Sermons on Non Threatening:

"but I Want To Fight Back!"

Contributed by Randall Long on Apr 1, 2019

Instead of fighting back when someone does us wrong, we can witness that He is greater than whatever has been taken from us.

The teaching in today's passage is hard for the average person to swallow. When I first read it as a child, I flat-out told Jesus He was wrong. Adolescence refined me; in high school I remarked that this was a lovely thought, but that it just wouldn't work in the real world. Oddly ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-41

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Armored: Geared Up For Life Series

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Aug 21, 2021

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B August 22, 2021, this is the Armor, the gear we have been “gearing up for life” throughout the series. So, what are these tools and how do we employ them in our daily lives?

INTRODUCTION As Hitler’s appetite for power and territory grew, his army began to march across Europe. In some cases, the fight could hardly be called a battle. The Evil German Nazi army advanced, with its tanks and with technologically advanced weapons. In some of the underdeveloped nations, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Denomination: United Methodist

Are You Jaded With The Church? How To Resist Jadedness In Ministry

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Mar 23, 2021

Any individual working in the many fields of ministry will face the challenge of disillusionment. When I first got into ministry work I had some naïve notions about it.

Any individual working in the many fields of ministry will face the challenge of disillusionment. When I first got into ministry work I had some naïve notions about it. I was hoping to find a burgeoning vibrant Christianity rallying unified, as one, carrying the gospel like intrepid ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:37-43, Matthew 13:24-30, 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Denomination: Salvation Army

When Political Activists Take Over Your Church

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Mar 27, 2021

Have you ever noticed how ministries can become politicized over time? It's a real concern in our day and age, where political ideology has the country polarized, that same political activism can push its way into the church.

Have you ever noticed how ministries can become politicized over time? It's a real concern in our day and age, where political ideology has the country polarized, that same political activism can push its way into the church. I've noticed this particularly in inner-city churches, where ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 19:15, Deuteronomy 16:19

Denomination: Salvation Army

A Steadfast Faith Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 7, 2021

It is easy to start the race, but the finish is what really matters, and so it is in the Christian life. It is one thing to start on the way, and another thing to keep going all the way. What we really need is not starting power but staying power,

To make no gain for one’s labor is a perfectly natural cause for disappointment. Jesus knew this feeling often as His disciples failed to grasp His teaching, and especially when Judas betrayed Him. Paul knew it well when he wrote with a saddened heart that Demas had forsaken him. Many have ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:5-8

Hosea Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Mar 30, 2022

Punishment for wrongdoing is essential, but according to Hosea, punishment is not to meet the demands of justice but rather to restore the ones who have done the wrong.

Hosea Hosea's first three children had very unusual names. His family story was a metaphor for God's relationship with Israel. The Book of Hosea is addressed to the people of the northern kingdom — Israel. It contains both a warning concerning future events and the meaning of these ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Denomination: Baptist

Yes - God Is At Work In The World

Contributed by John Huyser on Jun 4, 2024

As people of God’s Word, we may approach the Bible with a bad assumption: We presume somehow God is less active now than he was in the narrative of the Bible.

I. Introduction – Slide 1 In Acts 16 and 17, Paul’s second missionary journey left little question. God was at work in the good and tough times: • In Derbe and Lystra, the churches there are growing. There God brings Timothy into Paul’s life. • In Phillipi, God brings Lydia and her entire ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-34

"bethlehem"

Contributed by John Huyser on Dec 10, 2024

Why would the wise men go to Jerusalem? Why would they connect the special star in the sky to a king's birth? Scripture must be the answer, but how?

Last week, we covered Joseph’s first dream in Matthew 1 and its related tie-in to Isaiah's prophecy. For Matthew's intended Jewish readers, we uncovered many details that would shock them. If you missed last week, you can listen to it as a devotion at fruitportcrc.org. Today, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12, Micah 5:2

An Outline For The One-Sentence Prayers Of Nehemiah: Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 2, 2024

There are seven one-sentence prayers in the Book of Nehemiah. This outline lists each one and provides some thoughts about each one, followed by a conclusion.

Introduction: The Book of Nehemiah has a number of Nehemiah’s prayers, but certainly not all. Some, like the first, were several verses long; others, a little shorter, and then there were a number of one-sentence prayers. This outline cites the half-dozen or so of these very brief, very terse, ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 5:19

Denomination: Baptist

The Palace: A Place Of Injustice Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Jul 9, 2004

This morning our focus is on how Pilate kept trying to slam the door shut but was unable to do so.

A couple weeks ago I stopped at a gas station on my way to make a hospital visit. As usual my mind was focused on a number of things, and I wasn’t paying attention to the howling hurricane whipping through the flat lands of Illinois. As I got out of the car, the wind pulled the door out of my hand ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:11-31

Denomination: Baptist

Elijah Series

Contributed by Hugh W. Davidson on Apr 11, 2009

How Elijah became the man God called him to be.

Elijah : A man who dies to self 1 Kings 17:17-24 In the first week we saw Elijah as he seemed to come out of no where and in a round about way he confronts king Ahab about his sin. He just said, "There will be no more rain until I say so." And as I said, this was an ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

The Barren Temple Series

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Mar 12, 2003

Christ’s cursing of the fig tree and "cleansing" of the temple caution us about living our lives by mere appearances and trusting in anything other than Jesus.

Appearances can be deceiving. I was reminded of this several years ago when I was waiting in line at a McDonalds with two of my sons. A guy came into McDonalds who looked really suspicious. He had long hair, tattoos everywhere, several body piercings, and he just looked scary. This guy seemed to be ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:12-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fishers Of Men Series

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 13, 2003

First in a series about Fishing for Men! (Adapted from Standard Publishing 1998 Vacation Bible School "Hooked on Jesus")

Sermon for 4/19/98 Fishers of Men Introduction: A. Clarence Darrow, the great criminal lawyer of another day, had among his friends a young minister. This seems strange, because, as you remember, Darrow was usually thought of as an atheist, infidel, agnostic or what have you. They were ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22, Mark 1:14-20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The People Who Missed Christmas

Contributed by Greg Warren on Dec 13, 2003

Discusses the Biblical people who missed the miracle of the first Christmas and applies these principles to how people miss Christmas’ true maning today. Illustrations from Sermon Central contributers are incorporated.

Have you ever missed a great opportunity? The story is told of a small resort area along the east coast that was having an open town meeting concerning some financial problems they were facing. Among the two dozen or so people was one man no one seemed to know who was apparently visiting the ...read more

Scripture: John 1:10-12, Luke 2:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Survival Of The Fittest Or Triumph Of The Meek? Series

Contributed by Soon Hock Lim on Mar 16, 2001

Just how realistic is the way of Jesus, the way of the Beatitudes, and the Sermon on the Mount? Just how true is Jesus’ statement, “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth”? (Mt 5:5.)

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST OR TRIUMPH OF THE MEEK? On Friday nights while all of us should be at our Cell Groups, ntv7 is showing the 2nd series of Survivor—this time at the Australian Outback. While I don’t want you to cut short your CG meeting to head home to catch the programme—still, I think ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5-10

Denomination: Baptist