Sermons on Johnny Olsen:

All I Want For Christmas ...myrrh!

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Dec 16, 2008

Why would you bring myrrh as a baby present? Myrrh may actually be the perfect gift for Jesus!

All I Want for Christmas is Myrrh Matthew 2:1-11 Matthew 2:1-11 1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-11

Denomination: Church Of God

All I Want For Christmas Is...jesus

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Dec 19, 2008

Sometimes all we know are "NO’s". We learn to live within the limis of can-not, must-not, will-not, and have-not. We really need a "YES"! Here’s the best YES of all.

All I want for Christmas is JESUS! 2 Corinthians 1:20 John 1:14 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV) One of the first words we know is “NO”! From the time we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:20

Denomination: Church Of God

Why Be Baptised?

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Jan 13, 2009

Have you been baptised as a believer? Here’s what it means to be baptised.

Why Be Baptised? Mark 1:1-8 Mark 1:1-8 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"--"a voice of one calling in the desert, ’Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Denomination: Church Of God

Living In The Pages

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Jan 13, 2009

Find it hard to obey? Learn to live in the pages!

LIVING IN THE PAGES LUKE 2:21-38 I John 5:3-4 3 Loving God means doing what he tells us to do, and really, that isn’t hard at all; 4 for every child of God can obey him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him. (TLB) Living in the Pages means OBEDIENCE. Luke 2:21-24 21 On ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:21-38

Denomination: Church Of God

Temptation's Road

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Jan 13, 2009

Temptation always follows the same road. And Thomas isn’t the only one who doubts!

TEMPTATION’S ROAD LUKE 4:1-13 Luke 4:1-13 1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, "If you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Denomination: Church Of God

Are You Blessed?

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Jan 20, 2009

Being Blessed has nothing to do with what we have RECEIVED, and everything to do with what we are LACKING! Here’s what Jesus had to say about being blessed!

Are You Blessed? Matthew 5:3-16 Matthew 5:3-16 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3-16

Denomination: Church Of God

The Gambler

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Jan 28, 2009

Greatest wager of all time: JESUS risked the future destiny of all mankind on 12 men! He’s still gambling...on us!

The Gambler Mark 3:13-19 Mark 3:13-19 13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve-- designating them apostles-- that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:13-19

Denomination: Church Of God

The Unhindered Gospel In The Hindered Church Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 9, 2009

I wrote this sermon to preach in a church where the pastor had just died on Wednesday night before. God wanted to demonstrate how His timing and His power is more important than the humans in charge.

The Unhindered Gospel in the Hindered Church A 20th century philosopher, Gamaliel Bradford, once said that “Life is hope triumphing over experience.” In those words, he summed up 20th century optimism. He implied that humanity would learn from its experience and improve. His hope was in the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:1-26

Denomination: *other

Never Forget What's Important Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 9, 2009

Peter’s sermon from Acts 3 gives us the essentials of what evangelism needs to be about.

At the dramatic conclusion of the musical, Camelot, the tragic figure of King Arthur calls a boy named Tom out of the bushes. Arthur dubs the boy a “Knight of the Round Table,” but orders him not to fight in the battle. He is to “grow up and grow strong” in order to tell of the ideals and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:13-20

Denomination: *other

The Name We Claim Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 10, 2009

Early believers were able to face opposition and tribulation because they focused upon their identity, following Jesus. What is our identity?

Sometimes, we get suckered in by the idea that identity and relationship are not important. We buy into Shakespeare’s rhetorical question and answer from Act II, Scene II of Romeo and Juliet: What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. We ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:1-22

Denomination: *other

The Gold Standard Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 10, 2009

God doesn’t merely want to meet our expectations, God wants to raise our standards.

The Gold Standard I want to apologize if what I’m about to share is repetitious. I think my opening illustration was shared with me by our friend and Chairman of Deacons, Robert Johnson, a few months ago, but I’m not positive. Anyway, in 1900, a company called the Detroit Automobile Company ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-16

Denomination: *other

Moose Dislodged Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 10, 2009

It is incredibly encouraging to realize that God hears and reacts to everything we experience. We are not alone!

I don’t know if the television station was local to Chicago or one of the national news networks, but I can’t forget what I saw. It wasn’t my television. I was just walking by, but I can’t get the image out of my mind. A large moose had fallen through thin ice and was freezing to death because its ...read more

Denomination: *other

A Great Service Needed Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 11, 2009

The call of Moses demonstrates that even when God calls us, it’s not about us but about what God can do.

There used to be a cliché of a scene in many spy movies, science-fiction films, and thrillers. The scene would feature some mysterious person (or sometimes, even the protagonist) removing their dark glasses or doffing their hat and saying something like: “I know this is going to sound strange, but ...read more

Denomination: *other

When Theology Gets Personal Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 12, 2009

For Hosea, theology wasn’t merely theoretical, it was life-changing. So should it be for you and me.

When John Claypool was pastor of Crescent Heights Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, he underwent significant personal tragedy—including having a beloved daughter diagnosed with leukemia. Throughout the turmoil and torture of losing his, as I recall, 10-year-old daughter, Claypool kept his ...read more

Denomination: *other

Like Priest, Like People Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 12, 2009

If Israel’s priests were accountable for Israel’s ignorance and wickedness, what does that mean for all believers as priests and pastors in particular?

[Note: I felt led to preach this sermon during the period leading up to Christmas.] Today is the beginning of the Advent season in churches that follow the ecclesiastical calendar. It celebrates the past, present, and future of God’s coming into the world. In fact, “advent” originates in the Latin ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 4:1-19

Denomination: *other