Sermons on Pharisee And Tax Collector:

Jesus Loves Misfits

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Jul 27, 2003

Jesus called 12 men who were misfits to take the gospel to the world. Our churches today need to be a place where misfits can belong.

Do you remember the movie Places In The Heart? It stars Sally Fields, John Malkovich, Danny Glover, and Ed Harris. The movie is set in the Depression era. A small town sheriff is killed, leaving his wife and two small children to try and scrap out a living on their cotton farm. When the bank ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:13-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Radical, Unconventional And Controversial - The Gospel Of The Kingdom

Contributed by Gerald Du Preez on Nov 6, 2015

What was the essence of the Gospel of the Kingdom? Jesus came preaching a gospel which cut across the norms of the day. He still proclaims a gospel that is radical, unconventional and controversial.

The Gospel of the Kingdom Matt 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people Ben Hur, Gladiators – epic Hollywood blockbusters depicting the glory and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:23

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Predecessor From God

Contributed by Dr. Jeffrey Dukeman on Dec 3, 2018

John the Baptist was a predecessor from God at Jesus' Baptism. We today should reflect on all those who have preceded us and helped us to know God, and we should also strive to be predecessors from God for others.

Historian David Barton has an interesting discussion in an article entitled “Christmas—as Celebrated by the Presidents.” Barton writes, Even though Christmas did not become a national holiday until 1870, it has a centuries old history in America. Interestingly, in colonial America, the southern ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-20

This Apostle, Some Times Referred Too As "James The Less" Series

Contributed by William D. Brown on Apr 1, 2014

"JAMES" was a common name in the time of Jesus, there are 4 men named "JAMES" in the N.T. ~ James "the less" was the son of [Alphaeus or son of Cleopas],

#5~THE APOSTLE JAMES, THE SON OF ALPHAEUS, who is also CLEOPHAS~ 1-4-14 ~ This apostle, some times referred too as "James the less" -- He was probably called this either because he was short in stature, or perhaps because he was younger, also to distinguish him from the other apostle James, the ...read more

Scripture: John 7:5

Denomination: Baptist

Realizing The Truth And The Lies

Contributed by Pablo Catala on Aug 4, 2019

Understanding truth

We have such a religious country/society, people all over the world in and out of our communities, people that we work with, those that we go to school with, politicians, officers, government officials and so on all have a religious back ground, and this is a very dangerous place to be in our day ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:45-46

Denomination: Pentecostal

Going To New Heights

Contributed by Sean Dees on May 1, 2021

I want to speak to you about going to new heights, and into the fulness of God. The church today has found its self in a state of weariness, waiting, and searching.

Intro: Today I want to speak to you about going to new heights, and into the fulness of God. The church today has found its self in a state of weariness, waiting, and searching. We have grown weak and weary; the signs of the times have taken a toll on the church we have seen a fallen away of young ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-6

The Journey To Emmaus

Contributed by Revd Dr Ruwan Palapathwala on Dec 16, 2024

The risen Christ is with us always. He walks with us on every road. He is with us at the heights of joy and celebration and in the pits of terror and despair. He is always with us, but we do not recognise him. Nevertheless, he journeys with us to the end of our lives.

The gospel reading we just read about Jesus' journey to Emmaus with two persons is one of my favourite resurrection stories and possibly my favourite from the Gospel of Luke. Over the twenty-six years of my ministry, among many other texts in the Gospels, this is one of the most-loved stories I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Crying In The Wilderness

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Aug 17, 2023

If we don’t live the Gospel, how will people believe that Christ also lives? People must see that we are real, before they will believe that Jesus is.

I expect most of you know by now that we have a homegrown preacher next week. Our newest deacon, Drew Johnson, is going to be my sub on December 26 while I’m off basking in sunny Minneapolis. He’s been up here before, of course: many of you remember when he was a shepherd in our Christmas pageant a ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 61:1-6, Luke 4:16-30

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How The Holy Spirit Helps Us Overcome Problems

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

Through the Almighty power of the Spirit of God we are able to overcome any problem that tries to inhibit us from accomplishing God’s will. Ask the Lord for greater liberty given by the Spirit to help you prevail over any critic, opposition or difficulty.

1. The Holy Spirit gives us freedom from anything that tries to hinder our Godly progress. Paul wrote, "Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Cor. 3:17) Through the Almighty power of the Spirit of God we are able to overcome any problem that tries to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

New Wine

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Dec 28, 2023

As Jesus healed people He spoke of new wine and patching clothing. Did He mean there is a something new in the the new covenant? Let's look at Matthew 9.

Amidst various healings Jesus taught about old and new ideas. Healing Did Jesus heal a paralyzed man? Was Jesus falsely accused? And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Deliberately Staged Demonstration Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Jun 4, 2025

Main thought: This morning we will look at the set up for a confrontation between Jesus and the rulers and authorities, as well as the Jewish concept of a Messiah who would bring deliverance from Roman oppression.

Background to passage, Matthew 21:1-11: Jesus has been moving toward Jerusalem for some time now. He has come down from Galilee on his final approach. From Jericho (their last stop), it would have been a 6-8 hr walk uphill covering 15 miles and over 3000’ of elevation. He had predicted his death ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 9:53, Matthew 12:14

Denomination: Baptist

"Fakes Need Not Apply"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Jun 4, 2008

More important than saying the right words is doing the right things.

Matthew 7:21-29 “Fakes Need Not Apply” by: Rev. Ken Sauer, Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church, Soddy Daisy, TN www.graceumcsd.org Jesus tells us, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-29

Denomination: United Methodist

The Lord Is Your Keeper

Contributed by John Gaston on Jan 26, 2022

God “keeps” us, in aspects of protecting, preserving, putting sentinels around us, providing for us, and keeping us from evil.

THE LORD IS YOUR KEEPER Ps. 121:1-8 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR 1. A frantic-looking woman came rushing out of her house and into the street crying, “Help! Help! My young son has swallowed a quarter and is choking and I don’t know what to do!” 2. Everyone looked the other way, except for a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 121:1-8

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Ten Lepers

Contributed by John Skaggs on Oct 18, 2000

(Luke 17:11-19 NASB) "And it came about while He was on the way to Jerusalem, that He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.

(Luke 17:11-19 NASB) "And it came about while He was on the way to Jerusalem, that He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. {12} And as He entered a certain village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; {13} and they raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, HAVE MERCY ON US!" ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:10-19, Luke 17:10

"What Belongs To God?"

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Oct 20, 2014

What is it that belongs to God? You and I belong, our at tentativeness, our affections, and absolute belongs to God.

What Belongs to God? Matthew 22:15-22 • Today text the Pharisee were trying to trap Jesus with how he might respond to a tax question • The Herodian’s were present as well. The Herodians held political power, and most scholars believe that they were a political party ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22

Denomination: Methodist