Sermons on Close Encounter:

Hope In God! - 1 Peter 1:13 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Nov 29, 2024

Hope is when you turn your attention from some small bad news to some big good news. It is central to the Christian life and it is a Christian duty (with grace comes responsibility). But it is hard to do.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13

Exodus 32:1-35 - Leadership Challenges And Failures

Contributed by Carl Willis on Apr 18, 2024

Moses is taking too long and the people are grumbling. Aaron has a choice to make and instead of standing strong he chooses the path of compromise.

We are jumping back into Exodus, so we want to recap a little bit. Exodus is the story of the people of Israel being delivered from captivity by God Himself, using Moses as His leader. Today, we're going to be in Chapter 32, where we'll study two lessons in leadership with Moses and Aaron. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Exodus 19:1-15 The Holy Presence Of God

Contributed by Carl Willis on Apr 18, 2024

God is in the midst of His people. His holy presence comes with requirements of honor and reverence.

We are continuing through Exodus, our journey through Exodus. As you'll recall, this is the account of the Israelites being delivered from captivity in Egypt, but it's not really a story about the Egyptians, the Israelites, or Moses; it is a story about God. Today, we're going to be in ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-25

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Exodus 4:1-17 Equipped For The Call

Contributed by Carl Willis on Apr 21, 2024

God has called Moses to deliver His people. Now God equips Moses with everything he will need to fulfill the calling on his life.

To make the fourth chapter of Exodus more understandable, we need to backtrack and understand the backstory. In most great stories, there's a backstory, and once you're clear on that, everything else makes more sense. So, if you would turn with me to Exodus chapter 3, we're going to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 4:1-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christ And The Social Condition

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jul 27, 2023

Jesus came to give His life as a sacrifice for fallen mankind. He will reign as King, but that reign awaits His return.

“When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, ‘This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!’ “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” [1] Few of the miracles Jesus performed had ...read more

Scripture: John 6:14-15

Denomination: Baptist

Complaints Against A Gracious God

Contributed by Michael Stark on Aug 17, 2023

It is a vain and futile thing to complain against God Who is gracious. A study of the descent of Israel into complaining serves to warn us against charging God with error.

“They sinned still more against [God], rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. They spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the wilderness? He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 78:17-31

Denomination: Baptist

A Multigenerational Church

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Sep 2, 2023

Uncracking the secret of the early church is at the heart of this message. It looks at several key elements that has led the church to grow exponentially.

A young lady working on her master's degree in social work asked to work with me on a research project related to multigenerational trauma. She plans to get her Ph.D. and continue our work internationally. I had learned how various traits are transmitted across generations. My 5th great ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Qualifying Round - Mark 3:16-19 (Luke 6:12-16) Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Sep 4, 2023

Jesus selected 12 men who, by all appearances, were deeply unqualified. But he was very deliberate about who he selected. Why did he chose the men he choose?

Mark 3:13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve-- designating them apostles-- that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:12-16

2nd Thessalonians Chapter 1 (This Is A Detailed Study Verse By Verse Of Chapter 1. You Will Need To Analyze, Synthesize, And Then Summarize To Fit Your Need.) Series

Contributed by Luther Sexton on Sep 4, 2023

Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus encourage the Thessalonians to continue in their faith knowing that God will have vengeance on their persecutors.

2nd THESSALONIANS - Chapter 1 2nd Thess 1:1 “Paul, and Silvanus [Silas], and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:” (KJV) 1:1 Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Denomination: Pentecostal

Palm Sunday, Passion Sunday. Year A. Series

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 22, 2023

6th Sunday in Lent. MARCH 29th, 2026.

Psalm 118:1-2, Psalm 118:19-29, Matthew 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-9, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:14-75, Matthew 27:1-66. A). THANKSGIVING AT THE GATE OF JERUSALEM. Psalm 118:1-2, Psalm 118:19-29. As the crowd approaches Jerusalem for the great annual feast, the mood is one of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:1-2, Psalm 118:19-29, Matthew 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-9, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:14-75, Matthew 27:1-66  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Something More

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 3, 2023

The errors that infiltrate the Faith are often characterised as teaching that attempts to present "something more." The Faith is simple and complete, requiring no addition from the fertile imagination of any person.

“Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not ...read more

Scripture: 2 John 1:7-11

Denomination: Baptist

Judgment Day

Contributed by Dove Inspirations on Jun 16, 2024

It is appointed unto man to die once and after that face judgment. That is not the only judgment man will face. On earth one may face many types of judgment, but the eternal judgment and the consequences thereof are too serious to just wave away or leave to chance.

JUDGMENT DAY John 3:16 Many judgments are delivered world over. Here, I am talking about the judgment that determines where you will spend eternity and what rewards and or punishments you get, if any. There is a judgment day for everyone. Scripture tells us that even the angels will be judged, ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

How To Be A Timothy - Philippians 2:22-24 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jun 17, 2024

The preaching of the Word won’t have an effect on the hard, rocky, or weedy soil until someone gets down on the ground of that person’s heart and does some gardening.

Philippians 2:19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:22-24

Ministry Glasses - Philippians 2:25-30 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jun 17, 2024

If you saw your ministry through God's eyes, you would be staggered.

Philippians 2:25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs (lit: and your apostle and minister of my needs). 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:25-30

The Luckiest People Alive - Matthew 5:1-12 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jul 1, 2024

There is controversy surrounding how the Sermon on the Mount should be interpreted. Is it law? Grace? Is it binding on us today? How can we possibly live that way?

The sermon on the mount makes some very hard demands on us. The introduction to the sermon (the beatitudes) is designed to provide motivation for the hard demands of righteous living throughout the sermon. The first half of the message focuses on how the sermon on the mount should be interpreted (a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12