Sermons on Empty Ritual:

Christmas: Jesus Is God's Peace-Child Gift To Us

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 23, 2010

A short talk for our annual Christingle services that are attended by approx 600 people, many of whom are seekers and occasional Church attenders. This talk compares truth and lies and focuses on a true story from Papua New Guinea that helped evangelist D

I recently came across a few tongue-in-cheek guidelines for Christmas eating: 1. If you eat something and no-one sees you eat it, it has no calories. 2. If you drink a diet drink with chocolate, the calories in the chocolate bar are cancelled out by the calories in the diet drink! 3. When you eat ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Denomination: Anglican

A Change Of Status

Contributed by James W Hare on Jul 27, 2013

Despite the crippling conditions that we may find ourselves in, thank God for the positive possibilities for things to change.

A Change of Status Galatians 3:15-18:41-7 Despite the crippling conditions that we may find ourselves in, thank God for the positive possibilities for things to change. Irrespective of a history that once hampered, or a present predicament that may seem to impede progress, or a future that looks ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

"The Greatest Gift Given"

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Jul 21, 2015

The sermon shares some of the greatest gifts given to the world, but Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of all time.

The Greatest Gift of All Time Ephesians 2:11-22 In an uncertain, dangerous and ambiguous world, we need a gift that will maintain its value forever 1. Gifts have been given as practice or ritual for ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Denomination: Methodist

Thanksgiving Should Be Year Round For Christmas

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Dec 26, 2011

The Angel said, he not only brought them good tidings but, tidings of great joy. We read this scripture every Christmas and what joy do we have? At Thanksgiving what are we thankful for? I believe we should be thankful year round for what God has done fo

Thanksgiving should be year round for Christmas Luke 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.10 And ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Denomination: Baptist

"The Harvest Is Past"

Contributed by Ian Humphrey on Nov 9, 2015

"The harvest is past"

Jeremiah 8 v.4 -v 22 God's Provision of a Harvest (Opportunity) - v. 20 "The harvest is past" 1. God's Opportunity Revealed - v. 4 -12 (a) The Divine Inquiry - v. 4 "Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?" The ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:4-22

Denomination: Holiness

The Witness Of Maria Goretti Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 13, 2012

The life and death of Maria Goretti teaches us something about resisting evil.

July 6, 2012 St. Maria Goretti Mt 5: 38-41 The commandment to not resist the evildoer is one of the most stark and, admittedly, controversial ones in the NT. A few Christian pacifists have interpreted it to mean that we can neither resist evil persons or evil actions in any way. But that is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-41

Denomination: Catholic

How Christ Came To Be

Contributed by Michael Wiley on Dec 9, 2008

The celebration of Christmas has evolved over the years to what we know today. But, the coming of Christ was planned and implemented by God through history.

Chasing the Seed How Christmas came to be Michael Wiley December 07, 2008 Introduction: Christmas has been around, well, not as long as you think. The early church didn’t celebrate Christ’s birth, they celebrated His resurrection. The celebration of Christ’s birth in December came as a way to use ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How Can I Keep From Backsliding?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Aug 3, 2009

A sermon on the importance of repentance for Christians.

How Can I Keep From Backsliding? To repent means to do a 180 degree turn. - Revelation 2:5; Revelation 2:16; Revelation 2:21-22; Revelation 3:3, Revelation 3:19. We all know that that repentance is a part of becoming a Christian. - Revelation 2:21-22. - At least, I hope we do. - Fernando ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:5

Denomination: Baptist

A Promise For All Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on May 16, 2011

The good news of new life in Christ is for all; there are no limits to it.

Acts 2:14a, 36-41 “A Promise for All” INTRODUCTION The text today contains the first sermon of the Christian church. It’s a rather long sermon and admittedly a little on the hell, fire, and brimstone side of things. Thankfully, we only read the very beginning and the end of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:36-41

Denomination: Lutheran

Never Forget Series

Contributed by James Collins on Mar 12, 2010

part 1/8 - series focused on the final hours of the life of Jesus. Primarily from Matthew, but including material from all 4 gospels.

Never Forget 24 (Pt.1) Matthew 26:17-20; 26-27 3/12/2010 I. Introduction 1. What would the last twenty-four hours of Jesus Christ look like if it were set in a 21st century culture to the format of the popular "24" television series? 2. How it would be if a man was so radically different from ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Watch Your Word On The Street

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jun 5, 2016

Take Jesus and the Word to the street, but be careful of how you represent and present them.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. I have done many years of door-to-door evangelism and even a session of street preaching. During that session, I was approached by mam claiming to be Jeremiah the prophet going to the churches of Winston-Salem casting ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Is Near Our Lips And Heart

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Jul 27, 2016

To show that GOD, the LORD JESUS CHRIST is near our lips and heart, the Very Person of our faith that we profess.

I. EXORDIUM: Are you a self-made man? No. I'm made by grace. Romans 3:24 (Amplified Bible) [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, II. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:8

Denomination: Pentecostal

Christmas Questions And Service At Home

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Dec 22, 2021

Is Christmas okay or in the Bible? Let’s learn why it’s a good Christian celebration. Let’s ask some questions and look at the story of Christ’s birth including an at-home service from Luke 2:1-40.

Prelude: Is Christmas okay or in the Bible? Purpose: Let’s learn why it’s a good Christian celebration. Plan: Let’s ask some questions and look at the story of Christ’s birth in Luke 2:1-40. Questions What does the word Christmas mean? It literally means Christ’s Mass, or the Mass of Christ. Mass ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Water And Spirit

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Jan 6, 2022

We become a child of God through baptism

Water and Spirit – Luke 3: 15 - 22 Intro: As a pastor, there are many questions you are asked. Some of them are harder to answer than others. One I have frequently heard is “What would your congregation think? Life seems to be full or question. This morning, I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:15-22

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Two Kinds Of Saints We Must Pray For In Our Day Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 12, 2019

Love and fear are the two driving forces in human nature, so we need two kinds of saints today.

Tuesday of 28th Week in Course 2019 St. Theresa of Jesus (of Avila) There are two forces that drive the human being. On the one hand, love responds to the eternal creative and embracing Trinity, who loved us into existence and longs to divinize us. Fear, on the other hand, responds to the evil and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-25, Luke 11:37-41

Denomination: Catholic