Sermons on Cultural Assumptions:

Worshipping The Snake

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 30, 2023

We Evangelicals are as susceptible to idolatry as are every other religious group. We don't identify our idols as opposed to Christ's rule, but they are idols that cause us to stumble, nevertheless.

“In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 18:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

We Are His Offspring

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 11, 2024

God created mankind, and He gives us our being. Thus, we must not segregate on the basis of race or sex. Flowing from the knowledge of God's creation, and having given His Word, we discover that not all cultures are equal, though all people have opportunity to know God.

“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:22-28

Denomination: Baptist

The Performance Trap

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 12, 2011

A sermon on grace and how we distort God's grace in our culture, USA. (Material adapted from David Seamands' book, "Healing Grace" chapter 2 "Barriers to Grace")

HoHum: A treadmill is one of the most effective tools for burning calories, despite the fact that the person exercising stays in the same place. Similarly, so it is with people who try to work their way to righteousness. We understand that grace is what saved us but believe they must pay God back ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A World Waiting For Jesus

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Oct 5, 2012

Sometimes we come across to others as people who seem very different from what we claim to be. This happens when we fail to practice what we preach. It also happens when others make assumption about us without having all the facts.

A world waiting for Jesus Isaiah 51:1-18 and Matthew 16:1-12 An honest man is being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turns yellow, just in front of him. He does the honest thing, and stops at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 51:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Holy War – Then And Now Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jul 23, 2002

struggling with the "complete destruction" of the residents of Canaan, especially in light of our culture and the prevalence of Holy War talk since Sept. 11

Holy War – Then and Now Joshua 10-11 - July 20/21, 2002 Intro: Plans were introduced this past week detailing various proposals for what to do with the site on which the World Trade Center towers stood until last September 11. The clean-up is completed, the search for human remains abandoned. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Authentic Love

Contributed by Scotty Killingsworth on Aug 6, 2002

A Christ Followers involvement in the world is to be salt and light. What happens to a culture when the light is dimmed and the salt looses its saltiness?

Authentic Christian love John 13:31-36 Beginning: The church is moment by moment becoming more and more like the world around it. Instead of changing the world we are being changed by the world. We have bought in to a deformed love that has a defective and inauthentic DNA. We have weakened our ...read more

Scripture: John 13:31-36

Denomination: Baptist

The Spirit Of Truth

Contributed by Samuel Stone on Nov 15, 2007

Human beings of all culture and races throughout history tried to figure out how to know what we want to know.

John 16:12-15 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will ...read more

Scripture: John 16:12-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Why Was Jesus Jewish? Series

Contributed by David Owens on Sep 24, 2007

To really be able to understand and immitate Jesus we have to understand His Jewishness and the Jewish time and culture into which He was born.

Introduction: A. As you know, most religious groups have identifying characteristics. 1. A kindergarten teacher gave her class a "show and tell" assignment of bringing something to represent their religion. 2. The first boy got in front of the class and said, "My name is Benjamin and I am Jewish ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:4-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Safety First? Series

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Oct 29, 2007

In a safety and security conscience culture, does the narrow way of Jesus offer such a radical departure that we have missed the danger of the Kingdom?

Series on the Mount Safety First? Matthew 7:13-14 October 28, 2007 We live in a safety first culture. When I was a kid, we didn’t wear helmets when riding our bikes except on the BMX track. I turned out ok. Today we wear seatbelts, have car seats, and heaven forbid that the kids might actually ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Denomination: Church Of God

Let's Take Christ Out Of Xmas

Contributed by Scott Carmer on Dec 26, 2006

Instead of putting Christ into Christmas, maybe we should take him out of what Christmas has become in our culture.

Let’s Take Christ Out of Xmas” Luke 2:1-20 December 24, 2006 Christmas Eve I am going to go out of my way to be provocative tonight. You see, I believe that we should take Christ out of Christmas. I believe that there is no place for Christ in Christmas. We ought to put aside all the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Methodist

Palm Sunday

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Mar 8, 2006

Walk down the Hossanna Road with Jesus and experience the mindset and culture of that day. There is another Triumphal Entry that will just as certainly take place.

Palm Sunday 2002 Zechariah 9:9, 14:1-5, Revelation 19:11-16 2000 years ago, the Sadducees had a tradition in which the believed the Messiah would show up four days before Passover. They kept the gates of the Temple open so that He could walk right in to His rightful place. Because of this, ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who You Know, Determines Wher You'll Go!

Contributed by Andy Patterson on Mar 23, 2005

Many say in our culture that it is who you know that determines where you will go, it’s true in eternity as well!

Who you know, determines where you’ll go! 1 Chronicles 28:9 I. We can know that He is ALIVE just as He said! - Job 19:25 There are actually some who claim to be Christians today who say that they believe Jesus died, but do not believe in the Resurrection. However I believe we can know for sure ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 28:9

Denomination: Baptist

Be Different Series

Contributed by Matthew Doebler on Aug 13, 2003

God calls us to be different than the vile, unbelieving culture around us. He offers us power to do that.

Be different! Preached August 4, 2003 It’s not easy to be different, you know. You see a young lady with pink hair spiked up like a porcupine at Pizza Hut. Her clothes are black, her eyes are black, her fingernails are black. All is black except for the silver glint of her countless metal ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:17-24

Denomination: Lutheran

Spiritual Living In A Secular World

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 21, 2007

How do we live in, and respond to, the culture in which we live? The examples of: Jonah, Esther and Daniel.

How do Christians live in, and respond to, the culture in which they find themselves? About a half century ago, H. Richard Niebuhr attempted to answer that question in his book Christ and Culture. He offered five possible responses to the question. First, he said that some Christians have ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Methodist

Does Relativism Work Series

Contributed by Andy Payne on Feb 16, 2010

Relativism is the idea that all moral (rights and wrongs) statements are grounded in the urge and individual taste of each person or culture. Is this a biblical perspective?

Does Relativism Work? Joshua 24:14-28 Intro: Are all religions the same? Are all religious beliefs aspects of truth? What does the bible say about this? Bigger questions is-- What is Truth? Is there a “truth perspective for all people – irrespective of belief? i.e. Is there a ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:14-24

Denomination: Baptist