Sermons on Jonathan Morris:

Living Like An Alien

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Nov 1, 2011

Using Judah in the Old Testament as an example, this message explains how God's people are to live as "aliens" in this world while we await the return of Christ and eternity in our true, eternal kingdom.

INTRODUCTION * A hot topic in politics: illegal immigration = “aliens” - a resident born in or belonging to another country - a foreigner; unlike one’s own / strange or difference * We, as God’s people, are aliens in a spiritual sense (not new: the people of God in the OT ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Call Of Duty

Contributed by Jonathan Howes on Sep 28, 2011

How to be a good soldier of Christ

WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR? Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:3-4 WHAT LASTS FOR ALL ETERNITY? 1. The word of God 2. The souls of men, women ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:3-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Raising Kids That Become Champions

Contributed by Jonathan Howes on Sep 28, 2011

Avoid mistakes and learn the three qualities of children who are champions for Jesus.

“So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:1-58

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Doing The Impossible Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 6, 2011

This sermon explains how the disciples (and the church today) were able to do a seemingly impossible task: taking the Gospel to the world

* Assignment from Acts 1:8 is impossible in Acts 1 because the disciples have no spiritual power to help them * Explain Holy Spirit’s role, pre-Acts 2 (came upon isolated individuals or small groups for a specific purpose or on a special occasion) * Disciples know the facts about Jesus but lack the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

Divine Dynamite Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 7, 2011

This is a sermon on the power of God (divine dynamite) and what it can do

* Dynamite = power // Divine Dynamite = power of God * What we mean when we say we need to "live in the power of God" or we need to have the power of God: the ability to act in a situation so as to produce an effect or to exercise authority over something or someone * Living in God’s power means ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:22-41

Denomination: Baptist

Why You Need The Church Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 7, 2011

This sermon explains three reasons why every believer needs the church

* The church doesn’t need us in order to be the church nearly as much as we need the church in order to be the person God created us to be. * The importance of the church is based upon its mission * Wrong question: "What can the church do for me?" // Right question: "What can I do for the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Denomination: Baptist

A Changed Church Changes The World Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 7, 2011

This sermon explains a few lessons about how a changed church can change the world

* Change: to make the form, content, future course, etc., of something different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone; a transformation or modification; alteration * Change is often resisted in the church. Yet one could sum up a church’s purpose with one word: change - We must ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Dealing With Difficulty Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 7, 2011

This sermon focuses on the first persecution of the church and helps us understand how to deal with difficulty today

* When something big happens, new people come out (i.e, winning the lottery) * There’s both a positive and negative reaction when God does something big (he just did something big in the first church) * Jesus warned that persecution and adversity would occur (John 15:18-19) * Text: First ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:1-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Message Of The Church Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 7, 2011

This sermon examines what the message of the church should consist of.

* The "real" message a church sends determines that church’s reputation - If always bickering and fighting, the message is sent: "We don’t like each other...or you." - If always doing things for self, the message is sent: "It’s all about us, not you." - If never reaching out, the message is sent: ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:11-26

Denomination: Baptist

The Facts Of Church Life Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 13, 2011

Acts 4:32 - 5:11 reveals some facts about church life, both the good and the bad.

* "You take the good, you take bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life." * Scripture does not omit the "bad" aspects of various people (i.e., Noah, Moses, David, Jonah, Elijah) * The church in Acts has been all "good" so far: the Holy Spirit’s arrival; multiple conversions; ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

How The World Was Won Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 13, 2011

By studying how the church in Acts won so many souls the church today can learn how to be faithful and fruitful in our mission.

* The primary task of the church must be to carry on the work that Christ began. * His work = Luke 19:10 * Of all the "work" the church does, evangelism (reaching the world with the gospel) is the only duty of the church that cannot be better done in heaven! * The church in Acts understood their ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:12-42

Denomination: Baptist

Growing Pains Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 13, 2011

The early church’s response to an internal problem teaches the contemporary church some valuable lessons.

* The dramatic growth of the early church: last count (4:4) around 5,000 men (probably around 20,000 total) * Such growth led to a “good” problem: many more needed to be ministered to than there were people to minister * The 12 did not have the ability to both effectively deliver the Word and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

The First Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 14, 2011

Stephen, the first Christian martyr, teaches us how we can be prepared to live and die for Christ.

* Our culture’s love of records and stats (i.e., longest hitting streak; first to land on moon; etc.) * Our culture’s love of “firsts” = they set the standard and give an example to everyone who will ever follow them * Stephen’s role as one among those who did something first...the first Christian ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Persecuted Church Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 16, 2011

(Preached on July 4th): This message focuses on the first church-wide persecution in Acts. Attention is given to the implications the Gospel has for believers as members of both God's kingdom and a country.

* The difficulty in approaching a July 4th message: - We sometimes "read" America into Scripture when we shouldn't - Bible doesn't reference America as a country of predict the events of July, 1776 * If we're not careful, we end up using today to exalt a nation instead of Christ - We do not worship ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Faith That Is Worthless Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Mar 16, 2011

This sermon examines the worthless faith of Simon. It explains why his faith was worthless and how we can avoid a worthless faith today.

* Popular notion: "As long as you believe something you'll be okay before God." * It is possible to believe in the wrong person or to believe the wrong thing. * When this occurs, faith becomes worthless; when what or who we have faith in is not correct * Examples of worthless faith... - People of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:9-25

Denomination: Baptist