Sermons on Ensure:

Act Like Men: Steadfast.

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 5, 2012

Endurance is required if we will be courageous in the face of opposition and if we will fulfil the duties Christ assigns.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-8

Denomination: Baptist

United With Him Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 29, 2011

What was confessed through baptism reflects your understanding of relationship to Christ.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Genesis 24 - God Writes Love Stories Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 17, 2011

God writes love stories. He is vitally concerned with the actual lives of people as they meet, fall in love, marry. Our everyday lives and decisions have bearing upon His purposes for us, especially concerning the one we marry. How do I find the right per

Genesis 24 INTRODUCTION GOD WRITES LOVE STORIES She was there in the park, sitting on the bench in the mist, this mysterious beautiful woman in my life, and I realised that I was falling in love. We met with others in that early morning prayer meeting, but I wasn’t aware of them. I listened as ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 24:1-67

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Devotion - The Seed Of Growth Series

Contributed by Bobby Stults on Oct 15, 2010

Believers get really excited about the passages in Acts where a great number of people came to Christ and the church grew in miraculous leaps and bounds, however, what many beleivers miss in these passages are the previous verses that reveal what the chur

Sermon Brief Date Written: October 13, 2010 Date Preached: October 17, 2010 Where Preached: OPBC (AM) Sermon Details: Series Title: Reaching Our Community Sermon Title: Devotion – The Seed of Growth! Sermon Text: Acts 2:44-47 [ESV] 42 And they devoted themselves to the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Baptist

In The Presence Of The Living Christ

Contributed by Michael Stark on Sep 25, 2010

Christ lives. The evidence is seen in multiple ways as His people serve and worship.

REVELATION 1:12-20 IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LIVING CHRIST “I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:12-20

Denomination: Baptist

I Am The Truth Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 7, 2010

When Jesus declares that He is the truth, what does that mean for us as believers? Explore the topic with me as we weigh the words of the Master.

“Jesus said…, ‘I am … the truth… No one comes to the Father except through me.’” Seldom do we separate the triad of affirmations recorded in our text. The more usual approach is to consider them as a unit. The Master testified, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” We intuitively ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Denomination: Baptist

Pardon Me, Your Bias Is Showing Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 22, 2008

God tests those who claim to follow Him, and the tests He applies are revealed through how we treat others.

JAMES 2:1-13 PARDON ME, YOUR BIAS IS SHOWING! “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Appointing Elders Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Aug 15, 2013

What is entailed in appointing elders? What rights and authority is conferred in the appointment process?

“When they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” [1] The New Testament model for a church of the Lord Jesus differs significantly from what has been commonly accepted among the churches of our ...read more

Scripture: Acts 14:23

Denomination: Baptist

The Singer

Contributed by Michael Stark on Aug 6, 2016

Thinking of worship through examining Jesus' singing of the hymn before His Passion.

“When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” [1] Jesus was a singer; on four occasions Scripture informs us that Jesus sang. I cannot help but wonder what songs Jesus sang. Perhaps my training in the sciences compels me to ask such questions; nevertheless, I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:26

Denomination: Baptist

Slaughtering The Innocent

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 18, 2016

A homily considering the choice we must make when Christ comes near.

“Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Baptist

Honouring Our Parents

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 14, 2017

Christian children are instructed to honour their parents. This is one of the few direct commands to children in the congregation. I fear this command is neglected among the faithful today. The message is a study of what the Apostle wrote.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honour your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’” [1] The last days are described in frightful detail in Paul’s final letter to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Affirmed In The Gospel Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Sep 1, 2018

In Galatians 2:1–10 Paul was “Affirmed in the Gospel”, as shown through 1) His Coming (Galatians 2:1–2), 2) His Companion (Galatians 2:3–5), 3) His Commission (Galatians 2:6–8), and 4) His Commendation (Galatians 2:9–10) that he was of one truth and one spirit with the other twelve apostles.

The nature of work has radically changed. Moving away from a “job for life”, todays workers struggle with company reorganizations, changing customer demographics, labour laws, environmental regulations, trade pacts and on and on. All this comes on top of personal struggles. This week a congregation ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:1-10

Denomination: Other

Street Smart

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Sep 12, 2018

A study in the book of 2 Samuel 16: 1 – 23

2 Samuel 16: 1 – 23 Street Smart 16 When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 16:1

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

David, A Hero Who Really Messed Up Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Sep 25, 2018

As we unpack the story of David's Sin with Bathsheba we will uncover the path that we need to take when we really mess up.

David, A Hero Who Really Messed Up #heroes OKAY… Maple Grove are you ready to open up and dig into the Word of God? NOW - we are in this Summer of 2016 series, ‘Heroes, Amazing Stories Of Faith…’ SO FAR – in this series we have talked about • Noah – a dad who saved His family • Moses – a guy who ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Murder Inc.

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Oct 31, 2018

A study in the book of 2 Kings 15: 1 – 38

2 Kings 15: 1 – 38 Murder Inc. 15 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, became king. 2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 3 And he did ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 15:1

Denomination: Calvary Chapel