Sermons on Hostages:

Discipline And Faith

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Mar 10, 2010

In order to become the person Christ calls us to be, we must discipline ourselves.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 November 8, 2008 DISCIPLINE For the past 6 Saturdays, we had a lot of fun in the NETS volleyball program. We learned what Jesus meant when He said to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and body; and to love your neighbor as yourself. We also played lots of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Denomination: Baptist

We Are Witnesses

Contributed by Rich Vanarsdalen on Nov 4, 2007

This is an exploration of how the power of God worked incredibly in the early church.

We Are Witnesses Acts Chapter 1:6-11 Kelly and I were on a little weekend get-away last week; dear friends of ours gave us a two night stay at a bed and breakfast on Kelley’s Island. We had a wonderful time, being able to clear off the schedule, drop our children off at the grandparents, and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:6-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Here He Comes, There He Goes

Contributed by Tim Hedberg on Apr 30, 2007

Palm Sunday

Here He Comes … There He Goes April 1, 2007/Palm Sunday Luke 19:28-40 The texts for this Sunday that we call Palm Sunday tell us that Jesus had come into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast. According to the Jewish Faith, then and now, there are 3 great Feasts or Celebrations. Passover ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:28-40

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Praising The Real Jesus

Contributed by Daniel Devilder on Dec 4, 2006

Big Idea: The People and Events around Palm Sunday and what we call the Triumphal Entry call us to praise Jesus for the King he really us and not for who we want.

Political parties and their “parties” confetti, hoopla, nice nice, we are for things, until they affect us in a way we don’t want i saw Bob Dole in Bloomington IL. Hoopla surrounding him. Shake his (good) hand. He is revered and revealed as King of Israel AND the World, even if some are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"The Greatest Of These" Part 2

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Feb 9, 2012

Understanding Love

“The Greatest of These – part 2” February 12, 2012 1 Corinthians 13 1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Denomination: Holiness

How To Avoid The Offense

Contributed by Andre King on Sep 15, 2015

In John 3 Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus, a religious man, about religion yet Jesus doesn't offend Israel's teacher with His superior knowledge. How can we imitate Jesus in this. How can I avoid offending and taking offense?

IT SEEMS THAT THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I AM OFFENDED. I’M OFFENDED BY A LOT OF THE MUSIC I HEAR ON THE RADIO. I’’M OFFENDED BY MANY OF THE THINGS I SEE ON TELEVISION AND IN THE MEDIA. I’M OFFENDED BY BUMPER STICERS. BY TEE SHIRTS. BY THE TITLES OF BOOKS. I’M ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reactions To Famine Time Series

Contributed by Greg Powell on Mar 5, 2013

God is beginning to break the hearts and stir the consciences of Jacob and his sons. While still in the middle of the famine, we can learn much from their wrong reactions to the famine and the sin that was a very real part of their lives

INTRO: Last week, we saw that God was using the worldwide famine to awaken the seared consciences of the sons of Jacob. They expressed a certain amount of remorse at what they had done to Joseph 20 years earlier, and started to wonder if God was punishing them for the dirty deed done so long ago. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 43:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

Resoolutions That Lead To Revival Series

Contributed by Charles La Porte on May 30, 2016

How can your resolution help you thru times of adversity and put you on a path toward revival? Daniel was caught in a world system and culture that forgot God. God repeatedly sent prophets to warn the people of but they continued to rebel and live in sin.

Rev It Up (New Year pt. 1) Resolutions That Lead to Revival Daniel 1:1-14 Resolution = 1) a firm decision to do or not to do something. 2) the act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem etc. Resolute = admirably purposeful, determined and unwavering. Resolved = firmly ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:1-14

Denomination: Pentecostal

Choose...to "Accentuate" The Positive

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Dec 31, 2014

he chose to dwell on the positive no matter what was going on in his life… And God rewarded The diligence and trust of his faith....and turned every situation he faced around miraculously for the good.

Choose to "Accentuate" the positive Illus. The Tongue A biblical writer said, “The tongue can no man tame.” A Greek philosopher asked his servant to provide the best dish possible. The servant prepared a dish of tongue, saying: “It is the best of all dishes, because with it we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:35, Philippians 4:19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Joseph: A Life Of Many Colors - White (Forgiveness) Series

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Oct 6, 2013

Forgiveness recipients are forgiveness donors.

Did you see it Wednesday? It showed up for just a bit in the early morning hours but its shape and color were unmistakable: chunky and white, the first snow-spit of the season. While many of us dread the onset of winter, the first significant snowfall followed by a bright blue day is unmatched. ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Jasg Part 6 - Conversations That Count Series

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Nov 20, 2019

Part 6 on a series based on the study by Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale. Jesus was a superb conversationalist. Like him, we need to spend more of our time conversing about meaningful topics, especially spiritual ones.

Jesus was a superb conversationalist. Like him, we need to spend more of our time conversing about meaningful topics, especially spiritual ones. A new pastor was asked to teach a boys class in the absence of their regular teacher. He decided to see what they knew, so he asked who knocked down the ...read more

Scripture: John 4:3-9, John 4:10-12, 1 Peter 3:15, John 4:19-26

Denomination: Brethren

Take Three Good Looks

Contributed by David Nolte on Jan 2, 2019

Life consists of three time frames: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

“Three Good Looks 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 David P. Nolte There are three time periods in each life. Yesterday, tomorrow and today. The past has come and gone; tomorrow doesn’t exist; so today is all we really have in which to live and love and labor and laugh and learn. Yesterday is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Simeon And Levi, United Then Divided Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 24, 2022

This message is about Simeon and Levi, the second and third sons of Jacob and Leah. They were very cruel to the inhabitants of Shechem (Gen. 34). Jacob never forgot about it and reminded them before he died.

Introduction: Simeon and Levi were Jacob’s second and third sons. Leah was the mother of both. These two brothers aren’t mentioned often in Scripture, but both are known for one specific incident of cruelty at Shechem (Genesis 34). Jacob never forgot what they had done and when he was dying, gave a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 34:25-31, Genesis 42:8-24, Genesis 49:5-7

Denomination: Baptist

Joseph: Rejected But Respected Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 11, 2022

The life of Joseph, son of Jacob, is one of the most interesting in the Bible. This message is mostly a summary of his life, from slave to sovereign to sustainer. Don't we all wish there were more Josephs!

Introduction: What comes to mind when you think about Joseph, son of Jacob? Many of us, including me, tend to think first of his “coat of many colors” and his dreams. That’s true, but that’s only part of the story. In fact, Joseph spent several years away from his family in a foreign land, rising ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:25-28, Genesis 41:38-45

Denomination: Baptist

God Of Salvation

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jul 11, 2021

God wanted to spare the people of Nineveh. He didn't want them to face his judgement. But first, he had to save his servant Jonah. Being inside a big fish in the depths of the sea wasn't Jonah's real problem.

Today we’re continuing our series in Jonah. My first talk was titled ‘God of compassion’. Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was wicked. God described it as wicked and historians tell us that Assyria was wicked. It wasn’t just a little bit wicked. One historian of the Middle East wrote that ...read more

Denomination: Baptist