Sermons on ash wednesday:

Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit Series

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Feb 29, 2004

Ash Wednesday: Christ’s name elicits jeers and rejection from those who don’t know Him. But for the poor in spirit, Christ is Savior, Son of the Living God.

Why the outcry? Why the outcry when the name or the work of Jesus is mentioned in public? The reaction to the mention of the name is like splashing ice water on people. We see it in our own lives as the name of Jesus offends – sometimes family members; sometimes friends or neighbors. We see it in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3

Denomination: Lutheran

Seek Ye First

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 17, 2020

Giving first place to the things of God.

SEEK YE FIRST. Matthew 6:19-34. 1. Heart-Treasure. “Treasure not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,” begins Matthew 6:19. Moths destroy clothes (cf. Isaiah 51:8). Even gold and silver can become cankered (cf. James 5:2). Thieves can literally “dig through” mud-brick houses. No, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Lent? Series

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Apr 15, 2017

explanation of the season of Lent

WHAT IS LENT? Last Wednesday we celebrated Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. While I was eating my share of pancakes at a Shrove Tuesday dinner, someone asked me just exactly what is Lent, which started me thinking. For those of us raised in the church (particularly the Roman ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-12, Psalm 103:1-22, Matthew 6:1-21

Denomination: Episcopal

How Can I Tell You About Jesus When I Am Afraid?

Contributed by Randy Rodenborg on Mar 28, 2006

Max is a Jr Higher who hates the locker room, and is now likely to be picked on for having a ash cross on his head after the Ash Wednesday service. It ends with a call to pray for others and submitting yourself to God to use you to lead others to Him.

Max hated the locker room. It wasn’t a mild dislike, like the days he would rather not go to science or choir. Max really dreaded walking into the locker room and confronting first the smelliness of the locker room and then those small lockers. These lockers were really just baskets that you could ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:54-61

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Overview Of The Book Of Joel

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 15, 2015

We cannot change the past: but in Christ, God restores to us what would have been had we not allowed sin an entrance (Joel 2:25).

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF JOEL. Joel 1-3. The name Joel means ‘Yahweh is God’ or perhaps ‘Whose God is the LORD’. There is no doubt that Joel's God is the LORD: not only on account of his given name, but also because of his courage in confronting Israel and the nations with a far-reaching ...read more

Scripture: Joel 1:1-20, Joel 2:1-32, Joel 3:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Give Up Giving Up Series

Contributed by David Roth on Feb 20, 2015

Ash Wednesday (B). Too often we focus on our outward behavior, our sins. But the root of our problem is not sins, but sin, our sinful nature. Joel urges us to "Turn to God and live."

J. J. May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. “Give up giving up” What are you giving up for Lent? Anything? Some people give up something for lent. Not with the purpose of earning ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:12-19, Psalm 51:5-10

Denomination: Lutheran

A God Of Forgiveness

Contributed by John Saynor on Feb 23, 2021

The appointed Psalm for Ash Wednesday describes a God who forgives and forgets! For those who have difficulty accepting God's forgiveness, it would do well to read Psalm 103: 8-18.

Today I want to talk about forgiveness. It has been on my mind for some time now as a result of our regular use of our liturgies to guide us in worship. It has come to me that during our liturgies we repeat our need for forgiveness so often that I’m sure God gets tired of listening to us. What ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:8-18

The Mountain Before The Valley

Contributed by Don Schultz on Feb 27, 2003

Jesus reveals his glory on the mountain, to prepare his disciples, and us for the valley ahead.

MARK 9:2-9 THE MOUNTAIN BEFORE THE VALLEY Life is filled with peaks and valleys. A peak is something excellent that happens in your life, something great, something to celebrate and remember. The birth of your child – that is a highpoint in your life. The day you get married – that is a peak. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:2-9

Denomination: Lutheran

The Ministry Of Reconciliation

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 28, 2013

The need for reconciliation arises because of our estrangement from God on account of our sin. The mediator of reconciliation is God. The cost of reconciliation is the death of Christ. The result of reconciliation is a new relationship with God.

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21. This passage directly confronts us with the subject of reconciliation. It requires spiritual thinking: no longer regarding people from a worldly point of view - “according to the flesh” - and certainly not regarding Christ from a worldly ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Called To Reconciliation And To Reconcile (The Trampled Triumphant)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Mar 4, 2003

There is no one who ... can stand before God justified and clean because without the blood of Jesus that washes away our sin our righteousness is nothing more than filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). (A sermon for Ash Wednesday).

CALLED TO RECONCILIATION AND TO RECONCILE Text: Second Corinthians 5:20 - 6:10 William Cowper, the poet, found peace with God through the words, "Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins" ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

Follow My Leader

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 29, 2018

Receive not the grace of God in vain.

FOLLOW MY LEADER. 2 Corinthians 6:1-13. In his earlier letter, Paul had spoken of himself and others as ‘God’s fellow-workers’ (1 Corinthians 3:9). The word for “fellow-workers” gives us our English word, ‘synergy’, which speaks of a combined effort, a co-operation with God if you will. It ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Wilderness Of Lent Series

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Feb 3, 2018

how should we spend the forty days of Lent?

Mark 1:9-15 Today is the first Sunday of Lent – the annual period of reflection leading to the joy and celebration of Easter. It is also the Sunday that we hear in the reading about of the baptism of Jesus and God’s affirmation that He is His well-beloved son. It surely helps to remind us of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:9-15

Denomination: Episcopal

Ashes

Contributed by James May on Jul 17, 2007

This message was pertaining to the dedication of our New building. It is adaptable to any format. God has given us beauty for ashes.

Ashes Church Dedication Message Sunday, July 15, 2007 – 2 PM By Pastor Jim May Isaiah 61:1-4, "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-4

Denomination: Independent/Bible

David: The King Who Bared His Soul Series

Contributed by Eloy Gonzalez on Feb 25, 2009

Ash Wednesday: Are we open with others and God about our sinfulness? We learn from king David’s life that God honors openness and "bared-soul" confession. (Note: While sermon is original, the theme is based in part on sermon helps from Concordia Publishin

A man after God’s own heart… a woman after God’s own heart? – Beloved, let us take an honest inventory – see how we stack up: My overdependence on food for comfort instead of God has created its own public witness. We know that Jesus’ divinity peeked through at his transfiguration - - but for me, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-7

Denomination: Lutheran

Would You Rather Be Dead?

Contributed by Jay Winters on Feb 9, 2008

This Ash Wednesday sermon uses a scene from "Fight Club" as its major illustration - it attempts to show that Christ doesn’t just give us a second chance, but that He puts us to death (while taking on our death) in Baptism and give us the empty tomb.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Three In One who makes our lives more beautiful than what they could ever be on their own. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, About ten years ago, a movie came out that just about everyone saw. It was called “Fight ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:3-14

Denomination: Lutheran