Sermons on Bags With Holes:

Training For Discipleship Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 15, 2004

Believe it or not, you don’t have to have it all together to serve Jesus Christ. In this week’s study of the Gospel of Mark we learn how Jesus trained His disciples through disappointment and death to bring the gospel.

Sports teams always like to play before a hometown crowd. Here in Portland they say that the “fan factor” can really help the Trailblazers win games. But when it comes to ministry, often playing to the home town crowd is a disappointing experience. Either because of past relationships or ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-30

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Treasure Of Pain

Contributed by Pastor Johnathan Bloch on Mar 6, 2010

Sermon on building pearls from our injuries.

THE TREASURE OF PAIN REV 21:21 Sermon by: Pastor John Bloch Firestone Park Baptist Church. Akron, Ohio A man was exploring some caves by the sea shore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled the clay balls and left them ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 22:21

Denomination: Baptist

Is It Time To Receive?

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 28, 2025

God calls us to reject restless covetousness and instead receive, in His timing, the free garment of Christ’s righteousness and eternal life.

Part One – Drop the Shovel: Guard the Heart Opening Illustration – The Grand Canyon Shovel Some years ago I traveled to the Grand Canyon with my young son. We stood on the rim looking out over that breathtaking, mile-wide chasm. He tugged at my sleeve and asked, “Daddy, how did it form?” I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:20-27, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 22:11-14, James 1:14-25, 1 John 1:7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

His Mission

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Mar 26, 2009

God’s plan was carried out through Jesus’ earthly mission.

Text: “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour” (John 12:27). Jesus was sent on a mission by the Father. He was sent to do a work that would give man an opportunity to gain a right relationship with the Father. ...read more

Scripture: John 12:20-36

Denomination: Christian Church

Augmenting Reality

Contributed by Monty Newton on Oct 22, 2013

God's Word augments the way we see and experience the realities of life.

Title: Augmenting Reality Text: II Timothy 3:14-4:5 Thesis: God’s Word augments the way we see and experience the realities of life. Introduction Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-simulated environment that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world or imagined worlds. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Prodigal Son Series

Contributed by Russ Barksdale on Jun 24, 2019

What does it mean to be lost?

The Prodigal Son Luke 15 Lost. Being lost is no fun. I remember when I was a small child, wandered away; ended up in a industrial field with lots of deep holes dug; walking on a 12” wide path between; lost track of time; when I headed home, met by a group of kids: my mom had whole ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Twinkies Or Broccoli

Contributed by Bill Sullivan on Aug 16, 2005

Love of the world and love of God are mutually exclusive, just like a healthy diet cannot be full of both twinkies and broccoli

Twinkies or Broccoli TCF Sermon August 14, 2005 Opening illustration – I need someone to help me eat a snack. This is an either/or demonstration. Either eat a good snack, or eat a bad snack food. Maybe we’ll have a little of both. In one bag is the twinkie. Classic junk snack. In the other ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

New Beginnings!

Contributed by Ken Durham on Jul 13, 2005

Sometimes we just have to let everything go, have everything stripped away, put everything behind us and start again with the only sure foundation the Rock Jesus

NEW BEGINNINGS Scripture Reading: Luke 5: 36-38 1: Introduction: When was the last time you sat down and took stock of your life. Perhaps the beginning of the year? I wonder how many of those New Year resolutions you can even remember making ~ let alone kept! It may seem strange to think of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:36-38

Struggle To Become Series

Contributed by Bob Groves on Jun 22, 2002

The life long & daily struggle to become Christlike.

Look @ Encounters With Christ... Encounters as in Moments that are Meant to Change you into Christ likeness TODAY – Simon Peter & HIS Struggle of Becoming the Person Called to be... Scripture John 1:40-42 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s ...read more

Scripture: John 1:40-42

Denomination: Pentecostal

World Communion Sunday 2009

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Dec 3, 2009

Friends we are to examine ourselves before we partake of communion we are called to search our lives and our hearts for any hidden sin. We are to sweep our hearts clean before God.

World Communion Sunday 2009 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Today we join Christians from every country around the world in Celebrating World Communion Sunday. Just think of it all around our globe Christians of every tongue, tribe, and on every continent are doing what we are doing this morning. They ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Not From A Distance Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 14, 2014

God is not distant from us; in Christ, He is us, and He gives us the grace to forgive and be healed.

4th Sunday of Advent 2014 Extraordinary Form About a quarter century ago Bette Midler recorded a song by Julie Gold called “from a distance.” The idea behind the lengthy lyrics is that if you get far enough away from planet earth, it all looks green and blue and serene. You ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

Don't Get Hijacked

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Feb 11, 2001

Don’t be taken in by the world’s philosophy

1) Introduction Imagine you are comfortably asleep in your bed. You are awakened by a crash as a window is broken. Your heart begins pounding as adrenaline pumps through your veins, preparing your body for fight or flight. You pick up the phone. The line is dead. The door bursts open. Four heavily ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:6-15

Denomination: Baptist

The Parable Of The Pharisee And The Tax Collector Series

Contributed by Kerry Bauman on Aug 17, 2005

The sin of self-righteousness is subtle and often undetected in our own lives, yet it often has devastating consequences.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector Text: Luke 18:9-14 Introduction: A grocery store checkout clerk once wrote to advice-columnist Ann Landers to complain that she had seen people buy "luxury" food items--like birthday cakes and bags of shrimp--with their food stamps. The writer ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Independent/Bible

What Is It Good For?

Contributed by Monty Newton on Oct 20, 2010

All Scripture is God-given and useful!

Title: What Is It Good For? Text: II Timothy 3:14-17 Thesis: All Scripture is God-given and useful! Introduction In 1969 I was a divinity student preparing for the ministry and had a very high draft lottery number so, despite having taken my physical; I was ultimately exempted from the draft to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day

Contributed by Dean Morgan on Sep 6, 2006

Difficult times (horrible days) are often God’s way of making you what He longs for you to be. Don’t pull the plug before the work is done.

Difficult times (horrible days) are often God’s way of making you what He longs for you to be. Don’t pull the plug before the work is done. In her children’s book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst captures one young man’s really bad day. Alexander starts ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-4

Denomination: Pentecostal