Sermons on Fresh Fire:

God's Indescribable Abundance Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 23, 2008

How can one describe what God has given in this church, with the successes of the past year? How describe human needs, especially for the Gospel? And how describe the opportunities for inclusive worship, honest learning, and artistic expression?

Once upon a time a certain church was in an uproar. Some said that the pastor was not performing according to expectations. And so complaints were brought to the deacons, who met to consider the issue, and asked those who were grumbling, “What is the problem with the pastor?” One disaffected ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Wilderness Witness Series

Contributed by Jim Drake on Nov 25, 2008

Today, we’re looking at the ministry of John the Baptist. You may think of his ministry as being a long time ago and happening in a place far away… but the fact is, Jesus has called you to the same kind of ministry today.

Just a few days after Christmas 2002, a man walked into a Baptist mission hospital in the Middle Eastern country of Yemen. He calmly sat in the waiting room with his pink slip that told security he was a returning patient. He sat patiently and quietly waited there with the other patients. Then ...read more

Scripture: John 1:19-37

Denomination: Baptist

Avoid The Complaint Department

Contributed by Eldron Gill on Nov 25, 2008

Thanksgiving Sermon

Avoid The Complaint Department Colossians 3:17 Thanksgiving 2008 Intro. * In a few days most of us will be sitting around a table with family and friends eating turkey and pumpkin pie. * That is, unless you will be celebrating a red-neck thanksgiving… Humor - You might be a red-neck at ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:17

Denomination: Baptist

Coping With The Credit Crunch 2009. Series

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Nov 26, 2008

This is a sizzler talk which gives you two priorities to put into practice in helping you survive the credit crunch which we must apply to our lives.

MATTHEW 6:19 - 27. COPING WITH THE CREDIT CRUNCH CRISIS IT WAS THE ROMANS WHO SAID OF MONEY “THE MORE YOU DRINK, THE MORE YOU THIRST” IF THAT’S TRUE THEN WE ARE ONE THIRSTY WORLD… .PEOPLE ALSO SAY THAT MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND – WELL MONEY IS NO LONGER GOING AROUND WORLD BANKS ARE ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24

Denomination: Baptist

Beware Of The World Series

Contributed by John Hamby on Nov 26, 2008

John now turns his attention from tests to determine whether one is saved to encouragement to continue growing once we are saved.

A Study of the Book of 1st John “Back To the Basics” Sermon # 5 “Beware of the World” 1 John 2:12-17 John has been talking about how one can know that they are saved. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Hope Of Christmas In The Psalms Series

Contributed by Jim Drake on Nov 28, 2008

No matter what circumstances you are going through in life, there is hope.

This morning we looked at the hope of Christmas. Living on this side of the cross, we have the benefit of the New Testament to give us the details of the hope we have in Christ. But I want to take a step back tonight and see our hope displayed in the prophetic pages of the Old Testament. Before ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 80:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

Magnifying Christ's Majesty I Series

Contributed by David Scudder on Nov 30, 2008

As John set about to write these two chapters I’m sure that he felt a deep sense of frustration. How could he put in words what he had seen in God’s throne room? He must have felt like he had been given the task of describing a rainbow to a blind man, or

Magnifying Christ’s Majesty Part I Revelation 5:1-7 Purpose: To exalt Christ’s worthiness. Aim: I want the listener to respond to Christ’s majesty with passionate worship. INTRODUCTION: When Vance Havner once told a group of people that he was very optimistic about world events. Someone asked ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:1-7

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Love Is The Answer Series

Contributed by David Owens on Dec 1, 2008

Love is the guiding principle for followers of Jesus. Although we might try to complicate the issues, what God requires from us is not complicated - Love God and Love your Neighbor.

A. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that each of us will strive to be thankful people all the time, not just on Thanksgiving Day. B. As you know, our lives are fraught with many questions, and many answers. 1. Some of the questions and answers are silly and frivolous, others are ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:8-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

My Home In God's Heart

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 6, 2008

Dramatic monologue as if Hosea were speaking; his mixed feelings of anger and compassion toward Gomer become the clue for understanding God’s feelings about Israel.

It had been a hard day in the fields. The sun had beat down without mercy on my back. Twice or three times, my team of oxen had stumbled and I had had to stop and help them up out of the miry clay, lest they break their legs and be useless. I’ve always found that it’s not hard to stop and care for ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Healed Hearts His Home Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 7, 2008

Two obstacles must be removed before we may receive the peace God wants to give us, so long delayed and frustrated: our false pride and our negative spirit of self-accusation. Then His victory will be ours.

The neighborhood, if you could call it that, was one of the most rundown and poverty-stricken in the city. For fifty years the housing had decayed, and, as the original residents left, absentee landlords jammed far too many people into the old dwellings. Diseases became epidemic, and fires not ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 57:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Glory Of God Is Our Comfort Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Dec 7, 2008

Isaiah 40:1-11 tells us four truths about God who comes down to his people with a comforting promise.

Scripture In his book, titled The Pressure’s Off, psychologist Larry Crabb tells a story from his childhood to illustrate how God works in our adversity. One Saturday afternoon, Larry said, when he was three years old he decided that he was a big boy and could use the bathroom without anyone’s ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lofty Lord, Live Lips, Long Layby

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 28, 2009

Where do we get the motivation to keep doing what the Lord wants us to do? We affirm that we are called by a God of power, who is able to equip us; He will give us victory eventually even though it may come slowly (Deacon Ordination Sunday).

This evening two very good football teams will face each other under the dome. The outcome will hinge not only on physical condition and coaching strategy and just plain luck; it will hinge also on motivation. Who really, really wants to win? Who is hungry to win? One of the great personal issues ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Faith In Action Series

Contributed by Andy Flowers on Jan 29, 2009

How to have an active, living faith.

Title: Faith In Action Text: Nehemiah 2:1-10 Nehemiah 2:1-10 Nehemiah 2:1 And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 So the king said to me, ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Playing The Fool

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 5, 2009

Sarcasm betrays anger at ourselves or at others, but we cannot let it fester. We need to come to the Cross, where there is reconciliation.

Words have power. The things we say to one another have power. Kids may deal with smart-mouths in the schoolyard by chanting, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." But that’s rubbish! Don’t you believe it? Names do hurt. Words hurt. The things we say to each other do ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-24

Denomination: Baptist

Leadership Traits Series

Contributed by Jim Drake on Feb 8, 2009

What do you picture when you think of a leader? What traits do you think a leader should have? Our passage today tells us what Nehemiah’s leadership traits were, and they might surprise you.

http://brushforkbanner.blogspot.com/ It’s time for us to rethink our picture of leadership in the church. And, by the way, when we talk about leadership in the context of Nehemiah, we’re not talking specifically about pastoral leadership. If anything, Ezra is the model for pastoral leadership. ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 2:1-8

Denomination: Baptist