Sermons on Missing The Point:

"Overcoming Bitterness With Praise"

Contributed by Jerry Depoy on Jan 26, 2004

An Acrostic message. Hopefully, this will help you to remember the key points. We will be spelling the word, "Praise." The means by which God has given to us to defeat the evil in this world is with our "praise."

Read Genesis 45:1-15 Joseph had a "right" to be angry. His ten brothers had thrown him into a horrible pit and sold him into slavery. Can you imagine how Joseph must have felt when he heard his brothers denouncing him as a "dreamer," and wanting him dead. For nearly twenty years Joseph lived ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 45:1-15, 1 Samuel 19:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

How To Respond To Hardship

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 3, 2004

When we look at life from an eternal perspectives it alleviates stress and helps us focus on God’s perspectives rather than our own limited-selfish view-point.

How to Respond to Hardship (John 15:20) Illustration: All the Ethiopian teenager had to do was tell the men who were beating her that she no longer believed in God, and they would have stopped. Yezeshewall was being detained and beaten because of her faith in Christ. But she told her tormentors, ...read more

Scripture: John 15:20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stephen - What A Waste? Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 25, 2004

Although Stephen’s life seems to be wasted from an earthly perspective at least, his martyrdom has long term ramifications for the growth of the church. From this point on the gospel begins to spread.

You’ll gather from the title of this sermon that one question that arises from this passage is, why did God let all this happen? Why allow someone as gifted as Stephen to be wasted like that? I guess it’s the sort of question that we often ask when something like this happens. We asked it 15 years ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

What's Important At Christmas

Contributed by John Foster on Jul 19, 2003

A light look at business and the busyness of Christmas. Looking at the important things we do in the run up to Christmas put pointing out THE most important part is so obvious - Jesus Christ.

The most important thing about Christmas A few years ago I met a very clever and learned business consultant. He’d been an officer in the RAF and had moved on from there to work in the banking industry. He had eventually ended up as the Vice President of the Bank of America before ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7, John 3:16

Denomination: Methodist

The Sacredness Of Submission

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Sep 8, 2003

Submission to God is the key to the Christian’s spiritual growth and maturity. Not only that, but without submission there can be no direction for the child of God. Submission is the pivotal point in any Christian’s life.

The Sacredness Of Submission Text: Rom.12: 1-2 Intro: The philosophy of our world today seems to be summed up in the phrase made popular in the 60’s: “Do your own thing.” The basic idea of that philosophy was individualism; just be yourself; throw off the antiquated restrictions of the past ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Understanding God’s Will

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Dec 6, 2005

SEEK it, SURRENDER to it, and STAND in it. It’s REAL, can be REFUSED, but it’s always RIGHT! Link included to formatted text, audio/video, and PowerPoint.

Understanding God’s Will Romans 12:1-2 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/God’sWill.html We usually look at this passage and talk about surrender...but surrender to what? The will of God in the end of v. 2! Or we talk about separation...but separation unto what? The will of God! And that should be ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus' Thanksgiving

Contributed by Robert Fox on Dec 19, 2005

The Last Supper was not just an ordinary meal, where Christ made extraordinary claims - it was the Passover meal with important sybolism. This meal is the foundation of a Christian Thanksgiving. Student ministry PowerPoint format.

[JESUS’ THANKSGIVING DINNER] Slide Graphic – Norman Rockwell painting of family at Thanksgiving Dinner Slide Verses – It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of The Pearl Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 24, 2007

The church is God’s Pearl of Great Price. How the pearl was WROUGHT, how it was SOUGHT, and how it was BOUGHT. Link included to formatted text for entire series, audio, and PowerPoint Template.

Parable of the Pearl Matthew 13:45-46 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Pearl.html This parable is going to sound a whole lot like the previous one we just studied on the hidden treasure, but with a great twist and special illustration that I know will be a blessing to you. Common misinterpretation: ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:45-46

Denomination: Baptist

Are You Wiser Than A 5th Grader? - Wisdom

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Apr 27, 2004

Wisdom is the one thing you can sincerely ask God for and His answer is always yes! THE PRIORITY, PRODUCT, AND POWER OF WISDOM. Link inc. to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

Are You Wiser Than a 5th Grader? II Chronicles 1:7-12; James 3:13-17 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Wisdom.html The popular TV game show is a misnomer, because it doesn’t really test ‘smarts’, but ‘knowledge.’ It should be called “Are You More Knowledgeable than a 5th Grader?”! They haven’t ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 1:7-12

Denomination: Baptist

Speaking Of Tongues Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on May 18, 2004

Greek Word Study which has convinced many open-minded that this sign gift has ceased in its Biblical form. Link included to formatted text, audio, PowerPoint.

SPEAKING of TONGUES I Cor. 14 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/SpeakingOfTongues.html I want to make it crystal clear that our purpose tonite is not in any way to impune, insult, or attack any brother or sister in Christ. Any friend of Jesus is a friend of mine! And so, w/ no malice, no anger, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:1-37

Denomination: Baptist

The Next Day

Contributed by David Richardson on Apr 2, 2005

People remember the next day because it indexes our life chronologically and it indexes our life emotionally. It stands in time as a point of transition from bad to good or from good to bad.

Title: The Next Day Scripture: Acts 21:1-26 Let someone pick a random day in your life and chances are you won’t be able to remember exactly what you were doing that day. But, ask any older American what they were doing on December 7th 1941 and they can tell you. Or ask someone what they were ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:1-29

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

A Tale Of Two Men

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Oct 26, 2005

Cain and Abel...2 different paths, and where each ended up. We all make choices that affect our future. Link included to formatted text and PowerPoint Template.

A Tale of Two Men Cain and Abel Scripture: Gen. 4.1-16; Matt. 23.35; 1 John 3.12; Heb. 11.4; 12.24 Text: By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

3 Odd Jobs Of The Tentmaker Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 10, 2005

Paul had the heart of an ACCOUNTANT, a RUNNER, and a STEWARD, and illustrates for us how to truly do God’s will in our lives. Link included to formatted text, handout, and PowerPoint Presentation.

3 Odd Jobs of the Tentmaker Acts 20:18-38 Most of us wear more than 1 hat, and have a side job, whether paid for it or not. Some people have a career, but have a heart for other things. We cannot do it all. The Apostle Paul had the skills and knowledge to be more than a tentmaker, and his other ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:18-38

Denomination: Baptist

Foundations - Going Beyond Repentance Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jun 18, 2002

The writer of Hebrews tells us we must mature in Christ to the point where we go beyond the "elementary truth" of things like repentance. But how can we do that?

OPENING: A fellow named Louie, deep in debt, was thinking of ending it all. "That’s ridiculous," says his neighbor, who was a chemist. "Look, I can give you a pill that will put you in a state of suspended animation. I’ll say you died - but then I’ll ship your body to another state, where you ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Millennium In Focus Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 13, 2012

Many portions of the Bible discuss a literal Millennial reign of the Messiah on the earth; because it is so interwoven and connected to other teachings, we can consider the Millennium an important point of our faith.

The Millennium in Focus (topical) 1. Futurist Thomas Frey blogs, “People are seriously worried. I’ve been in a number of conversations recently where people are very worried about our coming era of automation where fewer and fewer jobs will be left for people to do. A few months ago I ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible