Sermons on Fixed Focus:

Is Isaiah Crying Marantha? (Advent 1 December 2020)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Dec 5, 2023

Though we are not a post-exilic community, like the one in today’s text we too, want relief from our disasters of this tumultuous year. The one thing that quarantine has in common with being exiled is isolation. ... We too, want God to act and fix things.

IS ISAIAH CRYING MARANTHA? (Advent 1 December 2020) Text: Isaiah 64:1 - 9 O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence— 2 as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil— to make your name known to your ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9

Denomination: United Methodist

I’m Determined To Be Blessed

Contributed by Dr. Jwt Spies on Oct 14, 2025

Through the tears, through the trials, through the testing, my heart is fixed, my faith is firm, and my eyes are on Jesus, and I won’t let disappointment define me, or delay me. I’m pressing my way, because I’m determined to be blessed.

Scripture Text: Genesis 26:12–14 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him. And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 26:12-14

Denomination: Baptist

Peace With God

Contributed by Ralph Andrus on Sep 16, 2012

Five Steps to Peace With God 1. Change Your Attitude 2. Change Your Focus 3. Change Your Diet 4. Change Your Worship 5. Change Your Habits

It took 10 days to get a message to Europe delivered by ship . When the great Atlantic Telegraph Cable was laid it just took moments, the first message flashed Aug 16/1858 "Glory to God in the highest; on earth, peace and good will toward men." (14 words, 69 letters – Twitter allows 140 ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

What To Do When Your Eyes Are On Canaan, But Your Mind Is In Egypt Series

Contributed by Wm. Darryl Scott Sr D.d. on Nov 23, 2002

We often miss the real message in the trials of this life, because we are too busy focusing and thinking about the negative. But the real battlefield is in our minds! Where is your focus?

What To Do When Your Eyes Are On Canaan But Your Mind Is in Egypt? Exodus 16:1-3 We gratefully welcome God’s visitation, but this day we greatly seek His habitation of our praises! AS WE CONTINUE TO MATURE AND GROW IN LIFE, I HAVE LEARNED THAT IN ORDER TO ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 16:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Consumed With God: The Pursuit Of God Series

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Apr 23, 2024

We are consumed by God completely… while our obsession used to be selfishness and self destruction and we were very excited about that, we now pursue knowing God with abandon.

My wife tells me that I sometimes become nearly obsessed with certain things. I get so focused on something it consumes me. I fall into the pool after staring into it too long. Are you like that? I have a bit of an obsessive, addictive personality. I want it and I want more. I want to learn more. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:24, Romans 6:11, Galatians 2:20, John 3:30

Denomination: Salvation Army

Night Visits

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 17, 2002

Sermon for Black History Month, incorporating the poetry of recently deceased African poet and statesman Leopold Senghor; focus on imprisonment, liberation, empowerment, and forgiveness.

It was night. Nothing else need be said. That short and simple phrase says it all. It was night. It was night when they visited my bedroom, when I was a child of six, to tell me that my mother would not be coming home for a long time. The stress of giving birth to my brother had been too much; ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-11, Psalm 8:2-5

Denomination: Baptist

Three Plus One Equals Infinity Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 14, 2002

Dramatic monologue, done as if I were Daniel, reporting on his three friends in the fiery furnace. Focus on spiritual identity in a power-hungry world.

(Singing) “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, His grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee, He only designs thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.” Whew! Does it seem hot in here to you? Does it feel as though the very fires of hell are about ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 3:1-30

Denomination: Baptist

Worship Themes

Contributed by Curtis Kittrell on Apr 30, 2002

Themes developed in worship psalms tend to focus on who God is, on what He has done, and on the wonder of His love for His people.

WORSHIP THEMES PSALMS 99–106 “Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever” (Ps. 106:1). Themes developed in worship psalms tend to focus on who God is, on what He has done, and on the wonder of His love for His people. Overview Israel worshiped the LORD as ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Did You See The Gorilla?

Contributed by Johann Neethling on Feb 20, 2006

The heart of this message is how very easy it is for us to miss some of the really BIG issues of the Christian life because our focus and attention is elsewhere.

DID YOU SEE THE GORILLA? Matthew 28:16-20 1. “Most people like to think of themselves as alert and aware. But under the right circumstances, even the most observant people can be blind to what’s going on around them.” • With those words CBS commenced a report entitled “What You See Depends on ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Denomination: United Methodist

Purpose Of Prayer Series

Contributed by John Harvey on Feb 8, 2005

Prayer serves many purposes in our lives. The best purpose may be that prayer changes our focus, but prayer also changes our actions

The Purpose of Prayer 02/06/05 Intro: We are in week 2 of a 3 week series on prayer. Last week we looked at the priority of prayer and the need for a focus and worship of Christ as we approach him in prayer. I issued you a challenge of spending 15 minutes each morning focusing your mind and ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Denomination: Baptist

Avoiding The "Red-Line" Church Series

Contributed by Chip Monck on May 31, 2005

The fifth in a series of sermons through the book of James. The focus of this message is on the sin of partiality and favoritism. Especially ways in which it takes place in the church today.

(This message contains a significant intro that is a personal life experience. Should be personalized to an example from the speakers life of prejudice/favoritsim/partiality being shown.) We have been working our way through the book of James. Chapter one is behind us and as you will see over ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-13

Denomination: Wesleyan

To Anticipate Jesus

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Jul 18, 2006

Taking Paul’s lead to change our focus from this world to the reward at the end of the race. How much would you need to change if ....

I was raised in a small town in southern Ohio. I remember the lazy days of summer when the air-raid sirens went off once per week and we would all look up to see if we could see enemy planes, or when all the boys would gather on the school playground to play baseball like the big kids did. I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8-15

Denomination: *other

The Bread, The Cup, And The Lamb Series

Contributed by Marc Bertrand on Nov 5, 2004

A Good Friday focus on the last supper. When our congregation observed Good Friday this sermon had hymns and communion worked between the points.

Introduction: How old was the little Lord Jesus when his family returned from Egypt? You remember the story; the wisemen came and brought their gifts to the little child. Many feel that Jesus may have been nearly 2 when they arrived. Herod insanely jealous and anxious to keep his throne declared ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:14-20

Denomination: Baptist

What Do You See?

Contributed by Mark Perryman on May 11, 2006

Proper perspective is a very important thing to have. Sometimes if we’re not careful we can lose focus of what’s truly important.

INTRO: What do you see? -Cone or a hole -Old man/young man -Frog/horse -Old woman/young woman -Faces/vase -Pelican/rabbit The following is a letter that was sent home by a daughter who was away at college: Dear Mom and Dad: I’m sorry to be so long in writing again, but all my writing paper was lost ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 45:1-7

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Deepening Your Roots Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Apr 24, 2003

It’s important to not just focus on our conversion—we’re called to demonstrate our commitment on a daily basis by going deeper with God.

Deepening Your Roots During our “Building for the Future” emphasis, I prepared a five-minute sermon on a cassette tape to help explain the key ingredients of our campaign. I received a lot of very positive feedback. Most of the accolades I received had more to do with the length than with the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:6-15

Denomination: Baptist