Sermons on Crude Joking:

800-Pound Gorilla? Or The First Pope?

Contributed by William Mouser on Aug 23, 2005

In Matthew 16, Jesus confers on Peter (and, later the other Apostles) authority to rule the Church, founded on the truth of Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Messiah.

Matthew 16:13-20 800-Pound Gorilla? Or the First Pope? There’s a phrase that’s popular in modern discussions of any number of topics, and that phrase is this: “an 800 pound gorilla in the room.” An example would be this line which I plucked from a blog entry on the international economy as it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

A Song Of Ascents

Contributed by Bob Hostetler on Jul 6, 2001

A message of encouragement for hurting, lonely, struggling people

A Song of Ascents Text: Psalm 121 Twisted hands opened the rough, wooden window and the aged Jew to whom the hands belonged backed again into the stuffy shadows of his sparsely furnished mud hut. The window afforded a narrow view of many other such huts, cramped together in the Jewish ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:35-39, Psalm 121:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Developing A Christian Mindset

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 8, 2001

Develop a Christian mindset: 1. Be nice. 2. Be positive. 3. Be thankful

This will probably be the most basic sermon you have ever heard. Nothing I will say is new or profound. You have heard it all before, but it needs repeated because the very simplicity of what I will be saying is the reason it is so often overlooked and ignored. So many times we want to plunge ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-9

Denomination: Methodist

Lost In The House

Contributed by Manuel Amparo on Mar 14, 2006

The Canaanite woman is an example of those who are lost in the house; Jesus called her “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.

SERMON TITLE LOST IN THE HOUSE Matthew 15:21-28 21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Ye Must Be Born Again

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Mar 23, 2006

Looking at the "O" characteristics of God (omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience) we can understand the command of God: Ye MUST be born again.

March 26, 2006 Fourth Sunday in the Season of Lent And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may ...read more

Scripture: John 3:14-21

Denomination: United Methodist

Christian Heroes Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Aug 3, 2010

God illustrates a life of joyful obedience through Christian heroes.

Scripture Introduction As a society, our taste in heroes has changed. A few years ago, researchers asked two thousand eighth-graders to name prominent people they admired and wanted to be like. After the results were published, a columnist for the Chicago Daily News, Sidney Harris, lamented the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:19-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Walls Come Tumblin' Down

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 14, 2009

We run into many walls we cannot seem to get past: estrangement, grief, illness. The way past those walls is described as Sabbath, symbol, silence, and shout.

When you are up against a wall, there will be more than one way to deal with it. There will be the conventional way. And there will be the creative way. When you are up against a wall, there will be a way to break it down that costs a whole lot less than the usual way. All of us remember Mark ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 6:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Marvel Of The Incarnation

Contributed by David Scudder on Jan 24, 2010

"The best way to send an idea," said scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, "is to wrap it up in a person." The theological word for that is "Incarnation," meaning "in the flesh." Jesus was the Incarnation of God. Jesus was the way that God sent His "idea" to h

Purpose: To explain the nature of Christ's incarnation. Aim: I want the listener to sense the impact that Christ's coming had on mankind. INTRODUCTION: "The best way to send an idea," said scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, "is to wrap it up in a person." The theological word for all of that is ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Available For Life-Shaping

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 27, 2010

We can become what God wants us to become if we downplay disappointment, pick perceptive people, consider consequences, and accept affirmation. Revised from a 2003 message.

Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church, Silver Spring, MD, June 5, 2005 It is said that the Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo could sense that in a rough block of marble there was an angel struggling to get out. He said that his job was to free that angel. Isn’t that remarkable?! To know ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Worshiping In A World Atilt

Contributed by Monty Newton on Apr 24, 2010

Worshiping in community with others brings us the assurance that God is with us and keeps us from shutting down hope.

Title: Worshiping In a World Atilt Text: Revelation 7:9-17 Thesis: Worshiping in community with others brings us the assurance that God is with us and keeps us from shutting down hope. Clip: I Sure Could Use a Little Good News Today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4lyjseJMG0 Introduction: This ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 7:9-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Lose Friends And Anger People Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on May 10, 2010

God prepares his people for persecution so that we will not fall away when proving that there are things in life worth dying for.

Scripture Introduction Dale Carnegie pioneered work in public speaking and was famous for helping others become successful. In 1936 he published How to Win Friends and Influence People; since then it has sold more than 15 million copies. Two of his most famous maxims are, “Believe that you ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Rampant Acts Of Kindness

Contributed by Terry Barnhill on May 11, 2010

Three ways that Jesus showed kindness.

If you were describing our world, would you describe it as a kind place? If so, just what “kind of place” are you thinking of? For instance, have you tried recently to get service in a crowded store? Were you shocked recently by something on the news? Doesn’t it seem like ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What Is Love

Contributed by Randy Conrad on Mar 25, 2008

Where do we as Christians find our definition and understanding of love?

The husband had just finished reading the book, "MAN OF THE HOUSE". He stormed into the kitchen and walked directly up to his wife. Pointing a finger in her face he said: "From now on, I want you to know that I am the man of this house and my word is law! I want you to prepare me a gourmet meal ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-12

Denomination: Holiness

"Little Is Much - When God Is In It"

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Jan 27, 2007

Little is much - but god has to be in it. Little is much - when the little do much. Little is much - one moment at a time.

“Little is Much – When God is in it!” January 28, 2007 “…ever since we first heard about you we have kept on praying and asking God to help you understand what he wants you to do; asking him to make you wise about spiritual things; and asking that the way you live will always please the Lord and ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-23

Denomination: Holiness

Living As Citizens Of A New Kingdom Series

Contributed by Matthew Stoll on May 19, 2008

Our response to the grace we have received through the risen Christ, new birth and living hope of eternal life, is holy living.

Last week on Easter Sunday we focused on the resurrection of Jesus. We looked at how the resurrection of Jesus changed everything. People who encountered the resurrected Jesus were completely changed. One disciple in particular, Simon Peter, had abandoned Jesus in his hour of need, along with ...read more

Denomination: Methodist