Sermons on Paused:

Believing God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 21, 2002

Abraham is such a great man of faith that at times its hard to relate to him. God knew that, so He told us few things about this super-hero of the faith that help us understand how powerful his faith really was.

OPEN: A man once told a story about his 84 year old grandmother. Apparently, she fiercely maintained her independence and lived alone in the old family home. Her 4 children lived in the same town, but she rarely called them except in emergencies. It was with some apprehension, therefore, that he ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:8-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Selfless Christianity In Action - A Servant Series

Contributed by Joey Nelson on Nov 10, 2002

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” --John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address Washingt

SERMONIC / WORSHIP THEME Opening Statement: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” --John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:25-30

Little Seed - Big Tree Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 19, 2007

Why did the farmer in this parable plant the mustard seed? Jesus doesn’t stress the harvest from this tree... only the fact that birds come and settle in its branches. Why?

OPEN: There’s a story about a student from MIT who spent an entire summer going to the Harvard football field every day wearing a black and white striped shirt walking up and down the field for ten or fifteen minutes throwing birdseed and blowing a whistle. Then he would walk off the field. At ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:31-35

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Giving Thanks In The Mourning

Contributed by Philip Grose on Nov 24, 2004

We all struggle with the sin in our lives. Some days we wonder how we will ever measure up to the standards that God has commanded in his holy word. Paul came to the conclusion that it is only through Christ Jesus our Lord that we can hold on and propse

“Giving Thanks in the mourning” The residents of Lane County, on the Oregon coast, woke up one morning to a devastating find. A forty-five foot, eight ton pacific grey whale had died and washed up on the beach near the town of Florence. It had been a while since such a large whale had washed up ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:14-25

Denomination: Methodist

Home Baked Christmas Series

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Dec 6, 2004

1st of 4 at Christmas. The basic outline and some illustrations were adapted from a message by Melvin Newland entitled "Home Baked Happiness"

Home Baked Christmas Depression at Christmas is a real problem for a lot of people. Depression at Christmas - survey results by Christine Webber and Dr David Delvin. The NetDoctor survey on Depression at Christmas shows quite clearly what many of us have long suspected - that Christmas is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Miracle On 42nd St - Christmas At The Movies Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 6, 2004

The miracle in the movie: "Miracle on 34th St" depended upon letters from the US Post Office. But the miracle on "42nd" St depended upon a different paper trail.

(Suggest playing a clip from Miracle On 34th St. – Where the Post office delivers mail for Santa Claus to the Court Room proving Kris Kringle to be Santa Claus) OPEN: Is there a Santa Claus? Nearly a century ago or more, there was a newspaper article written to a little girl named Virginia. Do you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Half-Time Talk Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 27, 2007

The Disciples had experienced one or two Passover Meals with Jesus before this. Why did Jesus wait til this last one to refer to how it applied to Him?

OPEN: There is a part of a basketball game that no spectator gets to see. No matter how important the ticket holder may be. No matter how much he’s paid for his seat. There is one event he will NOT be INVITED to observe. And yet this one event can change the entire course of a game. I’ve read of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:12-31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Big Breath

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Dec 24, 2005

A sermon for the First Sunday after Christmas A sermon about Simeon and Anna

First Sunday after Christmas Luke 2:22-40 "A Big Breath"  22 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord  23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:22-40

Denomination: Lutheran

We Don’t Deserve - And So We Serve Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 26, 2010

Sunday Morning Church is only a pre-game warmup for "real worship". Find out what real worship is all about and why it’s important we not think about it the same way the world does.

OPEN: A Sunday School teacher was teaching her children the benefits of unselfishness. She concluded by saying’ "The reason you are in this world, children, is to help others." After a moment’s silence, a little girl piped up "Well, then, what are the OTHERS here for?" As I studied Romans 12 ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Christian Love Series

Contributed by D Marion Clark on Oct 11, 2012

Love puts all the spiritual gifts into proper perspective.

Introduction Thirty-two years ago I sat on the grounds of a college in Denton, Texas reading a New Testament. Although I was raised in church, I felt like I was reading the Bible for the first time. The highlight was when I came across 1 Corinthians 13. I have the chapter number circled, and it ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Give Ear To My Words, O Lord Series

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Oct 28, 2012

How to plead with God to hear your prayers. 1- Ask early 2- Hate evil 3- Seek mercy 4- Live righteously 5- Find refuge

INTRO.- ILL.- One Sunday in a Midwest city a little boy was "acting up" during the morning worship. His parents did their best to maintain some sense of order in the pew but were losing the battle. Finally the father picked the little boy up and walked sternly up the aisle on his way out. Just ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 5:1-12, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 5:1-5, Hebrews 4:16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Light Of The Season Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 25, 2011

We tend to take Christmas lights for granted. They're so common and so much a part of Christmas that we don't often give them much thought. But how tragic if we neglect the most important light of the season.

OPEN: We tend to take Christmas lights for granted. We see them on Christmas trees, and on bushes and buildings throughout the city. They’re in practically every store and mall, and sometimes we’ve seen them in synchronized musical displays on homes. So, we tend to take Christmas ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-13, 2 Samuel 19:24-30

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Would You Like To Get Well?

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Oct 18, 2011

Jesus still speaks and when we obey the power fills us, life changes and it is good.

Would you like to get well? Oct 16, 2011 Jn 5:1-15 Intro: 38 years is a long time, don’t you think? About half a lifetime. 38 years ago, 1973, Nixon was in the middle of the Watergate scandal, Montreal won the Stanley Cup and there was barely a hint of an Edmonton Oilers, the Academy ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

Christ Our Anchor And Refuge

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Jan 22, 2012

If we practice now walking closely with Jesus, when things are going ok, then when the rough times come, we will be grounded to the Anchor and be safe in the storm

When was the last time you faced a real storm in your life? Think back about what you went through, and about how you got through that time of real difficulty. Today, we’ll give some serious thought to how it is we can weather the bigger trials that come our way. When we face hardship, when we’re ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Putting First Things First Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Jan 23, 2012

Let's keep the main thing the main thing.

Putting First Things First Haggai 1:12-15 Rev. Brian Bill 1/22/12 A couple weeks ago, Reed Blunier, age three, came up to me and gave me a gift. He said it was for “Pastor Cheesehead.” It was a book called, “Kids Say the Cutest Things About God.” I’d like to read a ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:12-15

Denomination: Baptist