Rev. Dr. Rodney Kennedy Numbers 21:4-9 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21  There are snakes in the camp. In the kitchen sink. In the bathtub. In the beds. Under the blankets. Snakes! What a story. This is no bedtime story for children. This is even more awful than your mother teaching you to pray, “And if […]

By Rev. Dr. Rodney Kennedy Exodus 20:1-17; John 2: 15-22 The Ten Commandments and Jesus chasing the moneychangers from the Temple  – the odd couple? What gives? The Ten Commandments suffer from bad reviews: Judgmental, moralistic, old-fogey rules, a huge burden. It’s like a film getting a horrible review but wins the Oscar. The Ten […]

Mark 8:31-38 Legend says that as Shoeless Joe Jackson was leaving the courthouse during the trial of the Chicago Black Sox, as they were known, a young boy begged of him, “Say it ain’t so, Joe.” Well, Jesus 31began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, be killed, and […]

Genesis 7:1-5; Genesis 9:8-17; I Peter 3:18-22   I have found Noah’s Ark. Strangely it’s in Williamstown, Kentucky. I’m sure this is a surprise to Noah and to you. Who knew that Noah’s Ark had come to rest in Williamstown Kentucky? You know, of course, that I’m pulling your leg, and I am referring to […]

Rev. Dr. Rodney Kennedy 2 Kings 2:1-12; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9 Start with the story of Elijah transported to heaven in a whirlwind accompanied by fiery chariots and a military escort. Elijah passes the prophetic office to his student, Elisha. It’s like Master Yoda training Luke Skywalker. As difficult as it is for Elijah to “pass […]

Rev. Dr. Rodney Kennedy Sometimes I am troubled that there doesn’t seem to be anything that happens at church that causes people to talk about it. There are times when something so remarkable happens that everybody is talking about it. If an elderly couple here in Peoria won a $500 million lottery, everybody would be […]

Tomorrow night  Donald Trump will deliver his first State of the Union address. Notice I wrote “Donald Trump” not President Trump. I am simply unable to call him President. As far as I am concerned he has debased the office of President to such an extent that I cannot dignify him with the title “President.” […]

I Corinthians 8 A country singer croons, “I’ve Got a Thinking Problem.” He could be singing about American Christians because we have a thinking problem. Many Americans have come to the conclusion that they think more clearly than everybody else. People now believe their knowledge is superior knowledge. Not content with being right and knowing […]

Mark 1:21-45 I want to talk about health care, not because I want to pick a fight, but because we almost never talk about it as Christians. I must tell you that I think our nasty arguments over “Obamacare” are tacky. The reason we are so fired up about health care is that we are all […]

Rev. Dr. Rodney Kennedy I am going to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in this sermon. I feel this year’s Martin Luther King Day is critical for our nation because we are experiencing a new outbreak of racism. In the most powerful corridors of our government, old racists and their new converts, feel empowered […]