Sermons on Obsessed With Appearance:

John 12:1-8 (The Erotic & The Domestic)

Contributed by David Smith on Oct 30, 2007

It doesn’t take long at this dinner party before the chaos breaks out, this time through the surprising appearance of Mary, pouring a ludicrously expensive jar of perfume.

We’re turning to John’s Gospel today, which, quite frankly, is a little unnerving for me, as I find John’s Gospel more difficult to deal with than the other three John retells the story of Jesus in such a way that things are rarely as they appear to be. Jesus speaks of being born ’from above’ and ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-8

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Everything Is Not As It Seems

Contributed by Andrew Drummond on Oct 17, 2006

Much like an optical illusion things are not always as they appear to be. They are supposed to bring happiness, but people go chasing them and are still left wanting, what if there was more...

How many of you know what an optical illusion is? You are looking at a photo or picture, but everything is not as it seems. Let’s take a look at a few examples (power point). Sometimes we cannot rely on our senses and perception. You may have many things going through your head about your life and ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 3:1-30

When The Bride Looks Like A Whore

Contributed by Matthew Morine on Aug 18, 2005

How does the Bride of Christ appear to the world today? Has she lost her beauty? The way to attract the world to her today is through glorious living.

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST THEME: THE IMAGE OF THE BRIDE OF CHRIST IS PURE AND BEAUTIFUL. Here comes the bride, here comes the bride, the bride makes her way through the doors into the auditorium. Everyone is excited to see the beautiful bride make her entrance. But wait, what is this, what is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:21-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Looking Into The Tomb Series

Contributed by Charles Scott on Jan 14, 2006

The stone was rolled away from the tomb to allow us to see that the Lord had risen; the empty tomb and the resurrection appearances of Jesus is the reason for the church’s existence.

"Looking Into The Tomb" Matthew 28:1-10 May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be alway acceptable, O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Friends: Where the gospel according to Matthew ends, the Christian faith begins - in the resurrection of our Lord. None of us ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Denomination: Anglican

Standing Out In The Kingdom Series

Contributed by Allan Kircher on Jan 21, 2014

There is a word here for us as well! • There will be times when things appear hopeless. • times when/shattered pieces/our dreams will lie around us.

Pastor Allan Kircher Shell Point Baptist Church Jan 5th, 2014 Genesis 37:1-11 Standing out in the kingdom Intro: “There are two great days/person’s life - the day we are born and the day we discover why.” • One is easier than the other. • One is a date in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Touched By An Angel

Contributed by John Gaston on Dec 17, 2015

Angels play a significant role in the N.T., particularly surrounding the events of the birth of Jesus. There were 4 major appearances of angels: with Zachariah, Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds.

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL Matt. 1-2; Lk. 1-2 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR 1. A man built a new home. One day as he was looking at the outside of it, an apparition appeared and was visible for a full minute. One year later, it appeared again at exactly the same time, but his friends thought he was just ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

How Sin Gets Us To Bite The Hook Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 1, 2020

Paul tells us that Satan can appear as an angel of light. That is a clear picture of the way that Satan and temptation works. What can we learn from it?

[Have a fishing pole with a hooked worm.] SATAN APPEARS AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT: Sin takes what is good and twists it just enough. - 2 Corinthians 11:14. - Genesis 3:1. - What does it mean that Satan appears as an angel of light? It means that Satan in tempting us often comes to us in the form of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Denomination: Baptist

Looking At Our Mess And Hopelessness, Where Was Jesus? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 24, 2024

The phrase "in the middle" appears early in Genesis, late in John, and late in Revelation. The connection between the three speaks to an amazing title for the cross of Jesus.

“Looking at Our Mess and Hopelessness, Where Was Jesus?” Genesis 2:4-9 - [There is a verse that needs to be quoted in the outline.] SERIES SET-UP: There are significant parallels between the beginning of Genesis and the end of John. - Genesis 1:1; John 1:1. - Romans 8:19-22. - This is not ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:4-9, John 19:17-18, Revelation 22:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Consistency Of Evil In Arrogant man Series

Contributed by Shaila Touchton on Feb 18, 2024

Arrogant people appear overly confident and seek superiority to cover their shortcomings. They lack empathy, have no genuine interest in others, and often have a dismissive or condescending attitude.

Throughout the Bible, we see examples of People who embody the trait of arrogance, leading them down a path of destruction and harm to others. Unfortunately, these people rarely change their ways, and their arrogance only grows stronger with time. In this article, we will explore the biblical ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:20-23

Knowing The Times Series

Contributed by William Baeta on Aug 13, 2025

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? (Luke 12:56)

The theme for today’s sermon is “knowing the times”. The first words of the Bible are “In the beginning (time) God created the heavens (space) and the earth” (matter). The relationship between time, energy, space and matter is a fundamental concept in physics to give us an understanding of the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:32-40, Luke 12:54-59

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Laborers In The Vineyard

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Dec 21, 2021

This parable appears only in the Gospel of Matthew. The Lord Jesus would often take some unusual things and use those things to teach us a spiritual lesson.

In this parable, He used WORK and WAGES to teach us a spiritual lesson. Illus: When it comes to labor and management, I think about the man who applied for a job. It went something like this: • Manager: "I'm sorry I can't hire you, but there isn't enough work to keep you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night C

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Dec 11, 2022

One night shepherds were quietly watching over their sheep, only to be interrupted by an appearance of a heavenly army that declared the coming of the Savior in a manger. This message focuses on that event.

While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night Chuck Sligh December 11, 2022 NOTE: A PowerPoint presentation for this message is available by emailing me at chucksligh@hotmail.com. Please request the title, “While Shepherds Watched.” TEXT: Turn to Luke 2 INTRODUCTION Don’t you just love kids at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Baptist

Grace Transforms 4 Series

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Oct 1, 2011

I know I need to change, I am painfully aware of the chasm between what I am in Christ and how I appear to be but all of my diligent effort actually takes me in the opposite direction. Rules do not produce obedient hearts; rules breed rebellion.

Dakota Community Church October 2, 2011 Grace Transforms 4 Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. 1. What is biblical grace? 2. Where does grace originate? 3. Grace ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: Mennonite

Can Grace Reach Me?

Contributed by Thomas Dibble on May 21, 2003

The grace of God that brings salvation, it says has appeared to all men. It’s available for everybody. Not everybody will accept it but that doesn’t change the fact that it is available to everybody.

The Bible is a very precise book and God always does things in a very precise way. If you will read the Bible from cover to cover you will find that there is not a lot of wiggle room to be found in its pages. There aren’t many gray areas that you will discover. You will not be able to say, “Yes ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9

Denomination: Pentecostal

Never Without Hope - Part Two

Contributed by Richard Bell on Jan 27, 2001

There have been times when the events of life have created what we sometimes see as a hopeless situation. Things are never hopeless when Jesus appears on the scene.

NEVER WITHOUT HOPE – Part 2 Mark 5:21-43 INTRODUCTION: In the first part of this message we saw that Jesus was on His way to the home of Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, to heal his little girl. She was sick unto death. On the way there was a woman with an issue of blood that was healed by ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:21-43

Denomination: Pentecostal