Sermons on hope deferred:

The Servant Who Hears God's Voice (Isaiah 50:4-11) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Jan 13, 2025

Sermon's focus is on listening to God. The servant is part of the group of disciples who hear God's voice. The servant suffers, but is confident that he suffers innocently, and that God will vindicate him.

Our passage today is commonly called the third of the four servant songs in Isaiah 40-55. The other three, famously, are in Isaiah 42, 49, and 53. I've said before that over a century ago, a scholar named Bernard Duhm split off these four songs from the rest of Isaiah 40-55, and treated ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-11

Grace By Association - 1 Peter 4:12-16 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Feb 2, 2025

The gospel is about grace by association - receiving favor from God solely because of association with Christ. And that involves suffering.

1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice to the degree that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-16

Sustained By Unrecognised Strength

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 22, 2025

God chooses nations just s He chooses individuals. God preserves those whom He chooses, holding them responsible to fulfil His will.

“Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.” [1] “Who makes you ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 46:3-4

Denomination: Baptist

Religion And Politics - Ecclesiastes 8:1-9:1 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Mar 23, 2025

One of the most aggravating parts of living in a fallen world is dealing with corruption in government and other authorities who misuse their power—especially when that abuse of power hurts you personally. This passage teaches us how to keep enjoying life even in the face of abuse of authority.

8:1 Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man's wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed. 2 Keep the king's command because of your oath made before God. 3 Do not be in a hurry; leave his presence, and don't persist in a ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:1

Keep Wising Up - Ecclesiastes 10:12-20 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Mar 29, 2025

This passage contains practical wisdom on controlling your tongue, making plans and finding direction in life, managing money, and controlling your thought life.

10:12 The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him. 13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, but the end of his speaking is evil madness. 14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what will happen, and who can tell anyone what will ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 10:12-20

Deceitful Religion

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 6, 2025

Jacob's sons distorted the Faith; the Shechemites attempted to co-opt the religious practices of the Israelites to enrich themselves. Both groups attempted to use religion to obtain their own ends, resulting in death and destruction. Deceitful religion always leads to ruin and destruction.

“Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 34:1-31

Denomination: Baptist

How To Enjoy God Through His Creation - Psalm 8:1-2 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Apr 8, 2025

This sermon explains how to use not only the most amazing things in the creation to increase your delight in God, but also the disappointing things—even disappointing people to increase your joy in God by seeing how your disappointment in them draws lines that point to God’s majesty.

Psalm 8: For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David. 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:1-2

A Serious Inquiry Into The Role Of The Under Shepherd Of The Church"

Contributed by Michael Stark on Aug 25, 2023

The message is an examination of the qualifications that must be evident in the life of one appointed to eldership.

“The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

2nd Thessalonians Chapter 1 (This Is A Detailed Study Verse By Verse Of Chapter 1. You Will Need To Analyze, Synthesize, And Then Summarize To Fit Your Need.) Series

Contributed by Luther Sexton on Sep 4, 2023

Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus encourage the Thessalonians to continue in their faith knowing that God will have vengeance on their persecutors.

2nd THESSALONIANS - Chapter 1 2nd Thess 1:1 “Paul, and Silvanus [Silas], and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:” (KJV) 1:1 Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Fog - Hide And Seek Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 19, 2023

The fog has rolled into western culture and choked out intimacy with God. The fog hinders and blocks us from being in an intimate relationship with God. The fog drives us to choose to hide from God rather than seek out His presence! But Jesus is seeking us out even in the fog!

The Fog Chapter 4 - “Hide and Seek?” Illustration: Have you ever played Hide and Seek – I have with my grandkids – Deklan is the funniest because where he hides is usually in the same place and if you listen you can hear him singing – he loves to sing – at our summer blast I put him on the ponies, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:13, Psalm 139:1-12, Proverbs 15:3, Genesis 3:8-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Babylons Fall, Cry, Or Celebrate? (Revelation 18:1-19) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Oct 11, 2023

A practical, no-rapture, academically rigorous approach to Revelation. A call to rejoice, and to "come out" from every Babylon.

Last week, in Revelation 17, we read in depth about two main characters: the Beast, and Babylon. We've seen repeatedly that the Beast is a symbol for evil human empires. Satan takes ordinary nations, and makes them extraordinary by giving them his power, and authority, and throne. But as ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 18:1-19

Stop Worrying About... Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Oct 18, 2023

in this conversation we will unpack #1 - the problem of worry # 2 the way 'out of' worry (using the phrase 'stop it' as an acrostic)

Stop Worrying About... Dismiss Grove KIDZ 2000 years ago on the hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Jesus preached the greatest sermon ever preached. NOW - over the years we have known it as, The Sermon On The...... Mount. AND WHAT - this message basically is, is Jesus’ Kingdom Manifesto. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bringing A Sinner To Repentance - Luke 15:11-32 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Oct 16, 2024

Our natural response to those in sin is to either be hostile toward them or ignore the sin to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. Both are unloving. God requires us to work at bringing the person to repentance, and this message is all about the various ways to accomplish that.

Luke 15:11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Self-Humbling - Matthew 6:16-18 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Oct 19, 2024

Fasting is never commanded in the NT, yet all the godliest people in the Bible did it. If it is important, why isn't it discussed in the epistles? If it is not important, why did Jesus do it? And why did he promise reward if we do it?

Matthew 6:16 When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16-18

Be A Son, Not A Dog - Matthew 7:7-11 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Nov 15, 2024

For our relationship to God to be what it should be, it’s crucial to understand God’s generosity and eagerness to bless us. This is a whole sermon on the generosity of God. It’s an especially important message for folks who tend to think of God as reluctant to bless them or answer their prayers.

Matthew 7:7-12 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11