Sermons on Open Hands:

Is God Unfair? Series

Contributed by Greg Hanson on Feb 19, 2007

How do you respond to the unfairness of life? This message looks at seven possible responses. Part 1 of a series inspired by Philip Yancey’s book "Disappointment with God."

Innocent children are dying of starvation in Third World countries. Four Canadian soldiers died when a bomb was dropped on them from the sky during a training exercise. Missionary Martin Burnham was held captive by terrorists for 376 days until he was killed in a rescue attempt. Two weeks ago, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:59-60

Denomination: Wesleyan

Jesus The True Vine

Contributed by Ray Searan on Feb 21, 2007

In this chapter, Jesus is pictured for us as the True Vine. I can imagine Jesus and these men going through the darkened streets of the city and then passing beyond the walls into the surrounding countryside. During this time of year, mid April, the grape

Text: John 15:1-11 (NASB) Introduction: The last verse in chapter 14 tells us that Jesus and the Disciples are about to leave the upper room. They are headed to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus will pray His great High Priestly prayer and will later be arrested by the mob led by Judas. ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-11

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Ye Did Run Well!

Contributed by Ivan Casteel on Feb 26, 2007

INSTRUCTING THE DAILY LIFE OF BELIEVERS.

PP0614 DATE YE DID RUN WELL! Gal 5:7. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (KJV) INTRODUCTION: Much of the first five chapters of this epistle is Paul instructing the Galatians to not turn back toward the law. Some of the traditional Jews had influenced them to ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:7

Denomination: Baptist

A Voice Of Hope Series

Contributed by Josh Reich on Mar 10, 2007

What is the hope that lies within all Christians, the hope people are looking for? Grace. This message looks at how to live out grace and create a grace filled culture.

Today is the last week of our series an elemental church. Hopefully, you are starting to see more of what God is calling us to and what he wants to do among us and through us as we move forward as a church. The past two weeks, we have been using 1 Corinthians 13:13 as our launching point. This ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What's The Point?

Contributed by Jason Cole on Mar 12, 2007

Do you ever get tired or discouraged? Do you ever wonder what’s the point? Do you ever get tired of people rejecting your message? They aren’t rejecting you they are rejecting God. This message answers three common statements of discouragment and enco

“What’s The Point?” Introduction: Do you ever get discouraged? Do you ever feel that you are the only faithful servant of God left? Do you ever feel that you are not being effective what you are doing for the Lord? Do ever feel like the church is in a stand still? I do sometimes. Sometimes ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:58, 1 Corinthians 8:15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Of What Kind Of Spirit Are You?

Contributed by Ray Mckendry on Mar 12, 2007

The effective work of the Holy Spirit in the believer according to Jesus’ words in John 15:26-27, & 16:4b-15

John 15:26-27, & 16:4b-15 WHEN THE HELPER COMES… 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” 16:1 "These ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Esther Pt 1 Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 28, 2006

God doesn’t appear in the book of Esther, but he is present throughout as Esther and Mordecai work for the salvation of God’s people

What do you do when God seems to be absent? What do you think when things go wrong, even though you’re faithfully following Christ? Has God forgotten you? Were his promises unfounded? What about when you know you’ve disobeyed him or ignored him? Perhaps you’re the one who has moved away from God. ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Esther Pt 2 Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 28, 2006

Esther and Mordecai act on their own initiative to bring about the salvatin of the Jews, but God is present in the background bringing things together.

For those who weren’t here last week or whose memories are like mine and you can’t remember what happened two days ago, let alone last week, let me recap. King Xerxes, king of Persia, has banished his first queen and a search has been made throughout his kingdom for beautiful young girls from ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Reach Out Honestly Series

Contributed by Todd Stiles on Nov 9, 2006

Jesus wouldn’t be cornered through the tricky tax question; instead, his answers show us how to live in both worlds, not just one -- and which one matters most!

¡§Reach Out Honestly¡¨ (Luke 20:20-26) How many of you know what this is? (show picture of toll booth on screen) You guessed it ¡V a toll booth! Yes, these dot the interstate landscape of I-80 through IL, IN, MI, and PA! And it is at these kinds of places we pay a tax ¡V an extra tax to apparently ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:20-26

Denomination: Baptist

To Mom And Dad With Love Series

Contributed by Wes Humble on Nov 11, 2006

Sermon on the Fifth Commandment

“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you.” Exodus 20:12 A mother that had scrimped and saved to put her son through college sat in her son’s graduation. She watched as he walked across the platform and received his degree with ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12

Denomination: *other

Eye On Eternity Series

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Nov 12, 2006

3 of 5 messages on the treasure principles. Live by faith not by sight. Living by faith changes everything about the present as you prepare for the future.

Treasure Principles Eyes on Eternity What are you looking at? What is your focus on in life? When you walk down a nature path into the deep wood you see the trees, the forest, or maybe the one who created it all. Living by Faith Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Walking In Truth And Love Series

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Nov 14, 2006

In 2 John, the Apostle John addresses a very important question: What should I do about false teaching? To answer that question John deals with two major subjects.

Walking in truth and love 2 John The concept of NT Postcards is not as far off as it might seem. Four books in the NT and one in the OT have only one chapter. • Philemon • 2 John • 3 John • Jude Originally, these short books served a similar purpose to postcards. The author had a short ...read more

Scripture: 2 John 1:1-13

Denomination: Mennonite

The Little Drummer Boy

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Nov 14, 2006

The tithe is a hot ticket item in today’s churches – particularly in those churches that preach a connection between wealth and God’s blessing. The tithe, in their view, is the investment strategy of heaven. Is this an accurate portrayal of the tithe?

The Little Drummer Boy Leviticus 27:20-32 Cascades Fellowship CRC, JX MI September 21, 2003 We see their smiling faces on the television. Silky smooth voice, great digs, hair just so, offering the promise of health and wealth. The key? The tithe. Offer your tithe unto the Lord – that is, to ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 27:20-32

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Possessing The Promise Series

Contributed by Alan Peary on Dec 28, 2005

This is the third in a series of 8 messages centered around the importance of changing the climate in which we live, work or play.

CHANGING THE CLIMATE Possessing the Promise I believe that the greatest challenge facing the 21st Century Christian is the amount of knowledge that is so readily available. And because of that knowledge, we can very easily get drawn in to a ‘Seven Steps to………’ mentality. That all we need to do is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

Denomination: Pentecostal

What If The Gift Never Came?

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Dec 30, 2005

What would be different if the Gift we celebrate never came?

What If the Gift never came? During this advent season, we have been talking about waiting. And perhaps how we tend to take the ancient meaning of Christmas for granted. The Question for today is What if the gift we celebrate as Christmas didn’t happen? Lets start with a few secular ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-28

Denomination: Congregational