Sermons on Espiritual Ward:

Why Bother To Keep On Praying?

Contributed by David Ward on Aug 16, 2005

We should persist in prayer because God’s justice is certain, but our faith is in question.

“Why Bother To Keep On Praying?” Luke 18:1-8 INTRODUCTION: Do you ever feel as though your prayers are being returned unopened? Does it ever feel like you’re just getting heaven’s voice mail? Like you’re just getting a runaround and you wonder, “Is there anybody else up there I could speak to?” ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

A Visit From Pilate

Contributed by David Ward on Apr 22, 2006

This is a first person narrative sermon as Pontius Pilate, with a challenge to "choose your king."

“A Visit From Pilate” John 18-19 (INTRODUCTION) Greetings, people of Living Hope Community Church in the city of Durham in the province of Northern Carolina. My name is Pilatos. You may call me—Pilatos. I despise the name “Pilate.” For one thing, I do not care for your modern-day flying air ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Turn Turn Turn

Contributed by David Ward on Dec 30, 2007

A year’s end/New Year’s message adaptable to many occasions. BIG IDEA: "God’s got it, even though we don’t get it"

“Turn Turn Turn” Ecclesiastes 3:1-17 INTRODUCTION: "End of Year" Lists are everywhere in the media as a new year approaches: Most Newsworthy Events of the Year, Famous People Who Have Died This Year, Most Notable Sports Stories of the Year, Most Annoying People of the Year (Paris, Britney, and ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Deliver Us From Evil

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Oct 18, 2010

How addiction is very closely related to possession, and how Jesus can set us free.

Some of you may know I have not been a faithfully worshipping churchgoer all my life. Not counting a brief flirtation with the Russian Orthodox Church, I was not part of any Christian community between the ages of 18 and 38. If you had asked me what my religious beliefs were, I would have probably ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:26-39

Denomination: Anglican

Another Chance

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Oct 18, 2010

How second chances can change lives, and what is wrong with harsher sentencing of criminals.

The most positive person I have ever met is Billy Graham, and I am not talking about the famous evangelist. This Billy Graham grew up in Naenae. Back in the 1950s, the young Billy was something of a reprobate. He got up to horrendous mischief, often targeting Hoppy Hodges, the local cop. Once Billy ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:7-14

Denomination: Anglican

Under The Influence

Contributed by David Ward on Apr 1, 2010

"More filling--relate great!" When we have more filling of the Holy Spirit, we can relate great in our marriages, families, and workplaces.

INTRODUCTION: Tim Sanders—former chief solutions officer at Yahoo! and author of Love Is the Killer App—shares the following thought about establishing priorities: Take your life and all the things that you think are important, and put them in one of three categories. These three ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Every Day Will Be Christmas

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 5, 2009

Miracles do happen when we hold onto the true meaning of Christmas.

It was 1914. The war to end all wars would not be over by Christmas as had been so optimistically predicted. On the western front, it had ground down to a barbarous war of attrition fought from muddy, waterlogged, vermin-infested trenches, where one had to be constantly wary of artillery and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Anglican

Setting Ourselves Free

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 5, 2009

When we forgive others, we are also setting ourselves free.

Whether we love it or hate it, we all will be familiar with Coronation Street, UK’s longest running soap opera. I am not much of a television watcher, but I do have a soft spot for the street. One reason is that the characters are like real people. They have flaws and blemishes, they do not wake ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Anglican

Neither Confused Nor Divided

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 5, 2009

Sermon for Trinity Sunday on the Holy Trinity and the unity of the Church.

During the time of Oliver Cromwell, thousands of stained glass windows in English churches were destroyed, because the English puritans objected to objects of veneration, which they called ’abused images’. Of those stained glass windows that did survive, few were undamaged, and there was an ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19

Denomination: Anglican

The Grateful Samaritan

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 6, 2009

The importance of gratitude and humility.

We all know about the good Samaritan, but how many of us have heard of the grateful Samaritan? We are going to meet him today, but firstly I want to tell you about my friend Allen. Allen was quite different from most people. To have called him unconventional would have been an understatement, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Denomination: Anglican

Christmas In Ngaruawahia

Contributed by Darryl Ward on Dec 31, 2009

What if Jesus was born in New Zealand in 2009?

Hohepa sighed deeply as he changed gear on his cherished but somewhat tired Mazda 626. It was raining steadily as he drove through Huntly then south along the highway that followed every bend of the Waikato River. Every bump in the road could be clearly felt, but Hohepa was especially concerned ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-14

Denomination: Anglican

The Sign Of Immanuel

Contributed by David Ward on Dec 10, 2004

The first message in a Christmas/Advent series from Isaiah

“The Sign of Immanuel” Isaiah 7:1-16 INTRODUCTION: Remember the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou?" Three convicts on the lam have holed up in a barn to spend the night, only to awake to find the barn surrounded by police, with guns drawn, demanding their surrender. One of the three helpfully ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 7:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

Contributed by David Ward on Dec 16, 2004

God’s people can hope for deliverance, because God guarantees it.

“For Unto Us a Child is Born” Isaiah 9:1-7 INTRODUCTION: It’s an unlovely tree in an unlikely place with an unmistakable message. The tree sits along Interstate 30 just outside of Fort Worth, Texas. It is a mimosa tree that appears lifeless, except at Christmas. Each December, for the past ten ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

The Yoke's On You Series

Contributed by David Ward on Dec 16, 2004

An encouragement to find rest in Christ, and to minister through his strength

“The Yoke’s On You” Matthew 11:28-30 INTRODUCTION: Do you ever find it difficult to follow Christ? Why is it so hard to follow Jesus sometimes? Do you ever get tired? Do you ever find yourself in need of rest? How can I find rest while following Jesus? [READ Matt. 11:28-30] Notice what ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Denomination: Baptist

All The Wrong Kinds Of People

Contributed by David Ward on Aug 26, 2006

Jesus calls all the wrong kinds of people to join his revolution. Apparently, the wrong kinds of people are just right for Jesus.

“All the Wrong Kinds of People” Mark 1:16-20 Mark 2:13-17 INTRODUCTION: If you were going to start a revolution, what kinds of people would you recruit? What demographic would you target? What character qualities would you look for? I suppose it might depend on what kind of revolution you were ...read more

Denomination: Baptist