Sermons on Pause:

Joy And Pain

Contributed by Joe Dan Vendelin on Feb 14, 2024

How are your current trials (pain) preparing you for not only what you need today (or tomorrow), but what others may need today (or tomorrow) as well? This is a quick devotional that will encourage believers to "reframe" their pain.

Joy and Pain What do the words joy and pain mean to us as believers? How is it that these words go together? James 1 is a place to start in considering these questions. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-3, Galatians 6:2, Romans 8:28

The Superman And His Kryptonite Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 19, 2002

What was the source of Samson’s strength? Was it what he told Delilah, or was it something else?

OPEN: My wife and I have always enjoyed doing jig saw puzzles. We’ll put them out on a folding table and work on it for days, enjoying the experience as we successfully put in piece after piece. I recently ran across another person’s experience with a jig saw puzzle. She wrote: "After toiling over ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:1-31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Trust, But Still Do Your Homework Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 28, 2002

Trusting God means both letting go and listening, and it means getting busy and going in the direction He leads

Trust, But Still Do Your Homework Joshua 2 Intro: There is an old Persian proverb, which says: “Trust in God, but tie your camel.” It acknowledges the tension we often come up against when we talk about trust – what is God’s part and what is our part? When does trust mean that we do nothing ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 2:1-24

Denomination: Baptist

Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures

Contributed by Greg Rupley on May 21, 2003

What Would You do to bring someone to Christ? Looks at the full text Luke 5: 17-26 with a call for decision at the end.

Luke 5: 17-26 … “Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures.” Jesus Heals a Paralytic (original except for titles of outline points.) What would you be willing to do for $10,000,000? In their book, The Day America Told the Truth, James Patterson and Peter Kim reveal some shocking statistics ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Waiting For God's Answer Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Sep 16, 2006

In this lesson we learn how to wait for God’s answer to our problems.

Scripture Let’s continue with the third message in our series titled, “Making Sense of Today’s News.” Let us read Habakkuk 2:1-3: 1 I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:1-3

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Abraham - The Hero Of Faith Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 2, 2006

Why did God find it necessary to test Abraham’s faith? What purpose did it serve?

OPEN: Three military recruiters were on hand to address a gathering of high school seniors. The recruiters represented different branches of the military: Army, Navy, and Marines and each of was given fifteen minutes to speak. The Army and Navy recruiters got a little carried away with their ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Blaming Bathsheba

Contributed by Paul Pattison on May 31, 2005

David models for the believer the pathway from condemnation to renewed confidence with God.

Don’t Blame Bathsheba 2 Samuel 11:1-12:14 “In the spring, when the kings normally went out to war, David sent out Joab, his servants, and all the Israelites. They destroyed the Ammonites and attacked the city of Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.” Armies have for centuries kept their top ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Friend After Your Own Heart Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 13, 2005

Jonathan’s friendship with David has always been the model of the ideal friendship for Christians. But there is an even deeper application to this description of the love Jonathan had for David. Do you know what it is?

OPEN: I sang “You’ve Got A Friend” (a song by James Taylor and made popular by Carole King - if you’d like a copy of the words with guitar chords e-mail me at jesus@kconline.com) APPLY: Several years ago the song “You’ve Got A Friend” was extremely popular. And it was popular because it caught the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Heart To Honor Authority - A Man After God's Own Heart Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 20, 2005

It’s easy to submit to someone in authority when we agree with them. But what if those in authority over us aren’t "good" men? What if they make immoral decisions? What if they are mean, spiteful, and dangerous?

OPEN: The first words that a child says always seem so cute. Brad’s baby daughter’s first word was “Wow!” Other children learn to say “mommy” or “daddy.” But there is a word that children learn to say that’s not quite so cute. Do you know what it is? That’s right: “No!” As they grow older we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 24:1-22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Worship Is Not ... Series

Contributed by Rev. Saeed Richardson on Aug 28, 2004

In looking into the reality of spiritual authenticity of worship, walk, and witness, this sermon looks into the first part of worship "is not".

Worship IS NOT! When speaking of the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans of this time we must understand that there was a hatred and bitterness greater than any that we could probably imagine. The closest example I can think of to relate Jews and Samaritans may be that of segregation ...read more

Scripture: John 4:19-24

Denomination: Baptist

Silent Answers

Contributed by Bob Reish on Aug 8, 2004

God’s answers are often in His silence

Silent Answers John 11: 1-44 Opening illustration: When Jenelle was born I expected a to ¡§feel¡¨ ¡§something¡¨. I did not ¡§feel¡¨¡¨anything¡¨. I was disappointed because I had unrealistic expectations about something that I did not know about. We often get disappointed in God because we ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-44

Denomination: Baptist

Dare To Be Free Again Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Mar 27, 2003

Jesus rose to bring us freedom. But we tend to adapt to sin and the things that easily entangle, rather than really getting free. Beginning with some thoughts on war in Iraq

Dare to Be Free Again: “Up From the Grave: Lent 2003” March 22/23, 2003 Intro: Once again we find ourselves in the midst of a world at war. We’ve seen the pictures of bombs dropping, of soldiers racing through the desert, of people surrendering. I didn’t anticipate that today’s title, which I ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-2, John 8:32-36

Denomination: Baptist

The Message To The Church In Sardis Series

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Nov 18, 2003

The Church in Sardis was the church everyone wanted to be like, but Jesus says that it is dead

Revelation 3:1-6 November 9, 2003 The Message To the Church in Sardis The Dead Parrot Sketch – Monty Python - Taken from “Now for Something Completely Different” A customer enters a pet shop. Customer: ’Ello, I wish to register a complaint. (The owner does not respond.) C: ’Ello, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: *other

It's Just A Little Bit Like High School! Series

Contributed by Eric Bain on Feb 1, 2007

This message examines why we can trust Luke to tell us the story of Christ.

It’s Just a Little Like High School! Luke 1:1-4 © 2006 Eric Bain NOTE: This sermon is available in audio format @ www.sanctuary-church.com This morning, were beginning a brand new series… diving into the Gospel of Luke. But what is the Gospel of Luke??? Well, really, its the history that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Forcing Ourselves On God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 14, 2007

There’s only one way to get to heaven... but people always seem to be trying to force God to do things their way. What types of things do people do to force their will on God’s Word?

OPEN: A school teacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all. On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in school. Walking ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:16-25

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ