Sermons on Easter Sunrise:

Witness Equals Martyr

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 23, 2022

When he opened his mouth, it was a powerful word that came forth. At the end of his speech, they had two choices.

Monday of 3rd week of Easter I’d like to think that preaching has come a ways since the days of Stephen. If you read the rest of this chapter of Acts, you get the impression that Stephen had some kind of martyr complex. Remember that the word martyr in Greek means witness. He was so on-fire with ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:8-15

Denomination: Catholic

Greater Love Than This No Man Has Series

Contributed by Donald Pinkleton on May 12, 2022

[ Intro music: "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"] I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING: DON HAS FINALLY LOST IT. HE STARTS OUT OUR MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE WITH A CHRISTMAS HYMN – WHAT WAS HE THINKING? ACTUALLY, I WAS THINKING ABOUT REMEMBRANCE.

THIS SUNDAY, I WANTED TO TAKE A DIFFERENT LOOK AT MEMORIAL DAY. I WANTED TO REMEMBER THE WHOLE SALVATION STORY: FROM JESUS’ BIRTH & LIFE, TO HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, AND HOW THAT ALL TIES IN TO THIS MEMORIAL DAY. WE THINK OF EVENTS AS ISOLATED DATES ON THE CALENDAR – CHRISTMAS, HOLY WEEK, ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13

Better That Christ Go To The Father

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 28, 2022

As we enter this week before Pentecost, we are reminded today why Jesus told us it’s better for us that He go to the Father.

Monday of 7th week in Easter Acts 19: 1-8/John 16: 29-33 I suspect that we are all like the early Christians, like Mary Magdalene, wanting to cling to Jesus, wanting to be able to touch him and see him and hear his voice speaking words of love and tenderness and reassurance. Especially now when ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:1-8, John 16:29-33

Denomination: Catholic

The Seventeen Percent Or The Seventy-Two? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 13, 2023

Frodo from Lord of the Rings is great fiction, but Jesus is the Risen King of the Universe.

Sunday After Easter 2023 A couple of years ago, Rasmussen surveyed Americans and found that seventy-two out of every hundred Americans believe that Jesus is Son of God and raised from the dead. Seventeen percent definitely deny that. Thomas the Apostle, after being told of Christ’s physical rising ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31, 1 Peter 1:3-9, Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Catholic

By Passion And Cross, Not Just Resurrection Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 12, 2021

Jesus tells us that he will not miss the pain and suffering, because that is an integral part of our fallen human nature, and he was like us in all things except sin.

Monday of 11th Week in Course Church from Eucharist Today’s reading from Matthew makes me squirm a bit. Maybe you, too. In modern English, we might say, if someone takes your shirt, go to your closet and give him your sport coat as well. That’s not to mention the radical call to nonviolence we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:1-10, Psalm 98:1-4, Matthew 5:38-42

Denomination: Catholic

Honoring Christmas 2023

Contributed by Risa Owens on Dec 22, 2022

New Year's

Honoring Christmas in 2023 Was 2022 a good, bad or an okay year for you? Was it one that you’d rather not live through again. As we are preparing to enter yet another new year, we have just finished celebrating Christmas. That brings me to my title honoring Christmas in 2023. As children and now ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, Matthew 6:21

Retaliation Series

Contributed by Michael Monica on Dec 25, 2022

Understanding Sanctification

Retaliation | Matthew 5:31-42 v.38: An eye for an eye. • The “Lex Talionis” = the law of retaliation. An eye for an eye = the punishment for a crime needed to be equal to the seriousness of the crime. It also protected the offender from paying a greater price. [The Way of Jesus] v. 39: “…But I ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Losing Popularity But Gaining Christ Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 29, 2024

Jesus says we are not of this world, this secular society, and so those who hear us and see us will at first despise us and everything we do and say.

Saturday of the Fifth Week in Easter 2024 Today’s Scriptures give one of the best examples of stating a principle of evangelization in the Gospel and giving an example of application in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Jesus had given his farewell sermon and prayers during the Last ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:1-10, Psalm 100:1-5, John 15:18-21

Denomination: Catholic

Out On A Limb

Contributed by W Pittendreigh on Feb 22, 2001

Zacchaeus was not just a "wee little man" he was also a man who went out on a limb to see Jesus. Having done that, he went out on a limb to be generous. What would happen if we went out on a limb and gave out of our generosity?

"Out On A Limb" By the Rev. Dr. Maynard Pittendreigh Sunrise Presbyterian Church Miami Florida Luke 19:1-10 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Why In The World Did You Come To Worship Today?

Contributed by W Pittendreigh on Feb 22, 2001

Why in the world do we come to worship, when there are movies to watch, games to go to, and web pages to surf?

In a television program I watch, there is an episode in which the minister stood up before the congregation. It was a vast sanctuary -- but it was almost empty. The minister looked out upon all of the empty seats and surveyed the 4 lonely people in the congregation -- one young man, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-9

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Naked Man And A Bunch Of Crazy Pigs

Contributed by W Pittendreigh on Feb 22, 2001

Jesus encounters a man with so many demons the man says his name is "Legion." Yet, the community is not afraid of this man. Like our culture, the biblical community had grown comfortable with evil.

by the Rev. Dr. W. Maynard Pittendreigh, Jr. Sunrise Presbyterian Church Miami Florida Pittendreigh@aol.com When I was in high school, there was a local legend about the Blue Ghost of Maddox Bridge Road. Some 10 or 20 years earlier, two high school students had been out on a date. They were ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:27-37

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Who Wants To See The Light?

Contributed by Rob Short on Mar 14, 2001

Evangelistic youth message.

You Wanna See the Light? 1 John 1:5-7 One of the things you notice working in schools is all the in things. Something that is definetly in at the moment is skateboarding. And this helps me to feel like I am back at high school since skateboarding was in when I started High school. Not that I ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:5-7

Denomination: Baptist

Names And Titles Of Jesus

Contributed by David Fox on Nov 12, 2001

Descriptions of Jesus from Scripture

Names and Titles of Jesus (partial list) I. Introduction: <<QU>> William Lyons Phelps writes, “We are all so vain that we love to have our names remembered by those who have met us but once. We exaggerate the talents and virtues of those who can do this and we are ready to repay their powers ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:19, Zechariah 6:12

Denomination: Pentecostal

God's Contempt Of Complaint

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 1, 2003

Complaining in self-pity is a practice that hurts the heart of God, influences others to do the same, and results in God’s judgment.

God’s Contempt Of Complaint Text: Num.11: 1-3 Intro: Complaining is an activity all of us have participated in at one time or another. Most of us utter complaints without even thinking about it. It seems almost natural to vocalize our displeasure when things don’t quite turn out as we think ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 11:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Who Will Roll Away The Stone

Contributed by John Carnett on Apr 10, 2004

Man’s delimma since the garden was to get back to that place where he experienced communion with God. These two Mary’s were wondering who would roll the stone away at the tomb. But all men have been wondering that for millennia. Who will break down the

Who Will Roll Away The Stone? Main Text: Mark 16:1-7 INTRO: • In man’s path of happiness there lies a huge rock, which completely blocks up the road… • Who among men can remove the barrier? • Generation to generation…men have buried their dead…the sepulcher (grave), becoming their prison of no ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-7, Joshua 5:1-9

Denomination: Pentecostal