificial GivingFor Christ as Being Emptied for OthersIn Christ the Lord as Prerequisite to MinistryWhen Fear is Overcome by God’s Love in ChristMARY, MOTHER OF JESUSMINISTRYOf God’s Word as Commitment to Pastoral CareMIRACLESPerformed by Jesus as “Signs”NICODEMUSIn Failing to Take Up His CrossOBEDIENCEAs Being Bound to God, Not to the LawAs Prescribed by the Mother of JesusAs the DOING of God’s WillAs the Ultimate DecisionInadequate Simply as SacrificeOLD TESTAMENTReveals God’s Activity in Human AffairsPALM SUNDAYAs a Spontaneous but Misunderstood EventThe Challenge of Jesus’ KingshipPAUL, THE APOSTLEAs Dying with Christ and Alive to GodHis Ministry to Be Judged Only by GodPEACEAs Faith Abiding in ChristAs Revealed and Given to Us in Christ Jesus [John 14:28]PEOPLEAs Crowd Followers of JesusPETER, the DISCIPLEHis Confession—As ImaginedHis Discipleship TransformedHis IndependencePETER, the APOSTLEEmpowered by Christ in His Healing Ministry PHARISEESAs Justified in Their Opposition to JesusPRAYERAs Being Alone with GodAs Deliverance from SELFAs God’s Own InvitationAs God’s Promises Fulfilled in ChristAs True in the Context of God’s GloryAs Wanting What God DeterminesNecessary as Taught by JesusWhen It Requires Our Own ResponsibilityPREACHINGCategoriesGenuine as God’s Action through His SpiritIn the Apostolic TraditionRequires Faithfulness to the Word of GodPRIDEAs Refusing to Let Jesus Be Our SaviorPROPHETIC HERITAGE, OURAs Reverential Fear of GodPROVIDENCEAs God’s Care for His OwnNecessitates Human ResponsePSALMSAs Expressive Guides in Our Daily PrayersManifest Confidence in Faithfulness of GodRECONCILIATION [See 2 Corinthians 5:19]As the Priority of the Father’s Love for the SonRELIGIONIts True Priority and PromiseTrue as Continuing PrayerRELIGIOUS EXPERIENCEAs Godly FearAs God’s Own EnterpriseREPENTANCEAs Readiness for God’s GraceRequired in God’s Promise of PardonRESURRECTIONAs General and Gospel TruthRIGHTEOUSNESSAs Delight in GodSALVATIONAs Realized in ExertionSANCTIFICATION Being Identified as Sinner-SaintsRequires Self-ExaminationSELF-EXAMINATIONAs Authentic When in ChristAs Being Beyond IntrospectionSELF-UNDERSTANDINGAs Process in Being Bound to ChristSINAs Claiming Life for OurselvesAs Illustrated by the “Prodigal Son”As Judged in the Mirror of God’s WordIts Reality as Faced by St. PaulRevealed in the Shame of DisobedienceSORROWWorldly versus GodlySPIRITUALITYAs Confronted by EternityAs of Man or of GodAs the Secret of God’s GraceSTEWARDSHIPAs being Accountable Before the Judgment Seat of ChristSUFFERINGAs Manifest in Jesus CrucifiedTEMPTATIONAs a Serious Matter in Christian ExistenceAs Portrayed in the Story of Job THANKSGIVINGAs Abiding Only in GodAs Gratitude in ChristAs Honoring God in His HolinessAs Living—Not Simply Giving—ThanksTIMEAs Enclosed by EternityOf Crisis and of the EndTRUTHAs Being CruciformAs Fountain of FreedomAs the Reality of GodManifested Only in ChristWAITINGAs Being in Readiness for GodAs Sponsored by GodFor God as Essential ObedienceIs a Matter of Being PatientWISDOMAs a Misunderstood ValueAs Awareness in the Heart of Knowing GodIts Source as Humanly ElusiveIts True SourceWORKAs Man’s Redemption in ChristAs Prescribed by GodWORLDIn Its Negative and Positive DeterminationsWORLDLINESSAs a Matter of PossessionsWORSHIPAs Being Confronted by the Mystery and Majesty of GodAs True in the One God Who CarriesIn Church as Sanctuary of Place and TimeYOKEAs Our Savior’s DisciplineAs Freedom in Surrender to Christ

Fred's writings reflect for me the ‘wisdom of the ages.’ He has a special gift to select words and phrases that catch our attention and help us refocus on the really important matters of life and faith.