Sermons on C Proper 14:

A Warning Against Complacency

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 8, 2019

Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria.

A WARNING AGAINST COMPLACENCY. Amos 6:1-7. Amos was a farmer from Tekoa, to the south of Jerusalem (Amos 1:1). The LORD called Amos to ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel’ (Amos 7:15). The prophet’s ministry was thereafter directed mainly to the ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel, ...read more

Scripture: Amos 6:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fire! Baptism! Discerning This Time

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 1, 2016

Division: a declaration of how things will be, rather than an imperative of how they should be.

FIRE! BAPTISM! DISCERNING THIS TIME. Luke 12:49-56. There is a measure of dissonance as this passage comes crashing through Jesus’ symphony of peace. “Fire!” begins the Greek of Luke 12:49. “Fire I came to cast into the earth, and what will I if it be already kindled?” Fire speaks to us of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-56

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Turning Point In The Ministry Of Jesus

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 2, 2016

When we set out with Jesus, we can hardly begin to understand what paths He might lead us down to get to our destination. It is not always what we think, but we must implicitly trust Him.

A TURNING POINT IN THE MINISTRY OF JESUS. Luke 9:51-62. “When the days were being fulfilled for the receiving up of Jesus, He set his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem” (LUKE 9:51). There is a sense of divine destiny about this statement, yet what does it mean? At first we are reminded of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51-62

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Epitaph Of The Ungodly And The Testimony Of The Righteous.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 26, 2022

Our confidence rests in the covenant mercy of God, revealed to us in Christ Jesus.

THE EPITAPH OF THE UNGODLY AND THE TESTIMONY OF THE RIGHTEOUS. Psalm 52:1-9. The superscription of this Psalm associates it with the tittle-tattle tale-telling of a certain Edomite named Doeg, who was Saul’s chief shepherd (1 Samuel 21:7). This man - not wholly untruthfully, but certainly ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 52:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Bother?

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Morrissey on Aug 3, 2001

Year C NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENECOST (PROPER 13) AUGUST 5, 2001 Ecclesiastes 1:2; 12-14; 2:18-23 Title: “Why bother?”

Year C NINTH SUNDAY AFTER PENECOST (PROPER 13) AUGUST 5, 2001 Ecclesiastes 1:2; 12-14; 2:18-23 Title: “Why bother?” Written probably about three centuries before Christ, the Book of Ecclesiastes marks an advance over the doctrine of divine retribution. Simplistically put, that doctrine stated that ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

This Pilgrim Way.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 17, 2021

The LORD's leading in the pilgrimage of this life.

THIS PILGRIM WAY. Psalm 84:1-12. At the end of the celebration of Passover, in Jewish homes scattered throughout the world, the parting toast is, ‘Next year in Jerusalem!’ The sentiment echoes a common consciousness, a restlessness if you will, which is forever drawing God’s people back ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Pharisee And The Sinner

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 24, 2016

Jesus contrasts two men, and two attitudes in prayer.

A PHARISEE AND “THE” SINNER. Luke 18:9-14. Jesus had just told His disciples a parable to encourage them to importunity in prayer (Luke 18:1). Now He turned back to the Pharisees (cf. Luke 17:20-21) to warn them, and those like them, against despising others and approaching God in a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seek The Lord While He May Be Found

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Nov 27, 2013

Responding to the call of God.

SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND. Isaiah 55. The Bible is full of wonderful gracious invitations. Isaiah 55 begins with a call to the thirsty to come to the waters. This is in order to quench, not a physical thirst, but a spiritual thirst. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sing Forth His Glory.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 3, 2022

The exodus of the children of Israel is a testimony to the works of the Lord, and points forward to our redemption in Christ.

SING FORTH HIS GLORY. Psalm 66:1-9. The superscription to this Psalm is addressed, “To the chief musician. A Song or Psalm.” Whether sung or spoken, it is a call to all nations to “Make a joyful noise” to God (Psalm 66:1). Which God? Well, compare Psalm 100:1, where YHWH, ‘the LORD’ is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 66:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Live As Exiles

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 25, 2019

Seek the peace of the place in which you find yourselves, for in its peace you shall have peace.

HOW TO LIVE AS EXILES. Jeremiah 29:1-7. For forty years Jeremiah had been warning Judah and Jerusalem to submit to the LORD by submitting to Babylon. The prophet had been accused of treason, threatened with death, and put in the stocks. Now the inevitable had begun to happen. In ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Israel Went Out Of Egypt.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 15, 2023

A defiant celebration of God's sovereign power.

WHEN ISRAEL WENT OUT OF EGYPT. Psalm 114:1-8. The exuberance of this Psalm is immediately evident. It is a recollection of Israel’s redemption story, beginning from when the descendants of Jacob made their exodus from Egypt. It is the prelude to the founding of what Stephen, the first Christian ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 114:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Camel That Passed Through The Eye Of A Needle. Abridged.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Apr 3, 2023

Jesus seeks and saves the lost.

A CAMEL THAT PASSED THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE. Abridged. Luke 19:1-10. We were reading recently about a certain ruler who, perhaps recognizing that money is not everything, asked Jesus what he must ‘do’ to inherit eternal life. The young man had an extremely high view of his own heart, but ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Awakening To Worship.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 1, 2022

Blessing the LORD for all His gracious benefits.

AWAKENING TO WORSHIP. Psalm 103:1-8. Psalm 103:1. Sometimes we are sluggish about praising God, so we have to stir ourselves up, searching within ourselves whether there might be anything hindering us from the right worship of the LORD. Having awoken our “soul” to the task, we must delve ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Greater Works (John 14:12-14) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Mar 19, 2022

How can we have a lifestyle, of greater works than Jesus?

This morning is going to feel a little different. There's been a few things in the back of my mind I've wanted to try to teach for a while-- and wrestle with myself-- and I just haven't taken the time. Today, I'm going to try to work through these things. The other thing ...read more

Scripture: John 14:12-14

Lesson #14 [ic3c]: Warning Against Not Entering God’s Rest Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Oct 15, 2020

What determines whether someone who hears the gospel actually enters God’s rest? We do not have to ponder this question because He gives us the answer in John 3:16. [“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”]

11/6/19 Tom Lowe Lesson #14 [IC3c]: Warning Against Not Entering God’s Rest (HEBREWS 4:3-13) Scripture: Hebrews 4:3-4:13 (NIV) 3. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’?” And yet his works have been ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:3-13

Denomination: Baptist