Sermons on Dont Bend:

Teacher's Pet Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 19, 2018

I want to be Jesus' teacher's pet. I want to be His favorite pupil. This passage gives us the key to pleasing Jesus and becoming more like Him in my life. (Spoiler alert - it has to do with how I treat people I don't like)

OPEN: A great scholar was once asked about a young man who was in his class. The person said, "So and so tells me that he was one of your students." The scholar just smiled sadly and said, "Well, he may have attended my lectures, but he was not one of my students.” What was that scholar saying? ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-45

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"I Know What You Are Going Through…"

Contributed by Hans Krause on Oct 22, 2018

Too easily, we try to comfort people in sorrow and pain, saying that we know what they are going through. The fact is that mostly we don't. But Jesus knows what we are going through, because he has been there. What does that imply for us?

[Sermon preached on 18 February 2018, 1st Sunday in Lent / 3rd year, ELCF Lectionary] I was still a student when we gathered with a group of theological students for a training seminar on pastoral counseling. One of the members shared some of her childhood experiences that had recently come to the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:17-18, Mark 1:12-13

Denomination: Lutheran

A Place For You

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 7, 2020

Do we sometimes feel like we don’t belong? We really belong somewhere else, somewhere wonderful. How do we get there? Let’s find the way to the place where we truly belong in John 14:1-14.

Do we sometimes feel like we don’t belong? We really belong somewhere else, somewhere wonderful. How do we get there? Let’s find the way to the place where we truly belong in John 14:1-14. John 14:1-2 (NKJV) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Faith Or Sight?

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 22, 2018

I/we tend to want to see God's direction clearly. Sometimes he grants that; usually, he doesn't. What he wants from us is the faith to continue on with him even when we don't see where we're going.

1. Trust or Clarity? Ethicist John Kavanaugh went to Calcutta, India to work at “the house for the dying” for three with Mother Teresa. This was part of a sincere search for personal direction in his life. On the first morning there he met Mother Teresa and she asked him what she could do for ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

David Made King Of The Entire Nation Series

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Jun 5, 2023

In our own lives we need to be courageous. Show courage in difficult situations. Don’t give up when times get hard. Keep fighting the good fight. Bring it to God in prayer. Take a deep breath. Sorrows may endure, but joy comes in the morning.

Israel is in a vicious civil conflict, between Judah in the south, and the rest of Israel in the north. David commands from the city of Hebron in the south, and Ish-Bosheth is in charge in the north. Abner was Ish-Bosheth’s main military leader, but he was insulted by his leader, and shifted sides ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 2 Samuel 4:1-12

Denomination: Salvation Army

Thanksgiving - Count Your Blessings Series

Contributed by Dr. Lewis W. Gregory on Nov 22, 2021

Most of us don’t fully realize just how good we’ve got it, much less what to do about it. It’s time to count your true blessings, so you can make the most of them.

“Oh, if only God would bless me!” And so we pray, “God bless me . . . with wisdom, with patience, in this decision, in my job, as I teach . . .” and the list goes on. Yet, with all our sincere seeking and praying, we miss the blessing. Why? One day as I was frantically searching through the house, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3, 1 Peter 3:9, Genesis 12:2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You A Church Builder?

Contributed by Reuben Bredenhof on Mar 16, 2021

The work in Christ’s church will not get done in a hurry. We don’t even have a target date for completion. But this is what makes the difference for our church building: It’s the work of our Lord! It’s the church that Christ bought with his precious blood.

Are you a church builder? Do you see it as your responsibility to serve the church of Christ? To strengthen it, and to grow it? You should, because that’s the calling given to you by the Lord God! Sometimes we like to leave church-building work to the experts. We leave the physical aspects of the ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 6:13-22, Revelation 3:14-22, Haggai 1:3-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Family Business

Contributed by Wayne Lawson on Feb 21, 2022

We don’t know very much about Jesus’ process of maturation. The Gospels are rather silent about his growing up years, with Matthew being the only other canonical gospel that even offers a birth narrative, and he is silent on the years between birth and baptism.

TITLE: THE FAMILY BUSINESS SCRIPTURE: ST. LUKE 2:49 It was just two months ago we gathered here in the sanctuary as we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior. We had special programs like Candlelight Service, attended Christmas Sing Along over at Macedonia Baptist Church, and of course ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:49

Denomination: Baptist

Faith For The Tough Times

Contributed by John Dobbs on Sep 25, 2020

We have been living through some tough times this year. We don’t always feel tough enough to endure through them. In the second half of Genesis there is a sweeping story of an amazing man who had faith no matter what came his way.

FAITH FOR THE TOUGH TIMES Gen. 37,50 Introduction Robert Schuller was famous for his saying (and book) “Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do.” We have been living through some tough times this year. We don’t always feel tough enough to endure through them. In the second half of Genesis ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Psalms 13 – God’s "Waiting Room”? Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 11, 2021

“There is so much we still don’t know about this virus,” says a researcher. “Until we have better data, we’re just going to have a lot of uncertainty.” The world is temporarily closed. But this is not God's Waiting Room. Psalm 13.

Psalms 13 – GOD’S “WAITING ROOM”? The World is Temporarily Closed. Image by Edwin Hooper on Unsplash Psalm 13:1 “O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?” THE WORLD IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED The Covid 19 virus continues to spread with lockdowns and locked ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Time For A Spiritual Audit – Philippians 3:7-10 Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Apr 2, 2022

What do we value? What do we strive for, day to day? And the interesting challenge here is that even when we value good things (e.g., loving our family, helping others), they don’t come close to who Jesus is.

A couple of weeks ago I was looking at my credit card balance, and it was much higher than I expected it to be. So I knew I needed to do a little audit there myself. I checked it out and realized that some of these charges aren't even mine. So I called the credit card company and we together ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-10

Denomination: Independent/Bible

"Finding Your Purpose" Series

Contributed by David Henderson on Feb 27, 2017

Most of us are tired and weary of the same old, same old when we come to church. We don’t want to feel like when we attend that we are simply going through the motions. People no longer come to church because it is the right thing to do.

“Finding your Purpose” Ephesians 1:11-12 Listen to what God’s word says in Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. Ephesians 1:11-12 Eugene Peterson who wrote the message paraphrased this verse... Here it is...”It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

Hands Up...worries Down!

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Mar 25, 2017

As Christians we don't have to live in fear, of not knowing what's up ahead around the corner, or what the future might bring. As long as God knows, isn't that enough? It's time we left our hands up...and our worries down!

Hands up...Worries down! Philippians 4:4-7 MSG 4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revelin him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Am I My Brother's Keeper? Series

Contributed by David Spiegel on Mar 28, 2018

God approached Cain with the question, "Where is your brother?". This question was for Cain to be brought back to the truth of his situation! Cain’s response was a lie and he knew it. “I don’t know” and "Am I My Brother's Keeper"? Do we tell these lies?

This morning we will be continuing the series I’m calling “Questions” • We are looking at several famous questions that were asked in the Bible and what we can learn from them. • Last week we discussed one of the very first questions in the Bible, “Did God Really Say…?” • Just like us, once Satan ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-12

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Back To The Basics - Fellowship Series

Contributed by Mark Engler on Sep 28, 2017

Without others around us to encourage us, teach us, and to interact with us how would we ever know to be better than we are? Why would we want to improve and be a better person? However, other people don’t always improve us.

Back to the Basics Fellowship ME Some of the best times I have had in my life have been when I was involved with playing fast pitch softball. It was a sport that I absolutely loved. To look at me now you would never think any sort of sport was part of my life, but it was for about 15 years. I ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 10:24-25, Romans 12:4-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ