In Preaching Articles: "Why Jesus Died"

What Not To Say When Someone Dies

By Joe Mckeever on Jan 3, 2024

There is a danger turning faith into fairy tale for our own comfort. At the same time it may help us to approach someone with biblical truths after we understand their line of thinking.

Tags: Death, Comfort, Preaching, Funeral, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Didn't The Disciples Ask Jesus How To Measure Success?

By SermonCentral .com on Feb 27, 2024

Imagine this scenario. Jesus is meeting with the disciples. He’s been training them for three years. He’s died, risen again and walked with them in resurrection power for almost 40 days. As the day of his ascension draws near, he gathers them together to reiterate The Great Commission.

Scripture: Luke 14:23, Luke 15:7

Tags: Disciples, success, Church Growth, Measure success

Why Jesus Never Used A Classroom

By Bob Hamp on Jul 25, 2020

Jesus did not come primarily to educate or motivate but to liberate. His life and ministry reveal a discipleship model rooted in freedom, action, and restoration.

Scripture: Luke 4:18-19, John 8:32-36, Mark 1:38-39, Matthew 4:19, Romans 8:1-2  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Teaching, Preaching, Learning, Living, follower, preaching, teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why The Cross Is Not Enough

By Ray Hollenbach on Jul 24, 2021

Preaching the cross is powerful and necessary, but there is more for us to say.

Tags: Jesus, Preaching, Cross, Enough, Powerful, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Why Information Alone Cannot Make Disciples

By Outreach Inc. on Apr 10, 2025

The modern church excels at teaching information but often fails at formation. Real discipleship requires embodied obedience, risk, and lived imitation, not lectures alone.

Scripture: Luke 6:40, James 1:22, John 1:14, 1 Corinthians 11:1, Matthew 28:19-20  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Discipleship, Following Jesus

I Hate Porn

By Eric Simmons on Feb 2, 2023

Here's why.

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-13

Tags: Jesus, Addiction, Pornography, Hope, Sex  (view more)  (view less)

Why Illustrations Matter In Preaching: Learning From Jesus’ Use Of Parables

By Leslie Holmes on Jan 15, 2024

Parables and illustrations bring preaching to life. These seven tests help pastors use stories wisely to clarify truth, reduce resistance, and make sermons memorable.

Scripture: Matthew 13:34, Nehemiah 8:8, 2 Timothy 4:2, Psalm 78:2, Luke 8:10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Expository Preaching, expository preaching

4 Ingredients Jesus Used To Hold An Audience

By Peter Walters on Jan 17, 2022

As a preacher, I am always looking for ways to improve my speaking. I study other communicators, for example, if a comedian gets me hooked, I analyze why he was successful and I love to read books on communication.

Scripture: Job 1:1-10, Luke 6:46, Matthew 13:16, Luke 12:25, Matthew 6:28, Matthew 13:34, Luke 10:30, Matthew 13:33, Matthew 6:5, Matthew 7:1, Genesis 2:10-20, Genesis 1:4-10, Luke 13:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Preaching, Following Jesus, jesus parables, Communication Speech, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

John Piper: 8 Reasons Why I Believe Jesus Rose From The Dead

By SermonCentral .com on Nov 16, 2019

"A saving knowledge of Christ crucified and risen is not the mere result of right reasoning about historical facts. It is the result of spiritual illumination to see those facts for what they really are."

Scripture: Mark 14:1-5

Tags: john piper, e, Jesus, Easter, Resurrection, Preaching, Resurreccion  (view more)  (view less)

Was Jesus Numerically Challenged?

By Ray Hollenbach on Jun 29, 2020

Is numerical growth proof of God’s grace? This reflection questions the assumption that size equals faithfulness and contrasts modern metrics with Jesus’ slow, seed-shaped vision of the church.

Scripture: Acts 2:41, Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, 1 Peter 2:5, Matthew 13:31-33  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Growth, Faithfulness, number

Is Jesus An Impossible Mentor?

By Ray Hollenbach on Sep 30, 2020

Do you preach Jesus as a role model? It's impossible to be like Jesus, isn't it? He was God-come-to-earth and his life sets the bar impossibly high for any of us.

Scripture: Matthew 16:24

Tags: Preaching, Submission, Accountability, honour, Mentor, preaching  (view more)  (view less)

Turning To Jesus In Exhaustion

By Adam Weber on Apr 28, 2022

I had only recently completed my master’s degree, I didn’t want to start this church in the first place, it was struggling to grow, and here I was moving this stupid sign through three feet of snow. Without thinking, the words came out: God, what am I doing here? I’m tired!

Tags: Exhaustion, rest in god

What Pastors Are Trying To Do

By Joe Mckeever on Aug 16, 2022

The church member stares and wonders what’s going on and why you’re making so much noise until the day he/she meets Jesus.

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:6, 1 Timothy 5:17

Tags: Faithfulness, Transformation, Follow Jesus, preaching Christ

Pastors: Why Some Love Them And Some Don’t

By Joe Mckeever on Mar 5, 2022

See how they treated Jesus? Expect the same for yourself, pastor.

Scripture: Matthew 10:40, Romans 5:5, Mark 3:5, Mark 3:1-6, Matthew 10:24-25, Acts 5:41  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Wisdom, pastor, pastor appreciation, attacking the pastor, Pastor  (view more)  (view less)

Why We Must Preach Christ From The Psalms

By Jason Hood on Oct 8, 2024

Luther, Spurgeon, and Bonhoeffer saw Jesus as one of the chief subjects of the Psalms. Do you?

Scripture: Psalm 41:1-3, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Praise, Adoration, Meekness, church fathers