Sermons on Hymn Stories:

A Tormented Heart - Demon Possession - Occult - Satanism Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 17, 2005

A Controlling Spirit, A Constant Sabotage, A Controversial Salvation. The story of the possessed slave girl who was saved. Link included to Formatted Text and PowerPoint.

A Tormented Heart Acts 16:16-24; Deut. 18:10-12 ----- Link is below... ----- Last time, the Vision, the Venture, and the Victory…Paul heard God saying, Go west, young man, and we saw the gospel come to Europe, and we looked at Lydia, the first of “our kind” to be saved…she was a “tender heart”. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-24

Denomination: Baptist

Genesis 3 (Eating The Forbidden Fruit)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 21, 2007

In this voyeuristic age, where everybody thinks they have a right to know everything, here’s a story that suggests that there are some things that we ought not to know...

"The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15) Some will take this as a sure indication of the fact that this story was written by a man. For it seems that from Day 1 (or, to be exact, from Day 8) the creation story focuses on the jobs that need ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Tools Of Pentecost

Contributed by Scott Jensen on May 15, 2008

A sermon based on the Pentecost story. God grabs our attention, gives us tools to get something done, then expects us to do it.

The Tools of Pentecost Acts 2:1-4 Introduction The popular Christian author, J.S. Baxter, once said “What God chooses, He cleanses. What God cleanses, He molds. What God molds, He fills. What God fills, He uses.” (J.S. Baxter, http://elbourne.org/sermons/index.mv?illustration+2793) Today’s ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4

Denomination: Lutheran

H.a.g.a.r. Series

Contributed by Thomas Black on Feb 2, 2005

Hagar is for us a model representing single mothers everywhere, and her story displays both the problems and the solutions in God’s program for single mothers.

Genesis 21:145-21 In a time of great rejoicing, when everyone else would have been having a good time; Sarah looked over in the midst of the celebration and saw that Ishmael was making fun of her new son Isaac. Paul tells us in Galatians that he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 21:14-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Jesus Taught Us About Handling Trials

Contributed by Brian Atwood on Mar 16, 2005

Sermon preached Easter weekend in the first person - pastor dressed in period costume as Pontius Pilate - and members of the congregation interacting as characters in the Easter story.

Allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Pontius Pilate. You probably know me as the Roman official who presided over the trial that ended with the sentence of crucifixion for Jesus the Christ. Being the governor of an out-of-the-way and insignificant Roman province like Judea was not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:1-65

Denomination: Baptist

The Palms Of Hope

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Mar 20, 2005

This is an original story sermon, inspired by the "news from Lake Wobegon", with some serious reflection about what Palm Sunday meant for Jesus and for us.

The Palms of Hope…Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts Michael Harris was the long-time pastor of Hope Community Church, a modest congregation in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in the small town of Paradise. It hadn’t looked much like Paradise for a very ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-16

Denomination: Congregational

Born Again

Contributed by Kelsey Coleman on Sep 10, 2004

“Born again.” How often have you seen this phrase in a news story or a magazine feature? It seems like everything and everyone is born again.

Born Again John 3:1-22 Introduction: “Born again.” How often have you seen this phrase in a news story or a magazine feature? It seems like everything and everyone is born again. A restaurant changes its menu, and its labeled “born again.” A man changes jobs, and his career is “born ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

Can We Find Anyone Else Like This Series

Contributed by Grant Van Boeschoten on Dec 12, 2007

The STORY of Joseph, exploring the character traits that made transformation possible in his life. "It is your time in the Valley that prepares you for the Mountain Top".

Can We Find Anyone Else Like This? Grant van Boeschoten December 9, 2007 The word transform is made up of two root words, trans and form. Trans means across. Ex. Trans Canada Highway, the highway that stretches the whole way across Canada. Form means “external appearance of a clearly defined ...read more

The Rich Man And Lazarus Series

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jul 13, 2009

While judgment, salvation, discipleship, and the kingdom are elements of this story, this parable is about wealth. Jesus is concerned with the neglect of the poor because people are selfish with their wealth.

The Parables of Jesus The Rich Man and Lazarus Luke 16:19-31 July 12, 2009 Now we turn to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. It is true that this is parable about discipleship as well as the future kingdom. But it is a parable specifically about money. How discipleship impacts our use of our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Church Of God

Ditch Patrol

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Jul 15, 2009

The story of the Good Samaritan turned inside out. God calls all of us to go into the ditch to help others who have fallen into the ditch.

We’ve talked about two major things concerning you and me. One is God’s unconditional love. In Luke, Jesus tells the story of the Prodigal Son which is His most famous story about the unconditional love of God. He came to demonstrate that and did so clearly. Another thing we’ve talked about and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-37

Denomination: Baptist

Times Of Refreshing

Contributed by Jim Belcher on Oct 1, 2009

When we know the whole story about the human condition, we can fully appreciate how good the Good News really is.

Overview of last week. Overview of chapter: set the drama. From "happy ship church" to crashing on waves of persecution. The events of chapter 3 will lead directly to persecution. Peter and John get arrested for this healing and their preaching. Healing of the Lame Beggar (v. 1--10) There is a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-26

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Money Problems At The Church Series

Contributed by David Henderson on Oct 5, 2009

This is the story of Ananias and Sapphira. They are an example of when we do a good thing but do with the wrong motives and attempt to make ourselves look good to others.

“Money Problems at the Church” Acts 5:1-11 On your way to church today you may have been greeted by someone who wanted you to buy a Sunday paper. They are stationed I read that one of these workers spotted a man who would drive up, buy a paper with a $20 bill, get his change, then go to the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

King Herod's Early Release Program Series

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Oct 11, 2009

No one, not a single person in this story expects Peter to be released. Not Herod, not the guards, not the people of the church, not even Peter himself. Still, God answers the prayer.

Note to reader: I have hot-links to various subjects in this sermon. The document with the active links can be found in PDF form at this web address: http://www.firstpresanchorage.org/Sermons.htm (The sermon is titled the same: "King Herod’s Early Release Program") The links are not active in this ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Joseph: A Man Of Godly Integrity Series

Contributed by Matthew Grise on Nov 13, 2009

Genesis 39:1-23. The familiar story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife is used to teach us how to respond to temptation with godly integrity.

LESSONS FROM THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS GENESIS PART 2 | PATRIARCHAL HISTORY JOSEPH: A MAN OF GODLY INTEGRITY GENESIS 39:1-23 [INTRODUCTION] I have never been a quitter. To leave office before my term is completed is abhorrent to every instinct in my body. But as President, I must put the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

180 Degrees - A Complete Turnaround

Contributed by Spencer Homan on Nov 19, 2009

This sermon focuses on the complete turnaround of Jonah in Chapter 3 of the Prophet’s story and applies it to our own lives. Are we ready for a complete turnaround?

Jonah 3:1-10 NIV Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city-- a visit required three days. 4 On the first ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed