Bret Hammond

"How did you two meet?" That's a question often asked of married couples and good friends. I can tell you where I was and what I was doing when I met my best friends. Likewise, I can tell you exactly where I was when I met Trish (she disagrees on this point, of course). None of these stories seemed life-changing at the time; they were just encounters, handshakes, and hellos.

Paul writes to his friends in the Philippian church about the affection he has for them, "It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart" (1:7). Acts 16 gives us the backstory, the encounters, handshakes, and hellos. Oh, and also the beatings in the middle of the street and getting locked up in jail. It's definitely one of the more interesting beginnings of a friendship.

Before we launch into Philippians, we're going to go back to Acts 16 and meet the people Paul held in his heart. As we do, we can't help but get a glimpse of those we have in our hearts also.

The table shows up in the strangest places; you don't always find it in a kitchen or dining room. Back in April, when our family had COVID, the table showed up on our porch. I'd look out the door, and there would be people with food, drinks, and friendly faces, bringing the table to us.

I've seen the table show up in hospital rooms, funeral homes, and even by the side of the road in a broken-down car. I was once in an airport overnight with a scared and lonely traveler who just wanted to get home. I shared a song with her, and suddenly the table showed up! It was the strangest thing!

The table shows up in Psalm 23:5, as David sings, "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies." There it is, in the worst place imaginable, in "the valley of the shadow of death." Even there . . . especially there . . . we find the table.

"DoubleThink" is a term first coined by George Orwell in his book 1984. DoubleThink is defined as "the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them as true."

Sound familiar? On any day, you can find plenty of examples of DoubleThink on the news, in social media, and our conversations. We are a mass of contradictions, whether we recognize it or not.

The Bible has its own take on DoubleThink. In this message, I wrap up my series on Proverbs with a contradiction from the Bible. I know you're going to appreciate this one.

There are some words we use almost exclusively in church settings. I call these words "Christianese." If you weren't brought up in Sunday school, you probably don't know how to define them. Well, honestly, even if you were, it might still be a stretch.

You know the words I mean; words like "justification," "holiness," and one of the biggies, "righteousness."

"Righteousness" just sounds entirely beyond us. The only part we really understand in it is "right," and we know we aren't right. There are some times we are very wrong. Right from the beginning, this word looks hopeless to us!

But Proverbs 21:21 calls to us, "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness . . . " We may not do well with righteousness, but we know what kindness is! From childhood, we're taught to be kind. So what happens when we put kindness and righteousness together? I think we get a better understanding of what God calls us to, and we start defining those "Christianese" words with our love.

Did you "like" and "share" that post? You know, the one that said if the sick little girl's picture got 1000 likes and shares, then the doctor perform the surgery that would save her life? Did you share it??

You can't sign online today without someone wanting you to like and share, pass it on. Do we stop and ask whether or not it's true, though? Do we ever wonder what kind of doctor would base his performance on social media responses?

This calls for wisdom. Proverbs 19:2 calls us to slow down and think things through before accepting them as truth or passing them on to others. Now, more than ever, we need that kind of wisdom.

Genesis 1 kicks off the creation story with those familiar words, "Let there be light." The first thing God does is provide us with the guidance we need to find our way in this world and, ultimately, find our way to him.

What does the Bible say about the way we welcome others? How do we become more intentional about showing hospitality to our visitors and guests? Genesis 1 is all about how God made room for us. When we look at what He did for us, we see ways to make room for others.

God said, "let there be light," and it was good. Tom Bodett says, "We'll leave the light on for you."

Doctors have found that laughter is good for you. One study showed that "a good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease."

It turns out Reader's Digest was right all along. Laughter IS the best medicine! That shouldn't surprise anyone who has read Proverbs, though. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine."

God created laughter to heal, and he created you to laugh. So in this message, we'll dig into Proverbs 17:22, laugh a little, groan a lot, and learn to share one of God's greatest gifts with others.

Proverbs 17:3 says, "The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold." You've had times in your life when you felt like you were going through the furnace, difficult times that put your faith to the fire and tested if it was really there.

The imagery of refining metal doesn't work without the presence of the refiner. So the refiner sits, almost hovering over the silver, carefully observing and taking the heat with his precious metal. Likewise, we come through those difficult times all the more aware of the presence of our loving Creator. And those who stand by us in our trials come away with a greater view of His image in us.

In this message, we look at Proverbs that speak of the crucibles and furnaces in our lives and the promise that the refiner is making something beautiful within us.

This past week I asked the question, "What makes your best friend your best friend?" So many of you gave me excellent, heartfelt answers. Some mentioned loyalty and faithfulness; others said honesty, accountability, and transparency. In all your answers, it was apparent to me that you not only have a best friend, but you also have a friend for whom you want the best.

Proverbs 27:17 is one of the most vital verses on the topic of friendship. "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." In this message, I dig into this verse and find exactly what we need to bring to a friendship that sharpens and shapes us.

We're spending the summer looking at the book of Proverbs at Kansas Christian Church. This morning, I can't help but think of Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." Notice that everything about this verse is active. It doesn't say that past righteousness brings us glory, nor does it say that today's failings always haunt us.

We're very fond of saying that the United States was founded on Christian principles. That's admirable, but this proverb isn't about heritage; it's about here-and-now. Are we living so that our character builds up our nation?

Whether or not we're a Christian nation isn't the issue; what does it look like for Christians to live in this nation?

This sermon examines a principle that has come to define our nation. I don't know that I can call it a "Christian principle" because it's much older than that. But it is a principle that Jesus lived out and calls us to follow. It is truly an act of righteousness that exalts.