Sermons on Lift Up Your Heads O Gates:

Take Up Your Cross

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Feb 23, 2021

As people run headlong into a world going nowhere, escaping reality in their hedonistic lifestyles, are we ashamed of Jesus and His words? Are we ashamed of suffering as Christians? Let’s look at Jesus’ countercultural instructions in Mark 8:31-38.

Prelude As people run headlong into a world going nowhere, escaping reality in their hedonistic lifestyles, are we ashamed of Jesus and His words? Are we ashamed of suffering as Christians? Purpose Let’s see the value of taking up our cross and denying ourselves. Plan Let’s look at Jesus’ ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Denomination: Baptist

Take Up Your Cross Series

Contributed by Steve Pearman on Feb 25, 2026

In a world that tells us to put ourselves first, Jesus calls us to something deeper — a life of surrender, courage, and true freedom. What does it really mean to take up your cross today? Let’s explore that together

Introduction: Following Gets Real Up until this point in Mark’s Gospel, following Jesus has felt exciting. Crowds. Miracles. Teaching that stirs hearts. People are curious. Hopeful. Drawn in. But right here (Chapter 8) — everything changes. This is the moment where Jesus stops talking ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Give Up Your Rights Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Jul 20, 2022

To gain a hearing for the gospel, know your rights and give up your rights.

Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who! centers around two characters: Horton, an elephant living in the Jungle of Nool, and the tiny mayor of Whoville, which is an extremely small world, which resides as a speck on a clover that Horton carries around. Vlad, an evil vulture, chases Horton to grab the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:1-18, 1 Timothy 5:17-18, Philippians 2:5-9

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Take Up Your Cross Series

Contributed by Lanny Smith on Mar 14, 2022

What does it look like to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus?

[IMAGE] Philippine Passion Play - practice of literally crucifying people (voluntarily). The practice began in 1962 after a popular play about Jesus’ death. One man, Ruben Enaje, (as of 2019) had been hung on a cross 33 times. Many men and women have voluntarily submitted to temporary crucifixion ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Take Up Your Cross Youth Sermon

Contributed by Youth Sermons on Sep 4, 2023

Jesus calls us to take up our cross, which means embracing the pain, loneliness, and partnership that comes with following Him. The journey may be difficult, but the reward is worth it.

Today, we're gonna talk about something taking up our crosses, and I've got a cool object lesson to help us understand it better. But first, let's dive into the message. You know, life can be pretty hard sometimes, right? Jesus actually told us that we'd face some tough times. Check out what He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24, John 16:33

Topics: Discipleship, Spiritual Sacrifice, Divine Love, Redemption

Our Response To The Move Of God Series

Contributed by Dr. Jonathan Vorce on Feb 8, 2020

Habakkuk 3:2 – O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

I. Entering In A. Our Attitude Determines Our Altitude Psalms 100:4 - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 1. Having the right attitude goes a long way in obtaining the right things. 2. Having the wrong attitude will shut ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 100:4, Psalm 145:1-21, Psalm 145:1, Psalm 145:4, Psalm 145:21, Psalm 145:5, 1 Timothy 2:8, Psalm 24:7, Psalm 47:6, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 47:1, Psalm 24:3-5, Habakkuk 3:2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Church Of God

"Through The Iron Gate" Series

Contributed by Allan Kircher on Aug 12, 2011

Discovering the power of prayer in our lives.

“Through the Iron Door” Pastor Allan Kircher SPBC Date: Aug 14th, 2011 Scripture: Acts 12:1-30 Introduction: "Have you ever experienced a 'dead end' in life?" • Have you ever been faced with a problem that you just knew was impossible to solve? • Have you ever felt ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-30

Denomination: Baptist

Burden Lifting Day Series

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Dec 8, 2019

Zacharias and Elizabeth carried a heavy burden. Their whole life they were childless. In their waning years though, God lifted their burden and gave them a child. this sermon looks at burdens childless couples carry, burdens in general, and how to deal with burdens in our lives.

Burden Lifting Day Series: Christmas Through Their Eyes Chuck Sligh December 8, 2019 NOTE: A PowerPoint presentation is available for this sermon by request at chucksligh@hotmail.com. Please mention the title of the sermon and the Bible text to help me find the sermon in my archives. TEXT: Turn ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:58-66

Denomination: Baptist

Will The Gates Of Hell Prevail?

Contributed by Greg Nance on Jan 13, 2007

Job is in a spiritual battle. He is ignorant of what is happening behind the scenes, but is certainly feeling the effects. Does this still occur? What does God’s word say?

Jesus once said of his church that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Paul once wrote to the Christians of Ephesians: Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and principalities, against the dark forces of evil in the heavenly places. When we come to the book ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Lifted, Sifted, Gifted

Contributed by John Gaston on Sep 8, 2019

Gideon had lost sight of God and that God can do great things through the least people. He had to go through three stages of preparation before he was ready to storm the enemies’ camp: he had to be LIFTED, SIFTED, and then GIFTED!

LIFTED, SIFTED, GIFTED Judges 6:11-16,25-34; 7:2,7,19-21 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR: GIVING IN THE OFFERING 1. Timmy didn’t want to put his money in the offering plate on Sunday morning. The plate passed down the pew and at last came to Timmy. He held his $5 bill over the plate but couldn’t let go. ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I Am The Gate Series

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Feb 26, 2016

Jesus is the Gate of Salvation, the Gate or Security and the Gate of Sufficency

I AM THE GATE A few weeks ago we spoke about Jesus the Good Shepherd. He mentioned then that the Good Shepherd knows his sheep and his sheep know him. The shepherd was willing to lay down his life for the sheep. Sheep are defenceless animals that need protection. Back in the 1950s George ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Swing Wide The Gates!

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 29, 2010

The names of the gates of the old city of Jerusalem have rich spiritual meaning, full of powerful truths that will take us 3 sermons to cover. Parts 1 & 2 are here. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Swing Wide the Gates Nehemiah 3 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/SwingWideTheGates.html The walls of Jerusalem stood for something. They were more than just protection. They stood for the glory of God. Unbelievers of that day looked at the broken down walls and would mock believers. The ruins of ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

Swing Wide The Gates!

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Sep 3, 2010

The names of the gates of the old city of Jerusalem have rich spiritual meaning, full of powerful truths. Link inc. to formatted text, audio/video, PowerPoint.

Swing Wide the Gates, pt. 3 Nehemiah 3 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/SwingWideGates3.html parts 1 & 2 are here: http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/SwingWideTheGates.html ----- Quick review of first 6 gates... [slide] 1. The sheep gate. v. 1 Thru this gate they would bring the sacrificial animals to ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

O How I Love Your Word

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Aug 28, 2019

Not just reading the Scriptures, or hearing them, but speaking them, owning them!

O HOW I LOVE YOUR WORD. Psalm 119:97-104. Psalm 119:97. The Blessed man avoids the walk of the ungodly, the stance of sinners and the seat of the scornful. ‘But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law does he meditate (both) day and night’ (cf. Psalm 1:1-2). A similar dichotomy is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:97-104

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Husbands And Wives, Heads And Bodies (Ephesians 5:15-33; 1 Corinthians 11) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Oct 11, 2025

A follow up, summarizing, clarifying paper/sermon, addressing "head-body," "submission," and husbands and wives. For those who wanted more.

A note to my readers: I wrote this in preparation for the past two sermons, (1) as a way of collecting my own thoughts, (2) to make a resource for those who wanted more, (3) to link it to my earlier study of 1 Corinthians 11, and (4) to pull the arguments all together from three separate sermons on ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-33, 1 Corinthians 11:1-16