All Sermons
The reflection below was written by the Rev. Roger Douglas as part of the introduction to his book An Audience of One. It expresses the spirit behind all of his preaching and offers a helpful way to approach the sermons preserved in this archive.
As you read these sermons, you may find they help you make sense of the world, or invite you into your own conversation with God. Roger often said that he sought meaning in a world of death and suffering, beginnings and retirements, successes and failures, sense and nonsense.
His experience as a preacher taught him that most sermons first speak back to the one who writes them; the real dialogue is between the preacher and God. If anyone in the congregation hears a word that touches them, it is because God has chosen to let them in on that conversation.
Roger believed that preaching is deeply personal work — a struggle to make sense of Scripture, an openness about doubts, and a willingness to share the journey. The more honestly he engaged that struggle, the better others were able to identify with it.
He described this kind of work as “confessional” preaching, not in the sense of offering anecdotes, but in speaking truthfully from within one’s own life while pointing people toward Jesus. It frees the preacher from having to solve every problem and reminds us that we are not steering the ship, but contributing our part to the dialogue.
May these sermons draw you into that same conversation of faith — one marked by mystery, humility, and the grace of God at work in all things.
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Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking Matthew 21: 14-22 October 26, 1997 P.D. James, the British mystery writer, has come out with a disturbing novel called The Children of Men. The setting is in the near future. It takes place in a time when people have lost the ability to conceive children. For 25 years, no children have been born.…
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Who Owns What?
Who Owns What? Luke 20: 9-19 October 12, 1997 In the name of the living true God, who entrusts us with the care and nurture of the world, Amen I want to attempt something today that, to the best of my knowledge, has never before been tried in the annals of preaching. (That opener was…
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Driven People vs. Called People
Driven People vs. Called People October 5, 1997 There is a sign in an office I recently visited: “The people that work here who don’t have a hernia aren’t carrying their share of the load.” I could have written that sign. There is a saying jokingly used by some: “Thank God it’s Monday.” I’ve often…
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“Acknowledging Our Lostness”
“Acknowledging Our Lostness” Isaiah 55: 6-9, Luke 15: 3-10 October 3, 1993 In another week, we will be celebrating Columbus Day. Unfortunately, I shall be in Connecticut next weekend and cannot be here to preach. So I’ll take advantage of your good nature and begin our thoughts with where I might have started next Sunday.…
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The First Shall Be Last and The Last Shall Be First
The First Shall Be Last and The Last Shall Be First James 3: 12 – 4: 6; Mark 9: 30-37 September 21, 1997 Last week, I preached on the text, “The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” My basic thesis was that God loves the losers, those who are last, the…
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Performance People Versus Grace People
Performance People Versus Grace People Matthew 20: 1-16; 2 Peter 3: 15-18 September 14, 1997 It is said that we are often blind to the terrible things we inflict upon our children. And it has also been pointed out that we only become aware of these things when we see our children replicating our mistakes…
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Welcome to the Revolution
Welcome to the Revolution August 24, 1997 I want to welcome you back on this special day – this day of new beginnings – this day when we come together to make a fresh start for the fall and winter season. My text for this day comes not from Holy Scripture, but rather from the…
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“Dare to Care!”
“Dare to Care!” Leviticus 19: 1-2, 9-18; Matthew 5: 38-38 July 23, 1997 When was the last time you gossiped? I often recommend gossiping to parents of Children who are to be baptized. Now, lest you think I am crazy, let me tell you what the word “gossip” originally meant. “Gossip” was the conversation between…
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Family Connections
Family Connections Acts 2: 1-11 May 11, 1997 I once had an Uncle, Uncle Donald. Uncle Donald was my mother’s brother, but more than that, he was the black sheep of the family. I don’t think he ever did anything very wrong. He was just a wanderer, a dreamer who borrowed a lot of money…
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St. Philips Day
St. Philips Day 2 Corinthians 4: 1-6 John 14: 6-14 May 4, 1997 In one of Flannery O’Connor’s short stories [“Good Country People”] she describes an angry, bitter, young woman who lived her whole life with a chip on her shoulder. This woman viewed her well-meaning mother with disgust and found every one else in…