Sermons on Contemplate:

Knowing And Following God's Will Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 3, 2023

Jesus Grew in Wisdom and Knowledge, and how did that happen?

Saturday of 2nd Week of Christmas 2023 Many of us, when we lay out our plans for the day or week or year, like New Year’s resolutions, add the tag line, “God willing.” That may be an ancient holdover from paganism, whereby a petitioner at a shrine would make his sacrifice or offering and then say ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:14-21, 1 Timothy 2:4, John 2:1-11, Matthew 18:15-17

Denomination: Catholic

A Needed Transformation

Contributed by Dennis Lee on Jan 14, 2023

A vision and goal for 2023. It all begins with an inside work through the type of heart Christians are to possess. It's all about a transformation. A small sermonette to go along with "A Christian's Heart - Introduction."

A Needed Transformation Over this past generation our country has gone through wholesale changes in what we stand for and believe in. There are things happening today that weren’t even contemplated a couple of generations ago. In 1965, after reading Billy Graham’s manuscript entitled, “World ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14, 1 Samuel 17:55

Denomination: Foursquare

Victorious Faith

Contributed by Dr. Nichol Burris on Dec 10, 2023

May our lives be a testament to the transformative power of reflective faith, bringing glory to the One who overcame the world on our behalf.

Victorious Faith Introduction: Good morning/afternoon/evening, Beloved of the Most High. Today, I want to talk about the transformative power of faith – not just any faith, but a faith that is reflective and victorious. Our scripture today is found in 1 John 5:4; the Word of the Lord says: ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:4, Matthew 14:30, John 16:33

Holy Innocents And Child Protection Series

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Dec 15, 2023

The Feast of the Holy Innocents has gained additional significance in today's culture as a day to consider the safety and welfare of children.

Holy Innocents and Child Protection Christianity's Feast of the Holy Innocents, which is celebrated on December 28, has a rich religious and historical tradition. On this day, people celebrate the biblical story of King Herod's brutal order to kill newborn Jesus in order to get rid of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:5, 1 John 2:2, Matthew 2:13-18

Denomination: Other

The Oak Tree Series

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Feb 22, 2024

The second in the Lenten series. This week's focus is on the promises of God

February 21, 2024 Hope Lutheran Church Series: If Trees Could Talk" Genesis 13:14-18; Isaiah 61:1-3 The Oak Tree Good evening, friendly humans. I was very honored when your pastor contacted me and asked if I would be a guest presenter during your Lenten midweek services. Thank you for ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 13:14-18, Isaiah 61:1-3

Denomination: Lutheran

Purpose Of Prayer Series

Contributed by Ken Henson on Sep 23, 2017

Paul promotes the purposes of prayer as Watchfulness, Thankfulness and Effectiveness.

42 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:1-6

Denomination: *other

Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit As Applied To Prayer

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 23, 2017

Poverty of soul is a way of entering in prayer, especially at the outset of when we begin to pray.

Poverty of soul is a way of entering in prayer, especially at the outset. Poverty of soul cannot be sought as an item of self-knowledge. It retains always an unknown, elusive quality. It cannot be simply a thought of our unworthiness before God. Much less can it be a mood of despondency about ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Emotions In Prayer

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 23, 2017

There may be souls of spiritual depth who presume in themselves a meager capacity for prayer because they find interior silence unachievable.

“Clearly, then, the idea we have of God can make prayer difficult, if not impossible. We block our way to God by every wrong notion of God. That can happen if we dwell too much on God’s transcendent mystery, if we look upon him as distant and remote, as a God without eyes. A God unavailable to our ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

What Does God's Love Look Like Series

Contributed by John Gullick on Apr 3, 2017

Part of a series looking at God's love through Jeremiah

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Exodus 20:1-17 The first thing that we notice about the Ten Commandments is that they are the words of God (Exodus 20:1). Secondly we notice that the LORD is the God who has redeemed us (Exodus 20:2). It is not the keeping of the Ten Commandments which saves us: salvation is ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 31:1-5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Infinite Love For Infinite Sadness Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 10, 2017

To enjoy infinite love curing our infinite sadness, we need to live by the moral code Jesus taught, the code of loving even our enemies.

Thursday of 2nd Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel “Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love.” Those words of Pope Francis ended our reflection last Thursday on the encyclical Joy of the Gospel. Now God’s love is unconditional. He loves even jerks, even sinners like me and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20-26

Denomination: Catholic

We Are A People Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 16, 2017

"To be evangelizers of souls, we need to develop a spiritual taste for being close to people’s lives."

Thursday of 4th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel This is a solemnity, one of the three or four greatest saints festivals of the year, and it comes on the heels every year of the solemnities of Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart, and the birth of St. John the Baptist. Today we hear from St. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19

Denomination: Catholic

Fulfilling Our Commitments As Evangelization Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 14, 2016

Doing what we should do can bring us joy, but we must still do it even if it leaves us dry.

Thursday in Pentecost Week 2016 Joy of the Gospel There are still some pundits and preachers out in the hinterland who insist that Jesus was just a great man, a great philosopher of love, that fire and brimstone have no place in religion, and that everyone goes to heaven. I suppose they ripped ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:41-50

Denomination: Catholic

Getting A Faith Check-Up

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Dec 22, 2022

Paul’s final warning to the Corinthians. If they do not turn from their sins, no one will be spared Christ’s punishment.

Paul’s final warning to the Corinthians is found in 2 Corinthians 13:1-10. Before he comes to see them, he tells them that they need to repent of their sins. If they do not turn from their sins, no one will be spared Christ’s punishment. When Paul carries out Christ’s potent discipline among them, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:5

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Greatness Of His Works

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 15, 2020

The LORD is High for evermore. Psalm 92 verse 8.

THE GREATNESS OF HIS WORKS. Psalm 92:1-15. This Psalm takes up a common Bible theme: the dichotomy between the “righteous” (Psalm 92:12) and the “wicked” (Psalm 92:7). However, first and foremost, taken as a whole, it is about the LORD. The LORD is mentioned seven times in this ‘Psalm or ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 92:1-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Patient Gardner

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Mar 21, 2022

A sermon for the third Sunday in Lent, Year C

March 20, 2022 Hope Lutheran Church Rev. Mary Erickson Luke 13:1-9; Joel 2:13 The Patient Gardner Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. So says the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9, Joel 2:13

Denomination: Lutheran