Sermons on Paul Anka:

Hands Open Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 21, 2008

Hands open may be a handshake or a salute, signalling friendship or respect. Just as those gestures affirmed Saul, we also must approach others by leading them to safety and by affirming their potential.

f I come toward you with an open hand, what does that mean? If I approach you from across the room with either one hand or both hands open, how would you interpret that? Well, of course, it would mean different things for different kinds of open hands. There is more than one way to be ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

Back To School Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 22, 2007

’Tis the season, and we can see 3 schools God took Saul thru before he graduated as ’Paul.’ The schools of Solitude, Suffering, & Seasoning. Link included to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint Presentation w/ graphics and animations.

Back to School Acts 9:21-30 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BackToSchoolForSaul.html ILL.- Teacher to student, “What are you – animal, vegetable or mineral?” The boy replied, “Vegetable. I’M A HUMAN BEAN.” ILL.- It was the little girl’s first day at school and the teacher was making out her ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:21-30

Denomination: Baptist

Bound And Determined Series

Contributed by Byron Harvey on Mar 30, 2009

Paul is warned not to go to Jerusalem, but he is bound and determined to trust God and go, even if it costs him dearly.

“Bound & Determined” Acts 21:1-16 July 6, 2008 Two questions as we begin this morning: how do you know you are really trusting God? What do you do when the will of God involves doing something that will really cost you? I. A Desperate Plea - :1-6 READ VV. 1-3 - This ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:1-16

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Under Arrest Series

Contributed by Byron Harvey on Mar 30, 2009

Paul goes to Jerusalem and is arrested; is he doing the will of God?

“Under Arrest” Acts 21:17-36 July 13, 2008 Could Paul have been wrong? Certainly, as I’ve repeated, he was a man, a man of flesh-and-blood, and he was not above sin! There are two points in today’s passage at which different commentators believe that Paul made an error. There ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:17-36

Denomination: Evangelical Free

A Question Of Identity Series

Contributed by Byron Harvey on Mar 30, 2009

Identity determines destiny.

“ A Question of Identity” Acts 21:37-22:21 July 20, 2008 Identity determines destiny. Now, hold onto that thought; I fully recognize that some folks will interpret that statement differently than others. Some of us have seen our share of televangelists who jettison the Word of God ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical Free

How Will God Find You?

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 18, 2011

Many times we as Christians live our lives in the dark. We think we are reasonably good people trying our best. But our past, our associations, the flesh, and the culture around us, conspire to blind us to many things that are not like the Lord going on i

The church today is in trouble. Two recent surveys show that church attendance, even among professing Christians, is way down. Many people today also feel that while they acknowledge faith in Jesus, also want a Burger King style religion—the “have it your way” mentality of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:11-21

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Maturing Is Hard To Do - But It's Worth It!

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 26, 2011

Too often as Christians we take short cuts to maturity. In reality the only way to become complete is to let the Lord take you through difficulty and make you seem to "fail." In the process He builds life and a character in you that will lead you into His

We all have a decision to make. After we become a disciple of Jesus Christ the culture around us, our own brokenness, and an invisible enemy—will all try to mitigate the work that the Holy Spirit is doing inside of us: transforming us into a new character. The decision we have to make is how ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:1-13

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Don't Go Under The House! Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 10, 2011

What do you rely on for how you behave? That might seem like a simple question but who and what influences you can mean the difference between relying on your own abilities or falling on the grace of Jesus. The answer is simple: die!

We start out so well. We come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and we’re filled with excitement and that “first love” feeling. Once the realities of the flesh with dwell with and the world we dwell in begin to sink in—we face a fork in the road of our Christian maturity. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:1-21

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Stand Firm!

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Oct 30, 2011

A first-person narrative based on the Apostle Paul’s final words of encouragement.

If you only had fifteen minutes to live, who would you want to speak to and what would you say? Would you, perhaps, call up your mom and tell her how much you love her for all that she did for you? Or would you sit down with the grandchildren and impress upon them again those things that are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:9-18

Denomination: Lutheran

Riding The Fence Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 1, 2011

More times than we would probably like to admit, we slip into legalism. It can happen when God takes too long to answer a prayer, or answers in a way we don't expect. We take over the reigns, and it's a mistake!

To continue Paul’s arguments against legalism he turns again to a story in the Old Testament. This time it is the children that God promised to Abram. The issue is whether you let God fulfill His promise of righteousness in you, or whether you want to take the controls and do it yourself. ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The War Within Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 7, 2011

Being human we are born with certain default settings that drive us to think in certain ways. When we become a Christian a war starts between a new nature seeking to establish a beachhead and take over and the old regime that wants to stay in control.

The human mind is self-rationalizing. In other words, we will rationalize our thoughts and actions according to ourselves, rather than to some external source. Even when we read something or hear something and alter our behavior, it is because we choose to believe that thing we read or ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-18

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

When Your First Choice Is God's Second Choice

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Jan 6, 2012

A sermon about the providence of God as discovered in the life of Paul.

Acts 16:7-8 KJV After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. [8] And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. I. INTRODUCTION—THE CHALLENGE OF CONTENTMENT -One of the most challenging spiritual battles that many face in our ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:7-9

Denomination: Pentecostal

What Good Are You? Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jan 3, 2011

Sometimes we feel like God has to completely change us in order to use us. Paul shows us that God takes the background, weaknesses, and even difficulties and uses them for His kingdom, if we let Him.

Who are you as a person? Who are you as a Christian? Do those two questions get two different responses from you? I think often times we think that when we come to Christ, Jesus basically considers us to be a blank slate that needs to be redrawn into the character of Jesus and that everything about ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Wrapping Up A Memorable Trip

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 22, 2010

WRAPPING UP A MEMORABLE TRIP (PowerPoint slides to accompany this talk are available on request - email: gcurley@gcurley.info)

Reading: Acts chapter 14 verses 21- 28: A Quick Review • The two missionaries (Paul & Barnabus) had been away from home for months. • They had journeyed from Antioch of Syria to Derbe which is in modern day Turkey. • During this first missionary journey; • Paul & ...read more

Scripture: Acts 14:21-28

Denomination: Brethren

Grace On Trial.

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 22, 2010

Grace on trial.. (PowerPoint slides to accompany this talk are available on request - email: gcurley@gcurley.info)

Dealing with tradition Reading: Acts chapter 15 verse 1-35 Ill: A very poor holy man lived in a remote part of China. • Every day before his time of meditation in order to show his devotion, • He put a dish of butter up on the window sill as an offering to God, • One day his cat came in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:1-35

Denomination: Brethren