Sermons on Optimism Hope Faith:

Elijah And The First Child To Be Raised From The Dead Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 23, 2024

Elijah had been staying with a widow and several others in Zarephath, outside Israel's borders. Tragedy struck when the widow's son died. What would happen next?

Introduction: Elijah had come to Zarephath, a city in Sidon—Jezebel’s home country!—at the LORD’s command after living near the brook Cherith in Israel. In Zarephath, he stayed in a boarding house, we might say, operated by the widow whom the LORD had shown him. It seemed things were going well, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:17-24

Denomination: Baptist

Supernatural Truth Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 28, 2024

Demons and Angels - are they real? And if they are, what significance do they play in our lives as Christians?

The US Library of Congress has a list of about 27 categories of Supernatural beings (https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/tgm010399/) and the list included Centaurs Fairies, Ghosts, Ghouls, Mermaids, Monsters, Vampires, Werewolves, and so on. And on that page (where they list all these creatures) ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:41

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Repent & Believe! Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 19, 2024

Why is repentance so important... and why did Jesus follow telling His audience that they needed to include belief with that repentance?

About 10 years ago, there was a 67-year-old Belgian woman named Sabine Moreau. She had left home to travel about 1 ½ hours to Brussels (the capital city of Belgium). TWO DAYS LATER, after having crossed five international borders, she found herself in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Resting For Greatness Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 1, 2024

The Sabbath was on Saturday, and yet we worship on Sunday. Why do we do that, and what lessons from the Jewish Sabbath can we learn as Christians?

Before we get into the heart of the sermon I want to address idea of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was the 7th day of the week and that’s SATURDAY. On the Sabbath, Jews would worship God, spend time with their families. And… essentially, they did little else. The Sabbath was a DAY OF REST. In fact, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:23-28, Colossians 2:11-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Preparing For War Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 29, 2023

If Christians are called to go to war against the gates of Hell, what role does "going to church" play in the conflict?

About 20 years ago, a man received a call from his mother while deployed in Iraq. It was the weekend, and she asked if he had to work on Sundays. He replied “Mom, we have to work every day… it’s a war.” (Jeanice Shelley, Reader’s Digest 2/08 p. 50) Last Sunday we talked about the fact that we are ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:41-47

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Being A Doer Series

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jun 2, 2023

A journey through the practical wisdom of James.

Being and Doing James 1:19-27 August 26, 2001 Has someone ever told you a story and you have absolutely no clue where they’re going with it? One time, I was talking to someone who actually said, “to make a long story, longer...” Ugh! Make it shorter ... please, especially when I don’t know what ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-27

Denomination: Baptist

Condition Critical

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 4, 2023

When Jesus said “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” he did not absolve us from the responsibility to discern between good and evil.

An interesting thing happened during the opening worship of the 213th General Assembly. As the service began, the congregation stood to sing the first anthem. A great parade of banners, each representing one of our presbyteries, made its way down the center aisle. As the procession reached the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5, 2 Samuel 12:2-7

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Search Party

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 21, 2023

God chooses to work through people, weak and sinful as we may be, to be the finders of the lost, the bearers of his message, the search party to find and redeem the lost ones, the captives, the hostages. We’re it, folks.

Samuel Goldwyn, the famous movie mogul who was half of Metro Goldwyn Meyer, was once criticized for not being more socially conscious in his movies, that he produced entertainment without any redeeming social importance. He replied, “If you want to send a message, use Western Union.” And he had a ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Power Of The Name

Contributed by Jeff Taylor on Jun 24, 2023

Every believer has the legal right, the legal redemptive right, to use the Name of Jesus. The moment the Name of Jesus becomes a part of your prayer life, your prayer life receives legal authority in Heaven.

All that the Father is and has, He has invested in the Name of Jesus. Every believer has the legal right, the legal redemptive right, to use the Name of Jesus. The moment the Name of Jesus becomes a part of your prayer life, your prayer life receives legal authority in Heaven. This puts prayer on a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:13, Matthew 18:20, John 14:12

Denomination: Pentecostal

Condition Critical

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 1, 2023

The differences between us - you and me - and the brothers and sisters we find it so easy to criticize - shrinks to nothing at all when we look, instead, at the difference between ourselves and Jesus.

A few years ago I had an interesting talk with my mother about the nature of friendship. At one point I made the comment that the only bottom line requirement I had for a friend was that I needed to know I’d be forgiven for my mistakes. Her response was telling. She said that I had unrealistically ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35, Matthew 7:1-5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Ang Pagiging Ama Ng Diyos Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Sep 14, 2023

Ano ang pumapasok sa iyong isip kapag pinag-uusapan natin ang pagiging Ama ng Diyos? Ang isang malamang na sagot ay na naaalala nito ang imahe ng iyong sariling Ama. Sa halip na umasa sa ating karanasan upang maunawaan ang pagiging Ama ng Diyos kailangan nating tumingin sa banal na kasulatan.

Ano ang pumapasok sa iyong isipan kapag pinag-uusapan natin ang pagiging Ama ng Diyos? Ang isang malamang na sagot ay na naaalala nito ang imahe ng iyong sariling Ama. Para sa ilang mga tao na maaaring maging isang positibong samahan tulad ng, mapagmahal, mapagmalasakit na pagbibigay. Para sa iba, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:2-3, Romans 8:14-15, John 5:19-23, Romans 8:14-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Greatest Question That Mankind Has Ever Been Asked

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Sep 23, 2023

The Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros when he was playing in the Irish Open Golf Championship one of the evenings

after playing he turned up at the Club House not wearing a tie. • The doorman who was undoubtedly being a little too zealous stopped him, and pointed out that Club rules required the wearing of a tie, to which Ballesteros replied, “Do you know who I am.” “Yes, sir,” replied the doorman, but you ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:22-30

Denomination: Baptist

Personal Transformation (The Goodness Of God Within Us) Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Sep 27, 2023

Personal Transformation (The Goodness Of God Within Us) Series: Making All Things New Brad Bailey – Sept. 10, 2023

Personal Transformation (The Goodness Of God Within Us) Series: Making All Things New Brad Bailey – Sept. 10, 2023 Intro… Today… we are going to begin a short 3 weeks series entitled “Making All Things New” This is the declaration that Jesus makes. The disciple John, who was the closest disciple ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:5, Luke 15:11-24, John 4:19, Romans 8:16, Ezekiel 36:26, Galatians 5:22-23, Galatians 5:25  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Right Way To Fast Series

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Oct 2, 2023

This message looks at what Jesus has to say about our physical appearance when fasting. The way we present ourselves physically can speak volumes about the inner man. Who are we trying to impress when we fast? Jesus or the people around us?

I have entitled our message this morning, “The Right Way to Fast.” Jesus both practiced fasting and taught about it; and yet, fasting is something that is often feared and misunderstood. In many Christian circles, you rarely even hear about fasting; and yet, the Scripture mentions it more times ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16-18

Denomination: Baptist

3 Freedoms God Provides

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Oct 9, 2023

Continuing in series from Romans. It is an encouraging message on freedoms Christians now enjoy.

Please turn to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8 and beginning in verse 1. I will join you there in a minute. When we turn to Matthew, we find it is called, The Gospel of Matthew, or in some translations, the Gospel according to Matthew. Mark is called the Gospel of Mark or ...read more

Denomination: Baptist