Sermons on Pause:

The Promise Of Heaven Youth Sermon

Contributed by Youth Sermons on Sep 5, 2023

The promise of heaven is eternal rest and freedom from all the sin, death, and destruction that permeates life. It's where weary travelers find everlasting rest and peace at the faithful feet of Jesus.

Today, we're gonna talk about the promise of heaven. That's that awesome place we get to go to when we believe in Jesus. But first, let me show you something cool. Object Lesson: Bring out a heavy backpack filled with rocks or books. Ask for a volunteer to wear it and walk around. See this ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:6-13, Matthew 11:28-30

Topics: Eternal Rest, Heaven's Promise, Afterlife, Spiritual Peace

Love Adores Extravagantly Youth Sermon

Contributed by Youth Sermons on Sep 5, 2023

Jesus loved extravagantly, and we can follow His example by loving others in the same way.

Imagine you've got the most expensive thing you own. Maybe it's your phone, your gaming console, or those brand-new sneakers. Now, imagine giving it away to someone you really care about. Sounds crazy, right? That's exactly what Mary did. Jesus was chilling at a dinner party when Mary, a woman ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-8

Topics: Lavish Affection, Unconditional Love, Luxurious Devotion, Opulent Adoration

A Fufitive Becomes King Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 4, 2000

: The only way a fugitive can become king is to have the qualities of patience and humility. These two character traits will always propel a fugitive into a leader for the Lord.

A Fugitive Becomes King Thesis: The only way a fugitive can become king is to have the qualities of patience and humility. These two character traits will always propel a fugitive into a leader for the Lord. Texts: II Samuel 1-5:5 Key verses: II Samuel 2:1 “ In the course of time, David ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Laughter Of Disbelief

Contributed by Jim Kane on Nov 25, 2002

Nothing is impossible with God.

This past week during some devotional reading, I read an excerpt from one of Fredrick Buechner’s books entitled, Peculiar Treasures: A Biblical Who’s Who and one of the passages that he addresses in the book is our main passage of this morning. "Quantitatively speaking, you don’t find all that ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15

Denomination: Church Of God

The Faithful Father Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jun 18, 2006

Why didn’t the father go after his Prodigal Son? Why did he just sit and wait when he could have done so much more to bring his son home?

OPENING STATEMENT: Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at how we can create a G-rated (a G-od centered) home in the midst of an R-rated world. This week, we’re going to look at a crucial element of that effort – fathers. ILLUS: Dr. James Dobson told the story of when he was about 3 three ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When God Says "Go!” Don't Say "No!”

Contributed by Jim Twamley on Mar 26, 2003

What new thing is Christ calling you to? Where is God saying to go? Where in your life are you telling God “No!”?

What new thing is Christ calling you to? Where is God saying to go? Where in your life are you telling God “No!”? What new territory is Christ calling this church to? The principle of “accelerated blessing.” = “The faster you trust and obey, the faster you will receive God’s blessing.” In ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:1-41

Denomination: Pentecostal

Really Sick And Really Tired Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 4, 2008

Jesus could have simply walked on once this woman had been healed. There were more important things to do... but that’s not how Jesus saw it. Why did Jesus do what He did for this woman?

OPEN: The Bible tells us many stories about people who suffered. The most famous is the story of Job and pain and heartache he endured for a period of his life. In addition to the sufferings of Job there are the hardships men like Joseph and Jeremiah and others experienced. And down thru the ages ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:40-48

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Lamb As Lord Part I Series

Contributed by David Scudder on Apr 27, 2009

I fear that American Christians have largely lost their focus on holiness. We have allowed the things of this world and our own personal desires to distract us from loving and serving Jesus Christ as we should. The solution is to allow the Bible to renew

Revelation 8:1-6; 15:1-8 Purpose: To display God’s wrath against sin. Aim: I want the listener to gain a greater sense of God’s awesome holiness. INTRODUCTION: The Lord is about to unmask the full fury of His wrath against sin. All of man’s vain attempts to excuse or ignore sin will be stripped ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 8:1-6

Denomination: Independent/Bible

What A Wonderful World Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 17, 2017

When we "Contend For The Faith" we need to realize the importance of contending for the fact that we have been created in the image of God. We're not an accident - we have value and a reason to live. But if folks damage that "image" how can they fix that?

(We started out the sermon with a video from BBC One Videos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auSo1MyWf8g - which displays the wonder of God’s creation accompanied by a poetic reading of the song “What A Wonderful World”) What a wonderful world we live in. The Psalmist observed “When I look at ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:1-3

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Doing The Holy Hug Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 4, 2013

The "holy kiss" was a common way to show love and acceptance in the early church. What was that "kiss" intended to accomplish for God and how can we (who often don’t do that) accomplish the same goals?

OPEN: For the next 4 weeks, we’re going to be looking at what the Bible says about kissing (pause). You know, the Bible is just FULL of kissing. There are stories where sons kiss their fathers. Friends kissing friends/ brothers kissing brothers. People kissing false idols. Kissing between a woman ...read more

Scripture: Romans 16:3-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Reclaiming Easter: Startled By Christ's Love

Contributed by David Ferguson on Apr 10, 2014

People all around us need compassionate ambassadors of Christ’s love. They need Bible verses with skin on!

Introduction: It’s on this day, that we celebrate the startling love of Jesus from Calvary and the message of hope from the Garden Tomb. Calvary and the empty tomb bring us hope in our darkest hours, hope for life now and life eternal. Jesus did amazing things while He was here on earth. He ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:5

Denomination: *other

Straightening Out What Is Crooked Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 14, 2008

Cretans still live. Liars and evil brutes still walk among us. Who are they, and how can I protect myself against them?

OPEN: A 3 year old boy went with his father to see a litter of kittens. On returning home, he breathlessly informed his mother, "There were two boy kittens and two girl kittens." "How did you know that?" his mother asked. "Daddy picked them up and looked underneath," he replied. "I think it’s ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:5-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Good, The Better And The Best

Contributed by Stephen E. Trail on Nov 21, 2016

A message point to the hazards of busyness in the Christian life.

"The Good, the Better, and the Best!" Luke 10:38-42 Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40 But ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Denomination: Baptist

The Lion, The Lamb And The Throne Room Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 19, 2016

Almost everyone has a picture in their minds of what Jesus looks like... but almost no one visualizes Him the way He's shown in Revelation 5. Why does God paint us a portrait of a wounded lamb with 7 horns and 7 eyes?

A preacher was showing a child a painting of Jesus. Trying to explain that we didn’t really know what Jesus looked like he said: "It's not really Jesus. It’s just an artist's conception of him." The child looked long and hard at the picture and said; "Well, it sure looks like him," ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:1-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Can You See This Sign? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 2, 2017

The blind saw Jesus, but the Pharisees couldn't. What were the differences in their blindnesses and what can we learn from the man born blind?

(Before reading the text and opening with prayer, we sang the following chorus: “I saw the light, I saw the light No more darkness, no more night Now I’m so happy, no sorrow in sight For praise the Lord… I saw the light.”) OPEN: When I’m preparing for a sermon, a lot of times I’ll take little ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-33

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ