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He Taught Them Saying
A Sermon Series Based on the Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount was not preached to the masses but to the 12 disciples whom Jesus called to follow him. It remains the most significant body of ethical teachings found in the Gospels.
Dr. Hickman M. Johnson, a longtime pastor, explores the savior's sermon in detail in this book, noting that Matthew introduced us to this event by saying: "And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying ..." (Matthew 5:1-2 KJV).
The disciples pondered the meaning of his words, grappling with their significance to this new life. They and we will ask questions like:What does it mean to be Christian?How are we Christians to live?How are we to reflect Christ in our lives?
If the Ten Commandments established the moral norm for ancient Israel, then the Sermon on the Mount sets the ethical standard for Christian believers.
Farewell, My Friends!
A Book of Eulogies and Tributes
The eulogy is the most personal tribute the pastor will give; it’s the pastor’s final praise of life. It is never easy, nor should it be for the pastor to give this funeral tribute. Were it easy, then the pastor has failed to feel deeply the pain of those whom he or she serves.
After hundreds of eulogies, Dr. Johnson still struggles to find just the right words to express how important these persons are to him. To express in the space of a few minutes, with words surely lacking, considering the pain this moment has birthed, the deep sense of respect that he holds for him or her who has crossed into worlds unknown, is the least of all gifts.
This book brings the reader face to face with a few of the many people Dr. Johnson has met over his 40 years of ministry. They may be strangers at the outset; however, he hopes that you too will come to know them. Most of them were members; all were friends. Their lives were intertwined by so many rich experiences. Dr. Johnson found himself dreading to say, goodbye. He needed more time to love them, know them better, and enjoy their company. And yet, there was no more time. Time had wound down for them and for him, and all he could do was to bid them, “Farewell!”