Sermons on Open Hands:

How To Celebrate Thanksgiving

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Nov 20, 2006

Thanksgiving and joy are linked together. When we focus on thanksgiving and praise we enjoy the attitude and spirit of joy in our life.

How to Celebrate Thanksgiving Leviticus 23:34-40 Luke 17:11-19 When I check out the comics in the newspaper I look at two comic strips: Peanuts and Garfield. My top comic strip is Peanuts, written by the late Charles Schulz. Schultz describes the lives and relationships of Charlie Brown, Lucy, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Denomination: Free Methodist

What Is The Church All About? Series

Contributed by Jonathan Mcleod on Nov 21, 2006

The church is a community in which Christ is number one and believers worship together and love and serve others.

I’m sure it will come as no surprise to you when I say that many people have a negative view of the church. This negative attitude toward the church is captured in the following quotes. “I’m completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus In The Ot

Contributed by Dean Rhine on May 13, 2008

OT prophecies about Jesus

Jesus in the Old Testament This morning, as we continue on our adventure through the Old Testament, we review quickly where we are at. In Genesis, we saw the age of the Patriarchs, the famous forefathers of the Jews. In Exodus we saw the years of Slavery. In Numbers, we saw the period of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Purpose In Life

Contributed by Dean Rhine on May 13, 2008

Purpose seen in Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes: Purpose in Life 7/10/2005 “I will worship you until the very end” - we sing those words, but sometimes we forget why we sing them. We have been reminded today of what Jesus did for us on the cross, taking our very sin upon himself, and it causes us to be grateful. But even when we ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Enjoying God Series

Contributed by Robert Higgins on May 14, 2008

We were created, planned to bring pleasure to God. This is what answers the burning question in each of us…why do I exist?

1. Review: 1. Week One: i. We cannot understand or attain our purpose in life apart from God. ii. We learned that having a purpose gives meaning to our lives. iii. Having and pursuing your purpose prepares you for eternity. 2. Week Two: i. This life is preparation for the next ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5

Denomination: Baptist

Fresh Starts And Living Hope

Contributed by Matthew Stoll on May 19, 2008

Using Peter as an example of how the Resurrection of Jesus gives us fresh starts and living hope

It had been the worst two and a half days of their lives. First the Master had brought them to the Garden of Gethsemane just outside of Jerusalem to pray, but instead they fell asleep, after all it was late. Perhaps if they had been awake and watchful they would have noticed the torches of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9, 1 Peter 1:1-9

Denomination: Methodist

The One Who Is Misunderstood Series

Contributed by Jonathan Mcleod on May 20, 2008

Why do so many people misuderstand the true identity of Jesus? Many times it is a choice.

Who is Jesus Christ? This is the ultimate question. Many answers have been given. • Muslims believe Jesus was a great prophet sent by God, but superseded by Mohammed. • Buddhists believe Jesus was a wise and enlightened man. • Mormons believe Jesus was a man who became a god. • Jehovah’s ...read more

Scripture: John 7:14-36

Denomination: Baptist

Spiritual Drift

Contributed by Tim Patrick on May 22, 2008

See what happens when God’s people drift away from Him and worship other gods.

Several years ago a scary thing happened to two young beach goers. I read this in the newspaper. Two young ladies were at the beach, I think Pensacola beach, enjoying a summer vacation and enjoying the water. They got into a raft to relax and sun bath. While floating on the raft they did not pay ...read more

Scripture: Judges 2:7-12

Denomination: Baptist

God's Committed Community Series

Contributed by Tom Shepard on May 28, 2008

A sermon preached at the 60th anniversary of Burlingame Federated Church. This sermon is composed of highlights from my series "Committed Community."

God’s Committed Community Today we have come together for a historical event. This church – Burlingame Federated Church – BFC - is celebrating its sixtieth anniversary. What we are coming together to celebrate is not the anniversary of this building – because this building is more than sixty ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Clear Proofs

Contributed by Mike Cleveland on Jun 1, 2008

After healing the man at the pool of Bethesda, Jesus gives 7 clear proofs of His Lordship.

Let’s turn in our Bibles to John chapter 5, and as you’re turning you need to know this morning that there are really only 2 attitudes about Jesus Christ that the Bible recognizes. Either we reject Him or we bow to Him as Lord. Either He is Lord and King and God, or He is really nothing at all. You ...read more

Scripture: John 5:16-30

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Launch Out To Deep Water

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Jun 2, 2008

From a Human perspective the world seems hopeless, but with Jesus there are no hopeless situations.

“Launch Out Into the Deep” Luke 5:1-7 From 1980 to 1988 we lived in Florida and I traveled the State of Florida working with our Free Methodist churches. When not traveling we attended the St. Petersburg FMC. One gentleman in the church gave me a standing invitation. Anytime I wanted to go ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-7

Denomination: Free Methodist

How To Handle Hindrances

Contributed by T. Michael Crews on Nov 30, 2006

Exposition of Nehemiah 6

How to Handle Hindrances Neh. 6 Vance Havner once wrote Any housewife knows that the best way to remember the things she meant to do and forgot is to start praying. They will come to her mind to divert her from prayer. I’m not a housewife, but I know that happens to me all the time. Almost every ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

God Has Not Forgotten

Contributed by Monty Newton on Dec 2, 2006

Never give up hope... God is at work, often doing the extraordinary in the course of the very ordinariness of our lives.

Title: God Has Not Forgotten! Text: Luke 1:5-25 Thesis: Never give up hope… God is at work in your life. Introduction The story is told of an elderly couple who lived together in a nursing home. Though they had been married for 60 years, their relationship was filled with constant arguments, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Running The Marathon Of Faith

Contributed by Jonathan Twitchell on Dec 7, 2006

The "Holiday Marathon" provides a backdrop for understanding the sort of "Marathon of Faith" which we are called to run.

Yesterday we made the colossal mistake of attempting to run errands in the mall and surrounding areas. Oh, I know better than to go to the mall between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but yesterday was still the Saturday before Thanksgiving. And…on top of that…there’s an extra week between ...read more

Denomination: Nazarene

Clap On – Epiphany

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Jan 21, 2008

When th elight comes on you realy know that God is reachign out to you.

Clap on – Epiphany Ephesians 3:1-12 Welcome to the season of Epiphany. Epiphany is a fun word to say. Not every one knows what it means. So let me give you a secular definition and see if you get it. The dictionary gives this description: “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-12

Denomination: Congregational