Sermons on Not Because:

Hopeful Generosity Series

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Oct 5, 2020

Hope grounds us in a promise that is future-oriented. Because we're secure in the hope of our faithful God, we can live freely and abundantly today.

October 4, 2020 Hope Lutheran Church Sermon Series: “Faithful, Hopeful, Loving” Psalm 91; Philippians 3:4b-14 Hopeful Generosity Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. “Give us today our daily bread.” This petition of the Lord’s ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-14

Denomination: Lutheran

Perspective And Persuasion (March 20, 2009)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Oct 15, 2022

Unlike Agrippa, Festus would not have been familiar with the prophets, like Agrippa because he was not as familiar with the Jewish religion. Paul was speaking soberly about his subject.

ACTS 26: 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." 29 And Paul said, "I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains." PERSPECTIVE AND ...read more

Scripture: Acts 26:28-29

Denomination: United Methodist

The Master Motive Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 6, 2021

This is the secret of Paul’s constant drive, for even with all of his trials and frustrations, he could rejoice in the Lord always because his master motive was to please God

How should a Christian defend himself when his character and motives are attacked in an effort to belittle the Gospel which he proclaims? Paul had to face this question everywhere he went, for the Judaisers were hot on his trail trying to destroy the fruit of his labors. From the defensive nature ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4

Was The Early Church Socialist, Even Communist? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 13, 2021

Some commentators and politicians who belong to the Superficialist School of Bible Interpretation really mess up when they say Christians should be socialists because the early Church was.

Jesus told His disciples, "Blessed are you poor" as Luke records it, and Matthew writes "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Filled with the Holy Spirit, the early Christians, or many of them, decided to take Jesus literally. They pooled their resources, as Luke records in the Acts ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:32-35, Acts 5:1-11, Romans 15:25-26, 1 Corinthians 16:1-3, Luke 6:20, 1 Timothy 5:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

Pruning Of Your Heart

Contributed by Roy Fowler on May 1, 2021

Understanding Love in the context of the original Greek. Wonderful story about someone that Loves and abides in God. Then understanding what God does for us because he loves us.

Sermon Title: Pruning of your heart. Scripture Text: 1 John 4:7,8,15; Acts 8:26-40; John 15:1-8 Illustration by song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epArSqlMQ-E God’s love can be explained by knowing about “the love/agape feast”. The agape feast is explanation of God’s Love. (1) A love ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40, John 15:1-8, 1 John 4:7-8

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Letter To Laodicea

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Oct 7, 2021

Jesus is waiting at the door. The door is symbolic of your heart. Are you going to let him come in? The choice is yours because God gave us free will.

The Letter to Laodicea Revelation 3:14-22 Michael H. Koplitz This letter to the church at Laodicea is the most negative of the seven letters. Jesus tells us that He doesn’t like lukewarm followers. This means those passionate for God when they want to be and cold toward God when they don’t want to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Denomination: United Methodist

One Accord

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 25, 2022

As a pastor I find this verse of scripture amazing. Why? Because this verse tells us two amazing things: the New Testament church was in ONE ACCORD in ONE PLACE.

Accomplishing either one of these would be marvelous, but to accomplish both is astounding. Illus: Occasionally, many churches have a “NO EXCUSE SUNDAY,” trying to get everyone to attend. Before this Sunday arrives, they send out newsletters from the church, stating: • Cots will be placed in the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Dealing With Problems In Life

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 30, 2022

The war in Iraq is a war that will go down in the history books because the Americans defeated a brutal dictator and his regime, and helped this Islamic nation gain their freedom to form a democracy.

Thousands and thousands of lives have been destroyed in bringing about this democracy. But the price of freedom is always high. Many feel the reasons for invading Iraq and going to war with Saddam Hussein are justified. There are those, however, who accuse the President for going to war for ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 20:7-8

Denomination: Baptist

Eternal Life

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 28, 2022

The word heaven can bring to mind different pictures in people’s minds, because it is shrouded in mystery. Yet, the Bible also speaks of eternity or eternal life frequently.

The word heaven can bring to mind different pictures in people’s minds, because it is shrouded in mystery. Yet, the Bible also speaks of eternity or eternal life frequently. “This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent.” (John 17:3 CEB) True ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-3, Romans 3:21-22

Denomination: Baptist

Being Persecuted

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Aug 2, 2022

Suffering may not be a common topic of conversation in our lives but suffering for the sake of Jesus, being persecuted because we follow Him, is something Jesus told us to expect.

As we live our Christian lives there are a lot of questions that are related to the Christian Life that don't really fall into life and death categories. Questions like: what's your favorite version of the bible? How can I be a better group member? Or the BIG ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION: if a ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18-25, John 16:1-4, Romans 8:35-37, 2 Corinthians 12:10

Denomination: Baptist

Abandonment Issues Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Nov 24, 2022

This story places the Israelites’ emotional development pretty squarely in the adolescent stage, because they behaved just like a bunch of teenagers left too long with the keys to the wine cellar.

How many of you have children? Did you have any idea, while you were painting the nursery and picking out your first set of onesies, how much of your life would get taken over? Children take a huge amount of time and attention. And of course it gets worse when they start to crawl and then to walk ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Message 7 - 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 – Now We Look At The Wrath Of God And Salvation – Part 1 (Verse 9) Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 29, 2022

This message looks at aspects of the wrath of God where the subject is examined. The great truth is that Christians will never enter the wrath of God because the Saviour bore that wrath for each of us.

MESSAGE 7 - 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5 – NOW WE LOOK AT THE WRATH OF GOD AND SALVATION – PART 1 (Verse 9) DESTINED NOT FOR WRATH, BUT FOR SALVATION {{1Thessalonians 5:9 “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”}} We will consider just this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Revelation 6:16-17, Romans 1:18-32, Luke 13:2-5, Romans 2:5, Colossians 3:5-6, Romans 5:9, Isaiah 53:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, John 19:30, Revelation 9:20-21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do We Have A Case Of Heartburn?

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Jan 12, 2023

This is the story of the two men that were going back to Emmaus and what happened to them on their journey. They almost missed something because they were centered around their own personal issues.

In verses 13-16: The two men walking toward Emmaus were so caught up in themselves and their own problems that they did not see Jesus or even recognize Him. Undoubtedly, they had heard His preaching, the various parables, and what He was teaching about Himself. It was as if they were not looking ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Passover Series

Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on Feb 9, 2023

The Passing over of the Angel of God over the land of Egypt is known as Passover. While he passes over he would spare the houses of Israelites because of their coverage by the blood.

Exodus 12:1-28 - The Passover Introduction: Exodus 12 and 13 constitute a single literary unit as both describe Jehovah's Passover. These chapters have instructions for the preparation, observations, readiness to leave, and passing on to future generations as an ordinance. The description ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:1-28

Denomination: Methodist

The Mission Of The Messiah Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Mar 31, 2023

In Matthew 1:1-17, we learn that Matthew summarized the entire history of God's people because he believed it all climaxed in the mission of Jesus.

Introduction We are concluding our sermon series today that I am calling, “Bloodlines: The Genealogy of Jesus.” I hope you have come to see that the genealogy of Jesus is far more than merely a list of names. It contains some very significant truths that help us to understand better the meaning of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed