Sermons on Contemporary Culture:

Jesus Among Secular Gods, Part 5 - When Pleasure Becomes Perilous Series

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Nov 14, 2019

This is part 5 of Jesus Among Secular Gods, based on the book by Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale. This week the dangers of hedonism in our lives, churches, and cultures are discussed.

Hedonism is all about happiness or pleasure. Happiness and pleasure are good things, but when we make happiness and pleasure the highest forms of good, we miss out on the best God has for us. In the movie, The Matrix, it is discovered that machines have taken over the world and are channeling ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:3-9, Galatians 5:19-20, Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, Luke 8:14, Proverbs 21:17, Philippians 4:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Eternity Is Now In Session - Illumanation. Woke! Series

Contributed by Brian Harrell on Dec 19, 2019

Getting "woke" is big in our culture. Peter got woke to Jesus. Knowing Jesus gave him an entirely new mental map for life.

These last four weeks we’ve been on a journey together. It’s been a personal journey. We’ve been following a roadmap. A roadmap of discovering Jesus, and allowing him to purge and remove sinful habits, attitudes, thinking and living from our lives. Not because he’s mean that because he knows what’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19, James 2:14-17

Denomination: Church Of God

Ligaments Of The Church

Contributed by Bryan Lassiter on Jan 27, 2022

with a worldwide Pandemic plaguing us for the past two years, our culture suffers from profound loneliness, but God calls us into a church family of rich relationships.

Ligaments of the Church Ephesians 4:12-16 Have you ever thought much about ligaments? You know what I am talking about, right? Ligaments. …the things that hold our skeletal system together. Ligaments are the super strong fibrous connectors that hold our bones together. They are different from ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:12-16

Denomination: Methodist

Obligations Drawn From The Widow’s Mite

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Jan 11, 2022

A NEW message from the Widow's Mite narrative in Mark's Gospel. Understanding the culture of widows gives a new view of an old story.

Obligations drawn from the Widow’s Mite Mark 12:38-41 Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz 41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:38-41

Denomination: United Methodist

The Life And Death Struggles Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 11, 2021

Today we are in a struggle like that between Moses and Balak, or between Jesus and the religious authorities, a battle to the death between God’s people and a pagan secular culture.

Homily for Monday in 3rd Week of Advent Balaam was a prophet for hire. He was a wealthy and respected prophet of Yahweh, but he was not an Israelite. Balak, a king who was in the way of Israel as they moved toward the Promised Land, was nervous about all these people moving across his territory. ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 24:2-7, Numbers 24:15-17, Matthew 21:23-27, Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Judgement? Or Fraternal Correction

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 4, 2022

You know what happens whenever you point out some evil in the culture. The next words somebody will say are, “Jesus taught you not to judge.”

Friday of the 22nd Week in Course Today’s Gospel is so straightforward and goes to the heart of Christ’s teaching that we can be forgiven for ignoring all the other Scriptures we have heard. It’s kind of a slap at the Pharisees, who try to keep all the six-hundred plus rules of Torah involving ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:33-39, Matthew 18:15-18, Matthew 7:1-3, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Denomination: Catholic

A Plea From The Pit Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jul 13, 2024

God is merciful whenever the sinner seeks Him and His mercy. God will show mercy to the nation, the culture, the society that turns from wickedness to seek His grace.

It distresses me to preach messages that expose sin within the society in which we live. I could wish that I were permitted to speak only pleasant things, to declare a message that was always positive, to affirm our culture as righteous. However, I am compelled to give an answer to the One Who ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:31-66

Denomination: Baptist

Ask, Seek, Knock: The Pathway To Divine Encounter" Series

Contributed by Dr. John D. Wentworth on Apr 3, 2024

In our text, Jesus imparts several profound lessons that are referred to as the "Ask, Seek, Knock" passage, encapsulate fundamental principles that transcend time and culture.

Title: “Ask, Seek, Knock: The Pathway to Divine Encounter" Text: (Matthew 7:7-12) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Confronting The Scandal Of Our Prejudices Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 25, 2021

Jesus came to buck the system and to reject the prejudices in all its forms. He goes against the grain of His culture and dares to love all people equally.

Billy Graham has preached the Gospel around the world to every race. In an interview with Diane Sawyer he was asked this question: "If you could wave your hand and make one problem in this world go away, what would it be?" Without hesitation he replied, "Racial division and ...read more

Excellence Excludes Excess Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

Paul says this is what Christian leaders are to be. They are not to be people who get captured by the culture, or by circumstances. They are to be people who are stable and consistent in their commitments regardless of changes in life.

As I read Barbara Shields book Winners-Women And The Nobel Prize, I was so impressed by the life and leadership of Agnes Gunxha, better known as Mother Teresa. As I read of her life and ministry I kept seeing her fulfilling the requirements that Paul lays down for one to be an elder, or leader, in ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:5-9

Hanukkah: A New Testament Christian Perspective Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Dec 7, 2023

While not explicitly mentioned in the New Testament, Hanukkah holds cultural and historical relevance that can deepen our understanding of God's faithfulness and the light of Christ.

Hanukkah: A New Testament Christian Perspective Dear friends, as we approach the festive season of Hanukkah, it's an opportune time to explore this significant celebration from a New Testament Christian perspective. While not explicitly mentioned in the New Testament, Hanukkah holds cultural ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12, Romans 12:1, 2 Timothy 2:13

Denomination: Pentecostal

Kingdom Leadership And Influence Series

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Mar 3, 2025

Kingdom leadership is about influence, not position. As believers, we are called to lead with integrity, serve with humility, transform our culture, operate in wisdom, and rely on the Holy Spirit.

KINGDOM LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: Matthew 5:13-16, Proverbs 29:2 "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16, Proverbs 29:2

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Keys To The Kingdom Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 2, 2011

Binding and loosing have served to divide many of the saints of God. What did Jesus mean by "the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven?" The questions seek an answer.

“When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19

Denomination: Baptist

Father Abraham Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Jun 16, 2016

Believe and be safe, right, and sure.

A Texas dad (who did not want to give his name) had some unexpected excitement on his family vacation a few years ago (2013). The man and his family were traveling through Memphis, Tennessee, when they stopped to fill up their gas tank. That's when the trip got really interesting. Dad had been ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Blessed Are The Repentant Series

Contributed by John Hamby on Apr 18, 2011

What an amazing paradox! If it is not a paradox it is at least the opposite of what our culture tells us today. The paradox is that Jesus says that the man who mourns will be really happy. The world regards such a statement as utterly ridiculous. Who want

“Blessed Are The Repentant” Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” As we began examining the Beatitudes we noted that there is a definite ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:4

Denomination: Baptist