PODCAST · religion
Bret Hammond
by Bret Hammond
Bret Hammond is the Spiritual Formation Pastor at South Side Christian Church in Springfield, Illinois. This podcast is a collection of his sermons.www.brethammond.com
Episodes
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Jesus Calls Them Neighbors; Jonah 4
John and I meet for coffee every couple of weeks. We don't really plan it; it just happens. John's in his 80s, retired, and has amazing stories. He also puts up with a lot of my questions (I'm still not sure why). John is one of the kindest men I know. There's something about him that draws…
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Seeing Who Jesus Sees; John 11:33-37
The announcement came over the PA system at school: "We're conducting eye exams in the office today." I didn't think much about it until I realized something. The other kids could read the chalkboard from their seats. I couldn't. I failed the eye exam, a note was sent home to my parents, and…
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Abounding in Love; Romans 12:9-13
Some mornings, coffee isn’t enough. A few years ago, after a late night and an early morning, I sat down at breakfast with friends and announced, “Listen . . . I’m barely functioning. If you have anything important to say, you’re probably going to need to repeat it three times.” Honestly,...
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The Open Door; Revelation 3:7-13
The key was missing, and the door wouldn’t open. There weren’t many options for getting in. I suppose I could have tried to break down the door, but that would have been expensive (and probably painful). In the end, I chose to go outside and break a window instead. That turned into a $20 repair…
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Give Thanks; Psalm 136
Some weeks, the loudest voice in your life isn’t God’s—it’s the one telling you what you’re not. It whispers before you’re fully awake. It follows you into the car, into the office, into the quiet moments. And most days, it doesn’t need anyone else’s help; we’re perfectly capable of discouraging...
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Toto: The Spirit Has a Soft Side
In John 14:15–27, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit as our Advocate, Comforter, and Friend—the one who steadies our hearts and keeps us focused on him. Using imagery from The Wizard of Oz, Bret compares the Spirit’s quiet guidance to Toto’s loyal presence beside Dorothy: alert, faithful, and always...
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Why Do You Worry? Matthew 6:25-34
Are you having a good morning? Let’s see if we can fix that. Did you know crocodiles can gallop like horses? They’re crazy fast! Did you know there are approximately 40 supervolwcanoes worldwide, and they are way overdue to erupt? They could go off any minute now. Did you know your cellphone has...
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What Is Your Name? Mark 5:1-20
"Who was that masked man?" I must have heard that line a hundred times growing up, watching reruns of The Lone Ranger. At the end of every episode, the townspeople would stand around in awe as the stranger rode off into the sunset, wondering about the identity of their mysterious rescuer. But it...
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How Can I Give You Up? Hosea 11:1-11
Hosea laments Israel's lusts for idols, but never loses sight of God's unfailing love and compassion. In Hosea 11, we hear God's constant call for his people to return to him. This sermon follows the Four Pages of the Sermon method developed by Paul Scott Wilson, a framework designed to move from...
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Show Up Together; Exodus 4:10-17
Jerry Seinfeld once noted that most people's number one fear is public speaking, and number two is death. This means that the average funeral attendee would feel more comfortable being the person in the casket than the person delivering the eulogy. Moses would have preferred the casket. In Exodus...
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Encourage One Another With These Words; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
I lost an hour of sleep last night, but that doesn't begin to compare to the hours of sleep I lost as a teenager contemplating the text I'll be preaching today! Growing up, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 was read as a warning. One day, a trumpet would sound, and in the twinkling of an eye, Christians…
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Growing from Faith and Love; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
"Have you heard about Jim? The tests were negative." You reply with, "That's good news!" "Did you hear about Carrie? She had the baby! It's a boy, and both are doing great!" And again, you reply, "That's good news!" You know good news when you hear it! It would be entirely accurate to say that…
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Who Wins the Good Life? Psalm 24:7-10
When Trish and I went out for dinner the other night, I held the door open for an older couple walking into the restaurant. That same night, an older man opened a door for me because I was carrying precious cargo—a pizza to take home to the kids! We have dedicated greeters at South Side who hold...
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Just Show Up; Psalm 122
Few books of the Bible go off the rails as quickly or completely as the book of Job. Before the end of chapter one, there's a cosmic bet and a family left devastated. From there, things get worse! Before chapter two ends, three of Job's friends show up. They'll spend the following twenty-two...
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The Word Became Flesh; John 1:1-18
Click here for the entire sermon series "What Child Is This?" https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/what-child-is-this-christmas?si=dfc8a9abb2374a899fc42017210d5ec6&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
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Awkward Family Christmas: Bathsheba; 2 Samuel 11:1-27
Of all the names listed in Jesus’ genealogy, there is one that isn’t named. Matthew only identifies her by her failure. He says, “she who had been the wife of Uriah,” but we know he means Bathsheba. There’s a message for everyone who has ever been identified by their failure; everyone who has…
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Unpacking Christmas; Luke 1:5-17
Luke doesn't begin his Christmas story with Mary, Joseph, and the manger in Bethlehem. He begins a whole year earlier in the temple in Jerusalem and an elderly couple caught between a dying hope and a living prayer. Click here for the whole sermon series:...
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All I Want for Christmas is for God to Show Up; Matthew 1:18-25
In this sermon podcast, we revisit a Christmas message I presented at the end of 2020. With so much turmoil in our world and our lives, all we wanted was for God to show up. https://brethammond.com
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Thanksgiving at the End of the World; Revelation 11:15-19
The command in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Let’s be honest and admit that’s not always easy. Some circumstances are so difficult we may never find our way to thanksgiving. This is not a reason to beat ourselves…
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Thanksgiving from the Pit; Jonah 2:1-10
I think about all the lessons I’ve heard from the book of Jonah over my life. There have been lessons about obedience, faithfulness, and love for neighbors and enemies. But I don’t think I ever heard a lesson about thanksgiving. That is, until now. It’s right there in the heart of the story and…
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A Tank Full of Thankful; Isaiah 12:1-6
Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday. It’s the mindset God calls us to have. In fact, he commands it! In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we’re called to “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” God commands us to give thanks! But how do we do that? How do...
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The Lady And The Dragon; Revelation 12:1-17
I have a beautiful needlepoint of the Fruit of the Spirit that was given to me as a gift. It hangs on the wall in my office as a reminder of the wonderful lady who gave it to me and the character I aspire to as a Christian. The front is flawless, but—even though I’ve never seen the back—I know it...
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The Seven Sons Of Sceva; Acts 19:11-20
Being a Jewish Itinerant Exorcist was big money. It was something akin to “Uber for Demons,” or maybe “Demon Dash” instead of “Door Dash.” You see, if you had a demon problem, you would either have to head to the temple in Jerusalem, which was a long trip and a huge hassle; or you could take the...
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Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation; Daniel 4:28-37
My third message from the Stranger Things from the Bible is the bizarre story of the transformation and humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar looks upon the greatness of his nation and basks in his own glory. Maybe it’s the influence of The Wolf Man, but I always imagine...
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Elisha And The Bears; 2 Kings 2:15-25
The second story in our journey through the Stranger Things from the Bible takes us to 2 Kings and the wicked city of Bethel. It’s here that newly appointed prophet, Elisha, is verbally assaulted by youths and responds with a curse. God hears his “prayer” and promptly responds by sending two…
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Saul and the Witch of Endor; 1 Samuel 25
Our Bibles are not the clean, happy books we think they are. They’re full of scary stuff. Yes, there’s faith, hope, and love in those pages; but look hard enough and you’ll find witches, ghosts, dragons and things that go bump in the night. The Bible is full of strange things . . . and even...
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Praying God-Sized Prayers; Ephesians 3:20-21
I'm sure my count is off, but by my records, I've now preached something north of 1,500 sermons. The vast majority of those were written for the Kansas Christian Church, a church that challenged and encouraged a young man to preach again and again. I was in junior high when the youth minister...
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A Communion Hymn; Luke 7:36-50
A man once told me I was taking communion wrong. "It has to be one loaf," he said. "If it isn't, you're sinning." I countered by asking him, "What if it's a really big church? How do you make one loaf that serves a thousand in worship?" He explained to me that was why there shouldn't be any big...
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A Tour of the Throne Room; Revelation 4
How far away is heaven? There are days when it feels very close, aren't there? I've often returned to the words of the preacher Arthur John Gossip. He was about my age when his wife suddenly and tragically died. The following Sunday, he was in the pulpit, preaching a sermon he titled, "But When...
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Compassionate Faith; Mark 2:1-12
I awoke yesterday morning to the news that Jimmy Buffett had died. I've long enjoyed his music, but more than that, I've always been struck by his ability to build community. There is no particular type of Jimmy Buffett fan ("Parrotheads," as they like to be known). Instead, you find people from...
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From the Depth of the Ditch; Psalm 13
My ears perked up yesterday as I heard the unfamiliar phrase "Post-Traumatic Growth." "That's not right," I thought. "They mean 'Post-Traumatic STRESS,' right?" Our painful and traumatic experiences leave us overwhelmed and weakened, living with the stresses we'll carry for the rest of our lives....
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Words that Heal; Psalm 12
You've probably heard the old joke before. "How do you know when a politician is lying?" The answer is, "His lips are moving." Psalm 12 seems to be written to point fingers at political figures. Verse 3 speaks of "flattering lips" and "tongues that make great boasts." In verse 4, they stand…
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In the Lord I Take Refuge; Psalm 11
Paradise is burning. The news and images of the wildfires on Maui have been heartbreaking. This morning's news brought the death toll up to 93. A place renowned for its peace and beauty is experiencing loss and fear that I cannot begin to comprehend. Let's all pray for Maui. It was startling to...
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Forget Not; Psalms 9 & 10
My son Connor loves music, and he's got some great taste in the songs he plays on his iPad. The only problem is he stops songs before they're over. "Click!" They're done when he's done! Sometimes he moves on to the next one; other times, he starts the song over again, never letting it finish.…
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Crowned with Glory; Psalm 8
The image on the thumbnail of this message is the result of focusing a telescope for over twelve hours on an area of space no bigger than a grain of sand held at arm’s length. This “deep field image” revealed that even the blackness of space is filled with creation. Those stars aren’t…
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Refuge; Psalm 7
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me." We learned that one on the playground, and we learned it isn't true. Even the Bible declares it false! Proverbs 12:18 warns, "Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword." Ephesians 4:31 instructs, "Let all bitterness…
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How Long? Psalm 6
Did you celebrate the great American holiday last week? I'm speaking of Prime Day, of course. I managed to snag a few deals through Amazon; a gift for my daughter's birthday, some shirts for Connor, and a replacement for a recently broken kitchen gadget (that I promise I won't break again). The...
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A Prayer to Start Your Day Right; Psalm 5
I've heard there are two kinds of people in the world. Some wake up and say, "Good morning, Lord!" And then some wake up and say, "Good Lord, it's morning!" I know which kind I am. Which kind are you? It might surprise you that King David appears to have occasionally been with us in the latter...
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A Psalm for Bedtime; Psalm 4
Did you say your prayers before bed last night? In "A Light in the Attic," Shel Silverstein offers his own skewed view on bedtime prayers, offering one that is honest, hilarious, and a little demented (as only Silverstein can do): Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, And…
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A Shield About Me; Psalm 3
I attended a small concert Thursday evening to hear my favorite band, Dawes. Just about everyone there was a longtime fan, like myself. We all knew their songs well and anticipated that they would play our favorites. Three songs into their set, a very familiar guitar riff started. The entire...
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Why Do the Nations Rage? Psalm 2
We had an early Father's Day family outing to the zoo yesterday. Grandpa had a great time watching the animals with Ruby. It was a good thing we had Gracie along; she read the plaques to us, giving us essential information about the various animals. For instance, she told us we shouldn't smile at...
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Ringtones; Psalm 1
I've joked that the only reason I keep going to school is to maintain my Spotify student discount. Spotify is a service that contains a massive collection of music. It's introduced me to new songs I've fallen in love with and allows me to build playlists of my old favorites. So whatever mood I…
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A Funeral Message for Darrell Short
A Funeral Message for Darrell Short by Bret Hammond
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Breathe; John 20:19-23
I was an hour away from home, looking for some relaxation on a beautiful summer day. My destination was a rails-to-trails project where I could walk, think, and pray. As I approached the parking lot for the trail, my old vehicle balked! It didn't want to turn! With great effort and a lot of...
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Living Hope and Enduring Grace; 1 Peter 5:6-11
Tim Keller passed away Friday, three years after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Keller was a significant voice in the Christian faith, often confrontational, always kind, and always pointing people to Jesus. I followed him on Twitter, where, among the short rants offered by way too many,...
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Fiery Trials; 1 Peter 4:12-19
"Trouble won't kill ya." In his song, "La Vie," Billy Sprague tells the story of his grandmother Myrtle and the trials she had lived through, outlasting two husbands, all of her sisters, brothers, and cousins. Myrtle was left to wonder why she was still alive. I can't help but think of Mom today...
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Be Prepared; 1 Peter 3:13-17
Dad taught me always to carry a spare tire and jack in the car's trunk. That served me well until I found someone with a flat one day, and my tire iron didn't match their lug nuts. That's when I started carrying a four-way. Then I found someone with an easily fixed tire puncture, and that's when…
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Lessons Learned in Suffering; 1 Peter 2:19-25
There are movies we've watched so often that certain lines have burned themselves into our memory and found their way into everyday conversation. So, for a number of you reading this, all I have to write is, "Tis but a scratch!" and, well . . . if you know, you know! As a kid, watching the Black...
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But When Life Tumbles In, What Then? by Arthur John Gossip
In 1927, following the sudden death of his wife, Arthur John Gossip preached his sermon, "But When Life Tumbles In, What Then?" This sermon continues to impact us as we search for a faith that will take us through the troubles of life. The full text of this manuscript can be found at...
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Though; 1 Peter 1:3-9
Of all the words of faith and devotion in the Bible, I find myself reflecting on three spoken by Daniel's friends before the fiery furnace. "But if not." When faced with the choice of either bowing down and worshiping idols of gold or submitting their lives to the fire, these men spoke with...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Bret Hammond is the Spiritual Formation Pastor at South Side Christian Church in Springfield, Illinois. This podcast is a collection of his sermons.www.brethammond.com
HOSTED BY
Bret Hammond
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Bret Hammond currently has 500 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
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Bret Hammond is the Spiritual Formation Pastor at South Side Christian Church in Springfield, Illinois. This podcast is a collection of his sermons.www.brethammond.com
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Bret Hammond publishes regularly with 500 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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