Bret Hammond
Religion og åndelighetBret Hammond is the Spiritual Formation Pastor at South Side Christian Church in Springfield, Illinois. This podcast is a collection of his sermons.
Siste episoder av Bret Hammond podcast
- Why Do You Worry? Matthew 6:25-34 (00:22:30)
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 ten times more bacteria on it than the average public toilet? In a world where worries are everywhere, Jesus’ question in Matthew 6:28 sounds a little simplistic: “Why do you worry?” Why wouldn’t I worry, Jesus?? Have you heard about the volcanoes??? But here’s the thing: when Jesus talked about worry, he didn’t mention crocodiles, volcanoes, or germy phones. No — he mentioned food, drink, and clothing. Those daily needs we all have and, for the most part, have enough of. But what about those who don’t? I can’t do much about the crocodiles out there, but if I’m not worried about my daily needs, maybe I can do something about someone else’s worries. Today at South Side Christian Church, we’ll hear Jesus’ words about worry and his prescription for a worry-free community. I hope you can join us at either 9:00 or 10:30 am. We’d love to see you there. Oh, and you probably ought to wipe that phone off after you’re done reading this.
- What Is Your Name? Mark 5:1-20 (00:22:42)
"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 doesn't take a mask to wonder about someone's identity—or your own. Far too often, we hide behind something—pain from the past, shame we've carried too long, names that were never really ours but somehow stuck. In Mark 5, Jesus meets a man who's lost his name to chaos. He knows himself only by his wounds. But Jesus doesn't leave him there—he speaks freedom and gives him an identity greater than he could have imagined. If you've ever wondered who you really are, Jesus offers an identity rooted not in your failures, but in his grace.
- How Can I Give You Up? Hosea 11:1-11 (00:27:35)
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 trouble to grace both in the text and in our lives. It invites listeners to reflect deeply on the nature of divine love—one that refuses to abandon, even when abandonment seems justified. For more on the Four Pages approach and how it shapes sermons like this, visit: https://www.brethammond.com/2025/04/four-pages/.
- Show Up Together; Exodus 4:10-17 (00:21:22)
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 4:10, he cries to God, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." There's something familiar to me in Moses' words. I've heard many people tell God what they can't do, but I've also witnessed what happens when they overcome that fear and serve anyway. I've listened to amazing messages from people who told me they couldn't speak, heard heartfelt prayers from those who told me they couldn't pray out loud, and seen God's grace poured out on those who said "yes" to him. Before we list our limitations to God, let's pause and listen to what he can do through us—all of us. Just as God addressed Moses' concerns before he left the burning bush, he speaks to each of us. If we listen carefully, we can hear his call for us and his promises as well.
- Encourage One Another With These Words; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (00:22:18)
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 all over the world would disappear. Those left behind would be plunged into a time of tribulation and difficulty like never before. That thought terrified me! Of course, it terrified me before I became a Christian. I didn't want to be left behind with the rest of the losers! I distinctly remember driving back to town after an early morning hunting trip with my dad and seeing no cars on the road. "It's happened, and I've missed it!" I thought. "It's going to be every man for himself, and I didn't even get a single squirrel this morning! I am SOOO dead!" But it terrified me after I became a Christian, also. The thought of leaving friends and family behind filled me with anxiety about how they would fend for themselves and what they might have to endure. And, of course, as a teenage boy, I was plagued with the fear of what I would miss out on if Jesus came back today! There was so much of life ahead of me—cars, college, and . . . well . . . other stuff. Sociologists told me there was something I was thinking about at least once every six minutes. "Dear Jesus, I want to go to heaven, but please, not until after I've done THAT!" If only I had read the next verse. After all that bizarre stuff in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, verse 18 concludes with, "Therefore encourage one another with these words." Not "terrify one another," not "scare teenage boys out of misbehaving," but "encourage one another!" I would have slept much better if I had only read that last verse! In this message, needing one more hour of sleep, I do my best to bring encouragement as we unpack the hope Paul loads into these few verses.
- Growing from Faith and Love; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 (00:20:35)
"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 the Bible is a book of good news. That's what the angel brought, right? Doesn't it seem like we just read Luke 2:10 a few weeks ago? "I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all people." Good news causes joy. Good news brings relief. Good news is worth telling! And so, when Paul was worried about his friends in Thessalonica—did their faith survive after he was torn away from them so abruptly? Timothy returned with a report about them, and the only way to express his response was with words usually reserved for his Savior. "Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love" (1 Thessalonians 3:6). It's a biblical oddity; one of only two times "good news" is used in the New Testament for anything other than salvation. But its usage makes me wonder, what's the good news about you and me? What about us is worthy of language reserved for our King? I suspect the good news about the Thessalonians could likely be the good news about you and about those who share their faith love with you.
- Who Wins the Good Life? Psalm 24:7-10 (00:18:43)
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 the door open for everyone. An open door is an invitation and so much more. It lets people know they're welcome, not just into the building but the community. Opening the door for someone tells them that they belong. Psalm 24 calls for doors to be opened for an honored guest. Verse 7 calls out, "Be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!" We hold the door for guests, friends, and those weighed down with years and pizzas. And we open the door for God as well, that the King of glory might enter our lives and join us in our joys and sorrows, celebrations and struggles. In this sermon, we wrap up our look at Psalm 24 by opening the door for the King to come in.
- Just Show Up; Psalm 122 (00:19:07)
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 chapters expressing their ignorance of God and assumptions about their friend. But before they insert a single foot into their collective mouths, they do the smartest thing they could have ever done. Job 2:13 says of those three friends, "They sat with Job on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great." Having spent time sitting with the suffering, mourning with those shaken by loss, and keeping company with those numb from the news of diagnoses, one of the most important lessons I've learned is the one in which Job's friends should have persisted: You don't need to say anything; you only need to be there. That's what our friends who are hurting need more than any words of wisdom we can spout or silver lining we can find in their pain. They simply need someone to show up. There is great peace in realizing that, without saying a word, we can bring the presence of God into their need by just showing up. In this message we go to Psalm 122, accompany King David to worship, and find encouragement from Drew Dyck's new book, "Just Show Up."
- The Word Became Flesh; John 1:1-18 (00:24:26)
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
- Awkward Family Christmas: Bathsheba; 2 Samuel 11:1-27 (00:25:24)
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 ever been uninvited to a Christmas dinner; everyone who has longed for a second chance and a new identity. The entire series, "Awkward Family Christmas" can be found at this link:https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/awkward-family-christmas
- Unpacking Christmas; Luke 1:5-17 (00:24:04)
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: https://soundcloud.com/bretnet/sets/unpacking-christmas. https://brethammond.com
- All I Want for Christmas is for God to Show Up; Matthew 1:18-25 (00:25:09)
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
- Thanksgiving at the End of the World; Revelation 11:15-19 (00:25:46)
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 up or condemn ourselves for our rebellion against a biblical mandate. Instead, it’s an opportunity to open our eyes and see that thanksgiving isn’t something that just happens in ourselves; thanksgiving happens in community with others. https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/thanksgiving-at-the-end-of-the-world/
- Thanksgiving from the Pit; Jonah 2:1-10 (00:26:49)
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 in the belly of the great fish! Jonah cries out to God, “I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (Jonah 2:9). And if Jonah can give thanks in his very dark place, maybe we can give thanks even when the darkness seems to consume us. Thanksgiving from the Pit - Jonah 2:2 https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/thanksgiving-from-the-pit/
- A Tank Full of Thankful; Isaiah 12:1-6 (00:21:23)
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 we obey a command that goes beyond the circumstances we might find ourselves in? I believe God’s call to give thanks calls us to look beyond ourselves and into his purpose for our lives. In viewing it that way, thanksgiving is less about the moment (or the holiday) and more about the way we prepare ourselves for whatever circumstances might come at us. https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/a-tank-full-of-thankful/
- The Lady And The Dragon; Revelation 12:1-17 (00:33:46)
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 is a mass of tangled threads and looks nothing at all like the carefully crafted handiwork on the front. There is something of that reality in my final message on the Stranger Things from the Bible. We easily recognize the beauty of the Christmas season. The lights, colors, music, and temperatures make the approach and celebration of the holiday apparent to us. But a dragon seeking to devour a newborn? This is a tangled, messy image from an upside-down reality that is foreign to us and sounds more fitting for Game of Thrones than A Charlie Brown Christmas. https://www.brethammond.com/2019/11/the-lady-and-the-dragon/
- The Seven Sons Of Sceva; Acts 19:11-20 (00:30:13)
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 problem to the local synagogue, which could be embarrassing. What could be done about a pesky demonic infestation? There’s got to be an easier way! And so, there were semi-professional exorcists who could be called on to take care of the problem. They knew a few prayers and incantations and would do their best to remove your demon (or the next one’s free). Such were the seven sons of a high priest named Sceva. And as the story in Acts 19 shows, they weren’t very good at their job. Read more about this message in my blog post here:https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/the-seven-sons-of-sceva/
- Nebuchadnezzar's Humiliation; Daniel 4:28-37 (00:32:48)
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 this story happening on a moonlit night. Soon, he transforms into a cursed beast and flees from his home. Read the blog post that accompanies this sermon by clicking here:https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/stranger-things-from-the-bible-nebuchadnezzars-humiliation/
- Elisha And The Bears; 2 Kings 2:15-25 (00:36:04)
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 bears out of the woods to maul them. Disturbing story? You bet! Stranger thing from the Bible? Of course! But it’s a lot of fun to preach! This is one of those texts a lot of preachers don't touch. Aside from being a strange story, it's one that needs a lot of care, explanation and research. For a deeper dive on this text, check out my blog article here: https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/stranger-things-from-the-bible-elisha-and-the-bears/
- Saul and the Witch of Endor; 1 Samuel 25 (00:31:01)
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 stranger things. In 2016, I spent October, a month we normally look for ghosts and goblins, digging into some often ignored passages. I titled the series Stranger Things from the Bible after the Netflix series that drew us into the Upside Down. There’s much in the Bible that might also seem upside down. The Stranger Things series, set in the fictional small-town of Hawkins, Indiana. Hawkins doesn’t feel all that far removed from our own small-town in Illinois. I felt the similarities and the callbacks to the heydays of the 1980s would go over well with our crowd. I also hoped that the strangeness of the stories would disarm my hearers and allow the punch of the message to surprise them. And it helps that I love these weird Bible stories! These stories might make us uncomfortable, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), right? The Bible’s stranger things deserve our attention. We can gain much from these stories. https://www.brethammond.com/2019/10/stranger-things-from-the-bible-saul-and-the-witch-of-en-dor/
- Praying God-Sized Prayers; Ephesians 3:20-21 (00:25:27)
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 recruited three of us to help him preach a sermon one Sunday morning. I read my portion as fast as possible, knowing that the sooner I got done, the better for me and everyone else. Then, as a freshman in Bible College, I was asked to come home to preach for a Youth Sunday. The night before, I tossed and turned and preached the sermon repeatedly in my head. That Sunday morning, the sermon took all of seven minutes, and I swore I'd never preach again! Before we get to the messy goodbyes today, I can't help but commend Kansas Christian Church. Serving my home church for over two decades has been an honor, but our bond goes back further than that. We would be hard-pressed to name every soul who put us on this course together. We could point to lessons learned in VBS fifty years ago, relationships built through youth groups, and families who brought an extra plate so the kid who came to church alone would have a place to sit during potlucks. We would point to those who thanked a nervous young preacher at the door thirty-eight years ago and assured him he did a fine job and they'd listen to him again. And, from eternity's perspective, we would see the prayers of faithful saints who believed God could do more with a young man's life than he ever thought possible. And I know God continues to answer those kind of prayers. In this, my final sermon at Kansas Christian Church, we'll pray a prayer we've been praying together for at least twenty-one years. I'm eager to share a message and a prayer with you.
- A Communion Hymn; Luke 7:36-50 (00:26:37)
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 churches. "A church should never be bigger than one loaf can serve," he said confidently. I realized that's nowhere in the Bible! I also wondered if he had ever seen that episode of I Love Lucy where she bakes her own bread (if you know, you know). In my years of faith, I've had communion with one loaf and multiple loaves. I've had unleavened bread, homemade bread, crackers, and croutons. I've had grape juice, wine, blackberry juice, and, one difficult Sunday, a glass of water. I've placed cracker crumbs on the tongues of the dying and given them a single drop of juice off the tip of my finger, reminding them of Jesus' presence and the nearness of his promise for them. "His body and His blood. Christ be with you." I've come to believe there is only one essential element to the Lord's Supper, and it's not found in what's served on the table but who is encountered at the table. Oh, and sometimes there isn't even a table! This message has been brewing in me for over thirteen years. In this passage, we meet Jesus at the table, and I'll tell you about another table where "a woman of the city" encountered Jesus. I'll also tell you about the long night when I learned a new communion song.
- A Tour of the Throne Room; Revelation 4 (00:21:42)
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 Life Tumbles In, What Then?" Given the freshness of his grief, he spoke words I've only begun to feel with my limited pain and perspective: When we are young, heaven is a vague and nebulous, and shadowy place. But as our friends gather there, more and more, it gains body and vividness and homeliness. And when our dearest have passed yonder, how real and evident it grows, and near it is, how often we steal yonder. I confess I didn't preach much about heaven when I was younger; it didn't seem important. But, over the years, as more and more friends have taken up residence in that "happy land, far, far, away," it's become a vital topic, and heaven has felt much closer. Wouldn't it be something if we could "steal yonder" and see what those who have gone on before us see? We would be amazed at how near heaven truly is. Today at Kansas Christian Church, we'll do our best to "steal yonder" with John as he tours the throne room of God in Revelation 4. We will see both the strange and familiar on the other side of the sea.
- Compassionate Faith; Mark 2:1-12 (00:23:58)
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 every stripe of life: doctors, lawyers, truck drivers, motorcycle riders, preachers, and young and old alike! I certainly can't justify all of Buffett's songs, but I maintain that there is something sacred about community. I can't help but consider the crowd at a Buffett concert and hear something akin to Acts 2, "Are these not Parthians and Medes and Elamites" . . . "and hippies and professionals and grandparents and grandchildren? We hear them all singing 'Cheeseburger in Paradise!'" Early in Jesus' ministry, we find him already building community. Mark 2:2 tells us that, as he preached in a home in Capernaum, "many gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door." I've seen concert crowds packed in like that! Rather than be dissuaded by such a crowd, four desperate men chose to get creative to find a way to get their friend to Jesus. Getting people to Jesus still takes some creativity on our part. In this message, we'll hear the story of these friends and how Jesus had a greater blessing in store for them than they could imagine. He still has unimaginable blessings for us!
- From the Depth of the Ditch; Psalm 13 (00:22:38)
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. That's all I've ever heard about, anyway. But no—there is the possibility for greater blessings ahead! While we often focus on the pain and stress from trauma, the growth potential is even more significant than the potential for stress. Trauma specialist and counselor Kobe Campbell has found that on the other side of healing from trauma, one can find a life of personal strength, closer relationships, a greater appreciation for life, new possibilities, and spiritual development. Psalm 13 is a testimony to the possibility of post-traumatic growth. It begins as a lament, crying out to God over the disappointment and unfairness of life. But it ends in a place of love, salvation, and grace. In the middle, David decided to trust God, the same choice we can make.