Sermons on B Proper 20:

Anger And Controversy: "What’s It Good For?”

Contributed by Mark Mitchell on Jan 8, 2019

Those who are maturing will see controversy in the proper light, they will respond in a proper manner, and they will use it to God’s glory.

I. We must be servants of the church and of the gospel first. A. We must be servants of God’s people. B. We must be servants to the lost. II. It is inevitable that controversy will come. A. Pride says we deserve to be without controversy. B. Pride will cause us to respond with anger and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Word Goes Forth. Abridged.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 5, 2023

A metaphor from God's dealings in Creation to describe God's dealings with His Word.

THE WORD GOES FORTH. Isaiah 55:10-13. Isaiah 55:10-11 is about God’s words not returning to Him void. At first, we might imagine that God is talking about the weather, with all this talk of rain and snow. And what if there is no rain, nor any melting snows from the mountains of Lebanon? Famine! ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:10-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

21st Sunday After Pentecost. November 2nd, 2025. Series

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 23, 2022

Year C, Proper 26.

Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:1-4, Psalm 119:137-144, Isaiah 1:10-18, Psalm 32:1-7, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Luke 19:1-10 A). WATCHING IN PRAYER. Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:1-4. This is the oracle or “burden” which Habakkuk the prophet did “see” (Habakkuk 1:1). So, ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:1-4, Psalm 119:137-144, Isaiah 1:10-18, Psalm 32:1-7, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Luke 19:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Great Multitude Fed.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 27, 2023

The unfailing compassion of Jesus.

A GREAT MULTITUDE FED. Matthew 14:13-21. MATTHEW 14:13. Jesus had tried to withdraw from the throng in Galilee by boat, and sought some rest and relaxation in the Golan Heights: but the crowds followed Him on foot. MATTHEW 14:14. Jesus was moved with compassion towards the multitude which ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Omniscience Of God.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 11, 2023

The response to "The LORD has searched me" (cf. Psalm 139:1) is “Search me and know my thoughts” (Psalm 139:23).

THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD. Psalm 139:1-12, Psalm 139:23-24. When we read Psalm 139, sometimes it is hard to tell whether we should read it with a sense of dread: The LORD knows me (PSALM 139:1); He knows everything I am doing (PSALM 139:2); He knows where I am going (PSALM 139:3); He knows my every ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12, Psalm 139:23-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

First Sunday Of Lent, Year B-- Among The Wild Things

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 20, 2024

Jackals, “wild dogs, cheetahs, spotted hyenas and lions all of which are often "starvation driven."

He was among wild beasts. (Mark 1:3 from our First Reading) This is no Garden of Eden. Jackals, “wild dogs, cheetahs, spotted hyenas and lions all of which are often "starvation driven" must exploit every opportunity to obtain a meal, which includes humans.1 The wild beasts “likely ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 9:8-15, Mark 1:12-15

Denomination: Catholic

You Forgave Me.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 10, 2022

Unrepentant silence is detrimental to our spiritual well-being.

YOU FORGAVE ME. Psalm 32:1-7. The beatitudes of Psalm 32:1-2 remind us of Psalm 1:1-2, which describes the righteous man and proclaims him blessed. Yet, since the fall of Adam, no mere man has been born with original righteousness. The second Psalm leads us to the place where we can find this ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lesson #13 [c3b]: Warning Against Unbelief Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Oct 13, 2020

It seams evident that the writer had been concentrating his devotional reading on the book of Numbers at the time he prepared this sermon. He found in Numbers a record of the faithfulness of God to Israel in the wilderness.

10/4/19 Tom Lowe Lesson #13 [C3b]: Warning Against Unbelief (HEBREWS 3:12–4:2) Scripture: Hebrews 3:12-4:2 (NIV) Warning Against Unbelief (3:12-4:2) 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Two Kinds Of Servitude

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 20, 2017

Two ways of life. Two very different masters. Two pathways: one leading to death, and one leading to life. Two very different paydays.

TWO KINDS OF SERVITUDE. Romans 6:12-23. What we are, and whose we are, shapes what we do with what we've got. Negatively, the Apostle Paul encourages us to resist any attempt that sin makes to usurp authority in our physical lives (Romans 6:12). Even for Christians, the body and its ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:12-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seventeenth Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B--Spiritual Multiplication

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jun 24, 2024

“Gift” is only gift if we give all the pieces.

Percent means “parts per hundred,” from the Latin, per centum. Edward Denison, in 1060, thought of a neat phrase, “Three percent is greater than two percent by fifty percent. I have math anxiety but there are listed several ways to prove this, including that the reason that 3 is 50% bigger than 2 ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-15

Denomination: Catholic

Fourth Sunday In Ordinary Time, B-- My Inner Demons

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 26, 2023

The demon uses the object pronoun “us,” which is non-binary.

I saw a sweatshirt that said, “I Stopped Fighting My Inner Demons because I realized we’re On the Same Side.” Although most deviant behavior may be explained by natural causes, psychotics, for example, suffer from a loss of object reality while demons are separate spiritual beings. Psychology can ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:21-28

Denomination: Catholic

Ishmael.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 10, 2023

The on-going contention between the son of Hagar, and the seed of Sarah

ISHMAEL. Genesis 21:8-21. The history of Ishmael and Isaac is the history of the struggle between flesh and spirit, between the carnal seed and the spiritual seed, between the world's way and God's way. In the first place, Abraham had faith. The LORD pointed him towards the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 21:8-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Spacious Place.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 10, 2022

He does not allow our foot to slip.

A SPACIOUS PLACE. Psalm 66:1-12. The superscription to this Psalm is addressed, “To the chief musician. A Song or Psalm.” Whether sung or spoken, it is a call to all nations to “Make a joyful noise” to God (Psalm 66:1). Which God? Well, compare Psalm 100:1, where YHWH, ‘the LORD’ is named. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 66:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Unique Apostleship Of Paul.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 3, 2024

Paul received the gospel, he says, by direct revelation from Jesus. Also, his commission as Apostle to the Gentiles came directly from Jesus.

THE UNIQUE APOSTLESHIP OF PAUL. Galatians 1:11-24. The gospel which was preached by Paul was “not according to men. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (GALATIANS 1:11-12). Paul elaborates on this assertion throughout the rest of ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:11-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Lesson In Patience.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 8, 2023

Jacob the trickster duped by his uncle. The love of Jacob for Rachel perseveres and prevails. God at work behind the scenes.

A LESSON IN PATIENCE. Genesis 29:15-28. Jacob had been on the run from his twin brother Esau. Jacob, being the younger twin, had duped his elder sibling of both his inheritance and his blessing. Esau’s understandable anger was beginning to look dangerous, so their mother Rebekah devised a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 29:15-28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational