Sermons on Cultural Pressure:

Birth Pains

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 1, 2024

This message unpacks Jesus teaching about how to live as his coming approaches and the church is challenged and persecuted by the secular and pagan culture.

Title: “Birth Pains” Text: Matthew 24:1-14 (The Olivet Discourse) Subject: How do we live for Christ as the age moves toward his return? Complement: We live wisely, fearlessly, courageously, devotedly, missionally…with endurance inspired by his coming. Big Idea; Jesus calls us to faithfulness as ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:1-14, 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

Denomination: Pentecostal

Areopagus Series

Contributed by Chuck Gohn on Jul 8, 2022

The focus of this sermon is Paul's observational skills and how Christians can also practice observing people and culture in a way that helps us connect them to the Gospel and lead them back to God.

Sermon Date 11-09-2014 Areopagus (Chuck Gohn) How many of you detest waiting in line for anything? I hate waiting in line. I hate waiting in grocery lines. I hate waiting on the telephone. I hate waiting in the doctor’s office. I just don’t like it. I am always thinking about ways I can ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-34

Denomination: Christian Church

Death - The Journey Of No Return Series

Contributed by Chuck Gohn on Aug 17, 2022

This sermon focuses on denial of death by our culture and what should be the embracing of death by Christians.

(Opens with song “O Death” from the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”.) If you have your Bibles with you today and you want to open them up, we will be looking at John 11:25-26. It is going to take us a while to get there, but we will eventually get there. If you have been here for a while, ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25-26, Hebrews 9:27, Job 16:12

Denomination: Christian Church

Building Bridges, Not Barriers Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Oct 26, 2021

If we’re going to reach unbelievers with the gospel, we must build bridges, not barriers.

Last weekend, Pastor Ed and Sheila, Gary and Kathy Pinger, and Beth and I had the privilege of attending the Keep Believing Ministries retreat. KBM is one of Edgewood’s Go Team Partners. One of the many highlights was learning how the free gospel book, Anchor for the Soul has now been distributed ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-34

Denomination: Baptist

The Lord Shows His Excellence In All The Earth

Contributed by Reuben Bredenhof on Sep 12, 2021

God’s excellence shines so clearly in all his works. The Lord could have crushed those who bore his image when we sinned, yet God was mindful of us. The glorious God who first stooped down to create us, then stooped down to save us through his only Son.

As we lead busy lives each week, we need to slow down. In the middle of the activity of work and school and home life and church life, we need to pause and ponder. For how often do we really think about who God is, who we are, and what to do with the few days on earth that God has given? It’s easy ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:1-18

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Prayer Of Thanks Youth Sermon

Contributed by Youth Sermons on Nov 13, 2024

The main idea is to learn to be grateful for what we have and find contentment in it, rather than constantly wanting more.

Hey guys, let's talk about something we all struggle with - always wanting more. You know, that new phone, the latest sneakers, or even more followers on Instagram. It's like we're stuck on a treadmill, always chasing after the next big thing. But have you ever stopped to think about what you ...read more

Topics: Materialism, Consumer Culture, Mindful Living, Simplicity

Individualism And Making Holy Families Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 26, 2021

Individualism, like most isms, is a philosophy of “me, first.” “I don’t care about anything or anybody but me.”

Homily for Feast of the Holy Family Sir 3: 2-7, 12-14; Psalm 127; Col 3: 12-21; Lk 2: 22-40 Version 2 (request that lector read the long version of Colossians) Is any English word so misunderstood today as the key word in Paul’s letter to the church of Colossae? No, I don’t mean the word ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-21, Luke 2:22-40, Malachi 2:16

Denomination: Catholic

The Danger Of Fundamentalism

Contributed by David Zimmerman on Oct 18, 2000

Ephesus was a wealthy, cultured city.

Ephesus was a wealthy, cultured city. But it was also a mor-ally corruptcity. In many ways, you could compare it to Wash-ington D.C., Dallas, Texas, Chicago, Boston, Amsterdam, or Ber-lin. If we could transport Ephesus into modern times, it would have its skyscrapers and snarled expressways. It ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: *other

Transformers

Contributed by Rob Brown on Feb 17, 2005

transforming culture

TRANSFORMERS “MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE” Tonight’s chat is going to be interactive. We are going to look at transformation. Q: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Q: If you could change something about your spiritual life, what would it be? Charades: 1. Caterpillar ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Denomination: Pentecostal

Saved From Hell

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Aug 6, 2009

Many pastors do not want to preach on HELL fearing they’ll not appear relevant. It’s pressure from the culture to not speak anything negative. Apparently we have begun to deny hell. There’s an assumption that everybody’s going to make it to heaven somehow

Opening illustration: Video of ‘HELL’ from center of the earth. Introduction: Many pastors do shy away from the topic of everlasting damnation. "It’s out of fear they’ll not appear relevant. It’s pressure from the culture to not speak anything negative. I believe we’ve begun to deny hell. There’s ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Out Of The Pit, On To The Rock, Singing A Song

Contributed by Joey Nelson on May 4, 2006

Sometimes we lose our song. The pressures of life, the pressures of family problems or the pressure of sickness snatch our song. And some morning we wake up and realize it has been awhile since I caught myself singing. I think the Psalmist found himself i

INTRODUCTION Opening Statement: If you’re not inclined to believe what I’m telling you about pits, just ask 9 Pennsylvania coal miners. Breaking through into an older mine, a powerful current of water was released, and the miners ran for their lives. Unable to outrun the rising water, they had to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 40:1-3

How The Holy Spirit Enables Us To Communicate Across Social-Cultural Barriers

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

1. The Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom to communicate according to peoples' social-cultural perspective.

1. The Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom to communicate according to peoples' social-cultural perspective. Every person has a social-cultural perspective developed through years of conditioning. The Spirit of God helps us learn how to best appeal to the aspects of each person's perspectives according ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Jesus Chose To Not React To Cultural Or Personality Traits But focused On Principles

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

1. Jesus knew that He would have been accused of partiality by giving favorable treatment to the rich young ruler over the woman at Jacob's well.

1. Jesus knew that He would have been accused of partiality by giving favorable treatment to the rich young ruler over the woman at Jacob's well. Surely, Jesus understood all of the elements of social-cultural norms and the intricacies of personalities, but He chose to objectively address all ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:34-37

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Being A Single Christian In A Sexualized Culture: The Modern Ethic Vs. The Christian Ethic

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on May 3, 2021

As if being a follower of Christ wasn't hard enough, imagine being a single Christian! That is the predicament for many in the world, and in the United States today. Including myself. I'm single and I have no children.

Single Christians... can we get some love? As if being a follower of Christ wasn't hard enough, imagine being a single Christian! That is the predicament for many in the world, and in the United States today. Including myself. I'm single and I have no children. I follow Christ. And as ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:28, 1 John 3:24, James 1:22-25, Colossians 3:5

Denomination: Salvation Army

What To Do When Your Culture Is Destroying Itself [2nd Copy]

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 25, 2024

When this message was planned this past winter, services were cancelled due to a blizzard. This is a second effort that has been revised and brought up to date. How shall Christians respond as our contemporary culture self-destructs?

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ...read more

Denomination: Baptist