Sermons on Optimizing:

Interpreting Life's Events Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 24, 2021

Jacob saw his life falling apart when in reality God was bringing it all together. The sons saw God punishing them, when in reality God was blessing them more than they had ever been blest.

Myron Maddsen, an outstanding author, speaker, and Christian leader in New Orleans, tells of his experience of interpreting his Bible story book as a young boy. He noted that all the characters had long flowing garments down to their feet, and angels had similar garb. So he concluded that only ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 42:18-28

Path To Palm Saunday

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 25, 2024

Palm Sunday is a time for us to prepare our hearts for the agony of His Passion and the Joy of His Resurrection.

Opening illustration: Watch a video clip on contemporary ’Palm Sunday.’ Let us read Matthew 21 and pick up the story from verse 1 going down to verse 11. Historical Background: Even today church folks get confused with Palm Sunday. On this Passover day, when Jesus came riding into town, there had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Look At Love

Contributed by Lee Houston on Jan 9, 2025

This week’s sermon will cover one word whose understandings are central to Judeo-Christian beliefs: I will explain one English word, Love. Why? The Greek language has nine different words for Love with six of those nine translated into bible text.

Sermon: A Look at Love Specific Purpose: The writers of our New Testament wrote mostly in Greek. This sermon's purpose is to investigate the Greek words for 'love'. As pastors, we do our best to explain some point in God’s Word in each sermon. That means we must first dig into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Hebrews 13:4, John 20:2

Followers Of God

Contributed by Victor Yap on Feb 10, 2025

Ephesians 5

FOLLOWERS OF GOD (EPHESIANS 5) Basketball fans know LeBron’s biggest wish this year? To play in the NBA on the same team as his son Bronny, which the senior is doing after the Lakers drafted the son at the last draft. Into eight games, the Lakers won four and lost four, with the son getting less ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Scheming Without A Schematic Series

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 17, 2025

When human design collapses, God’s blueprint restores; the Divine Draftsman rebuilds lives and cultures through grace, purpose, and renewed imagination.

(Finding the Blueprint Again) --- 1. The Great Design Problem We live in a world obsessed with building things—apps, ideologies, identities, futures. Every headline feels like a pitch deck: Here’s how to fix the world. Our confidence is architectural; we assume that with enough data, diversity, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1, Genesis 11:1-9, Colossians 1:16-17, Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 3:5-6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Purpose, Power And Promise

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Nov 14, 2003

God has promised power to those who seek His purpose in life.

INTRO.- ILL.- One of golf’s interesting moments came when a Scotchman demonstrated the new game to President Ulysses S. Grant. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, he took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President’s beard and surrounding vicinity, while the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:12-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Planning For The Future. Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 8, 2004

In the midst of tragedy and the misfortunes of life, it’s hard to remember that God still has a plan for your life... but He does.

OPEN: I once read the true story of a woman who told about how frustrated she’d gotten with her husband during the early years of their marriage. Apparently they both worked, but she took pride in the idea that she could still prepare good meals for them to eat. She’d prepare meals in advance and ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:8-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pounding Us Flat And Straightening Us Out Series

Contributed by Michael Whittle on Jul 15, 2004

God can cause good things to come out of your worst Troubles

Exodus 5:1-6:1 Pounding us Flat and straightening us Out (July 11, 2004) Introduction: Paul Li and I had a job to do last week at my house. We laid interlocking brick on my driveway. That was bad enough, but the really had work had to be done before the bricks were laid. We had to dig out 11 ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Deacons Modeling Biblical Leadership

Contributed by Kevin Higgins on Apr 18, 2005

A challenge for effective deacon leadership

God’s Glorious Church Deacons: Modeling Biblical Leadership 1 Timothy 3:8-13 Woodlawn Baptist Church April 17, 2005 Introduction “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Denomination: Baptist

Our Standing Before God-One Can Make A Diffeerence

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on May 21, 2005

How we need to make a difference

It’s not what you are that holds you back; it’s what you think you are not." - Denis Waitley I’ve learned: that we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for, that money doesn’t buy class. That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular, that under everyone’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:7

Denomination: Wesleyan

Tour Of A Greenhouse

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jan 24, 2003

In pursuit of a vision of discipleship, this sermon explores the picture of the church like a greenhouse: growing, nurturing, and transplanting. Concluding with a call to examine the soil of our soul.

Becoming a Greenhouse pt 2: Tour of a Greenhouse Matt. 13:1-9; 18-23 The Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:1-9; 18-23): “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

The Trespass And The Gift

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Jul 6, 2002

A message encouraging people to live in the victory already given us by Christ.

The Trespass and the Gift Romans 5:15-19 July 7, 2002 Introduction If you’re like me, you read the paper, listen to the news, or go to your favorite news web-site and you just wonder how our world survives the chaos we find ourselves in. Not a day goes by that people aren’t senselessly murdered, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:15-19, Hebrews 12:1

Denomination: Wesleyan

Reactions Speak Louder Series

Contributed by Byron Harvey on Mar 24, 2003

This is installment 8 in a series on I Corinthians 13, and deals with the fact that love "is not easily provoked."

“Reactions Speak Louder” I Corinthians 13:5 February 9, 2003 Love of Another Kind – I Corinthians 13 Donny Osmond’s back, the man who’s been a teenager for 35 years, and now he’s hosting a throwback show; it’s now just called “Pyramid”, but for years we knew it as the “$20,000 Pyramid”. If you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Positive Perserverance Prompts Prosperity

Contributed by Eric Snyder on Mar 8, 2002

atttitude

Positive Perseverance Prompts Prosperity Hebrews 12:1-3 Eric A. Snyder, Minister Farwell Church of Christ October 28, 2001 Mike Ditka, New Orleans Saints football coach with a reputation for optimism, came into the locker room to give his team a pre-game pep talk. "All right Boys!" he said, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A New Year's Example For The Church Of The Living God

Contributed by Ray Searan on Feb 21, 2004

This is a New Year’s Sermon using Ezra as a paradigm for the church

A New Year’s Example for the Church of Jesus Christ Text: Ezra 7:10 (KJV) 10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. Ezra 7:10 (Amplified Bible) 10For Ezra had prepared and set his heart to seek the Law of the ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 7:10

Denomination: Pentecostal