Sermons on Awakening:

Esau: Daddy's Fair-Haired Boy. Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jan 2, 2016

What can we learn of our own character and of God's grace when we study Esau selling his birthright?

“These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:19-34

Denomination: Baptist

Challenges To/For Public Worship-4 Series

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Nov 17, 2015

4 of 7. Jesus made it plain that the temple worship had become tainted with improprieties. Public Worship is to be free from impropriety. But What is consonant with public worship? A challenge to (harmonious)public worship is its...

CHALLENGES To/For PUBLIC WORSHIP-IV—John 2:12-25 Attention: The Church can be tempted toward many directions regarding the manner & message of its Public Worship. There are real Challenges to bringing about Public Worship!...There are dynamics which, if we deny, will keep our church & the ...read more

Scripture: John 2:12-24

Denomination: Baptist

Elijah Part 1 Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 31, 2018

His story reminds us of how adversity drives us deeper into God and develops us into the man or women God wants us to be.

Elijah Opening Video Illustration: “I love Sunday’s video!” Bank Robbery Reference the door in the corner! We need to enter the battle – the fight for the souls of others by inviting people back to church- it starts by going to peoples doors – the doors of their hearts – to introduce them to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 16:29-33, 1 Kings 17:1-24, 1 Kings 18:1

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lust Is Not Love

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Sep 7, 2018

A study in the book of 2 Samuel 13: 1 – 39

2 Samuel 13: 1 – 39 Lust is not love 13 After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 13:1

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Surprise In The Graveyard

Contributed by Michael Stark on Sep 28, 2018

How does the resurrection of Lazarus impact people in this day? Since Jesus has power over life and death, we see that He alone can give life to those dead in sin.

“A certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So, the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it he ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-44

Denomination: Baptist

When "Over There" Looks Better Than "Over Here"

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 5, 2018

Meditations on Christian living as I near the end of days. Looking to what is coming enables me to weather the storms of life and to draw renewed strength from the Risen Son of God.

“We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Denomination: Baptist

Where Our Unconverted Children Are Headed

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 25, 2018

Should we fail to reach our children, instructing them in the fear of the Lord, they will break our hearts and turn from pursuing God. The message is a plea for Christian parents to reach their children with the love of Christ.

“There was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. And ...read more

Scripture: Judges 17:7-13, Judges 18:27-31

Denomination: Baptist

What's Fair About That?

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jun 1, 2018

God's overwhelming generosity is difficult to comprehend, though every Christian has experienced that generosity. We must avoid attempting to cast God in our image, learning instead of the extravagant grace with which He showers each of us.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

When A Christian Prays Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jan 20, 2018

When a Christian prays, God is pledged to act. This is especially true when we pray for fellow Christians who have begun to stray.

“This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:14-17

Denomination: Baptist

Solitude Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 21, 2010

1) The Straining from a lack of Solitude (1 Kings 19:1-4), 2) The Strengthening from Solitude (1 Kings 19:5-8), 3) The Searching from Solitude (1 Kings 19:9-14), &, 4) The Sending from Solitude (1 Kings 19:15-18)

With the conclusion of the Olympics and Paralympics, one of the most trying adjustments that athletes and spectators alike claim is an emptiness after the games. With such preparation and excitement, it really means a change of gears for people. Likewise, the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19 was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18

Denomination: Other

Hosanna

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Apr 11, 2019

the Triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem, which we recall this Palm Sunday, we see: 1) The End of the Pilgrimage (Matthew 21:1a), the 2) The Exactness of Prophecy (Matthew 21:1b-7), 3) The Epitome of Praise (Matthew 21:8-9) and 4) The Element of Perplexity (Matthew 21:10-11)

Things are not always as they seem on the surface. When Elizabeth II had her coronation on June 02, 1953, to the casual observer, she made it look easy. As with so much in the line of royalty, the reality is a little different. Elizabeth II, who discussed her memories of her coronation in a BBC ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Denomination: Other

Psalm 22 - The Psalm Of The Cross Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Dec 8, 2018

This psalm is called the Psalm of the Cross. It has been given this name because it describes more accurately and minutely the crucifixion of Christ than does any other portion of the Word of God.

May 10, 2014 Tom Lowe Psalm 22 (KJV) Title: The Psalm of the Cross To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar (or the hind of the morning) A psalm of David. Introduction This psalm is called the Psalm of the Cross. It has been given this name because it describes more accurately and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 22:1-31

Denomination: Baptist

Multiethnic Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 19, 2013

God is no respecter of persons and He desires His House (His Church) to be a place for all nations – all people. A church is to be a place where there is no favoritism and all are treated fairly and equally.

Series: We are Here! Sermon 6: Multiethnic (or multicultural, or diversity) Introduction: Show pictures of our changing world in this area of South Chicago: The Orland Mosque, the Lemont Hindu Temple, and the Chicago Buddhist Temple all represent how diverse our community is becoming. Our society ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why You Need To Attend Church Regularly Series

Contributed by Brett Crosson on May 10, 2019

We live in a culture that seems to take church attendance for granted. Then we wonder why we see so many churches closing down. And so much of the problems we see in society. We need to get back to desiring to get together in His name - he promised to show up!

Part 1 Acts 2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. there is just something about being together in one place that God loves Psalm 133 V2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Jesus: "I Am The Bread”.

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jul 2, 2019

1) Our souls are hungry (John 6:41–44), 2) God sent us food (John 6:45–47), and in His words: 3) I am that food (John 6:48–51).

John 6:41-51 [41] So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." [42] They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" [43] Jesus ...read more

Scripture: John 6:41-51

Denomination: Other