Sermons on Avoid Sameness:

#5: Traditions Of Men Series

Contributed by Timothy Archer on Jul 20, 2004

#5 of 7 on Worship. This sermon looks at our worship traditions and how to avoid traditions becoming traditionalism.

In Spirit and In Truth A Series on Worship #5: Traditions of Men What if a first-century Christian happened to come into our assembly? What would seem strange to him? • He would be surprised to see that the church owns a building. They didn’t have buildings in the first century. • He would never ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Beware The Shadows (John 13:21-30) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Mar 16, 2022

A practical call to avoid falling away. Don't live in sin-- it opens the door to Satan.

Let's start today by simply rereading from last week's passage, John 13:1-20. Our story today directly builds on these verses, and the easiest way back into John 13 is through a reminder of where we've been. John 13:1: (1) Now, before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that ...read more

Scripture: John 13:21-30

Growing Deeper Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 11, 2024

We're at war with Satan, but too often churches ignore the conflict and avoid doing what has to be done to tear down the gates of Hell. What can we do to avoid going AWOL in this great battle for the souls of the lost?

When I went to Israel, I visited a place about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee called Caesarea Philippi. The area lays in the shadow of Mt. Hermon, whose ice caps (when they melt) supply clean fresh springs for the waters of the Jordan River. This abundant water supply made the area fertile ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Centrality Of The Cross

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Mar 31, 2006

We cannot avoid the centrality of the Cross if we are going to truly reflect to the world the true Gospel of Jesus.

02-04-06 NR/NC Story: On 15th February 1597, 26 Christians were crucified at Niz-hiz-aka Hill in Nagasaki, Japan. Amongst them was a young seventeen year old boy, Thomas Kosaki, who had been sentenced to die for his Christian witness - along with his father. ...read more

Scripture: John 12:20-32

Denomination: Anglican

Redigging The Wells

Contributed by John Gaston on Oct 6, 2021

Isaac copied the spiritual journey of Abraham, trying to experience for himself, the Living God. He traveled the same places, rebuilt the same altars, told the same lies, redug the same wells, etc. And he DID find God. We need to also mimic our fathers to meet their God!

REDIGGING THE WELLS Gen. 26:17-24 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR: Trying to Deceive, He Got Deceived 1. Jerry Carney is an antique dealer who’s always on the lookout for valuable antiques. He buys them cheap and sells them in his Antique Shop for a big profit. 2. One day Jerry drove to a small town ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 26:17-24

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Keeping Your Head In The Last Days Series

Contributed by Guy Caley on May 5, 2006

9th in the series "Left Behind: 1 & 2 Thessalonians" Topic is avoiding deception in the end times.

After 14 years of studying the Bible, William Miller became convinced that Christ would return in 1843. When Miller announced April 3 as the day, some disciples went to mountaintops, hoping for a head start to heaven. Others were in graveyards, planning to ascend in reunion with their departed ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Dealing With Issues Part 2 Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Feb 2, 2024

The point is we can avoid issues within the church if we live our lives according to the Bible.

DEALING WITH ISSUES: PART 2 Text: Acts 15:13-21 Introduction 1. Last week we started talking about dealing with issues within the church. Today we are going to see how the leadership of the early church came to their decision, and how it gives us a blueprint on how to deal with issues ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:13-21

Denomination: Methodist

Developing Our Connection With God Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Mar 10, 2013

God's Spirit is connecting with our spirit, and He knows we are distracted and can try to avoid Him.

Developing Our Connection with God Series: Crave: Seeking God...Himself Brad Bailey - Feb. 24, 2013 Intro Last week....we focused on the fact that we all have a "first love" in life... created to know and have one relationship that is the most intimate and influencing... and that is with God. God ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 4:8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Disputing Disputable Matters

Contributed by Robert Sickler on Jan 6, 2016

We are not all at the same level of spiritual maturity, and we do not all walk the exact same path with Jesus; therefore, let us not get disagreeable over opinions.

Disputable Matters Illustration – The Hatfield and McCoy feud (1863–1891) In most cases, when a dispute ends in violence there is a bit of history behind the dispute. Probably the most famous dispute in America was between two families living in the West Virginia/Kentucky area along ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1

Denomination: Christian Church

If Only And What Ifs

Contributed by David Petticrew on May 4, 2003

Jesus enourage us to avoid if onlys about the past but instead look to the future with what if (I believe).

Back to the Future. Young teenager Marty McFly has a chance to go back in time due to the invention of his friend Doc Ement Brown. While in the past he has the chance to change things and make his future a better one by encouraging his father to act in a better way. Then in the second movie he ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-57

Denomination: Holiness

Embrace Hope In God's Promises Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Nov 30, 2019

How do we avoid letting the Christmas Rush keep us from missing the message of Christmas?

Christmas Rush Embrace Hope In God’s Promise Jeremiah 33:14-16 Introduction Thanksgiving is over and frankly I’m not sure how some of you turkeys survived! Now that the turkey is consumed, like magic we become professional consumers overnight. Many people shopped on Black Friday, but in the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:14-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Freaks, Weirdoes And Oddballs

Contributed by Wayne Magruder on Aug 16, 2010

There are lots of people in the world that we normally try to avoid. These were the very people that Jesus sought to reach

Freaks, Weirdoes and Oddballs Matthew 8:1-13 You may find the title of today’s message a bit peculiar but the bottom line is that the people that we choose to avoid can fall into this category. Ironically, these are the very kind of people that Jesus hung out with. These were the people who ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

So Send I You

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Mar 24, 2001

Before Jesus returned to heaven he gave his disciples the Great Commission, to be his representatives in making known the Gospel, following the pattern of his mission to Earth, the Same Method, the Same Motivation and the Same Means.

SO SEND I YOU The farewell words of a Christian leader are listened to with special attention. The Bible records the parting speeches of some of it’s great characters as they hand the torch of witness to a new generation, but the farewell speech that I would have most liked to ...read more

Scripture: John 20:21

Denomination: Baptist

All For One And One For All

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Mar 7, 2007

We Christians are on the same side. We serve the same God. We fight the same enemy. Yet, we can’t always get along because of what Charles Swindoll calls the "Me Mentality".

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL (Gleaned from writings by Charles Swindoll) A. Philippians 2:1-11 (READ) B. One lesson that should be SCREAMING out at us from Paul’s description of the church as being the “BODY OF CHRIST,” is that WE are to be UNITED--WE are in this TOGETHER! 1. Not too many years ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Do All Religions Lead To God? Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 11, 2007

Do all religions lead to God? Aren’t they really just different paths to the same place, different perspectives on the same thing, different names for the same “higher power”? Tempting, but then we confront Jesus.

Do All Religions Lead To God? Luke 13:22-30; Acts 17:16-23 May 29, 2005 Intro: Do all religions lead to God? Aren’t they really just different paths to the same place, different perspectives on the same thing, different names for the same “higher power”? Isn’t the important thing that we all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:22-30

Denomination: Baptist