Sermons on Bishop John Shelby Spong:

Identity In Christ PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 25, 2023

Explore the witness of John the Baptist, the testimony of Jesus, and the life-changing invitation to believe, ultimately leading us to embrace faith and experience the transformative power of God in our lives.

Good morning, church family! Today, we're going to dive into the witness of John the Baptist, the testimony of Jesus, and the invitation to believe. Let's begin with the words of Christian author and pastor, A.W. Tozer: "Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God." It is through faith that we ...read more

Scripture: John 1:11-45

Topics: Identity, John

One Size Fits All PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Nov 5, 2023

This sermon explores understanding God's boundless love, accepting His gift of salvation, and living daily in His love, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Good morning, church family! It's always a joy to gather with all of you, whether in person or virtually, as we come together to share in the love of God and His Word. We're about to get into some real heart-to-heart talk today, folks, about something that's so central to our faith that we might ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Topics: John, World

Birth Of Jesus Christ PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Dec 14, 2023

This sermon explores God's divine messengers, the majesty of Jesus' birth, and the relationship between John and Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. Key

Good morning, beloved family of God. It is a beautiful day that the Lord has made, and we are here to rejoice and be glad in it. We gather not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters, united in the love of Christ, bound by the grace that has been so lavishly bestowed upon us. We are here to seek ...read more

Topics: John, Relative

Who Are You? PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Jan 30, 2024

Explores proclaiming Christ's praises, perceiving His truth, and persisting in faith amidst opposition, emphasizing Christ's all-encompassing, all-sufficient grace.

Good morning, beloved family in Christ. It's a joy to be with you today, as we gather together in our Father's house, under the banner of His love, to bask in the beauty of His Word and to celebrate the life we share in Him. Today, we turn our attention to the Gospel of John, a book that is ...read more

Scripture: John 1:15-19

Topics: John, Witness

John Wesley In The 21st Century

Contributed by Don Hawks on Feb 9, 2004

A Brief Biography of Wesley and His Teaching about God’s Grace and a discussion of his importance for today’s church.

SLIDE 1 Welcome, attendance pad, prayer I am continuing this series today on Christianity and world religions. But today I am taking a different twist. I am going to talk about John Wesley. If it were not for this man I doubt that we would be meeting here in this place or form today. This ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 22:37-40

Denomination: Methodist

Commentary 1 John, Ch. 4 Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jun 7, 2021

The mention of faith in 1John 3:23 had reminded the Apostle John of the danger of intellectual and moral error. After the last paragraph, the mention of God’s Spirit gave him a form to clothe the discussion of truth and falsehood in its human manifestations.

TRIUMPHAL ENTRY COMMENTARY 1 JOHN, CH. 4 Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. King James Bible Testing the Spirits 1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

Announcing Elijah's Return Series

Contributed by D Marion Clark on Oct 13, 2016

Elijah had already appeared, and they did not know it. Jesus had identified him.

Luke 1:5-25 Announcing Elijah’s Return 12/5/04 D. Marion Clark Introduction Halfway through the books of the Bible that present the story of the kings of Israel, a prophet suddenly appears – Elijah the Tishbite. He announces to the wicked king Ahab, “As the Lord the God of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Preparing For Christmas, John's Style

Contributed by Mari Larson on Dec 17, 2018

Preparing for Christmas beyond decorating trees and writing cards.

I have done it, and I cannot undo it. I have equated social media with that/this wild-eyed picture of John the Baptist. “You brood of vipers.” Polarizing. Negative. Scary, even. I hear some of you giggling, and I see you smiling. You know what I’m talking about. There’s a lot of speaking ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:7-18

Denomination: Lutheran

How Do You Live When The Heat Is Turned Up?

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Jun 18, 2021

A message inspired by Bishop Tim Hill on how to live in times when our faith is challenged.

Note: message inspired by Bishop Tim Hill How do you live when the heat is turned up? Daniel 3 Daniel 3:1-30 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. (90ft high x 9ft wide) He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:12

Denomination: Church Of God

New: Flat-Line Faith

Contributed by John Bishop on Mar 25, 2009

Staying on fire for God can be one of the most difficult things we do. Pastor John Bishop talks to us about the Church at Laodicea and how we can maintain the joy of our salvation and share it with the rest of the world.

PRAYER: Father, I pray that You’d bring our faith back to life. That the parts of our faith that have kind of become ’flat-lined’, this apathetic sort of indifference, that’s so affected us and it’s affected the people around us. And I pray in the name of Jesus, by the power and blood of Jesus, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John The Baptist (Luke 3:1-18)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 12, 2007

My favourite sermon. JB is always the herald of Christmas for me - a guy with an attitude that is a long way from the fat elf in his red plush suit! ...

The season of Christmas is upon us! At what point did this realisation hit you? * When you saw decorations going up in shopping centres - something which always seems to happen way to early (ie. October)? * When your family first rang you to organise a Christmas luncheon or dinner, which never ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-18

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

A United Ministry (Numbers 8)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Nov 10, 2024

Unlike our churches, the Levites were united in ministry. What can we learn from Numbers 8?

Did the menorah picture the tree of life and a light to the nations? What can we learn from the ordination of the Levites? How does that compare to elders and deacons? Let’s look at Numbers 8. Is it significant that the lampstand is a unit, but the seven churches of Revelation are individual ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Right Church Leadership (1 Timothy 3)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 6, 2024

Do we have the right to reinterpret Paul's inspired qualifications for elders and deacons, adapting them to a sinful society? Let's find out in 1 Timothy 3.

Do we have any authority to ignore Paul’s inspired qualifications for elders and deacons? Do we have any authority for man-made requirements? Do we have any authority to ordain women as elders? Do we trust that God inspired Paul with instructions for all time, or do we bend them to suit the whims ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lay Baptism & Lay Evangelism (John 4)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 25, 2025

Who baptizes and who evangelizes in our church? Let's look at John 4.

Can ordinary disciples baptize under supervision? Can a novice evangelize? Is a future evangelist waiting somewhere for us to arrive? Do we allow living water from heaven to flow through us? Is our food to do God’s will? Do we share what others need to hear? Let’s examine John 4. Who performed the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

That They May Be One (A Sermon On John Chapter 17)

Contributed by David Smith on Jun 3, 2008

Jesus said, "I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your name, the name that you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one." (John 17:11)

“Kiss me Hardy” “Et Tu, Brute” “Strike the tents!” What do these statements have in common? They were each the last words of famous men (Lord Nelson, Julius Caesar and Robert E. Lee, respectively). Let me add one from a famous woman: "Hold the cross high so I may see it through the flames!" ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-26, John 17:11-17

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican