Sermons on Close Encounter:

Marriage

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 5, 2000

A look at Christian responsiblities in marriage

THE VASE SHATTERED AGAINST THE WALL AND FELL TO THE FLOOR, AND WITH IT FELL THE HOPES AND DREAMS THAT THEY HAD BROUGHT INTO THEIR MARRIAGE. EVERYONE HAD SAID THAT THEY WERE A PERFECT COUPLE AND THAT THEIRS WOULD BE A PERFECT MARRIAGE, AND EVERYONE WAS WRONG. SCENES LIKE THAT HAPPEN EVERYDAY ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:21-33

Denomination: Wesleyan

The World Series Game

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Dec 14, 2000

Life is like a world series ball game.

THE WORLD SERIES GAME I Cor. 9:25 "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." INTRO.- ILL.- The song goes like this: Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:25

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Tragic Beginning, A Tragic End

Contributed by Bob Briggs on Dec 15, 2000

Some stories start out good in life and get better, some start out bad and get worse.

Tonight I want to share an unusual message with you, a message that is pointed out of Matthew Chapter 27. Lets read from verse 3-5 (READ). The message is titled, a tragic beginning, and a tragic ending. Some stories start out bad and end good, some start out good and end good, and some start out ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:3-5

Denomination: Pentecostal

What If This Was Your Last Day On Earth?

Contributed by Bob Briggs on Dec 16, 2000

What would you do if you knew today was to be the last day for you on earth?

Matthew 25:1-13 (READ) This morning I have a life changing thought I want to interject into your life. What would you do today, if you knew tomorrow was to be your last day? We often think of people coming to the end of life, but we really don’t think about it enough. When we think of it we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Denomination: Pentecostal

Praying With Joy! Series

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Dec 20, 2000

Is prayer a first response to you? Or is it a last resort? Do you pray in an attitude of gratitude? Or are you always grumbling? When you pray, do you make sure that God receives the glory, & not you?

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK This morning I would like for us to go back nearly 2,000 years to the city of Rome. It is an exciting time to be in Rome, a metropolis of gladiators, chariots, & palaces. But we’re not going to stop at the coliseum or ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Perfect Obedience.

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Morrissey on Dec 24, 2000

First Sunday after Christmas Year C.

First Sunday after Christmas Year C. Luke 2: 41-52 Lord of the Lake Lutheran Church The Rev. Jerry Morrissey, Esq., Pastor Thank you Lord Jesus for your perfect obedience as a free gift which is our freedom from slavery to sin and death. Amen. Title: “Perfect Obedience.” Mary and Joseph find the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-52

Denomination: Lutheran

Inescapable Love

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 27, 2000

Lessons from the life of Hosea. God’s love is beyond reason, inescapable and tough.

As I thought about the messed-up life of Hosea this week, I logged onto the Jerry Springer web site to check out the kind of topics he had been wallowing in lately. Some of the program titles read like this one on August 28: “Surprise, I’m Cheating.” The caption describes the show this way: ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 1:1-10

Denomination: Methodist

Fooling The Magician

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 30, 2000

We fool the magician (Satan, the master illusionist) by refusing to believe the illusion, pulling back the curtain and trusting the unseen reality.

Some of you may have seen David Copperfield perform his magic. His act includes a lot of glitzy conjuration, including: levitating himself, being sawn in two, and making things appear and disappear. Using illusion, he has carried the art to the extreme. He has “walked through” the Great Wall of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 73:1-28

Denomination: Methodist

The Ark - A Portrait Of Christ Series

Contributed by Eddie Snipes on Dec 30, 2000

The historical flood points to the spiritual truth of Jesus’ redemption on the cross. This sermon looks at the message we are taught in the flood.

The Ark - a Portrait of the Cross One thing that is vital to understanding scripture is to keep the end in mind as you study. If you lose sight of the big picture, you will miss the spiritual applications or be in danger of taking scripture out of context. God is working out His plan and He sees ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 8:7-12, John 14:6-7

Denomination: Baptist

Can You Be Intelligent And Not Believe In Evolution?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 30, 2000

A consideration of the intellectual difficulties with the theory of evolution.

It was voted by the Associated Press to be the top story of 1999: the Kansas Board of Education’s decision to de-emphasize some aspects of the teaching of evolution in Kansas’ schools set off a firestorm of controversy. >>>”Events began in 1995, when the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:27

Denomination: Baptist

In The Beginning

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 31, 2000

Creation tells us that we are valuable to God, accountable to God, and that there is a purpose to our existence.

The story goes that one day a group of scientists had a meeting and decided that humans had come so far that they no longer needed God. After reaching their decision they appointed one of their number to go and explain to God that his services were no longer required. He said, “God, we’ve ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Moses In The Muddle

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 31, 2000

Moses was a mortal, a mediator, a mentor and a man of God.

A cartoon showed Moses coming down from the top of Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets in his hands. He’s giving a report to the children of Israel and says, “It was hard bargaining — we get the milk and honey, but the anti-adultery clause stays in.” That is seen as bad ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 11:1-15

Denomination: Methodist

Thanks Pop! Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 3, 2001

Thanks dad for being a servant leader and being a witness to me about who Jesus is!

Thanks Pop! Thesis: Thanks dad for being a servant leader and being a witness to me about who Jesus is! Introduction: In our society today we have a disillusioning phenomena happening – It’s 40% of all households today have no father in them. The fatherless trend in families have caused many ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love - Fruit Of The Spirit

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 3, 2001

The one thing that ought to be evident when they see us as Christians is Christlike love in our lives.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER CENTRAL CHRISTIAN, BROWNSVILLE, TX In his letter to the Galatians, chapter 5, vs. 22, the apostle Paul writes these words, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control." And this ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11, Galatians 5:22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The End

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Jan 5, 2001

Everyone wants to know the end of a story. That alone makes people candidates for hearing the gospel.

Although I’m sure there are exceptions, it has been apparent at least in my own personal observations, that people need to see things through to a finish. Just a few years ago a man named Vernon Howell and his deluded followers attacked ATF agents. Then they barricaded themselves against the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:57-58

Denomination: Orthodox