Sermons on Divine Purpose:

Take Up Your Cross

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Mar 22, 2021

This expository message from Mark 8:31-38 is about Jesus' call to discipleship - to take up our cross and follow him.

Title: Take up Your Cross Text: Mark 8:31-38 Subject; How does Jesus define discipleship? Complement; Jesus says it means that you too take up your cross. Big idea: “True disciples don’t just wear a cross around their necks - they put it on their shoulders.” Introduction – we are moving toward ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38, Galatians 2:20, Acts 20:22-24

Denomination: Pentecostal

Pentecost, The Forgotten Celebration

Contributed by Tim Melton on Mar 22, 2021

It is interesting how we believe in the birth of Christ and we celebrate Christmas. We also believe in the Holy Spirit but we do not celebrate His coming. Let´s turn our attention towards Pentecost and regain the awe of His coming.

What day is Christmas? December 25th. When is Easter? Sometime in the spring, late March, or April. We read in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit first came to dwell with man at Pentecost. When is Pentecost? . . . Silence. . . It is interesting how we believe in the trinity and we celebrate ...read more

Emotions Under Control Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 24, 2021

I know it is a popular myth that the Christian is supposed to experience only the good ones of love, joy, and peace, but unfortunately the Word of God will not support this myth. God's people in the Bible felt every feeling there is to be felt.

Three Frenchmen have come to the rescue of fathers who have no pleasure in trying to discover if their baby needs a diaper change. They have invented a little electronic device that fits right into the infant's diaper. As soon as there is any contact with moisture it breaks out with a bubbly ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 42:18-38

Star Searc Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 26, 2021

If we expect the coming year to be a good one, then we have to be committed to be searchers. Only searchers find the best. All of the lost and hidden stuff in the world is found by searchers.

On Columbus Day 1992 American scientist launched the greatest search in history. NASA called it Search For Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, or SETI for short. Frank White in his book The Seti Factor tells us this project using radio scopes and newly developed computer technology was designed to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-52

Heaven-Like Hospitality Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 26, 2021

Why was Jesus so concerned that we have a love for strangers? It was because Jesus came into this world as a stranger, and he knows what it is like to be rejected. He came unto His own and His own received Him not.

Earl M. Finch became one of the most popular bachelors in Hawaii because he had the gift of hospitality. It all started in Hattiesberg, Mississippi when he saw a Japanese soldier reading the menu on the window of a drugstore. He felt the impulse to go over to the G I and say, "Are you hungry ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-14

Words Of Love Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 26, 2021

No words can describe the depth to which man had fallen in killing the only perfect man whoever lived. But there are no words of cursing coming from that cross. There are no words of revenge, but unbelievably we hear words of love.

The one subject that is appropriate for every Christian holiday, and for the season of lent, and for the recognition of Washington and Lincoln, and for the Valentine season is the subject of love. It is not only the greatest of the Christian virtues, but is the most universally relevant subject ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:26-35

A Christian Converted Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 26, 2021

Can a Christian be converted? Yes, and not only can a Christian be converted, but it is often essential before he becomes an effective servant of Jesus Christ.

Can a Christian be converted? Yes, and not only can a Christian be converted, but it is often essential before he becomes an effective servant of Jesus Christ. Conversion means to turn again to the ways of the Savior from the ways of self and sin. We are only born again once, but we need to be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31-34

The God Who We Worship

Contributed by Mike Bryant on Mar 26, 2021

God is worthy of worship because of His nature. This sermon considers how various aspects of God's nature should shape our worship of Him, lest it become meaningless with repetition.

I. In the novel “The American” by Henry James, Count Valentin remarks to Newman about some of the terrible things Newman has endured. “You’ve spent some awful, some deadly days, and you’ve done some extremely disagreeable things: you’ve shoveled sand, as a boy, for supper, and you’ve eaten cat in a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:23, 1 John 3:2-3, Revelation 4:11, Hebrews 10:22-27, Acts 2:42-47, Isaiah 1:10-17, John 4:23  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Lover's Are Winners Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 27, 2021

Jesus was as stubbornly insistent that he be healed on the spot as the Pharisees were as stubbornly insistent that he not be healed on the Sabbath.

Dr. Richard Selzer, the famous surgeon and author, in his book, Taking The World In For Repairs, tells about Interplast, which stands for International Plastic Surgeon, Incorporated. Since its founding in 1969, this organization has performed over ten thousand free operations on poor people in ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:1-6

Madness Meets Its Master Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 27, 2021

There are many implications that grow out of this unique demonstration of Christ's Lordship, but the primary lesson concerns that Lordship itself. Jesus makes it as clear as possible that He has come to destroy the works of the devil.

The hero in one of Bruce Marshalls novels is a Benedictine Monk who is shocked at the general disbelief in the supernatural. Even the local Anglican priest argued with him against it. He is so disturbed that he is determined that all shall see a miracle, and he prays that a nearby ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

The Resurrection Body Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 29, 2021

Paul is writing this greatest of all chapters on the resurrection because of the questions of the Corinthians. Some of them were very strange questions. The saying is, there is no such thing as a foolish question, and that holds true even though Paul begins by calling their question foolish.

One of the strangest articles I have ever heard of was the one titled Who Ate Roger Williams. This great fighter for religious liberty, and the founder of the first Baptist church in America in Providence, R.I., died and was buried in a very insecure casket. The result was an apple tree broke ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:35-49

Cornerstone Or Stumbling Block? Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

A look at Jesus as a Rock - transition into a Christmas series of OT snapshots of Jesus

Wherever you’re at in life this week, and this Thanksgiving, I hope you’re able to thank the Lord for some blessings He’s given to you. God must have thought rocks were important, because when He made the world, He made lots of them! Ask any farmer. There’s even a whole range of mountains, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:22-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How Can Heaven Be Happy? Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

A short study of Heaven and why Christians should look forward to it.

We live in a world full of different ideas about Heaven. World religions have all kinds of forms of it - Hinduism teaches that it’s what happens for the person who finally escapes reincarnation. Mormonism teaches that we’ll all eventually become gods and each have our own planet to populate. ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unafraid - God Has Heard Your Prayer Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

This is the first in a Christmas series that examines the several "Fear Not" commands given throughout the Christmas story. This is the story of Zechariah.

(Song - "Fear No More" - Building 249) That might be you this morning. You didn’t choose to be situated quite like you are this morning. Things haven’t turned out just like you’d hoped. And here you are. If the future is anything like much of the past, it’s looking pretty scary. But ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Helps For Your Test Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

Some of the helps that God gives us to endure life's tests.

I want to start off this message today by reading the opening of Peter’s letter… 1 Peter 1:1-9 (ESV) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ