Sermons on Parishioners:

Entering The Joy: A Five Talent Man

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 7, 2002

Funeral service for Robert Cecil White, poet, jazz musician, self-professed prodigal.

It’s hard to believe that it was only a few months ago when onto the scene, here at this church, there burst like a blaze of light a small intense man, dressed in a loose-flowing shirt, speaking up frequently. People took to him immediately; he was so open and so outgoing, and we at Takoma ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

At The Last He Will Stand Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 8, 2003

We search for permanence through accomplishments, wealth, legacies; but Job discovered that he needed a Redeemer who would stand in his place and bring him a lasting relationship with God.

Have you discovered that nothing which you call permanent really is permanent? Lots of things are called permanent, many things are described as lasting, but they aren’t. Not really. Not long ago I wanted to mark two plastic containers so that I could be sure they would stay permanently ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:7-27

Denomination: Baptist

Allies For The Children

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jul 4, 2004

We need to be allies of God for the children.

A teacher asked her students to list what they thought were the present Seven Wonders of the World. The students cast the most votes for 1. Egypt’s Great Pyramids 2. Taj Mahal 3. Grand Canyon 4. Panama Canal 5. Empire State Building 6. St. Peter’s Basilica 7. China’s Great Wall While gathering the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 1:8-9

Denomination: Church Of God

Do You See What I See?

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Dec 27, 2004

Shepards receive an invitation to the birth of Christ, They are expected to respond and tell others.

Acknowledgement – I found great value in a Christmas Sermon series by Darren Ethier – A fellow contributor to this site. His sermons are called “Christmas Perspectives Series.” Do you see what I see? Luke 2:8-20 If you will recall last week, we are looking at the perspectives of witnesses ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Congregational

Malice In Wonderland

Contributed by Scott Lefebvre on Nov 16, 2000

A reminder of Jesus' words that we would be known by our love one for another.

MALICE IN WONDERLAND I found a bizarre article in the newspaper not to long ago. It read… “Jimmy Bivins, a heavyweight title contender during the 1940s, underwent surgery after police found him wasting away in a dark, filthy attic. Bivins, 78 years old, was discovered by police who were ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Managing My Time God's Way Series

Contributed by Matthew Stoll on Dec 20, 2006

Our time is God’s not our own and we need to prioritize our time according to God’s priorities.

Illustration: Imagine you were given $86,400 at the beginning of every day. You wake up in the morning and look in your checking account, and your balance reflects an increase of $86,400. There is only one catch, you have to use every single dollar that day, if you don’t spend it, you lose it. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 24:1

Denomination: Methodist

Ecclesiastes: Wisdom For Postmoderns 3 - Is Wisdom Enough? Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 7, 2008

HOw do gain wisdom? Sometimes we find that what works in one situation backfires in another. But ecclesisastes helps us to see that the only source for wisdom is God himself.

Wisdom is one of those things we all aim for as we go through life. We try to teach it to our children from an early age. We want them to avoid the mistakes that we or others have made. So what do we do? We teach them the same way people have done it for millennia: through the use of proverbs. You ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:1-20

Denomination: Anglican

Promises To Keep Before I Sleep

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 8, 2007

We find it difficult to keep promises because we are focused on dealing with today’s issues. We back off our commitments to God because they are hard, but we can receive help from accountability partners, and can know joy and fulfillment.

To be a saint is not to be perfect; to be a saint is to be someone who makes promises and keeps them. Sainthood is not some magic status, conferred by the church for merit or miracles; sainthood is ordinary people living in extraordinary faithfulness, making promises and keeping them. Did you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 1:48

Denomination: Baptist

Abiding In The Vine I Series

Contributed by Stephen Fournier on May 7, 2007

Sermon on John 15 part 6

ABIDING IN THE VINE I Series on John 15 pt. 6 John 15:4 1/21/07 That hymn we just sang “Abide in Me” has a story behind it. It was written by a pastor by the name of Henry Francis Lyte. Orphaned at age nine, Henry was of ill health for most of his life. He was told by his doctor that he ...read more

Scripture: John 15:4

Denomination: Bible Church

"It Cannot Be Earned Or Repaid"

Contributed by Norm Story on Jan 29, 2010

God's gracious love that we cannot earn, control or repay

"It Cannot be Earned or Repaid" 2010 2 Kings 5:1-14 Ephesians 2:1-8 2 kin 5:1-14 The Healing of Naaman Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Measure Of A Successful Man

Contributed by Tim Patrick on Jun 19, 2009

As you study Joseph’s life you will attain a new measure of success.

How do you measure success? Some people measure success by money. Some people measure success by power. Some people measure success by public opinion. On this father’s day I want to take a look at a man in the Bible who was considered a successful man. I believe many people have a warped idea of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Why Religion Doesn't Work

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Aug 3, 2009

The folly of false religions. Only fullness and freedom are found in Christ.

The setting is the front of a small church. The pastor says from the pulpit, ‘I’ve misplaced my sermon notes, so I’m just going to read from this devotional—if I can find it here. While I look, maybe the choir can lead us in a hymn’. He glances at the choir which has one person.   The choir ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:16-23

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Beginning Of… Sin (Again) Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 23, 2010

God’s grace overwhelms the “second chance.”

Scripture Introduction To give someone a leg up means to help them climb higher by standing on your knee or in your cupped hands, like a human step stool. A billboard in St. Louis advertised a local church by proclaiming: “Jesus gives a leg up!” That is both helpful and hopeful… ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 9:18-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lust Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

Lust was considered to be the least deadly of sins though when you look at the church’s discussion of sexuality, you would think that it would be much higher. But it wasn’t. Our sexual desire is a gift from God. The problem is that when we change sexual i

Lust 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 Three ministers and their wives went out to dinner and were in a terrible accident, and all six were killed. They came to the Pearly Gates of Heaven and were greeted by St. Peter. "I know you are all men of the cloth," said St. Peter, "but as a matter of protocol I need ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7

Denomination: Methodist

The Fruit Of The Spirit "Joy" Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

This kind of Joy is really a "cheerful, calm, delight, and Christians should experience this joy more than any other people.

Well, we still have the Joy book, Philippians, fairly fresh in our minds from this winter. And as we talk about Joy as a fruit of the spirit we are talking not so much about jumping up and down for joy like when you win the lottery, though it might be like that I suppose. Sometimes I think people ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23