Sermons on Fig Tree Dried Up:

Take Up Your Cross

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Feb 24, 2021

As people run headlong into a world going nowhere, escaping reality in their hedonistic lifestyles, are we ashamed of Jesus and His words? Are we ashamed of suffering as Christians? Let’s look at Jesus’ countercultural instructions in Mark 8:31-38.

Prelude As people run headlong into a world going nowhere, escaping reality in their hedonistic lifestyles, are we ashamed of Jesus and His words? Are we ashamed of suffering as Christians? Purpose Let’s see the value of taking up our cross and denying ourselves. Plan Let’s look at Jesus’ ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Denomination: Baptist

Take Up Your Cross

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 11, 2025

Jim Eliot, once famously wrote in his diary on 28th October 1949: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose” . And Jesus says something similar in this morning's Gospel reading

Lk 14:25-33 Take up your cross and follow me Jim Eliot, an American missionary who was killed on 8th January 1956 taking the Gospel to the Waodani people in Ecuador - once famously wrote in his diary on 28th October 1949: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep To gain that which he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Denomination: Anglican

We, Too, Will Be Lifted Up

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Mar 19, 2018

Jesus promised that we will join him in Heaven

John 12:20-33 O Lord Jesus, You chose the Cross as the path to glory to show us the way of salvation. May we receive the word of the Gospel joyfully and live by Your example as heirs and citizens of Your Kingdom. Amen. We just heard in the Gospel reading that a group of Greeks approached Philip ...read more

Scripture: John 12:20-33, Matthew 10:32-33

Denomination: Episcopal

Take Up Your Cross

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 12, 2025

Jesus wasn’t offering comfort or bling, but blood — a cross that kills self and births love, the heartbeat of true discipleship.

Prologue — The Little Athens of Palestine They had followed Him north — away from the dust and clamor of Galilee, away from the familiar crowds pressing for healing — into a region strange and foreign. The road climbed toward the foothills of Mount Hermon, where the air cooled and new sounds ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:27-34, Matthew 16:24-26, Luke 9:23-26, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 3:7-10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Heating Up The Holiday Season

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Dec 17, 2001

There are things we can do to heat up or spruce up our Christmas holiday season.

HEATING UP THE HOLIDAY SEASON INTRO.- Lights, camera, action. These words could well characterize this time of the year. It’s a time for bright lights, cameras (picture-taking), and action. Lots of action. Lots of coming and going. What’s your favorite thing to do this time of the year? DO YOU ...read more

Scripture: John 13:35

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Break Up The Fallow Ground!

Contributed by Reuben Bredenhof on Mar 16, 2021

Getting baptized on your head must have an impact on your heart. If you’ve been baptized, God calls you to put off the old nature and its sinfulness, and to put on the new. There’s no salvation without a change of life, no redemption without repentance.

There once was a book-burning in the palace of Judah’s king. A scroll-burning actually, but the idea is the same. For the LORD told Jeremiah to take a scroll, write on it everything He’d said—and then to have that scroll read before the king. So that’s what Jeremiah did. He wrote down God’s words, ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 3:1-25, Jeremiah 4:1-4

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Looking Up Or Nose To The Ground?

Contributed by Ernie Arnold on Jul 19, 2022

Paul shares with us that as Christ followers as people who have been born again 1. We have a New DNA 2. We are called to live an Enlighten Life

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4; Psalm 121:1-8 Theme: Looking Up rather than Nose on the Ground Paul wants to help all of us be able to live a New Life – 1. In Christ we have New DNA 2. In Christ we have a New Perspective INTRO: Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! I ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4, Psalm 121:1-8, Ezekiel 36:26-27, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, Galatians 3:28  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Cleaning Up The Mess Of Misunderstanding Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Nov 20, 2024

To clean up the mess of misunderstanding, act with integrity and love, affirming God’s integrity and love in everything you do.

Evelyn Shetter from Abilene, Kansas, accepted a lunch invitation with former coworkers. Since she was going to be gone over the lunch hour, she set the table and left dinner in the oven for Larry, her farmer husband. She scribbled him a note saying, “Dinner in oven.” When she returned home at 4 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:12-24, 2 Corinthians 2:1-4, Ephesians 2:13-16

Denomination: Evangelical Free

What's God Up To These Days?

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Jan 18, 2002

God’s will is to bless for HIS GLORY.

What’s God up to these days? Ephesians 1 A. THE PLAN One major project: The church… 15Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" 16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." 17Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Denomination: Evangelical Free

An Up Front Word On Backsliding

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 11, 2008

How correctable are you? Does God have permission to speak to your heart? What if what He says to you today requires you to humble yourself? Link inc. to formatted text, audio & video, PowerPoint.

An Up Front Word on Backsliding Proverbs 14:14 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Backslide.html The word backslider has a negative ring to it. Most people cringe or tighten when they hear the word, just like we do when we hear the names “Judas” or “Jezebel” or when the word “hypocrite” is ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:14

Denomination: Baptist

Health Check-Up #2 Series

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Jun 4, 2014

A study of chapter 5 verses 6 through 8 of the book of 1 Corinthians

Health Check-up #2 1 Corinthians 5: 6 – 8 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Turn The Volume Up? Precedent? God Demands Effort!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on May 18, 2021

God needs to get our attention to focused on movers, shakers, and ignitors. We must avoid excuses and be doers of the word. Hear God's words.

PRECEDENT… TURN THE VOLUME UP? GOD DEMANDS EFFORT… By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com HAVE YOU EVER TALKED TO YOURSELF? THERE IS A PRECEDENT SET BY A LADY THAT FOR 12 YEARS HAD BEEN VERY SICK AND WEAK. SHE WAS AT THE END OF HER ROPE. 12 YEARS THIS LADY WAS UN-CLEAN. 12 years ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:25-34, Luke 14:18-21, Isaiah 40:29-31

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Problems Keep Piling Up

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Aug 13, 2018

A study in the book of 1 Samuel 22: 1 – 23

1 Samuel 22: 1 – 23 The problems keep piling up 22 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Reaching Out By Reaching Up

Contributed by Bob Briggs on Dec 9, 2000

Becoming a difference maker in our community

What can we do to reach this community for Jesus Christ? This is a burning question on my heart as we enter 1998. We have not even come close to attaining the potential Jesus spoke of when He said, "These same works that I do you will do, and greater works also." What is it going to take to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 123:1-2

Denomination: Pentecostal

How To Train Up A Child

Contributed by Greg Addison on Nov 27, 2006

An overview of training your child based upon who they are to learn to walk with God.

Unlocking your child’s potential Proverbs 22:6 As you turn to this verse, let’s review some truths about proverbs. A proverb is not a given promise. It is an instruction of Godly wisdom. It is a principle that when generally applied brings about general results. It is often made up of 3 ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Denomination: Baptist