Sermons on John 11:1-1:44:

He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Apr 17, 2021

what makes a ministry "successful?"

He Must Increase and I Must Decrease: An Exposition of john 3:22-36 Introduction Everyone wants to be popular. We also have a desire to have our egos stroked. We gauge our importance by how many followers we have on social media. We all want our posts to be liked. This is also important for those ...read more

Scripture: John 3:22-36

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral In Theological Reflection

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Apr 26, 2021

What is theological reflection, as a modern concept? Theological reflection is the process by which we come to understand reality as it truly is. The goal ultimately is to see God, the universe, the inspired word, and ourselves, as God sees it.

Introduction What is theological reflection, as a modern concept? Theological reflection is the process by which we come to understand reality as it truly is. The goal ultimately is to see God, the universe, the inspired word, and ourselves, as God sees it. This will naturally entail a limited ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:16, Philippians 3:11, Hebrews 4:12-14, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Denomination: Salvation Army

Visitation Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 29, 2021

What has God done in your life; what has God done for you? That’s worth considering every day, both the big miracles and the tiny ones.

Visitation When we give our lives to our Lord Jesus Christ, everything changes, doesn’t it? Most of us, from childhood, are habituated to self-centered lives. Things are important to us if they do something for us, if we enjoy them, if they give us security, pleasure, excitement, money. People are ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:39-56, Isaiah 12:2-6, 2 Samuel 6:14, Romans 12:9-16

Denomination: Catholic

The Prophets: People Get Ready Series

Contributed by James Jackson on Dec 16, 2019

Centuries before Jesus was born, Isaiah prophesied that Israel's warfare would be accomplished, and her iniquity pardoned. Who are we at war with? How is iniquity pardoned? And what does that have to do with Christmas?

Please open your Bibles to Isaiah 40. As we begin the season of Advent, we are going to look at some very familiar words from the Old Testament, particularly if you are a fan of Handel’s Messiah: “The voice of one crying: In the wilderness prepare the way of theLord. Make straight in the desert a ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:1-5, Isaiah 9:1-6, Matthew 3:1-8, Galatians 4:4-7

Denomination: Baptist

Controversial Character Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Dec 30, 2019

John the Baptist's message of repentance is just as controversial today as it was in in his day. It was a message that caused people to think and evaluate what they were doing and why. It does the same today? Ready for some controversy?

Throughout history there have been many controversial characters: kings and queens, presidents and politicians, artists, actors and song writers, scientists and CEOs. What is it that made them so controversial? By what they did or said, they made people uncomfortable, forcing people to have to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12

Denomination: Lutheran

As Good As God Promised Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Dec 30, 2019

As John the Baptist sat in prison, staring at the end of his life, he started to wonder if Jesus was everything that he expected Jesus to be. See how Jesus answers that question and continues to answer our questions when we might doubt if God is really all that we hoped him to be.

Was it everything that you had expected? You ripped open the rapping paper on Christmas morning to unveil the toy that you had seen advertised so many times on TV. You had been sure to put it at the top of your Christmas list in great detail taking away any of the possible guess work as to which ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Lutheran

The Invitation: Come And See Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Jul 23, 2020

Are you following Jesus? That’s a question that we need to ask ourselves often. It is the key question of discipleship.

- Following Jesus - The Invitation: Come And See John 1:35-39 Introduction Are you following Jesus? That’s a question that we need to ask ourselves often. It is the key question of discipleship. We are going to explore the idea of following Jesus over the next few weeks. My hope is that ...read more

Scripture: John 1:35-39

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Lumberjack God

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Dec 7, 2019

John threatened the Pharisees and Sadducees that God would cut them down. We are all cut down to size from time to time, and we need it.

12.8.19 Matthew 3:10 Already the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. God has compared Himself to a dove, an eagle, a lion, a tower, a fortress, a counselor and a friend. Today God puts on the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-17, Matthew 3:10

Denomination: Lutheran

Check And Checkmate

Contributed by David Roth on Oct 5, 2020

Jesus stumps the religious leaders who try to trap Him with questions about His authority. We need a Christ with authority from heaven, not earth. As Christians we battle against our flesh, which wants to follow the rules of the world were it is king instead of Christ.

J. J. May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. (Ps. 19:14) “Check and Checkmate” You ever play chess? I’ve played it all of a handful of times. It’s on a board similar to a checkerboard, but it has all ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:23-27

Denomination: Lutheran

I In Them And You In Me

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Jun 3, 2019

The unity of spirit between Jesus and God the Father knits the church into one

June 2, 2019 Hope Lutheran Church Rev. Mary Erickson John 17:20-26 I in Them and You in Me Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. The Lakota Sioux have a simple prayer: Mitakuye Oyasin. It means “all my relatives.” The prayer conveys ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-26

Denomination: Lutheran

Take Up The Challenge And Do The Will Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 6, 2019

In this age, when Christians of all kinds are being ridiculed, harassed and threatened in many different ways, we need to look at the martyrs of the past two thousand years and take courage.

Tuesday of the 14th Week in Course 2019 Jacob ben Isaac was a cheat, a liar and a thief. You may recall from an earlier reading in Genesis that he lied, cheated and stole his older brother, Esau’s, first-born blessing. Then, wisely, he left town and took up with Laban, where he married two sisters ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:32-38, Genesis 32:23-31

Denomination: Catholic

A Different Angle Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 14, 2019

Sometimes we need to strive to understand important truths more deeply. Sometimes we need to be admonished to stay true to those truths, and to interpret events through their filter. Sometimes we need to find our unity through these.

A Different Angle Introduction to I John 1. Being well-intended does not always work. One blogger writes, “Today, I found out that shutting off the heat in the rental property my parents owned was a bad idea. The water froze and the pipes burst, causing the whole kitchen ceiling to fall down. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Coming Full Circle Again Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Jan 17, 2019

Malachi ends on a sombre note. In the life of the people of Judah, everything has come full circle all over again. However there is the promise of the messenger, and a message, which will bring a circuit breaker to the cycle of sin.

Jexit: Judah Comes Home Coming Full Circle Again Malachi 2:17-4:6 We all know this doesn’t actually happen. But, if I was God, I think there would be days when I would get very depressed about being God. It would be very depressing watching people just make the same mistakes over and over ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Only When Connected To Our Lord Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 4, 2018

In a real sense, St. Paul was the sheep that was lost, and Jesus left the heavens to seek him out and find him and turn him toward the truth.

Thursday of 31st Week in Course At some point in the life of every Catholic theologian, like Saint Paul there comes a time of high clarity. St. Paul’s moment was a time when he realized that all his elevated Jewish theology was just a waste of time. In fact, in the light of Christ’s suffering and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:3-8, Luke 15:1-10

Denomination: Catholic

Advent3c- Gaudete Sunday Series

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Nov 7, 2018

‘Tis the season to nurture a joyful spirit.

It’s Gaudete Sunday, ‘Tis the season to nurture a joyful spirit. To illustrate, writer Gordon McDonald tells about a Nigerian woman who is a physician at a great teaching hospital in the United States. This distinguished woman came out of the crowd to say something kind about the lecture McDonald ...read more

Scripture: Zephaniah 3:14-18, Luke 3:10-18

Denomination: Catholic