Sermons on the Side

What happens when you turn on a lamp and the entire house loses power? Well, if you're Richard, you might start wondering if you're the one responsible! 
In this week's episode of Sermons on the Side, Richard shares a hilarious story from earlier this week when a perfectly timed power outage got him thinking about the relationship between darkness and light. What starts as a funny coincidence turns into a powerful reminder of who God is and what He does. 
From Psalm 139, where we're reminded that even darkness is not dark to God, to Jesus declaring Himself the Light of the World in John 8:12, Scripture continually points us to a God who is never overcome by darkness. 
But it's 2 Corinthians 4:6 that brings it all together. The very same God who spoke light into existence at the beginning of creation is still shining that light into our hearts today. Think about that! The God who said, "Let there be light," is still bringing light into the darkest places of our lives. 
Darkness isn't something that has to be defeated by a greater substance. It's simply the absence of light. And when the light of Christ enters the picture, everything changes.
Because bringing light into darkness isn't just something God did. It's what God does!
Join Brad and Richard for Episode 88 as they explore what the Bible teaches about light, darkness, God's presence, and the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
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What if the voice of God sounds like someone crying out for help? 
Long before Hacksaw Ridge brought the story of Desmond Doss to the big screen, Richard had become fascinated by the unlikely World War II hero. Years ago, while visiting family in Lynchburg, Virginia, he regularly drove along the Desmond T. Doss Memorial Expressway. Curiosity led him to learn Doss’s remarkable story - years before Richard would hear director Mel Gibson talk about the newly filmed Hacksaw Ridge at his daughter’s graduation. 
In this episode of Sermons on the Side, Richard takes us back to the battlefield scenes that have stayed with him ever since. 
There’s the moment when Doss is desperately trying to hear from God - and instead hears the cries of a wounded soldier in the darkness. There’s the soldier who believes he’s been blinded until Doss washes the dirt and blood from his eyes and helps him see again. And then there’s the prayer Doss offers over and over as he lowers wounded men to safety:
“Lord, help me get one more.” 
Those moments raise a question for all of us: Are our hearts tuned to the Father closely enough to hear the people around us crying for help? Are our eyes open enough to notice the one who needs us?
Jesus does the saving. But we get to do the obeying. 
Maybe we don’t have to change the whole world today. Maybe we simply need to ask God to help us find one more person to encourage, serve, love, or point toward Jesus.
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Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

When you experience a win in life, where do you run first? 
This week on Sermons on the Side, Richard kicks things off with a birthday surprise for Brad, featuring special messages from friends and family and a sweet recording of his wife and kids singing Happy Birthday! 
Then, Brad shares a moment he'll never forget: watching his daughter Bekah score her very first soccer goal. In the pouring rain, surrounded by cheering teammates and parents, Bekah's first instinct wasn't to celebrate with her team or soak in the applause. She turned around, ran straight to her dad, and jumped into his arms. 
That simple moment raises a powerful question: When God allows us to experience a victory in life, is our first instinct to run to Him?
James 1:17 reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from above. Whether it's a major milestone, an answered prayer, or a small victory in an ordinary day, every blessing is an opportunity to recognize the goodness of our Heavenly Father. 
But how often do we celebrate the gift without acknowledging the Giver? 
Join Brad and Richard as they reflect on gratitude, fatherhood, celebrating life's victories, and developing a heart that instinctively runs to God - not just when life gets difficult, but when life gets good. 
Because sometimes, the most important part of scoring a goal isn't the goal itself. It's where you run to celebrate.
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Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

“Big Truss! Woo woo!” 
In 2019, Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram went viral when he enthusiastically introduced Lamar Jackson to the media as the “MVP frontrunner” and declared one unforgettable phrase: Big Truss.
It was funny. It was over the top. But underneath all the energy was something powerful: Ingram had complete confidence in his quarterback. 
In this episode of Sermons on the Side, Richard and Brad take that viral NFL moment and ask a much bigger question: What does it look like to have that kind of trust in God?
There’s a difference between saying we trust God and actually making God our trust - building our lives, our decisions, our hopes, and even our uncertainties around who He is. Psalms 40 give us that picture, while Jeremiah 17 describes the person who trusts in the Lord as a tree planted by water, whose roots remain secure even when heat and drought come. 
Because biblical trust doesn’t mean difficult seasons never arrive. It means we know where our roots are when they do. 
From Lamar Jackson and an unforgettable Ravens press conference to Psalms 40, Jeremiah 17, faith, fear, and learning to depend fully on God, Episode 85 asks what might change in our lives if we stopped simply talking about trust - and started living with Big Trust.
🎙️ Sermons on the Side — finding the sermon in the stories, moments, and conversations happening all around us.
Send us Fan Mail
Sermons on the Side Bible Readings
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Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast
Check out our website HERE
Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

What does surviving as a prisoner of war have to teach us about faith, hope, and confronting the hard realities of our own lives? 
In Episode 84 of Sermons on the Side, Richard takes us on a brief history lesson through the incredible story of Admiral James Stockdale, who spent more than seven years as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. His experience eventually inspired what became known as The Stockdale Paradox: the idea that we must confront the brutal facts of our present reality while never losing faith that we will ultimately prevail. 
Brad and Richard use Stockdale’s story as a launching point for a deeper conversation about the Christian life. Following Jesus doesn’t mean ignoring our struggles, minimizing sin, or pretending everything is okay. Real hope allows us to honestly recognize the habits, temptations, failures, and hazards in our lives while still trusting in the freedom, grace, and redemption found in Christ. 
Sometimes faith isn’t pretending the battle is almost over. It’s seeing the battle for exactly what it is - and still believing that God is faithful in the middle of it. 
Join us for a conversation about the Stockdale Paradox, the Vietnam War, perseverance, Christian hope, spiritual growth, overcoming sin, and what it means to live with both honest reality and unwavering hope.
Send us Fan Mail
Sermons on the Side Bible Readings
Connect with us on our FACEBOOK page
Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast
Check out our website HERE
Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!