Sermons on Fred Craddock:

Hosea: The Love Of God Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

As Hosea deals with his own sorrow of losing his wife to other lovers, he allows God to use his heartbreak to plead with the nation of Israel to turn from their love for and allegiance to the god Baal and come back to Yahweh.

A. Anyone who ever doubts the LOVE of God needs to read the book of Hosea. 1. The entire book of Hosea is an ANALOGY that depicts God both as a loving husband and father. a. This is a story about Hosea and his wife, Gomer. b. The story of Hosea and his wife is paralleled to God and ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Zephania: Seek The Lord Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Zephaniah's message hits hard the ruling class of Judah for their part in leading the people down a path of immorality, corruption, and idolatry. (This sermon was preached during the Fourth of July)

ILLUSTRATION: French writer Alexis de Tocqueville (TOKEVILLE), after visiting America in 1831, said, “I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests—and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Nahum: Fall Of Assyria Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Nahum was a patriotic saint who had a deep hatred for the Assyrian nation. He speaks nothing about the internal conditions of Judah and Jerusalem; he leaves that to his contemporaries Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.

ILLUSTRATION: A few weeks ago my family and I WATCHED the latest Rocky Balboa movie, “CREED.” It was surprisingly a good movie, especially since this is the sixth SEQUEL and seventh MOVIE made in the Rocky series. Sequels, of course, are a continuation of a STORY. Hollywood has learned the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Habakkuk: When God Seems Unfair Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Habakkuk is told by God they were also coming to punish Judah for their wickedness, and this news greatly disturbed him. So Habakkuk has a back and forth conversation with God about his concerns.

A. If you could have a sit-down with God and converse with Him one-on-one, what would you talk about it? 1. Would you talk to Him about your FAMILY, your JOB, your HEALTH PROBLEMS, your NEIGHBOR down the street who has WILD PARTIES every Saturday night? 2. It could be that you’re hoping ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Haggai: Rebuilding The Temple Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

The book of Haggai presents a progression in the attitude and condition of the people as the prophet spurs them on to complete what they have started so that “GOD’S HOUSE” can once again be filled with His glory.

A. Have you ever started CONSTRUCTION on a project and never FINISHED? ILLUSTRATION: You decide to build a DECK or a FENCE or add a ROOM to your house, so you go out and buy the LUMBER and all the MATERIALS needed for the PROJECT. The DAY you decide to start, something comes up and you put it off ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Zechariah: Christ Is Coming Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Many believe that Zechariah’s prophecy foretells Christ’s rule of an earthly kingdom that is yet to be established, and will rule for a thousand years. I believe that Zechariah is referring to Christ’s Spiritual Kingdom—the CHURCH—in which you and I are part of today.

A. Have you ever known anyone who told you that something was going to happen, and it did? 1. What if this morning while we were sitting around the table in the fellowship hall drinking coffee and eating donuts, Mark Thomas emphatically told us that the Indianapolis Colts is going to WIN ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Malachi: For Me Or Against Me? Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Malachi's message was to let the people know emphatically that God loved them, but God wanted to know if they were “For Him or Against Him?”

A. When I was a boy our preacher called it, “Fence Straddling.” 1. That’s when someone tries to LIVE for both Jesus Christ and the World. a. We see this all around us. ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever had a co-worker who CLAIMED to be a Christian, but you couldn’t tell it by the way she ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Rejoice Always Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

The Apostle Paul writes a letter to the Philippian while under house arrest chained to two Romans guards around the clock. He may also be executed for his faith in Jesus as the Christ. Yet, through it all, Paul is able to rejoice.

A. Philippians 4:4-8 (READ) 1. Today we begin a series of lessons corresponding with our Small Group Study entitled: “ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING” based on the book by Max Lucado, who based his book on this passage. 2. This is a timely SUBJECT, because ANXIETY has greatly increased over the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Contagious Calm Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Max Lucado writes, “Contagious calm in the midst of high anxiety can eternally change lives and the course of events.”

A. Philippians 4:5 (READ) 1. How many DISASTERS have been AVERTED because one person REFUSED to buckle under the STRAIN and remained CALM? a. How many MARRIAGES were SAVED? b. How many FRIENDSHIPS remained INTACT? c. How many CHURCH DIVISIONS were AVOIDED? 2. It’s this kind ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3, Philippians 4:5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Prayer, Not Despair Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Every time you feel yourself being anxious about your job, your children, your spouse, the bills, the church . . . stop where you are and spend a few minutes fervently praying to God about it. I promise that by the end of that prayer you will feel an amazing peace.

A. Philippians 4:6 (READ) 1. How many of you believe that PRAYER can change OUTCOMES and CIRCUMSTANCES? ILLUSTRATION: One Sunday morning as the Youth Pastor made his way to his 5th grade Sunday School Class, he walked in to find one of his students sitting alone in the back of the classroom ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Perfect Peace Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Paul writes of a "peace that surpasses all understanding". This peace is not a feeling or a state of mind, but it is knowing WHO is in control when life seems out-of-control.

A. Philippians 4:7 (READ) 1. How many of you saw the movie “The Perfect Storm”? ILLUSTRATION: It was a GOOD MOVIE—ROTTEN ENDING. It’s a TRUE STORY, and sometimes TRUE LIFE doesn’t END the way we like. It starred George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg. For those of you who may have missed it, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Think About Such Things Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Although life is full of trouble, Paul urges his readers to focus on the positive not the negative.

A. Philippians 4:8 (READ) 1. Throughout this study, Paul has been showing us how to deal with the ANXIETY that creeps into our lives and begin to STRANGLE us and WEIGH us DOWN. a. Jesus warns us in Luke 21:34 to “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with . . . the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"god Wants Me To Be Happy" Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

Although God is certainly not against one being happy, His greatest desire is not our happiness but our holiness.

A. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (READ and COMMENT) 1. How many of you actually believe that the Bible is God’s Word for mankind? COMMENT: Apart from His Son Jesus Christ, the greatest GIFT that God could have provided for mankind is the Bible—His Living Word—because it is literally God—our ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:15-16, Matthew 5:3-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"god Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle" Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

I know you have a Scripture in mind that you believe actually states that "God won't give you more than you can handle", but that is not what the Bible says.

Last week we began a series entitled: “THE BIBLE DOESN’T SAY THAT”, looking at some popular sayings that many BELIEVE are found in the Bible, but are not. 1. The first one we studied last week was: “God wants me to be happy.” (If you missed that lesson, you can listen to it in the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"forgive And Forget" Series

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Jan 12, 2023

When Paul said that we are to "forgive others as God in Christ forgives us" (Ephesians 4:32), does God actually forget our sins that He forgave? God forgets nothing, but He will not hold our sins against us.

A. Ephesians 4:32- “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” ILLUSTRATION: Charles Swindoll tells the story of a Jewish rabbi named Saul Rosenberg, who one day did something really STUPID that terribly UPSET his wife, Ethel. He ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:32, Hebrews 8:12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ