Sermons on Palm Trees:

Accused Before The Council Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Nov 14, 2018

Having been betrayed, arrested, and taken to the home of the high priest, Jesus then faced preposterous allegations. Finally admitting that He was the Son of God, the council voted to codemn Jesus for blasphemy.

Accused before the Council Mark 14: 53-65 Jesus has now been betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane and is led away to stand trial before the Sanhedrin. Our text deals with the mock trial, standing before the council of the Pharisees. John’s gospel records that Jesus stood before Annas, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:53-65

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 7: Exegesis Not Eisegesis

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 5, 2018

Let's diminish bad Bible interpretation in the pulpit.

Lesson Goal In this lesson I hope to eradicate or greatly diminish bad biblical interpretation in churches. I also hope to arm both preacher and congregation against the shoddy Scriptural analysis of many televangelists and popular Christian writers. Lesson Intro You can give a man a fish or ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

More Than We Bargained For Series

Contributed by Vic Folkert on Mar 22, 2018

What happens when we try to bargain with God? We get more than we bargained for! We get to build our character, confront our past, and learn how to cope with difficult people.

MORE THAN WE BARGAINED FOR—Genesis 29:1-30:24 The young man gets into the car, and hits the steering wheel with his palm. His girlfriend—the light of his life—has dumped him. How could God let this happen? He has loved her well, and honored God in his courtship. What has it gotten him? The man ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Tortured Christ

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Mar 22, 2018

The account of Jesus' suffering and death on our behalf has become so familiar that if we are not careful we can skim right through it when reading the Bible and never give it a second thought. Let's look at it again to day with fresh eyes of wonder.

Let's stand and read together our memory Scripture for this first quarter of 2018. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will also disown us; if we are faithless, He remains ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:1-39, John 1:1-3, Psalm 22:14-18

Denomination: Nazarene

Developing A Personal Walk With God

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Oct 22, 2017

In Moses' frank conversation with God, we learn to pray for those who rebel against God, hunger for the presence of God, long for more of God, and shine with the light of God. As we seek after God, God will reveal more of himself to us.

Exodus 33:12-23 Developing a Personal Walk with God Today’s conversation between Moses and God is pretty gutsy. Moses seems very comfortable with God, even to challenge God: “You don’t go with us, we don’t go!” Moses is praying real prayers here, nothing held back. And what is even more amazing ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:12-23

Denomination: Baptist

A Committed Journey Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Apr 4, 2018

As Jesus and the disciples departed Capernaum and headed toward Jerusalem for the last time, there was a sense of heaviness. He accurately described the events that would transpire there - His betrayal, death, and resurrection.

A Committed Journey Mark 10: 32-34 As we have studied the gospel of Mark, we have grown accustomed to the rapid nature in which the events in Jesus’ life and ministry were recorded. Mark left very little in between material, and fewer details than the other gospels. The first ten chapters cover ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:32-34

Denomination: Baptist

Cavorting With Cowardice

Contributed by Douglas Phillips on Apr 10, 2018

THIS IS THE THIRD OF A FOUR PART SERIES ON THE CHARACTERS OF EASTER. PILATE WAS PLACED IN THE SITUATION WHERE TO ACT COURAGEOUSLY AND RELEASE JESUS COULD COST HIM HIS POSITION. HE CHOSE THE COWARDLY WAY AND BOWED TO THE CROWD AND ALLOWED JESUS' DEATH.

CAVORTING WITH COWARDICE MARK 15:1-15 TODAY WE CONTINUE WITH OUR SERIES LEADING UP TO EASTER BY LOOKING AT THE CHARACTER OF PILATE. JESUS’ ILLEGAL TRIAL HAS JUST BEEN COMPLETED, AND JESUS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF BLASPHEMY. JESUS REMAINED SILENT DURING THIS TRIAL MOST LIKELY BECAUSE FOR MANY REASONS, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

How She Became A Creationist

Contributed by Coz Von on Jul 25, 2018

A life changing experience

Seven years old, lying in my dark bedroom, saying a prayer to God, I realized that my words were bouncing down from the ceiling and hitting me in the face. God was not with me in my heart, but out there somewhere—and there was a great blackness between us. I couldn’t reach Him, and I knew, truly ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Israel's Sin And The Servant's Obedience

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 29, 2011

This study of Isaiah 50 compares the disobedience of Israel and the obedience of the humble servant who is the Lord's anointed one.

Isaiah 50: Israel’s sin and the Servant’s Obedience Intro: Isaiah 50 is the third “servant song” (the first two are Isaiah 42 and 49). This song shares some things in common with the previous chapter. There was an allusion to the disfigurement of the crucifixion when the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 50:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Keeping People From God Series

Contributed by Ken Henson on Oct 15, 2012

Could it be that it is us who keep people from coming to Jesus? Just like the crowd obstructed the blind beggars from coming to Jesus, or the disciples from letting the children come to Jesus, we as Christians tend to pose obstacles to come to Jesus!

The blind men want to see Jesus. We know from Mark that one of those blind men were named Bartimaeus, and he had been blind all his life. First thing you see when you open your eyes is Jesus. I think that would be a wonderful thing! But we see that the crowd rebukes them. This is like the people ...read more

Denomination: *other

He’s Not Given Up On Us Yet

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Oct 3, 2011

God doesn’t give up on us even when we give up on ourselves. As someone has said, “It ain’t over until God says it’s over.”

He’s Not Given Up On Us Yet Philippians 1:1-6 There are times that Christians may become discouraged and feel like giving up because things aren’t going well. Some may feel that either they have messed up in life and cannot be used by God or that God for whatever reason has just given ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

When Things Don't Go As Planned

Contributed by Dean Morgan on Oct 10, 2011

I wish I could stand here today and tell you that if you serve the Lord you want ever have any problems in your life; I wish I could tell you that if you develop a close relationship with the Lord that you will always be in control of the circumstances th

TEXT: John 11:1-44 One of the first things that I notice about this story is the relationship between this family and Jesus. It wasn’t a strained relationship or an odd one but it was one of closeness and intimacy. They didn’t just have a casual acquaintance but a close encounter ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-44, John 11:1

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Healing Of Naaman

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 18, 2012

The healing of Naaman is replete with strange incidents, which are there to make us think out of the box.

Story: My old Chaplain (when Maddy and I were in Basle) Tom Roberts used to say that when you are stumped for a Bible passage to preach on - use the story of Naaman. And for many of you who have gone to Sunday school, it is a very familiar and much loved story. But the more I thought about it ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-15

Denomination: Anglican

Responses To The Resurrection: Scandal

Contributed by Ken Pell on Apr 5, 2012

Many emotions make an appearance in the Scriptures during Holy Week and only the resurrection of Christ brings their resolve.

Responses to the Resurrection: Scandal Mark 14:66-71 {NIV} 66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. 67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said. 68 But he ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:66-71

Denomination: Nazarene

The Easter Continuum

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Apr 8, 2012

We all live our lives in relationship to God on some level. There’s a continuum from rejection of God to being embraced by God. This sermon outlines that continuum, which is often the journey we take to God.

The visuals for this sermon are at http://prezi.com/8fxspeqp4jxn/easter-sunday-the-continuum/ So. Easter. Resurrection Sunday. It’s a great day. A day we remember every year when everything changed. How many of us were here last Palm Sunday? We celebrated the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational