Sermons on Close Encounter:

Angels Among Us

Contributed by Rick Kallstrom on Jan 27, 2003

I believe with all my heart that millions of angels are at God’s command and at our service. The hosts of Heaven stand at attention ready to do God’s will at any moment of any hour of any day.

Don, Tim and Jim were college students from the Midwestern United States and they all attended the same university in Connecticut. It was Christmas break time, 1983, and they were all looking forward to going home for the holidays. One came from Fort Wayne, Indiana while the other two were from ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:14, Hebrews 1:1, Colossians 1:1-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prepare To Meet Thy God

Contributed by Rick Kallstrom on Jan 27, 2003

Today, we live in a world full of sin and corruption. It is a world that seems to focus more on the pleasures and material things that surround us than on the spiritual things of God!

Today, we live in a world full of sin and corruption. It is a world that seems to focus more on the pleasures and material things that surround us than on the spiritual things of God! All across this wonderful place called planet Earth, a land created for us by God, men, women, boys and girls, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:8, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

More Than Hatch, Match, And Dispatch Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 20, 2003

People expect only the ceremonial from the church. But God wants to give us a rich, varied, and outward-reaching life.

Last week you seemed to get a big charge out of my little story about going to a wedding rehearsal and wasting time waiting for a key person to arrive. When I said that I didn’t know what we’d do on Sunday afternoon if he didn’t show up, you let out a belly laugh. You assumed I was talking about ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

How To Pray With Power Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 20, 2003

By studying Paul’s prayer in the third chapter of Ephesians, we can discovering several key points that help us pray with power.

How to Pray with Power [Transition from drama…] How many of you need a prayer support group this morning? We make it harder than it needs to be, don’t we? As we continue in our series called, Prayer Passages, let’s summarize what we’ve learned so far from our study in Luke 11, 2 Chronicles 7 and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

Taking Time To Give Thanks Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 21, 2003

In Nehemiah 11, we come across a situation where the people are faced with a national referendum. They didn’t believe in “luck” or “chance.” They actually were so committed to the sovereignty of God that they knew God would direct the outcome of the lot

Taking Time to Give Thanks You made a good decision this morning to come to church because I have some inside information about the recent presidential election that you will not hear on CNN. With all the intrigue and controversy surrounding the final tally, coupled with the waiting that we’ve had ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

"Captivity Led Captive" Series

Contributed by Clark Tanner on May 23, 2003

Sin made us captives to Satan. Grace made us captives to Christ. (#13 in the Unfathomable Love of Christ series)

“Therefore it says ‘When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men’. (Now this expression, ‘He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:8-10

Denomination: Orthodox

Road Maps For A Far Country

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 24, 2003

For Father’s Day: Fathers who say "yes" to everything provide a road map to disaster; who keep their children at arm’s length point to alienation; but who may also go home themselves to lead their children home. (Maps were displayed)

I have always liked maps. Any kind of map fascinates me. You can learn so much from a map. If it is a road map, you can find out how to get from here to there and back again. When I was in elementary school and the classroom got boring, like most kids, I would doodle. But while some kids ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32, Galatians 4:6-11

Denomination: Baptist

Choosing Sides Part 2

Contributed by Kevin Higgins on May 26, 2003

Christ’s soldiers should acknowledge three things about themselves.

2 Timothy 2:3-4 Choosing Sides Part 2 IINTRODUCTION Last week we saw how all of us are engaged in a war that is much bigger than we are. It’s been going on for ages, and whether we like it or not we’ve all become a part of it. At stake is our freedom and the freedom of all of mankind. Satan is ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7, 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Denomination: Baptist

The Pain Of The Cross

Contributed by Kevin Higgins on May 29, 2003

Four aspects of Jesus’ pain on the cross.

Matthew 26:36-38 The Pain of the Cross INTRODUCTION In his book titled, Systematic Theology, writer Wayne Grudem outlines four aspects of Jesus’ pain on the cross that I would like to share with you today. I want us to turn our hearts and thoughts to the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-38, 1 Corinthians 11:23-36

Denomination: Baptist

Preparing For Patience Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 30, 2003

Since patience means “slow to get angry,” we’ll focus on some of those things that cause us to burn with anger so that we can learn the discipline of waiting

Preparing for Patience Rev. Brian Bill July 1, 2001 A truck driver sat down to eat at an all-night restaurant. The waitress had just served him his meal when three guys riding Harley’s showed up and swaggered into the diner. One grabbed the man’s hamburger; another took a fistful of his French ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:11

Denomination: Baptist

Sign 1 - Turning The Water To Wine Series

Contributed by Mark Holdcroft on Jun 1, 2003

A look at the first sign in the book of john and how Jesus can take useless rituals and replace them with His sacrifice and Spirit.

Water into Wine In the Gospel of John, he makes no secret of why he write his account of Jesus’ life. John 20:31 ... that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John wrote the Gospel so that people may know who Jesus is, ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Denomination: Pentecostal

Between The Extremes

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Jun 2, 2003

Extreme events get our attention, but they do not define our lives; Living between the extremes does.

CEDAR LODGE BAPTIST CHURCH Thomasville, NC a fellowship of faith family and friendships -------------------------------- June 1, 2003 1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

Denomination: United Methodist

Dead Works Vs. Godly Service

Contributed by Shawn Raloff on Jun 7, 2003

Nine ways we can distinguish between Dead Works and Godly Service.

Introduction: During World War II, England needed to increase its production of coal if it was going to have any hope of winning the war. Winston Churchill called together labor leaders to enlist their support. And at the end of his presentation he asked them to stand with him and picture in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-36

Denomination: Free Methodist

Deliverance From Difficulties

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 11, 2003

Too many people fail to realize that in order to prevail over life’s difficulties it is necessary to first cry out to God for help and praise Him while we wait for His deliverance.

Deliverance From Difficulties (Psalm 86:1-17) David’s Model Prayer = Petition, Praise and Prevail Too many people fail to realize that in order to prevail over life’s difficulties it is necessary to first cry out to God for help and praise Him while we wait for His deliverance. We can praise ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 86:1-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Oneness Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 13, 2003

Receiving the gifts of oneness means that we love one leader and commit to one calling. Those things are not the same as having doctrinal agreement or being socially compatible.

This week I met a young man who was very clear about what he needed. He came here to the church to participate in a wedding rehearsal. We began to talk about weddings. He expressed the hope that this wedding would not be like the last wedding he had attended. In that earlier wedding, he had ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Denomination: Baptist