Sermons on Paused:

A Green Christmas Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 6, 2009

The Green decorations of Christmas speak of the promise of life in a season of barren trees and gloomy skies. The birth of Christ also speaks of that promise.

OPEN: Someone has developed a personality test based on how you decorate for Christmas: • If you have nothing but multicolored lights on your tree – you’re an extrovert. • If you only use white lights – you’re the type who asks his guests to remove their shoes at the front door. • But if you use ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:4-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Confession Is Good For The Soul Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 24, 2010

Confessing Jesus is part of our response to God’s gracious gift of salvation. But is it just a one time thing, where we recite a creedal statement and that’s it? Or is there more to it?

OPEN: Years ago, a young man had just gotten out of Bible College where he’d spent several years learning all the theological terminology that he thought would make him a successful preacher. He’d just been hired at a country church and he was determined to begin bringing new people to Christ set ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:8-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Not Judge Judy! Judge Jehovah

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on May 15, 2011

Conveying a message of hope that if we're saved in Christ, then there is no fear of one day having to face Judge Jehovah.

INTRO <TAKE GAVEL -- SWING AROUND IN YOUR HAND> <BANG IT A FEW TIMES> That can really wake someone up. Question -- does that sound intimidate you? It does me. It’s a sound I almost heard a number of years ago. Allow me to explain. Shortly after we returned to Minnesota from navy life, ...read more

Scripture: Judges 2:10-18

Denomination: Lutheran

Jesus Loves Me? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 25, 2008

This is one of the most difficult passages in the Gospels because it seems to portray a harsh, callous and uncaring Jesus. But it’s not. Find out why.

OPEN: In 1948, Harry Truman authorized an expenditure of $10,000 to have a balcony installed on the south side of the second floor of the White House. He’d barely gotten around to enjoying it when he became the first president since James Madison to evacuate the White House out of fear for his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-29

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Rolling Up His Sleeves Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 17, 2008

16% of Americans think of God as being critical and uncaring. Another 25% believe Him to be distant and unwilling to intercede in human affairs. But how does this contrast with the message of Isaiah?

In November of 1988 a 19 yr old woman fell asleep behind the wheel of her car at about 2:15 in the morning. Her car plunged thru a guardrail and was dangling by its left rear tire. A half dozen passing motorists stopped, grabbed some ropes from one of their vehicles tied the ropes to the back ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 59:9-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Two Ears And One Mouth

Contributed by Andy Beech on Mar 29, 2008

The sermon looks at how to pray, when to pray and what to pray.

TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH Text: Matthew 6:1-15 "It is hard sometimes in prison to sit and to pray, and to read of those who were in prison, and to read of their prayer, and to how the prison door or roof cracked open, the chains were released and they walked out. [Pause] It’s hard when one has ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-15, Matthew 6:1-6

Denomination: Methodist

Samuel - The Rejected Hero Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 22, 2006

When the Israelites reject Samuel and cry out for a King, God essentially tells Samuel: it’s not about you. This simple piece of advice made a powerful difference for Samuel, and can do the same for us. Find out why.

OPEN: Years ago, when a person would use the telephone operator to help make phone calls, a small boy dialed "O" asked the operator to call a number for him. He didn’t speak clearly, so she had trouble understanding him and asked him to repeat the number several times. After about the fourth time ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8:1-22

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

He Is A Friend Of Mine Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 24, 2006

Jesus established His church to be a place where we could develop friendships... and where we could become His friends.

OPEN: Some years ago Collier’s Magazine published a story about a little girl in an orphanage. She was quite unattractive and had many annoying habits, which resulted in her being shunned by the children and disliked by the staff. The director of the orphanage looked for a good excuse to ship her ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Unsafe Savior Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 26, 2005

Why is Christmas seemingly under attack? Why would a seemingly harmless story of a baby in a manger stall elicit such anger and opposition?

OPEN: James Martin (in an article in the devotional "The Upper Room") wrote the following: On a trip to the Holy Land, I bought a nativity set for my Sunday School. It was carved out of olive wood in Bethlehem itself, and had all the traditional figures - sheep and oxen, wise men and shepherds. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25-35

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Pride Of The Godless Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jun 3, 2018

Sodom was guilty of six sins and the first on the list was "pride". What is it about pride that makes God so angry and how can we avoid that sin?

OPEN: A man told of driving West Texas highway. There were no cars in sight and he was going about 70 mph when suddenly, as he went over a crest in the road, he could see up ahead a huge hawk feeding on a rabbit who’d been killed by a passing vehicle. Now ordinarily, what do you think a bird would ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:48-51

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How Do I Get Better?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 23, 2018

Do we desire to build a better life? We will not get better by accident, we need a plan. David has a 7 step plan to build better people. Why not try it? It worked for David...

HOW DO I GET BETTER? DAVID’S SEVEN STEP PROGRAM… BITTER VS BETTER. By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com TEXT: 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (MSG) Concentrate on ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-8

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Testimony Of An Empty Tomb

Contributed by Wayne Lawson on Mar 28, 2016

There is a tomb in a distant land with silent walls as well. If that tomb could speak to us what would it say? What would it tell us of the terrible – tragic – thrillingly triumphant events that transpired there some two thousand years ago?

TITLE: THE TESTIMONY OF AN EMPTY TOMB SCRIPTURE: ST. LUKE 24:1-12 Have you ever stood and just looked at an old empty house in a neighborhood? Perhaps the doors stand ajar, sagging on hinges, loosened by the ravages of weather and time. Have you noticed the vacant stare of glassless windows? If ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The First Fruits Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 7, 2018

Pentecost was a dramatic display of God's power and Spirit. Why did Jesus pick Pentecost to begin His church and what can that mean to us?

OPEN: In the land of Norway there is a valley. This valley is long and narrow with mountainous peaks that tower 1000s of feet into the air, and nestled deep inside that valley is a little town whose name I’m not sure I can pronounce. This village has existed for over 100 years and it is a beautiful ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-41

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Corinthians: Church Matters (1)

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Mar 7, 2019

The Corinthian church made a lot of mistakes that we can learn from. In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul calls the church to Holiness, Harmony, and Humility!

Church Matters: Correcting the Corinthians (1) Scott Bayles, pastor Blooming Grove Christian Church: 11/9/2014 How many of you have ever heard someone say they’re not interested in going to church, because it’s full of hypocrites? What’s really sad is that according to a study conducted by LifeWay ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-29

Denomination: Christian Church

Lessons From Lazarus Series

Contributed by John Oscar on Aug 26, 2018

4 Lessons from the death and raising of Lazarus

Lessons From Lazarus CCCAG August 12th, 2018 Scripture- John 11 Intro: One of the things that I get asked most often about my secular work being a paramedic is how I can handle being around all that death and suffering. It’s even worse now as a deputy coroner. I tell them that being a corner is ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God