Sermons on Open Hands:

Soups, Sheets, And Socks

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 17, 2009

In support of a drive to collect items for a missions organization: genuine spiritual feeling comes when we deal with the real world and provide food, shelter, and clothing to the needy.

Let’s suppose that this is God’s issue of Time magazine. Someone has sent God a lifetime subscription to Time magazine; I guess you would have to say an eternity-time subscription. And when God’s Time magazine arrives ... by the way, do you know God’s zip code? You don’t think God has a zip code? ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Can You Smell The Bread?

Contributed by C Vincent on Aug 18, 2009

A famine in the land for food means we must give out the bread of life.

Can you smell the bread? John 6:1-9, 22-35 (have bread baking in a bread machine while speaking) He reproves them for seeking carnal food, and directs them to spiritual food v. 26, 27, showing them how they must labour for spiritual food v. 28, 29, and what that spiritual food is v. 30–59 Christ ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-36

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Josiah And The Purification Of Israel Series

Contributed by Peter Fisher on Aug 19, 2009

The story of Josiah, and what purification might mean for us

Josiah and the purification of Israel Introduction - Time Line It is 700-600 years before Christ. In Britain the Iron Age is just starting, a couple of hundred years after the rest of Europe. In Israel the Kings have abandoned the God of their father Abraham, and are worshipping the Gods of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 34:2-33

Denomination: Anglican

Making Sure To Put On Every Piece Of Armor

Contributed by Doug Koehler on Aug 28, 2009

It is easy to skip over God’s instruction trusting in past encounters with God. However, the Lord wants us to daily be prepared so that we can stand against the devil and his cunning.

An Astronaut is ready for the first time to walk in space. He has spent countless hours in simulations. He has already taken off from earth and is now in outer space. He has his space suit on and so he is protected from head to toe against the deathly cold of space. This astronaut seems to be as ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Denomination: Lutheran

A House For The Lord? Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 31, 2009

This Christmas season will you be thinking about the wonder of the immortal God taking on mortal flesh; the omnipotent God appearing in the form of a helpless vulnerable baby; the only begotten Son of God coming as one of us to take on himself the punish

We hear the Christmas story every year. The same events; the same characters; the same location. We sing Christmas carols that retell the story over and over again. But I wonder how many people as they watch Carols by Candlelight on Christmas Eve will see through the sentimentality of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:1-16

Denomination: Anglican

Servant Leadership Series- Intro: The Greatest Servant Leader Series

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Apr 28, 2009

Jesus modeled the greatest Servant Leadership Attributes while on earth. This is usually ignored by today’s Christian Leaders and Churches

Servant Leadership Series Intro: The Greatest Servant Leader Do we need leaders in the Church. Let us take a look at this short video. ( I have used the video “Ronnie” from Floodgate Productions (http://www.floodgateproductions.com/v2/)) Have you seen any Ronnies in the Churches of today? Have ...read more

Scripture: John 13:3-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What's In A Name?

Contributed by Bradley Boydston on Apr 30, 2009

Jesus is the ultimate name -- the only name through which there is salvation.

Well, as you’re aware by now my name is Brad. Although, that is not the whole truth. Brad is actually a shortened form of Bradley. That’s what my parents named me -- Bradley. Bradley is a name from the British Isles that means broad meadow -- perhaps a commentary on girth. Now, I wish that I could ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:5-12

Denomination: *other

The One And Only Series

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on May 4, 2009

Part 1 discusses the relevancy of God being our only God.

April 19, 2009 The One and Only Exodus 20:1-3 Slide 1 And God spoke all these words:  2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me.” Blank A while ago there was a list of the 100 best novels written over the past ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

To Boldly Go!

Contributed by Andy Payne on May 4, 2009

Jesus’ disciples struggled to understand what he was talking about. Through Scriptire, see how we need to look at the bigger picture in how God works.

Space the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise; its five year mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before. I was never really a Star Trek fan growing up as a kid. I always wanted to be a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:27-31

Denomination: Baptist

Unity With Believers Series

Contributed by Tyler Edwards on May 5, 2009

We often hear talk of getting back to the New Testament church. The fact is we can’t. What we can do is learn to adapt the principles of the NT church that made it so effective.

3. The Book of Acts June 7th, 2009 Unity with Believers Have you ever been white water rafting? My youth group went one summer before a CIY conference. A group of us went to this extreme games camp where there was rock climbing, ropes courses, and of course white water rafting. The last day ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-49

Denomination: *other

Life With Each Other Series

Contributed by Bobby Daniel on May 6, 2009

2nd sermon in a 3 part series on John 15.

Life with Each Other Living in the Vineyard Series John 15:12-17 Introduction What is this? (show plant from window and wait for answers) I’m not so sure where the actual name is, you may…I call it an anomaly…a plant that I haven’t killed. Remember, I have the black thumb of death. What I want to ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Long Reach Of God's Grace Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on May 7, 2009

The Gospel Paul preached was not of human conception but it came to him directly from God. Now that’s an astounding claim to make, a claim which demanded some kind of proof. Paul provides this proof by pointing to himself.

GALATIANS 1:11-17 THE LONG REACH OF GOD’S GRACE Paul’s theme is that the Gospel he preached to man was not of human conception, nor was it a second-hand tale; no it came to him directly from God. Now that’s an astounding claim to make, a claim which demanded some kind of proof. Paul ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Honoring Mom & Dad

Contributed by Troy Richards on May 7, 2009

For youth about respecting their parents

-so last week we didn’t meet because it was Mother’s Day, and next month we won’t be meeting because of Father’s Day. -by the way, did you know both of these holidays started here in the church? Mother’s Day was started by a woman whose mom did a Bible Study on moms of the Bible over a hundred ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:20

Denomination: Methodist

Discipleship Series

Contributed by Tyler Edwards on May 11, 2009

Jesus call is not always gentle. The discipleship He calls us to could seem a bit extreme, but what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?

6. Spiritual Disciplines Series May 10th, 2009 Discipleship A few weeks ago my parents came down to visit for Easter and I got to relieve another childhood memory. My parents stayed at a hotel on Saturday night. Sunday after church we ate lunch and were hanging out before they had to start the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:57-62

Denomination: *other

Parable Of A Broken Covenant Series

Contributed by Wes Richard on May 12, 2009

God uses Hosea’s broken marriage to paint a picture of covenant unfaithfulness, but the story doesn’t end there because God is a pursuing God.

This is one day when our nation pays special attention to the importance of motherhood. Many of you have planned some special way to observe this day with a meal, a gift, or a visit. And it is wonderful that you can do that. I also recognize that Mother’s Day is not easy for a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 1:1-11

Denomination: Brethren