Sermons on Personal Presence:

Harvest Thanksgiving, Even In Suffering

Contributed by Matthew Oliver on Mar 18, 2016

A reflection on the appropriateness of thanksgiving and glorifying God, even in the midst of intense personal suffering. Contrasted with the First World expectation of self-actualization.

Genesis 2:4-25, Ps 126, Matthew 6:25-33 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 6:31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, —What shall we eat?’ or —What ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-33

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Funeral For A Seeker

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 10, 2015

Phyllis was a seeker. She studied numerous religions and had deep insight into the bible. This funeral service expressed her personality and insights.

Song #1 -- Family Enters -- Clair De Lune Song #2 -- I Come to the Garden Alone Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Thanking God For A Grace-Infused Life Series

Contributed by Ron Tuit on Nov 27, 2014

Thanksgiving always brings a variety of personal "thank-you's" to God, but how in the world would sinners ever be able to "bless the Lord".

Thanking God for a Grace-Infused Life Prelude: “Perfect Wisdom of Our God”, by Getty Music Proclamation: Good traditions do not always promote traditionalism. Some are very important to honor. President George Washington stated in his Proclamation of October 17, 1789, “It is the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Plan Of Christmas Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Dec 21, 2014

God had a precise plan for us that began before the first pebble was placed on the earth. It was designed to have a direct personal impact.

Intro: Do you remember the Looney Tunes cartoon with Wile E Coyote aka Ralf E Wolf and Sam the Sheepdog. Wile E is always planning and scheming to capture and eat the sheep. Wile E seems to always have the best plans, like the time he lulled Sam to sleep with sleep dog sleep music. But int the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-12

Denomination: Baptist

Cheer In A Cheerless World

Contributed by Ralph Andrus on Aug 11, 2014

The world has joy and happiness directly proportional to circumstances. Real true joy is not dependent on things but rather on the person of Jesus Christ

BAD NEWS TODAY Vilolence & death around the world Ukraine/ Russia & Crimea Warfare death of innocents MH17 Nigeria Boko Haram size towns & children W. Africa Ebola epidemic out of control Israel/Gaza - Hamas keeps rejecting cease-fire Iraq Isis murder & butchery Hurricanes & tornadoes Flooding & ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Denomination: Baptist

The Contrast Between The Godly And Ungodly

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 3, 2022

In the world of Psychology, the psychologist divides mankind’s personalities into four temperaments. Every one of us falls into one of these four categories.

1. Choleric - easily irritated; inclined to anger; or angry; indicating anger; excited by anger. 2. Phlegmatic - hard to rouse to action; specifically sluggish; dull; apathetic; calm; cool. 3. Melancholic - one affected with a gloomy state of mind; one characterized by excessive gloom, mistrust ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Church Is Not About My Rights. It's About You. (1 Corinthians 9:1-27) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Mar 12, 2022

Paul modeled a better approach for the Corinthians, at great personal cost. Don't focus on your rights. Focus on the other.

In last week's passage, Paul tried to convince the Corinthians that they needed to stop going to idol temples and eating idol meat there. The Corinthians-- at least some of them-- thought that doing this was okay. They viewed this question as an issue of knowledge, and as an issue of freedom. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Epaenetus Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Feb 25, 2022

Epaenetus is a personal Christian friend of Paul's at Rome to whom Paul sent his salutation in Romans 16:5.

Epaenetus Epenetus ("praised") or Epaentus: is a saint in the Greek Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church, considered one of the seventy disciples, and may have been the first Bishop of Carthage or Cartagena. All that is known of him is told here. Epaenetus is a personal Christian ...read more

Scripture: Romans 16:5

Denomination: Baptist

Paul Tried By Festus Series

Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on Oct 8, 2021

Courageous people are always clean in their hands and conscience. Corrupted persons are always not straightforward and tricksters. The will of God was progressively fulfilled in the life of Paul.

Acts 25:1-21 Paul Tried by Festus 25:1-7 Paul at Caesarea 24:8-11 Paul defends his case before Festus 24:12-22 Festus and King Agrippa on Paul Acts 25:1-7 Paul at Caesarea The team of priests and leaders of the Jews met Governor Festus and wanted to hold the trial of Paul, and they ...read more

Scripture: Acts 25:1-21

Denomination: Methodist

:what If I Am The Hypocrite?" Series

Contributed by David Henderson on Mar 25, 2022

A hypocrite is a person who puts on a false appearance. A hypocrite acts in a way that is inconsistent with their beliefs. A hypocrite pretends to be something he is not.

GOING PUBLIC WITH OUR FAITH “What if I am the Hypocrite?” Luke 12:1-9 So the excitement is building and is all centered round Jesus—so much so that right out of the gate we read that there are literally thousands of people “milling about and stepping on each other.” ? That’s a pretty clear ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Entertaining Angels - Genesis 18:1-15 Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Jul 24, 2021

Abraham and Sarah and then Hagar. That’s a challenge for all of them and we see how God deals with each person individually.

Please open your Bibles with me to Genesis 18. We’re going verse by verse through the book of Genesis. It’s a great trek for us to be wandering through Genesis and learning practical principles along the way. We come to this one section in Genesis 16-18 that’s about this fractured family. Abraham ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:1-15

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Peace With Jesus – Because He Became A Man Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 25, 2016

A look at how personal the rescue mission of the incarnation is. A reminder that Jesus becoming flesh means He relates to us completely

You know the Christmas story. He was with God in the beginning. He was God. Through Him, all things were made. Jesus was there. The angels, also there, watched and shouted for joy as the Almighty, 3-in-1, spoke the physical realm into existence out of nothing, all for His glory and pleasure; a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:13-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Peter: The Primary Disciple Lesson 4 Series

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Oct 6, 2023

God chooses His leaders by His sovereignty, but leadership emerges as a person grows in faith and develops his gifts to serve God.

A. PETER’S NEW NAME … NEW CHALLENGE … NEW OPPORTUNITY 1. A new name. His original name was Simon (John 1:42), a modification of Simeon “to listen.” Could Peter ever have listened? When Peter was brought by Andrew (constrained to come) to Jesus (John 1:42), Jesus changed his name to Cephas which ...read more

Scripture: John 1:41-42, Mark 1:16-20, Matthew 10:2, Luke 5:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Christ In The Pressure Cooker #5 Series

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 13, 2024

To know what a person is like, watch them under pressure. Jesus shows us how to respond when under pressure.

Great Lessons from the Life of Christ #5 CHRIST IN THE PRESSURE COOKER (Mark 3:1-35) If you want to know what a person is really like, watch that person when he/she is under pressure – watch closely those moments of stress and duress…in anxiety producing situations. • It may be on the ball field ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:1-35

Who Is My Mother? Series

Contributed by Chuck Gohn on Jul 15, 2022

This sermon explores how the concept of "family" takes on a different meaning when a person becomes a follower of Jesus Christ.

We have been going through a series called The Story. It is God’s story as told through the people, places, and events in the Bible. Today, because it is Mother’s Day and we are short on time, I decided rather than to focus on some lengthy passages in the Old Testament, I just simply want to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:48-50, Luke 9:59, John 19:26

Denomination: Christian Church