Sermons on Open Up:

Making The Jail House Rock

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on May 25, 2022

God needs to shake things up in the church and free us from our self-imprisonment.

Making the Jail House Rock Acts 16:16-34 The text we read this morning has been a popular one for Vacation Bible Schools for many years. The cardboard props of the wall of the jail house and the barred windows has “imprisoned” many a child or saint in the skit. someone pulls the string, and the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Denomination: Independent/Bible

And Then.... Number 1 (New Beginnings) Born Againn Series

Contributed by Joel Newman on Jan 21, 2022

It is because of advent, as spoken by the prophets that a journey can begin. A journey which is made up of grace.

And Then…. #1 New Beginnings A series regarding the journey to: “His Lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:23 NKJV) Proposition: Either start the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:23, Isaiah 43:1-10

Denomination: Nazarene

Lighting The Way!

Contributed by K. Heath Mcdougal-Deans on Jan 11, 2020

We are the ground troops in charge of lighting the darkness on this earth. We can light up the world with our attitude. We can light up the world with service and good deeds. And, last but never least... lighting the way with LOVE!

Lighting the Way! ILL.- It was at the end of the school year, and a kindergarten teacher was receiving gifts from her pupils. The florist’s son handed her a gift. She shook it, held it overhead, and said, "I bet I know what it is. Some flowers." "That’s right!" the boy said, ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-9, Matthew 5:14-16, John 8:12

Denomination: Other

Living The Legacy

Contributed by Joseph Rodgers on Nov 15, 2006

Shared on commitment Sunday of a capital campaign challenging the church to rise up and leave a legacy.

Living the Legacy, Making Disciples October 29, 2006 Joshua 24:1-24 Intro: When Ohio State played for the NCAA Championship in 2003, coach Jim Tressel wanted to encourage his players to step up to another level. In his pre-game speech he asked a powerful question: “What do you want to be ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:1-24

Denomination: Baptist

Where God Lives

Contributed by Monty Newton on Jul 20, 2015

When we are in Christ and Christ is in us, God takes up residence within us.

Title: Where God Lives Text: Ephesians 2:11-22 Thesis: When we are in Christ, God takes up residence within us. Introduction The United States of America has often been referred to as a “melting pot” where people from many different countries, races, and religions, all hoping to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Landmarks

Contributed by Ian Johnson on Jul 4, 2005

The lord is calling you to set up landmarks in the Spirit! So my people will have something to set their bearings against set up landmarks of eternal value in the Spirit, and my people will find their bearings.

LANDMARKS The lord is calling you to set up landmarks in the Spirit! So my people will have something to set their bearings against My people have lost sight of Jesus, His Word and obedience to the Holy Spirit, and they are setting up landmarks of no eternal value. Big Church, Big sound, big Man, ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 19:14

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Dark Side Of Christmas

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Dec 16, 2008

Herod was among the first few to hear the Christmas message, but he was too bent on doing his own will, too wrapped up in himself, and too caught up by power and control, to see the light.

Matthew reminds us that Jesus did not enter the world with sparkling lights and soothing carols. • Jesus along with his family begins his life as a refugee in need of asylum. • King Herod was part of the backdrop of this first Christmas play, together with the singing angels, the happy shepherds ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Asking Both Kings For The Wall

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 15, 2010

For every significant task, there is the "sit-down" approach and the "rise-up" approach. We need both to sit down and pray and then to rise up and do, but even then by involving the resources of others. Lone wolves are not appropriate.

When a big challenge faces you, essentially there are only two things you can do about it: You can rise to the challenge. Or you can sit down and ignore it. When there is a big task to be done, I am saying, there are two entirely different ways to approach it. There is the rise up approach and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Plot That Went To Rot

Contributed by Craig Benner on Jun 4, 2011

Why do christians get caught up in spiritual competition? It usually leads to hypocrisy and many times ends up even worse. Take a deeper look at this matter that is a revival stopper or a revival maker.

The Plot that went to Rot Acts 5:1-11 1 ¶ Pero cierto hombre llamado Ananías, juntamente con Safira su mujer, vendió una posesión. (SRVA) 1 ¶ But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, (KJV) 2 Con el conocimiento de su mujer, sustrajo del precio; y llevando una ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11

Denomination: Pentecostal

To Save A Life

Contributed by Tim Diack on Aug 22, 2012

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert so the Son of Man must be lifted up! Sin brings death but by God's grace the sinner recieves life! Message ends with the sharing of the Lord's Supper.

To Save A Life - Numbers 21:4-9 / John 3:14 - July 1, 2012 Communion Sunday Folks, if we’re honest this morning we’re going to admit that there are many things that God has done throughout history, and continues to do in our day, that we can’t fully wrap our minds around. ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 21:4-9

Denomination: *other

Empty Promises - Easter

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Mar 31, 2010

How can God fill you up if you are not empty first? God allows emptiness in your life for one reason - You are empty - Now God has the opportunity to fill you up.

I was assigned to retrieve box number 673 A. I took my little pink piece of paper with my assignment for the afternoon - find box #673 A, Humana Hospital, February 1970. I had just started to working at this medical file warehouse and so I naively thought that the boss was starting me off slow, I ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Please God

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Oct 23, 2023

We can’t live up to our own expectations any more than we can live up to everyone else’s demands. For a Christian, the goal is not to please self, but to please God.

Alba 10-22-2023 HOW TO PLEASE GOD I Thessalonians 2:1-8 Back in 1975 Rick Nelson recorded a song called “Garden Party.” The song tells about the day he learned the truth: "You can’t please everyone." If you remember the TV show, Ozzie and Harriet, you know that Ricky Nelson was one of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Joshua, The Fulfillment Of God's Promises. Series

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Feb 7, 2025

The people of Israel were slack in taking up their inheritance in The Promised Land, are we slackers also, not taking up the freedom we can have, the abundant life we can have in Christ Jesus?

Back into the deep dive into scripture; Joshua. Joshua 14:1-6 and Joshua18:1-8. We had previously, last year, looked at Joshua and the defeat of Jericho, we had journeyed that far in the Old Testament, my first few sermons of 2025 were about living victoriously in Christ. But back to Joshua the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 14:1-6, Joshua 18:1-8, Genesis 12:7, Genesis 15:16, Joshua 24:12-13, John 10:10, John 16:1-8, John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 3:19  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Preparing To Worship God

Contributed by Timothy Jones on Jan 27, 2003

If we are going to bring honor to Christ, we must prepare to worship, not just show up....

Preparing to Worship God-Pastor Tim Jones Exodus 19 1. Everything takes preparation! ?Those that Fail to plan-Plan to Fail? a. When your kids go to school-you don?t just go off to college- b. Weddings-You don?t just get married???? c. Moving into a new home?.. d. It all takes Preparation Joke: A ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-15

Denomination: Holiness

Who Prays In A Modern Global Society?

Contributed by Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid on May 16, 2014

Prayer is not for the faint of heart. It requires a well-made up mind to serve the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Who Prays In A Modern Global Society? By Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (May 16, 2014) “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (I Peter 3:12 King James Version, KJV ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:12-22

Denomination: Friends