Sermons on Herods Tyranical Rule:

Contrasting Christmases

Contributed by Dennis Lee on Dec 20, 2022

This message reveals a contrast seen within the Christmas story, a contrast between those who are ready and willing to receive the good news, like the shepherds and the Magi, or Wise Men, and those who are not, like King Herod and the religious leaders of that day. Come and See.

Contrasting Christmases Psalm 1; Luke 2; Matthew 2 Someone has said that life is full of contrasts, and as far as I can determine, they are right. But most of these contrasts are self-determined. Psalm chapter one deals with the main contrast, the one that determines all the rest. It involves the ...read more

Denomination: Foursquare

Hold On!

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Mar 18, 2019

We keep our eyes on the promise of God's "third day"

March 17, 2016 (St. Patrick's Day) Hope Lutheran Church Pastor Mary Erickson Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35 Hold On! Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. One of the great songs from the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:31-35

Denomination: Lutheran

Against His Own Self-Interest Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 7, 2012

God loved us so much that He acted against His own best self-interest, by becoming human. In doing this, He exactly contradicted the secular world's view of leadership and government.

Epiphany 2012 Against His Own Self-Interest Spirit of the Liturgy One of the insights that Pope Benedict has shared with us over the past few years continually comes to mind when I read the Gospels. It is like a unifying theme of the Scriptures. God loves us so much that he does things for us ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Jesus' Birth & Childhood

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Nov 6, 2023

Let's look at the beginning of Jesus' life, his refugee status and move to Nazareth.

Let’s look at Matthew, a catechism or instruction book for new Christians. Preparing for Jesus (Matthew 1) Read Matthew 1. Let’s learn about Jesus' birth and John the Baptist. Abbreviated Genealogy Why did Matthew abbreviate this genealogy? The lineage in 1 Chronicles 6:3–14 is abridged in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Is Enough Series

Contributed by Joel Gilbert on Jun 9, 2025

Christ is fully sufficient for our every need, empowering us to serve others and meet challenges by entrusting Him with our limitations and needs.

Faith evangelism training a few days Learning an evangelism method Then sent in teams of three to specific doors My turn came to share the gospel - I was scared. I shouldn’t have been, but I was. I knocked on the door, introduced myself and the team, and then began by asking the question, “In ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Blame Game

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 9, 2023

Excuses and forgiveness are opposites. What can be excused does not need to be forgiven.

What do you suppose happened at the palace the next morning, when Herod woke up with a hangover the size of the Roman Empire and a public relations problem twice as big? I can hear them all spinning the story, can’t you? It’s not the way it seems! It’s not my fault! I’m not to blame! Let’s listen ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:14-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Freedom Of Forgiveness Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Oct 8, 2010

Some say that religion is merely moral rules to control behavior, Jesus transcends religious rules to address a deeper spiritual need.

Introduction Some people have said that religion is the development of myths and stories to provide moral principles to control human behavior…to create moral rules in order to control social behavior. There are certainly some destructive tendencies that social groups would want to contain. I ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Has There Ever Been A King As Awesome As Christ?

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Nov 21, 2011

Has There Ever Been A King As Awesome As Christ? 1) Look at what he rules. 2) Look at how he rules.

Seven years ago, King Jigme of Bhutan, a mountainous country sandwiched between China and India, announced that he was giving up absolute power in favor of a constitutional monarchy headed by his son, the crown prince. The nation was stunned. People openly wept and begged their monarch to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 47:1-9

Denomination: Lutheran

The Night Of Darkness Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 12, 2004

1st Person portrayal of Peter during his imprisonment by Herod and his angelic deliverance.

(Setting: Peter is kneeling. His wrists are in chains - plastic chains wrapped twice around the wrists with the end held in the palm of each hand. The stage is dark and the lights are bro’t up to half power on this section of the stage.) (These first words are mournful, reflecting the despair that ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Empire Strikes Back Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Mar 27, 2008

Exposition of Acts 12:1-17 regarding the attack of Herod on the church and the churches response to persecution

Text: Acts 12:1-17, Title: The Empire Strikes Back, Date/Place: NRBC, 3/30/08, AM A. Opening illustration: Ignatius Kung was ordained as a Bishop of Shanghai in 1949, shortly after the communists took over China. The Chinese government pressured him to align his loyalties to the "Chinese Catholic ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

New Look At The Nativity

Contributed by Bobby Daniel on Dec 14, 2009

Sermon using a nativity set as illustration, added a nutcracker to represent Herod and a dragon to represent Satan

A New Look at the Nativity Intro: Anyone get up to go shopping on Friday morning? I did...GPS deal, directionally challenged. Also looking for the right nativity set...did you know Walmart no longer carries these? Thankfully I did find one, a very special...unable to find in your local ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer For Our Nation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 23, 2020

The problem is not something solvable by election returns, and we have to stop acting like it is.

Thursday of the 25th Week in Course 2020 National Day of Prayer/Fasting Herod Antipas was the primo politician of Palestine two thousand years ago. As one of the few surviving offspring of Herod the Great, Antipas ruled Galilee and Perea, but he was pretty paranoid. John the Baptist had preached ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:3-6, Luke 9:7-9, Ecclesiastes 1:2-11

Denomination: Catholic

Lift Up Your Heads Ye Mighty Gates! Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Dec 14, 2010

God arrives as the humble King to set up his rule in the lives of his people.

Scripture Introduction As you drive past churches during the next weeks, you will likely see at least one sign proclaiming, “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” It is a cute wordplay on Matthew 2.1-2: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 24:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Mom Said: Off With His Head!

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 7, 2024

Ladies, moms, grandmas, aunts, sisters… How do you use your influence for the Lord?

MOM SAID: “OFF WITH HIS HEAD!” MATTHEW 14:1-12 #MothersDay VIDEO INTRODUCTION… https://youtu.be/P3YmUx1rM8M [45secs] INTRODUCTION… theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2015/apr/04/off-with-their-heads-the-10-greatest-quotes-from-alice-in-wonderland [adapted] Lewis Carroll’s children’s classic, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:1-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Promises, Promises (Part 1) Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Mar 6, 2008

God promises and provides a Messiah to rule and direct his people.

Scripture Introduction In a Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, Calvin asks his dad why the moon is so big tonight. He takes out a quarter and says, “Its smaller than a quarter.” Judging the size of far away objects can be difficult. For example, the sun is really big, about 900,000 miles in diameter. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed