Sermons on Outward Focus:

Directing My Prayer

Contributed by Timothy Finch on Mar 14, 2006

Using the Lord’s Prayer as our model, a look at the upward, outward, downward, and inward direction of our prayer life.

Directing My Prayer Matthew 6:9-14 9 "This, then, is how you should pray: "’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-14

Denomination: Baptist

A Tug Of War In The Church

Contributed by Jose Gomez Sr. on Feb 21, 2007

The word encourages us to not only think about ourselves but to consider others in our dicisions. Not only be inward but also outward focused.

Is there a tug of war in the church? Rev. Jose Gomez Sr. Play Audio *Phillipians 2:1-4 "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Matthew 5 - Take A Bath! You Smell Like A Hypocrite! Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 27, 2009

Take a bath! You smell like a hypocrite! Better to live like the unbeliever you are than to act like a Christian on Sundays. Because at least you won’t be deceiving yourself. Take the Purity in heart test from Matthew 5 and examine your motives!

Matthew 5 - Take a bath! You smell like a hypocrite! I don’t know about you but I don’t like the term "pure in heart". It seems like woose talk or I think of someone with an intellectual disability or so totally naïve they don’t see bad things happening all around them. Maybe even children, up to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Five Smooth Stones (Hix)

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on May 27, 2012

Focus on giants, you stumble Focus on God, and your giants tumble

1 Samuel 17:40-Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. Gaints that we face inside of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:40

Denomination: Baptist

How Can You Tell Who Is Ready To Receive God

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 6, 2013

A look at how we frequently judge the inward readiness by the outward appearance and why that doesn't work.

HOW CAN YOU TELL WHO IS READY TO RECEIVE GOD? Outward appearance is a poor indicator of inward readiness. - Jonah 3:5-10. - Focusing on outward appearance hurts our witnessing because we don’t want to be mocked. - There are many who appear to be far away from God because they are in fact very ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:5-10

Denomination: Baptist

What The Bible Teaches About Baptism

Contributed by Grant Adams on Sep 26, 2021

Baptism is an outward picture of an inward change that happened at salvation. It is the first act of obedience to our new life in Christ.

The Great Commission of evangelizing the world was given to the New Testament church. Our job is not complete until the convert is baptized. The burden rests upon the church to teach the doctrine of baptism. The burden rests upon the convert to conform to it after they have been taught. Many saved ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Denomination: Baptist

Paul's European Tour Series

Contributed by Jonathan Russell on Oct 13, 2011

This message looks at the lessons we can learn from Paul's teaching as he traveled throughout Europe with the Gospel message

INTRODUCTION * Progression in the book of Acts: - started with a group of men, given a challenge by Christ to take the message of Christ to all the world - these and faithful to share that message, as were those they shared it with; a successive chain of evangelism - the growth/flourish of the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Parable Of The Mustard Seed Series

Contributed by Dr. Tom Badia on Feb 15, 2024

This parable, like all parables, has one dominate lesson in it. The lesson is: “The Outward Growth of the Kingdom of God

05. The Parable Of The Mustard Seed Matt. 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19 INTRODUCTION From the first two parables that Jesus taught and then explained, it is easy to conclude that the disciples may have been discouraged by what they heard... • In “The Parable Of The Sower”, only one ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:30-32

A Sustained Commitment

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 9, 2006

In order to have a sustained commitment, you need to: 1. Focus on the goal. 2. Focus on fact, not feeling. 3. Focus on growth.

The backdrop for this day on the Christian calendar, which we call Palm Sunday, is the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast. Jesus has come riding into town from the Mount of Olives on a small donkey. Crowds are following him and shouting in excitement. The Bible says, “The ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-8

Denomination: Methodist

Making Truth Attractive Series

Contributed by Dean Rhine on Nov 12, 2012

focus on gospel

Titus 2:10-15; 3:4-8 October 23, 2011 Turn with me this morning to the book of Titus, chapter 2. I trust that by now you have learned where the book of Titus in located - in the middle of the NT, right after 1 & 2 Timothy, and right before Philemon and Hebrews. This letter is written by the ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:10-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Learning Prayer From The Early Church Series

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Oct 21, 2016

The Focus of Prayer

A. WHAT WAS THE FOCUS OF PRAYER? 1. We should pray for leadership. “O Lord . . . You know every heart. Show us which . . . You have chosen to replace Judas” (Acts 1:24, NLT). 2. That the Holy Spirit will minister among us. “They prayed for the new Christians to receive the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9

Denomination: Baptist

God's Greatest Dream

Contributed by Dean Rhine on Jun 19, 2018

A focus on creation

God’s Greatest Dream Today is the first Sunday of a new year, 2005 - and it is only the second day of the year. We have a new, fresh year ahead of us, and what we make of it will determine the character and qualities we possess at the end of the year. Many people fill their days at the turn of ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Clean Heart Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Oct 9, 2009

If we want to find life and joy in our relationship with Christ, we must focus on Scripture not tradition, and focus on a clean heart not clean hands.

Clean Hearts (Mark 7:1-23) Alan Kraft, in his book, Good News for Those Trying Harder, shares a story about a time when his wife borrowed his car and heard a CD he had loaded in the sound system. The song touched her. When she asked him about it, he was able to recite the lyrics, but was unable ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Denomination: Evangelical Free

How To Pray A Perfect Prayer

Contributed by Rick Crandall on May 20, 2011

There are only 66 words in the Lord’s Prayer, but it can teach us how to pray a perfect prayer. 1. Focus on your Father. 2. Focus on your family. 3. Focus on your faith. 4. Focus on your forgiveness. 5. Focus on your future.

How to Pray a Perfect Prayer Matthew 6:9-13 Sermon by Rick Crandall McClendon Baptist Church - February 24, 2008 (Revised March 6, 2021 to correct my error about this being the same prayer as the Lord's Prayer in Luke 11:1-4) BACKGROUND: *Do you ever wish you could learn how to pray better? ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13

Denomination: Baptist

"All This I Will Give You" Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 26, 2005

Our focus needs to be on God, not our flesh. Our focus needs to be on God, not false faith. Our focus needs to be on God, not on false gods.

“All This I Will Give You” Matthew 4:1-11 INTRODUCTION Sun Tzu was a general in China about 500 BC. If we relate this time to other world events, the Jews were in captivity and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were preaching. About 520, the Jews began to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem and we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ