Sermons on Big Picture:

You Have Found Favor With God

Contributed by Scott Coltrain on Feb 3, 2006

The Archangel Gabriel said Mary was selected to become the mother of Jesus because she had “found favor with God.” What was it about Mary that caught the Lord’s attention. What qualities did she possess which “found favor with God?”

As we continue our study of the Gospel According to Luke, I want to focus our attention on the person of Mary. Of all the women of Judah, she was chosen by God to become the mother of the Messiah, the King and Redeemer of Israel. Gabriel said she was selected because she had “found favor with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-55

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Are You Nearsighted? Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 25, 2010

Are you serious about growing in the Lord, are you nearsighted? If you actively pursue growth, you are on the road to great spiritual blessing.

Are You Nearsighted? (2 Peter 1: 5-11) 1. One of my favorite riddles is this one Q: What did the near-sighted porcupine say when it backed into a cactus? A: Pardon me, honey! 2. If you are near-sighted, you see objects that are near, but distant objects are blurry or unclear. To put is simply, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Avoiding The Distortions

Contributed by Colin Thornby on Nov 6, 2010

Just like the Sadducees, we can selectively read scripture and so make false and disastrous assumptions about Christ and his call (Luke 20:27-40)

One of the curious things about religious people is that they can develop very fixed ideas about what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes these are bolstered by appeals to their religious texts, sometimes it is based on experience, or a sort of philosophical position. Jesus interaction with the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:27-40

Denomination: *other

Whch Way To Go? Part 5 Series

Contributed by Bala Samson on Jul 15, 2013

The transformation process often involves the tearing away of our old self and the creation of a new self - one that reflects God’s character.

Which way to go and where to go? Bitter fights and sweet turn outs…. Life of Jacob Visit www.worshipjesusministries.org Check my blog: balasamson@wordpress.com Genesis 33: 10 “ And Jacob said, “No, please, if I have now found favour in your sight, then receive my present from my ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:10

Denomination: Pentecostal

You Can Be God's Masterpiece

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Jan 20, 2016

God wants to make your life a masterpiece. Come to Jesus, and He will do it!

Devotion for January 19, 2016 [This message was an interactive homily at an inner-city mission in Toronto, at a mid-week outreach event} What is your favourite band? Your favourite song? You favourite work of art? A lot of us have like and dislikes when it comes to music, and some of us have ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jonah 3:6-10 Series

Contributed by Zak Saenz on Jan 4, 2025

Jonah 3:6-10

Recap ~ 4-5 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. So we have a ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:6-10

Denomination: Bible Church

Curing The Monday Blues Series

Contributed by Charles Payne on Oct 15, 2025

A 7-minute charge to flip your week from drained to driven

CURING THE MONDAY BLUES A 7-minute charge to flip your week from drained to driven SEEING THE BIG PICTURE TEXT: Call to worship: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) PROLOGUE: What day is Psalm 118.24 referring to specifically? It’s one ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:22-24, Acts 20:7, Revelation 1:10, Psalm 31:15, Isaiah 26:3, Hebrews 12:1  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dead Flies In The Church Series

Contributed by Charles Payne on Oct 18, 2025

The Church was meant to be the fragrance of Christ. We were not put here to be popular. We were put here to be holy.

DEAD FLIES IN THE CHURCH (When the Fragrance of Christ is Replaced With the Stench of Compromise) SEEING THE BIG PICTURE TEXT Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour…” PROLOGUE: THE CHURCH WAS MEANT TO BE THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST We ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10:1, 2 Corinthians 2:15, 1 Peter 1:16, Jeremiah 6:14, 2 Timothy 3:5, Luke 13:3, James 2:26, 1 Peter 1:15, James 4:8, James 4:4, 2 Corinthians 6:17, 2 Corinthians 6:14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jesus' Power Over Life's Storms

Contributed by Tim Bond on Feb 4, 2002

God allows storms in our life so that we can experience the power and the presence of Christ.

One of my favorite stories is about Chippie the parakeet. Chippie was a happy little bird, content every day to sit on his perch, swinging and singing to his little heart’s content. One day Chippie’s owner took the initiative to clean out his cage. She took off the attachment from the end of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"Lessons Learned From The Storm" Series

Contributed by Tim Bond on Apr 30, 2003

God allows storms in our life so that we can experience the power and the presence of Christ.

One of my favorite stories is about Chippie the parakeet. Chippie was a happy little bird, content every day to sit on his perch, swinging and singing to his little heart’s content. One day Chippie’s owner took the initiative to clean out his cage. She took off the attachment from the end of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Job 28 (Where Is Wisdom To Be Found?)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 21, 2007

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." ...

God answered Job out of the whirlwind: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge." Job 38:1 - the beginning of our reading from today’s lectionary, that marks the beginning of the end of the book of Job. We’ve been plowing our way through the book of Job for quite a few Sundays ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Fear And Love God Series

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Aug 21, 2003

We see two completely different pictures of God at Mt. Sinai. How can we fit them into our hearts? Don’t bother reading this if you’re looking for cute stories and illustrations for your entertainment.

August 24, 2003 Exodus 19, 20, 24 How do you FEEL about that? As a Lutheran, a German, and a male that question and that focus has nearly driven me nuts throughout the past years. It just isn’t natural or easy for me or most males to be “sensitive” or “emotional”. But the fact of the ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Among The Lampstands Series

Contributed by Lanny Smith on May 3, 2022

Where is the Lord in the midst of the chaos and struggles of life? John reminds that He is and always has been intimately engaged with His church.

*Neighbor’s ring doorbell. Going off all the time. Means somebody just got their picture taken. * Caught on camera - most folks think it’s just a few times a day. * Depending on where you live/work/shop, it could be about 70x/day. * That number is going up with every Ring doorbell cam that folks ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:9-20, Daniel 7:13, Exodus 28:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Child, Son & Joint Heir Of God

Contributed by Howard Gunter on May 30, 2018

What does it mean - child, son & joint heir of God?

Mid-week Message/Devotion May 30, 2018 Romans 8:12-17 Child, Son, & Joint Heir of God Listen to the lyrics of this song on the Merrill Osmond Album – “How Great Thou Art”: I am a child of God, And he has sent me here, Has given me an earthly home With parents kind and dear. Lead me, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:12-17, Acts 16:6-7, Luke 4:1-2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

#3. Life; Take A Deep Breath And Live Anyway Series

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Feb 12, 2007

A BIG QUESTION - Does happiness really exist? In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus explained that happiness does indeed exist. He even went so far as to clearly show us where it is to be found...And how to get there.

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:17-26

Denomination: United Methodist