Sermons on Favoritism:

Do You Know Who You Are? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 14, 2020

Who are you? Whose name do you bear? And what difference does that make to your life?

OPEN: There was a famous singer back in the 70’s named Jim Croce. He wrote songs like “Time in a bottle,” “Don’t mess around with Jim”, and others. One of the last songs he wrote began with these words… “Like the pine trees linin' the windin' road, I've got a name, I've got a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:36-38

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hold On To What God Told You

Contributed by Dr. Jwt Spies on May 22, 2020

When the Lord Speaks a Word into your life, you can trust that he will deliver.

Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. In other words, He went into a ship with his disciples, and they moved from where they were out into the deep. If we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:22

Denomination: Baptist

Father's Day Message About Asher

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jun 18, 2020

A Father's Day message about Asher's contributions to his family legacy. Known as "Happy."

Happy Asher June 21, 2020 I don’t think we know too many people who are named HAPPY. Did you ever see the movie Happy Gilmore? It’s a pretty funny and silly movie! Did you know that the most famous person named Happy is a marvel character. If you’re a marvel fan, you know who I’m talking ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 46:17, Deuteronomy 33:24-25, Luke 2:36-38, 1 Chronicles 7:40

Denomination: Baptist

Things We Need For The New Year 1 Of 2

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 30, 2022

As we enter a New Year, we never know what things will be like during the next 365 days. Some go to fortunetellers at this time of the year hoping to find out what the future holds for them.

But God had a purpose in us not knowing everything. Illus: A man was wandering around a fairground and he happened to see a fortuneteller's tent. Thinking it would be good for a laugh, he went inside and sat down. "Ahh....." said the woman, as she gazed into her crystal ball. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5-6

Denomination: Baptist

The Book Of Ruth 3 Of 4

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Apr 14, 2022

This will be our third sermon on the Book of Ruth. We have been talking about Naomi, and how she and her husband made a bad decision to leave the Land of Israel and move to Moab due to a famine that came to Israel.

We always have to be careful about making decisions, BUT IT IS ESPECIALLY EASY TO MAKE A BAD DECISION DURING DIFFICULT TIMES. Illus: Many people make bad decisions: • In the midst of a MARITAL CRISIS. People get a divorce, but later they live to regret it • In the midst of a CHURCH CRISIS. People ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

Not A Tame Lion

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Feb 7, 2022

We like to keep things calm and happy in church, but one day Jesus really upset folks in his home synagogue. Are you ready to follow him?

You’ve heard me say before that I love The Chronicles of Narnia, written by C.S. Lewis. We read them over and over again to our children as they were growing up. Maybe a year ago one of them, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, came out in a very successful movie. That inspired me to read ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:14-30

Revelation: Looking At Jesus First Series

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Aug 28, 2021

The Revelation begins by pointing us to Jesus in His Glory.

Revelation: Looking At Jesus First Introduction Revelation 1:9-20 Revelation 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. John ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:9-20

Denomination: Pentecostal

Fullness Of The Gospel Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Jun 28, 2023

The point is that Jesus’ death on the cross is for everyone. Therefore, our mission is to reach everyone, regardless of who they are or what they’ve done, with the message of salvation in Jesus.

THE FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL Text: Acts 10:34-43 Introduction 1. Illustration: "Another reason for the gift of tongues was to let the people know that the Gospel was for the whole world. God wants to speak to every person in his or her own language and give the saving message of salvation in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:34-43

Denomination: Methodist

Hearing Versus Listening

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Jul 30, 2024

Today we are going back to the OT days of Nehemiah to see how the people of that day listened or just heard God's Word. God has brought us here today, not just to hear a sermon, but to listen as God speaks to our heart.

When you come to a service like this or attend a Bible study class, do you just hear what is said or do you listen? Is there a difference? For most of us listening is our most frequently used communication skill. Listening is a very important part of communication. One study points out that ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-12, Psalm 119:18, Deuteronomy 31:10-11

Denomination: Baptist

Blinded By Despair Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 20, 2023

So often we go from the mountaintop to the valley of despair, how does God get us through to the other side? Consider these thoughts from our Family Minister, Scott Jewell.

Begin with clip from Hee Haw TV show. Gloom, despair, and agony on me. I remember many a Saturday night gathered around the TV as a child with my family. We enjoyed a lot of laughs as we watched sketches like the one we just viewed. This was the first thing that came to mind when I knew I was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Room Of Death Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 14, 2022

The fear of death is universal. And through the centuries, people have tried various ways to overcome their fear of death, but Jesus offers us a solution that actually works. What does Jesus offer that no one else can give?

In the early 1900s there was a famous psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Carl Jung. He developed an intriguing test that psychiatrists/Psychologists will sometimes use to help their patients deal with a specific fear everyone seems to have. They tell their patients to imagine being in a white room, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:14-15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Saves Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 20, 2022

God saved us when we were objects of wrath; while we were still His enemies. Why would He have done that?

OPEN: A woman recalled the hardship of growing up… different. As a child she’d grown up with a cleft pallet which made it so that she had a misshapen lip, a crooked nose, lopsided teeth, and garbled speech. “When schoolmates asked, ‘What happened to your lip?’ She’d say she’d fallen and cut it on a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:22-24

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Weaving Evangelism Into Discipleship

Contributed by Wayne Lawson on Aug 22, 2022

Our focus this morning will deal much with communication. Specifically, we will examine how to effectively communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray we will understand the bottom line of evangelizing is to simply communicate and invite others into our story

TITLE: WEAVING EVANGELISM INTO DISCIPLESHIP SCRIPTURE: ACTS 4:23-37 After preaching the fourth installment last week in our ‘Shifting of our Vision’ here at ‘First Church’ which is tied to our Campaign of “LET’S GO FISHING,” I found myself praying and said to the Lord, after four sermons, I ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:23-37

Denomination: Baptist

God Cares Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 28, 2022

Why would God bother to tell us to cast all our anxieties upon Him? Why is that so important

There was a guy named Bob Redrow who was on his first business trip to Japan. He and his colleagues were picked up by a van to be taken to their meeting, and during the ride Bob became anxious and upset by the driver. The van was zipping through the narrow streets… and all the while the driver was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Too Much Life

Contributed by James May on Mar 26, 2023

Each of us lives in our own Bethany in a manner of speaking. And our Bethany is determined by whether we are allowing Jesus to come in, or we have too much life to give him time to give us even more life.

Too Much Life Sunday, March 26, 2023 Bethany was a little town just about 2 miles from the gates of Jerusalem and during his earthly ministry it became a favorite place for Jesus to stop as he traveled. The name Bethany is interpreted to mean many different things, depending upon which scholar ...read more

Scripture: John 11:5, Isaiah 55:6-7, Matthew 26:6-16

Denomination: Independent/Bible