Sermons on Books Are Open:

What It Means To Be Held

Contributed by Jay Robison on Jul 26, 2005

In this sermon I use Natalie Grant’s song Held as a tool to understand Jesus’ message to the church at Smyrna. Smyrna was a church under attack with Pain Poverty Slander and a promise of worse yet to come. But the church was also held because Jesus sees t

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ARE HELD July 24, 2005 Jay Davis Robison Revelation 2:8-11 According to 20 the countdown magazine #1 Contemp Christian song 7/23/05 Natalie Grant “Held” Song a little unsettling, verse tells of 2-month-old baby Who dies while his mother is praying for sudden ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Church At Ephesus Series

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Oct 4, 2005

What can we learn today from the Church at Ephesus, one of the seven churches in Revaltion2 -3 ?

Many people are frightened by the book of Revelation, because it seems to be unintelligible. I hope that, if not tonight, by the end of this sermon series at Advent, you’ll see that not only is it reasonably easy, with some careful background reading (which I’ve done on your behalf), for ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Churches At Smyrna And Pergamum

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Oct 10, 2005

What can we learn today from the churches at Smyrna and Pergamum, one of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 ?

Why would letters be written to these churches? Well, Smyrna was a very important centre of trade, with a valuable harbour, and big wine business. It was a very beautiful city, even outstanding. In all the civil wars, the people of Smyrna always chose the right side to be: it was politically ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Church At Thyatira Series

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Oct 17, 2005

the next sermon in the series on the seven churches of Asia

And so we come to the church at Thyatira. This is the longest of the seven letters, which, ironically, was written to the smallest and least important city. Unlike the other towns, we don’t know very much about Thyatira, so it’s not so easy to understand and interpret the contents of the letter. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:19-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Spiritually Alive In 2005 Series

Contributed by Jeffrey Dillinger on Feb 3, 2005

What does it mean to be alive spiritually? Sometimes dead Christians just think they are alive!

Spiritually Alive In 2005 (Rev. 3:1-6) Intro: A. It’s a new year! Many of you may have stayed up until early hours of the morning yesterday and are still a little sleepy today. This last year has had wonderful memories of seeing some of you come into our part of the family of God. For some ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Warning To A Dying Church

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Mar 25, 2006

An examination of the poisons that cause a church to die.

WAKING A DEAD CHURCH It’s hard to believe that the winter Olympics have come and gone already. Just a month ago, Gladys, Drew and I closed out each evening sitting on the couch watching the athletes compete. Some of the events, like the ski jumps, and snow boarding, we enjoyed watching. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Dealing W/ God's Complaints

Contributed by Vinnie Cappetta on Apr 30, 2006

We are all in need of improvement. These churches were in need of improvement 2000 years ago, and we are today. God made His complaints to them and we ought to listen so we don’t make the same mistakes.

Dealing w/God’s Complaints We are all in need of improvement. These churches were in need of improvement 2000 years ago, and we are today. God made His complaints to them and we ought to listen so we don’t make the same mistakes. EPHESUS Work and endurance without love. How is that? ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Tale Of Seven Churches: Ephesus Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Feb 17, 2003

Part two of an eight part message looking at the 7 churches of Asia

It was the first of the seven. Out of all the church in all the countries Jesus singled out these seven to originally receive the message of the Revelation, but before they were to read the book Jesus had a message for them. You ever wonder why? Why not just jump in with all the weird and ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Tale Of Seven Churches: Pergamum Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Mar 5, 2003

This is the third in an eight part series on the seven churches of the Revelation

It was the third of seven. The city of Pergamum, or Pergamos as it is called by some translations (It’s the same name simply the masculine and feminine forms) didn’t have the beauty of Smyrna nor the commerce of Ephesus however it was still a great city in it’s own right, a city of culture and ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:12-17

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Tale Of Seven Churches: Sardis Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Mar 31, 2003

This is part six of an eight part message on the seven churches of Asia.

So, where were we? Oh yeah, Sardis. We’ve looked at Ephesus, Pergamum, Smyrna and Thyatira and now we are on Sardis, which is the fifth of the seven churches that the letter in the Revelation was addressed to. If we pull up our trusty map we discover that Sardis was located in what we know as ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Church At Smyrna Series

Contributed by David Taylor on May 6, 2003

The 2nd in the series, this church had nothing for which the Lord rebuked them. But there is a great lesson to be learned from them.

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

From Your Mouth To My Ears Series

Contributed by Jim Dillinger on May 28, 2003

setup sermon for a study of the 7 churches found in Rev. 2-3

From Your Mouth To My Ears Rev 1:9-11, 17-20 One of the things I have heard over and over in our fellowship is the need to be like the church of the Bible. That sounds great, but which church are we supposed to be like? The church in Jerusalem that was bigoted? Corinth with it?s immorality ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:9-20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Careless Church Series

Contributed by Jim Dillinger on Jun 5, 2003

The church in Ephesus

The Careless Church Rev 2:1-7 Muynak was once a thriving port on the Aral Sea, but today it sits on the edge of a bitter, salty desert. Sand dunes are strewn with the rusted, hollow hulls of a fishing fleet that once sailed high above on the surface of Central Asia’s fountain of life. Things ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Crowned Church Series

Contributed by Jim Dillinger on Jun 5, 2003

Smyrna

Smyrna: The Crowned Church Rev 2:8-11 Herman Lange, a German Christian who was executed by the Nazis during World War II. In his cell on the night before he was to be killed, Lange wrote a note to his parents. He said two feelings occupied his mind: "I am, first, in a joyous mood, and second, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Compromising Church Series

Contributed by Jim Dillinger on Jun 5, 2003

Pergamum

Pergamum: The Compromising Church Rev 2:12-17 One of biggest questions that I have struggled with since becoming a minister, and even before, is how wrong can a church be, and still be right? Some would say that is a simple question to answer, a church cannot be wrong at all! This week I got a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:12-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ