Sermons on Discernment:

Do Not Judge Series

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 24, 2005

Jesus teaches us: 1. Do not condemn. 2. Do not rush to judgment. 3. Do use discernment.

The Super Bowl is known as much for its commercials as it is for football, and Super Bowl XXXIX was no different. Ameriquest Mortgage Company sponsored two ads. One had a man coming home with a bag of groceries and a bouquet of flowers. He begins dinner by starting a pot of spaghetti sauce. As ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6

Denomination: Methodist

Permitted But Not Blessed

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 22, 2007

Sometimes God will permit us to do things that are detrimental to us. Spiritual discernment is a must in our relationship with God.

PERMITTED BUT NOT BLESSED TEXT: Numbers 22:20-22 Numbers 22:20 22 -- “And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.” “And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:20-22

Denomination: Pentecostal

Simeon

Contributed by Bala Samson on May 18, 2014

At times, we fail to discern the will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit when we have unrighteousness in our life.

Luke 2:27”And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God….” Today too often we hear the words ‘led by the Holy Spirit’ among ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:27

Denomination: Pentecostal

This Thing Called Love

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 1, 2023

The kind of love which Jesus models for us takes discipline, discernment, and knowledge of both God and his Word.

The question Jesus answered for the lawyer that day was “Who is my neighbor?” But an equally important question, and one that doesn’t get asked nearly often enough, is “What is love?” Some enchanted evening you will meet a stranger across a crowded room. Neither of you has a clue what the other is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Good & Bad Traditions (John 2)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 23, 2025

How do we discern between good and bad traditions? Let's look at John 2.

Do believers always choose the right way? Are mandatory teetotaling and selling items at church, good or bad ideas? Which traditions, built upon Jesus, are gold or stubble? Let’s begin in John 2. Should Christians make up rules not found in the Bible, like forbidding even moderate alcohol use? Did ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Contend For The Faith PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 2, 2023

Encourage believers to actively fight for their faith, discerning between right and almost right, and understand the importance of defending their faith.

Good morning, brothers and sisters. I can't tell you how glad I am to see you all here today. We gather as a family, under the loving gaze of our Heavenly Father, to wrestle with a passage that holds a deep and challenging call for each one of us. Today, we're going to dive into Jude 1:3. Jude ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:3

Topics: Defend Belief

Kingdom Now: Good Fruit! PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 27, 2023

Explore the themes of living the Golden Rule, discerning false prophets, and producing good fruit in our lives as believers.

Good morning, everyone! You've probably heard the statement, "Walk the talk." It's a common phrase used to remind us that our actions should match our words. But have you ever stopped to consider how it applies to our Christian life? Today, we'll be diving into Matthew 7:12-23, exploring the themes ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12-23

Topics: Kingdom Now, Jesus' Teachings

How Come These Tares? PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 27, 2023

Explore the Parable of the Tares, emphasizing the need for discernment to identify and overcome the 'weeds' in our lives through God's grace.

Good morning, church family! Today, we are going to dive headfirst into a parable which Jesus shared with his disciples, a story that's packed with meaning and relevance for us today. This is the Parable of the Tares, found in Matthew 13:24-30. As A.W. Tozer once said, "A scared world needs a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30

Topics: Overcoming, Tares

Upside Down Kingdom PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Nov 15, 2023

This sermon explores the principles of the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on understanding and applying the Beatitudes and discerning false prophets in our lives.

Welcome, beloved congregation. It is always a joy to gather together in the house of our Lord, to share in the warmth of fellowship and the nourishment of His Word. As we come together today, let us cast aside the cares and concerns of the world outside, and instead focus our hearts and minds on ...read more

Topics: God's Ways, Beatitudes, Prayer

Discipleship PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Jan 2, 2024

This sermon explores the Christian call to discipleship, emphasizing dedication, discernment, and dynamic living as key aspects of following Jesus.

Good morning, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. It's a delight to be here with you today, sharing in the fellowship of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are gathered together in His name, in His presence, and for His glory. Isn't it a joy to be part of the family of God, to share in the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:9

Topics: Discipleship

Voice Recognition

Contributed by Joe Dan Vendelin on Jun 8, 2024

Learning to hear the voice of the Lord is paramount to being led by the Spirit of God. God promises to lead us by His Spirit, speaking spiritual truths, Spirit to spirit. May we be sensitive to His leading as we recognize His voice and follow Him without hesitation and in full obedience.

In John 10, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd. As a believer, we become part of his flock. That makes us sheep in His Kingdom. Ps. 23 speaks eloquently of how the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep. There is not a question of what the Good Shepherd will do. The question isn’t the intent ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-6, Romans 8:16, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 2:15, Acts 17:1-2, Hebrews 3:15  (view more)  (view less)

Gifts Of The Spirit 1: Spiritual Dynamics And Jesus Being Lord Series

Contributed by Ewen Huffman on Sep 3, 2004

An introduction to 1 Corinthians 12 and a series on Gifts of the Spirit. Spiritual things: how to discern whether they are from the Lord or not.

Gifts of the Spirit 1: Spiritual dynamics and Jesus being Lord 1 Cor 12:1-3. WBC 5/9/4am SPIRITUAL GIFTS? V1 Interestingly, the equiv of ‘Spiritual gifts’ does not appear anywhere in NT - sorry to distress you! - The word ‘Gifts’, spec ‘gifts of grace’ (Charismata, v4) does o More from Robin, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of Simeon - Preparing For Christmas

Contributed by James Tetley on Jul 2, 2007

As we look forward to Christmas what are we searching for - will our eyes discern the Christ who was born as a baby in Bethlehem

Who is excited about tomorrow/ What are you excited about In under 24 hours time the waiting will be over and Christmas will be upon us. And all those presents that you’ve been waiting for and dreaming about can be opened. Every family has different traditions, for example in Jayne’s family ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:21-35

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Series

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Nov 22, 2011

1- Pray that you will be more loving 2- Pray that you will be more discerning 3- Pray that you will be more righteous

INTRO.- There is a difference between prayer and meditation. ILL.- Two good old friends were meeting. "How are you and your family?" asks the one. "Oh we’re all fine". The other one answers, "We’re all healthy and are working. But how ’bout your son?? Is he still not working??" "Not at ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:9-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Essential Equipment: The Word Of God

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Nov 10, 2014

These are four points describing the word of God found in Hebrews 4:12 - The Word of God is Alive, Active, Sharp and Discerning.

Essential Equipment: The Word of God Introduction: Ill. A traveler was preparing for a long trip. A friend asked if he was all packed and he said, “Yup, just about. I've got my map, a lamp, a library of 66 books, a mirror, a microscope, a volume of fine poetry, a package of old letters, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational