Sermons on Effective Fervent Prayer:

Pain At The Threshold Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 24, 2003

Interactive sermon on the anxieties involved in sharing our faith and on the power of being prepared, both intellectually and emotionally.

Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Closed doors intimidate me. If your door is closed, I want to leave it alone. I don’t like to knock and ask for admission. I want somebody to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-17

Denomination: Baptist

But Nails Hurt! Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 24, 2003

Nails were distributed to the congregation, so that they could test: if you wish to endure, you have to endure some pounding. Holes may be punched in you, too. But if you persist, ultimately you will be built up.

If you really want to grow, it’s going to cost you. If you truly expect to be built up, there will be some pain involved. No growth ever takes place without pain. That’s a law of life. That’s not negotiable. No pain, no gain. No hurt, no growth. No rough edges, no building up. If you truly ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Dead Man Walking

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 26, 2003

There is a kind of death in family life today. Jesus offers unconditional compassion, used His authority to give life, and gives us as gifts to one another.

One sweltering afternoon, on the dirty streets of a dangerous section of New Orleans, a man approached a woman with some papers in his hand. He asked Helen if she would agree to write letters to a man on death row at Angola prison. Helen agreed, rather absent-mindedly. She was used to people ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:11-16

Denomination: Baptist

God Of Mercy Series

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on May 27, 2003

God is so merciful, he draws us back even when we run away.

God Stories – Attributes of God The God of Mercy – Jonah May 25, 2003 Last week – the God of Justice – we are thankful that he is the God of Justice, that he does not let evil deeds go unpunished, but we are also thankful that he is a merciful God because we find it easy to say with the ...read more

Denomination: *other

Down To Earth Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 4, 2003

Spiritual laziness comes from poor theology and from creating the illusion of activity, leading to burnout. The grace of Christ takes us beyond such posing.

My topic today is spiritual laziness. Spiritual laziness. Now we are all familiar with physical laziness. Physical laziness is like spring fever, when the warmth of the air and the sound of the birds is far more attractive than the piles of paper on your desk or the lectures in your classroom. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

Denomination: Baptist

Meeting Your Spouse's Needs Series

Contributed by Rick Duncan on Jun 5, 2003

To have a great marriage, husbands and wives need to know and meet their spouses basic needs. In this message, we learn how to meet the three basic needs of a wife and three basics needs of a husband.

A few years ago, some people were saying, “The difference between gender is more cultural that real.” Anyone believe that? Genesis tells us that the Creator made two sexes, not one, and that He designed each gender for a specific purpose. Take a good look at male and female anatomy and it ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

In The Bosom Of Abraham

Contributed by Rick Kallstrom on Jun 9, 2003

This morning I am going to speak to you about one of those things we all believe in but none of us likes to talk about – not my preaching, but the reality of hell.

A few years ago I preached a message on hell. After the service I walked to the back of the church to shake hands with members of the congregation as they left the church. One lady said to me, “Reverend, I never knew what hell was really like until I heard you preach!” I wonder what she really ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Universality Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 11, 2003

Thanks to Constantine’s move, the church gradually began to think of its universality as power rather than as an evangelical mandate. Christ is to be lord of our political life, our cultural life, our everyday life -- every aspect.

Christ is lord of all! What a bold statement! Maybe even an arrogant statement! Lord of all? Do we believe that? It was said of one preacher that “for tender minds he served up half a Christ.” Behind that lie two realities – first, that many of us don’t want the full gospel, we’d rather just ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:13, Colossians 1:11-20

Denomination: Baptist

Building Up What Was Broken Down

Contributed by Chris Medina on Jun 11, 2003

The exiles who returned to Judah from captivity bgan the rebuilding process for the Temple. However it was their own hearts that needed restoring and it was God Himself who became the builder.

Ezra: Building Up What Was Broken Down” Ezra 3:1-13 Read Ezra 3:1-13 Last Monday morning, a young man named Sgt. Sean Peterson was in our home. Sgt. Peterson is a recruiter for the Army here in Merced and was telling Laurie and I about the arrangements for Kevina going up to Stockton to take the ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 3:1-13, Ezra 3:1-3, Ezra 3:1

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Church That Lost Its First Love

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Dec 24, 2003

The aim of this year end sermon is to get us to rexamine ourselves as to the intensity of our first love.

The Church that Lost its First Love December 28, 2003 Revelation 2:1-7 INTRO: A. 2003 was certainly an eventful year; let me briefly take you through it… 1. January began with a month of news talk about the disappearance of Laci Peterson who was last seen on Christmas Eve, 2002. 2. On ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Covenant Of The King

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Jan 2, 2004

How God’s relationship and covenant with Abraham display how God works - not by asking us to come to him, but by him coming down to us.

The Return of the King is a recently released movie about a king who reunites the world of elves, trolls, and humans to fight against the evil king of Mordor in a battle to the finish. It has grossed millions of dollars as people of the world came out in droves to see the third and final climax ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:1-7

Denomination: Lutheran

New Year Necessities

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Jan 5, 2004

Some new year necessities.

INTRO.- ILL.- "The Fabulous Life of: Arnold Schwarzenegger.” Here it is: * He smokes $4,000 cigars but that’s not all. * Arnold is worth up to an estimated $800 million. His holdings in private companies like Microsoft and Starbuck’s are valued at over $20 million. * Even his shoes are ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Joys False Or Complete Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 10, 2004

For Epiphany: As Richard Foster wrote about "Money, Sex, and Power", is it possible the Wise Men’s gifts are warnings to Jesus and His family about these things? Complete joy comes from what Jesus did with these issues.

Who we are and what we have are two entirely different things, but we confuse them. We insist on identifying who we are by what we have. Who we are and what we have are not the same thing. We are more by far than the material goods we possess. And yet everywhere we are identified by our stuff. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 2:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

Taking Notes Or Take Note?

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Jan 19, 2004

Taking notes and taking note are important to the Christian life.

INTRO.- ILL.- W.G. Blaikie says in his Life of Livingstone that when David Livingstone was sent as a student to preach at Sanford Rivers, he stood up in the pulpit and completely forgot what he was going to say. Although this incident would have signaled the end of public speaking for many, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:17-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reboot With God's Promise

Contributed by Christopher Goelzer on Jan 20, 2004

Ecourage and Empower the believers to use the Promise of God to bring them repentant hearts, confident faith and a growing congregation.

Acts 2:37-47 The Day of Pentecost NIV Acts 2:37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:37-47

Denomination: Lutheran