Sermons on Above The Bar:

Elevate To The Next Level - "Living In The Stretch”

Contributed by Dennis Lee on Jul 20, 2025

Stretching is something God wants to do in our lives as He stretches our faith. Therefore, in today’s message I’d like to look at how we live life in the stretch, because life happens in the stretch, so we have to learn how to live and survive it.

Elevate to the Next Level “Living in the Stretch” Watch on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/Ukq8F_BGMMc Over these past several weeks we’ve been looking at different conceptual ideas in our series on elevating our discipleship to the next level. Concepts like living in the in-between and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7, Romans 7:15-25, Isaiah 42:3, Philippians 2:13, Mark 3:1-6, Isaiah 54:2, Philippians 3:13  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Foursquare

False Teachers – False Hopes

Contributed by Ralf Bergmann on Jun 27, 2002

Everywhere we look people seem to always focus in on things that are different about each and every one of us. Sometimes we use this difference as a point of superiority in order to call ourselves better or above others.

Sermon Title: False Teachers – False Hopes Sermon Text: Jude 1:3-5 Sunday Evening, August 13, 2000 Scripture Introduction: There is much to be said for the saying that good things come in small packages, as is in this case with the small epistle of Jude. This letter in it’s beginning intent was ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:3-5

Denomination: *other

The Name Series

Contributed by Greg Nance on Nov 30, 2002

The Name above all names should be in our hearts and on our lips. Hebrews 1:1-2:4 clearly proclaims the powerful message of who Jesus is and how we must heed and hold on to Him.

The Name Hebrews 1:1-2:4 I heard about a man who as he traveled he began to visit churches. He was traveling in the North East and out West and in the foyer of every church he visited he noticed a golden phone with a sign above it that said, “Talk with God, $10,000.” Finally, he came to ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Be Ye Thankful

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Dec 5, 2005

On Thanksgiving: I am thankful I am not a Butterball turkey. There is one thing, above all, for which I give thanks, the lift of Jesus! Like the great old hymn says, love lifted me

Thanksgiving is a time for expressing our thanks for God’s providence and blessing. I am thankful that teenagers do grow up and eventually have teenagers of their own. I am thankful I am not a Butterball turkey. There is one thing, above all, for which I give thanks, the lift of Jesus! Like the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-10

Denomination: United Methodist

Before The Trumpet Sound Fades

Contributed by Danny Anderson on Sep 29, 2006

The Rapture is that future event when the Lord Jesus Himself will return in the clouds above this earth and will catch away all the saved people of the world. It is a time that is referred to in Titus 2:13 as "The Blessed Hope Of The Believer."

Before the Trumpet Sound Fades Text: 1 Co 15:51-57; 1 Th 4:13-17 Introduction: I once heard an old preacher say, "I’m not lookin for a hole in the ground, I’m lookin for a hole in the sky!" The event he was referring to is known as "The Rapture". While this word itself does not appear in the Bible, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Denomination: Baptist

Bowing To The Great Idol Of Self

Contributed by Mark Adams on Jan 13, 2007

The OT has a lot of interesting stories about idolatry, but is that really just a problem of the past? This sermon addresses the very real problem that our culture has in worshiping our own desires above all else.

To the reader: What inspired this sermon was a quote I read in R.C. Ortlund’s book, When God Comes To Church, p. 194. "Self is the great idol standing at the center of our conceptual world, to which all bow low. We even have a duty-to-self ethic, as if self-denial were harmful, immoral, and ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Peace Of God Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Sep 14, 2012

There is a great misunderstanding of true peace. Peace is not the absence of problems. It is instead God's power to live through and above those problems. God gives us wholeness when He indwells believers with His Holy Spirit.

Intro: A therapist told their patient the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what they start. So far today, they finished 2 bags of chips and a chocolate cake. They said, “I feel better already.” There are lots of people giving advice and writing books about peace today. ...read more

Scripture: John 14:27

Denomination: Baptist

Born In Sin, Fact Or Fiction

Contributed by J. Edward Brown Iii on Dec 17, 2013

Blinded To Truth Study Series The above text would teach that men are born sinners if it were meant to be taken literally. But the language of this text is not literal, it is figurative. Both context and reality demand a figurative interpretation of this text.

Born In Sin? FACT OR FICTION? Teaching Series By Rev. J. Edward Brown III 2013 We Were Born In Sin, And Shaped In Iniquity What does this really mean? Introduction This doctrine is accepted as fact almost universally in our churches, the doctrine that all of humanity sinned in Adam ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

My Crazy Obsession

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Mar 14, 2012

I believe that many of us have some CRAZY OBSESSIONS. I believe it is CRAZY when we place anything above Jesus. Anything that is chosen over our relationship with Jesus is simply a CRAZY OBSESSION.

TLC’s “MY CRAZY OBSESSION” Premiered on Wednesday, March 7 2012. My Crazy Obsession pulls back the curtains to reveal some of the Nation’s most extreme and unique obsessions. The series takes viewers behind-the-scenes of homes that are dedicated entirely to the owners’ infatuation with various ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22

Denomination: Other

A Sting Or A Saint?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 24, 2010

An empty niche above the church door, made for a statue of a saint, but now containing a hornet’s nest, suggests the choice of letting our lives be empowered by God or letting the sting of death and disappointment take over.

The other day I was hauling in a load of stuff from my car. I came in the Aspen Street entrance to the building, the entrance nearest my office. For some reason, as I was carrying things through the door, I looked up above my head, probably to implore the Lord to give me an extra ounce of muscle ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51-58

Denomination: Baptist

Extra Credit Series

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 24, 2011

A sermon based loosely on Luke 17:7-10 on extra credit, extra merit, going above and beyond the call of duty, to earn our salvation (Outline and material adapted from Dr. Jack Cottrell)

Introduction: Extra credit is an academic concept, particularly used in American schools. Students are offered the opportunity to undertake extra work in addition to their mandatory school work. Many times extra credit can be used as a way to allow a student to improve his or her grade after weak ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:7-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sinfomercial

Contributed by Daniel Austin on Apr 10, 2010

We can guard against sin if we engage God in our lives, focus on things above with His word in our thoughts, hearts, and actions, and stay in constant prayer, confessing our sins to Him.

Sinfomercial 03/08/09 AM Text: 2 Samuel 11:1-17 Introduction I was flipping TV channels mindlessly (mindless TV, is that an oxymoron?) recently when something grabbed my attention. It was not a captivating program or a fascinating documentary or even a particularly delicious recipe on the food ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Lesson 30. The Avoidance Of Oaths James 5:12 Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Apr 3, 2021

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple "Yes" or "No." Otherwise you will be condemned.

Text Lesson 30. James 5:12 (NIV) Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple "Yes" or "No." Otherwise you will be condemned. Commentary on James 5:12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do ...read more

Scripture: James 5:12

Denomination: Baptist

Everything Minus Love Equals Nothing Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 17, 2021

In this great love chapter Paul makes it clear that love is the supreme gift. All of the human relation problems in the world are caused by a lack of love, and only love can lift us above the hatreds in the hearts of mankind.

Where love is absent hate will reign. This is true in every area of life for individuals and groups of all kinds. We are grateful for those who give their lives to protect us from enemy forces, but we cannot thank God that their sacrifice was necessary, for we would not have needed such ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-2

Lesson 14: To Walk Properly Toward Those Who Are Outside Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Oct 15, 2018

Paul said that those who are appointed to an office in the church should “have a good report of them which are without” - that is, we who are believers and name the name of Jesus should live a life above reproach.

9/1/18 Tom Lowe Lesson 14: To Walk Properly Toward those who are Outside (1 Thessalonians 4:12) Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:12 (NIV) “so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” Introduction: In 1 Timothy 3:7 Paul said that those ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:12

Denomination: Baptist