Sermons on First In The Kingdom:

An Overlooked Key First Step Toward Spiritual Harvest

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Mar 6, 2014

A look at the evangelism prayer that Jesus told us to pray (but we don't) as well as five of the reasons we need this prayer.

THE SIMPLE, OBVIOUS, PATHETIC, MYSTIFYING TRUTH: We do not pray this prayer. - Matthew 9:38. - I do not have an explanation for this. - It’s not hard to do. It’s not hard to understand. It’s not controversial. Yet it’s rare that any of us pray this prayer at all. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:37-38

Denomination: Baptist

Kindred United: God First, Everything Else Second Series

Contributed by Pastor Jeff Hughes on Jan 12, 2014

Do we REALLY love God, or just giving God and others lip service?

Back in 2012, we had a three part message series on the year's theme DRIVEN. I find that for us to be united as brethren here in our church, we need to use these same principles.Thus, we are going through these same three messages then one more message beyond that, and finally, Lord willing, back ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:30-31

Denomination: Bible Church

Shouldn’t We Put Family First?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Aug 20, 2013

A look at the difficult passages where Jesus calls us to "hate" our families. Why would He ask something like that?

IT SOUNDS GOOD AND RIGHT: “Family first.” - “Family first” comes naturally for us because it’s so easy to love your family more than anything. - Sure, they aggravate us sometimes, but they are our deepest earthly relationships. When a family is as it should be, they ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-27

Denomination: Baptist

How Did We Get Here In The First Place Series

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Nov 13, 2014

First message in getting to the promised land. Deals with sin and overcoming it.

How did we get here in the first place? Series: Getting to the Promised Land Theme: What does it take to get to the promised land and how did we get where we are. Text: Jeremiah 29:11; Genesis 3 & 4 Introductions Study Review Thank you for being here tonight. Over the next few months we ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Denomination: Church Of God

When Your First Choice Is God's Second Choice

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Jan 6, 2012

A sermon about the providence of God as discovered in the life of Paul.

Acts 16:7-8 KJV After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. [8] And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. I. INTRODUCTION—THE CHALLENGE OF CONTENTMENT -One of the most challenging spiritual battles that many face in our ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:7-9

Denomination: Pentecostal

How Do We Compare To Jesus First Disciples? Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Apr 1, 2016

When I think about the first disciples of Jesus there is one thing that I find really encouraging - they were very ordinary people, average people, people like you and me, people with faults and failings, imperfect people.

How do we compare to Jesus first Disciples? When I think about the first disciples of Jesus there is one thing that I find really encouraging - they were very ordinary people with very ordinary jobs - fishermen & a tax collector. If Jesus public ministry had begun here in Rayleigh and Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Denomination: Pentecostal

She Keeps Her First Sabbath In Eighteen Years

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Aug 11, 2022

The command to keep Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. so how is it properly kept?

She Keeps her first Sabbath in Eighteen Years Luke 13:10-17 Notice that the LORD not only states keeping the Sabbath, but He also provides the rationale for keeping it. The LORD Himself rested from His work on the Seventh Day after creating the heavens and the earth. We don’t know exactly how He ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:10-17, Hebrews 4:9-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Study Of The Letter Of First John –the Testimony Of God Series

Contributed by Chuck Brooks on Aug 17, 2020

When John writes of the “love of God” he is literally referring to one’s “love for God. “Love for God” is expressed when one keeps God’s commands.

1 John 5:1-12 A police officer pulled over a driver and informed him that he was speeding. Just then, his wife, who was seated next to him, said, “I told you; you have to drive slowly until you get a license!” The policeman, surprised, exclaimed, “Were you driving without a license?” His ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-12

Denomination: Independent/Bible

First Sunday Of Christmas & Feast Of St John

Contributed by Ian Bullock on Dec 23, 2020

How St John can inspire us to share the good news of Christ

In the name of the Living God, Father, son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Today as we gather for the first Sunday after Christmas, we also take the time to celebrate St. John the apostle and evangelist. But before we talk about John, we should begin by breaking the stigma of what evangelist means, ...read more

Scripture: John 21:19-25

Denomination: Anglican

People Of The First Christmas-The Magi Or Wise Men Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 29, 2020

Even though the Magi or "wise men" have had a Christmas carol or two (or more) written about them, they're only mentioned in one paragraph of Matthew's Gospel. They came from a far distance, worshiped the Christ Child, and then went back home, never to be heard from again.

Introduction: the shepherds of Bethlehem were the only recorded visitors to go see Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus on the night He was born. Sometime later, Matthew recorded that “wise men (KJV)” or magi (several other translations) came to Jerusalem. The purpose of their visit was to worship the One ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-8, Micah 5:2

Denomination: Baptist

Provoking Thoughts From First John (1 Of 16)

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 10, 2022

1 John is called one of the “General Epistles,” because it was not sent to a specific church. Rather, it was sent to churches in general.

The three books of John are referred to as “letters, however, the first was not written in the form of a letter. For example, it has no salutation nor conclusion. In fact, it has all the characteristics of a sermon in which a pastor is revealing his love for God’s people. To have a good ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

The First Sunday Of Advent, Year C: Not Very Christmasy.

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Nov 12, 2024

The Church tells the Christmas Story backwards: the focus is to prepare for the coming of the Lord: at the end of the world, and when Christ comes for us at the end of our individual worlds, at death.

Our Gospel from St. Luke today is a little unsettling. Not very Christmasy. Unseasonal thoughts about the end of the world. Yet, the word Advent from the Latin, adventus, means “coming.” The Church tells the Christmas Story backwards: the focus is to prepare for the coming of the Lord: at the end ...read more

Scripture: Luke 21:36

Denomination: Catholic

Balaam's First Prophecies (Numbers 23)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Nov 27, 2024

Can a crooked prophet be used by God? Let's look at Numbers 23.

Though he was hired to curse Israel, what was Balaam forced to do? Can even a bad prophet be used by God to tell the truth? Do we take God’s word at face value or look for excuses to change God’s mind? Let’s look at Numbers 23. What did Balaam request so that God would perhaps give him a ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

First Sunday Of Advent, Year B: Advent Hope

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Nov 5, 2023

Optimism is an assessment. Hope is an act.

A man named John Hakel says his three-year-old daughter looked at a calendar and asked him, "Daddy, how many BE GOOD days until Christmas?" 1 Advent is not a penitential season; it’s a period of devout and expectant delight, yet we intuitively understand that it is not possible ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:33-37

Denomination: Catholic

Samson's First Wife (Judges 14)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 14, 2025

How important is it that a marriage have a common faith? Let's begin in Judges 14.

How foolish is choosing a life’s marriage partner solely because of their looks? How important is having the same faith values? Let’s begin in Judges 14. What happened when Samson traveled and saw a foreign woman? Samson traveled down to Timnah. While he was in Timnah, a Philistine woman caught ...read more

Denomination: Baptist