Sermons on Background Material:

Escaping The Rat Race

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Nov 6, 2003

Message given to a college group about escaping the trap of materialism.

Escaping the Rat Race Luke 12:13-34 Thursday, November 6, 2003 Introduction You just heard that I’m a pastor here in town, and in the interest of helping you find a decent church, I want to offer you 10 signs that the church you’re looking at is a bad one: 10. The church bus has gun racks. 9 . ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-34

Denomination: Wesleyan

Problems With Lack Of Faith

Contributed by Dan Santiago on Jan 10, 2008

People must learn to trust God for his material needs.

PROBLEMS WITH LACK OF FAITH Matthew 6:19-34 INTRODUCTION ILLUSTRATION WHOEVER ISN’T SCHIZOPHRENIC these days isn’t thinking clearly.—LIFE magazine, January 1981 We can avoid becoming schizophrenic if we learn to live by faith regularly. One application of living by faith is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Denomination: Baptist

You Can't Take It With You

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Dec 10, 2005

Materialism is a terrible trap to get caught in. Avoid it!

INTRODUCTION • We are closing in on Christmas, are your credit cards smoking from all the use they are getting?  • Do you ever look around your with amazement at all the stuff we have? • It is funny to see all the television ads trying to get us to see that we need something else to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:11-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Church's Greatest Assets

Contributed by Kenneth Trent on Feb 26, 2006

The church’s greatest assets are to be found in the spiritual and not in the material realm.

THE CHURCH’S GREATEST ASSETS As important as land, location, bricks and mortar are, their value pales in comparison with the eternal assets that really constitute the body of Christ. The church’s greatest assets are to be found in the spiritual realm and not in the material realm. They are ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:28

Denomination: Baptist

I Want It Now! Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Nov 13, 2006

Examines the problem of materialism and unbridled consumerism in our relationship with God

1. Title: I Want It Now! (Unbridled Consumerism, Materialism, Greed) 2. Text: I Timothy 6:3-10; Philippians 4:11-13; Hebrews 13:5; Ecclesiastes 3. Audience: Villa Heights Christian Church, AM crowd, March 5, 2006, 7th in the series ‘A Clear and Present Danger” 4. Objectives: -for the people to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:3-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Gospel Proclaimed Series

Contributed by Donald Minshew on Jul 17, 2007

Introductory material from Colossians leads to an invitation to trust Christ

A Gospel Proclaimed….. Col. 1:22-23 1. The Basis of the Gospel Passion of the Christ ramps up the depiction of The Jesus film – none can really show the horror of the physical destruction. Beating actually part of the crucifixion. Description. Physical agony is necessary for us. Only way we can ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:22-23

Denomination: Baptist

Money Matters

Contributed by Stephen E. Trail on Feb 10, 2014

A sermon that talks about the right attitudes towards material possessions.

"Money Matters" Matthew 6:19-24 Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24

Denomination: Baptist

The True Purpose Of Pentecost Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 20, 2021

All of us need clear vision, and not just of material things.

Thursday After Pentecost 2021 It has been said, probably ever since humans walked the face of earth, that the “winners write the history.” The winners also endeavor to craft the culture that they live in. So, for example, after the Norman invasion of England in 1066, the Norman princes built ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:30, Mark 10:46-52

Denomination: Catholic

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand: The Provision For Human Need Series

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Jan 31, 2023

This chapter reveals Jesus to be the provision for every human and material need.

Tonight, we enter chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. This chapter reveals Jesus to be the provision for every human and material need. Note again Jesus’ pattern. He first demonstrated the truth, then He began to preach and teach it. In this chapter, Jesus will feed the 5,000 and calm the stormy ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Receiving The Word

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 15, 2017

Let us understand where we find genuine Christianity deeply within people’s hearts.

Intro, Purpose & Plan Are our hearts downtrodden, like a well-worn path? Are our hearts hard, lacking stick-to-it-iveness or thorny, laden down with worldly cares. How can we learn to become like rich soil that receives the word of the kingdom and produces a rich harvest? Let us understand where ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

You Will Long To See

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 31, 2018

When times are tough, what do we long to see? Do we long to hear once more the stories of Jesus?

Prelude This week several stories of firefighters and a police chief losing their homes to wildfires have emerged. They had no time to mourn their losses, because they had a job to do in continuing to fight. Something greater than personal loss drove them on, they longed to see others saved. When ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:20-37

Denomination: Baptist

A Life Bigger Than Money Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 23, 2018

This message focuses on stepping out of the American Dream's pursuit of escalating standards of living. Instead we are to hold our money lightly and "freely receive, freely give."

- In some ways this is the second part of last week’s sermon. Last week we looked at this passage in Matthew 10:8 about freely receiving and freely giving. We talked about living life with an open hand and whether we are living stingy lives. - I want to return to that same passage this morning ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

True Success

Contributed by Benjamin Utomo on May 27, 2024

Many Christians understand success unbiblically. They have been deceived into chasing success according to the world's standards. They should know that the measure of success according to God is very different from the world's.

Today, I will discuss success. I have been reluctant to discuss this topic because I do not want to be associated with the teaching of "Theology of Success" or "Prosperity Gospel," which is not based on the complete teachings of the Bible. But two weeks ago, I felt the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:1, Joshua 1:7-8, Psalm 1:1-3, Matthew 25:21, John 17:3, Philippians 2:8-11  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Money Can't Buy Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Sep 11, 2024

The love of money will not provide meaning in life.

What Money Can’t Buy Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 Rev. Brian Bill September 7-8, 2024 This past weekend, Beth and I journeyed from the wilderness of Illinois to the Promised Land of Wisconsin. On Friday night, my dad hosted a Fish Fry and on Saturday morning after driving through Green Bay, we were ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

Denomination: Baptist

Re-Centralization

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 28, 2025

It is only in Jesus Christ that we are reconciled to God, to each other, to creation, and to truth itself.

Paul wrote this letter to the church at Colossae because they were in danger of being turned into Gnostics. Now, we aren’t in danger of turning into Gnostics, are we? I mean, how many of you woke up this morning and said to yourself, “you know, this Gnosticism stuff - I think I’d really better look ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed