Sermons on Pharisees Fast Often:

Validating Our Christian Identity

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 4, 2025

Lent is a time in which we engage our interior self with its brokenness, weakness and intentional wrongdoing. We are all sinners, but we are sinners endeavoring to become saints, by our faith and practice.

Friday after Ash Wednesday 2025 A priest of my acquaintance many years ago was in conversation with a Lutheran minister. He asked the minister if he believed that Martin Luther had made any big mistakes setting up a parallel Christian church. The minister candidly admitted that he thought Luther ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9, Psalm 51:3-6, Matthew 9:14-15

Denomination: Catholic

Snake Handling And Sabbath Keeping Series

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Aug 10, 2013

John the Baptist called the Jewish leaders, snakes. Today the Jews accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath by healing a paralytic man at what was probably a Temple to the Greek snake god of healing named Asclepius

Introduction Last week we finished up the double story of the Samaritan woman, and Jesus teaching the disciples who were on a save Jesus mission to a Samaritan village to get food. Perhaps it was the same village that the Samaritan woman had returned to tell the elders about Jesus. If so, they ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Prayer Of The Humble Pierces The Clouds

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 21, 2022

Paul had prayed all his life, as we should. “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds.” God always hears our prayers.

Thirtieth Sunday in Course 2022 It’s helpful for us, two thousand years since the events, to consider some background on this story, this parable, of Jesus about the Pharisee and the tax-collector, sometimes called the “publican.” The word “Pharisee” comes directly from the Greek. It means ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-18, Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Catholic

The Holy Spirit Set Paul And Barnabas Apart

Contributed by John Lowe on Apr 20, 2017

Acts 13:1-14:28 tells of Paul’s first missionary journey, which he made in the Company of Barnabas; but, in this lesson (Acts 13:1-3), Barnabas and Saul, are Divinely called to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, are set apart and Sent Forth by the Church...

August 11, 2014 By: Tom Lowe Lesson: IV.A.1: The Holy Spirit Set Paul and Barnabas Apart (13:1-3) Scripture (Acts 13:1-3; KJV) 1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Was Baptized "to Fulfill All Righteousness" Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 12, 2020

We might make the mistake of thinking that Jesus stopped growing in the Spirit at His baptism.

The Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ 2020 In today’s Gospel the words of John the Baptist could just as well have begun “Jesus, this makes no sense!” He rightly senses at the Jordan River, as he did three months before he was born, when Mary visited his mother Elizabeth, that he is in the presence ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:52, Isaiah 42:1-7, Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 5:3-4, John 19:30  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

Sermon On The Mount: Doing Acts Of Righteousness

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Oct 20, 2011

Message from the Sermon on the Mount on doing acts of righteousness such as prayer, giving, fasting

Doing Acts of Righteousness Theme: To show the importance of motive in things that we do Text: Matthew 6:1 1 ¶ Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. In this verse a better translation, for our ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18

Denomination: Church Of God

Meaning Of Righteousness Part 7 Series

Contributed by Ken Mowery on Jul 6, 2007

Jesus refutes the false teaching of the Pharisee’s regarding loving their neighbors.

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Baptist

Me The Sinner

Contributed by Steven Haguewood on Nov 6, 2008

A look at the parable of the prayers of the publican and Pharisee

ME THE SINNER Luke 18:9-14 Scripture Reading: Psalm 51:1-19 INTRODUCTION: 1. Pharisees were proud people whose name means "separated ones" a. They were no ordinary people, they were special (in their own minds) b. Accused of building a wall of traditions around the law c. According to Matthew 15:3 ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Wholeness In Christ

Contributed by Dr. Abraham Obadare on Dec 23, 2017

Though we want to perform our christian duties, we must perform them in ways that are acceptable to God, not doing one and leaving the other.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ wants us to be whole and balanced in our relationship with Him. In Matt. 5:48 Jesus would say, "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." I then claim that for this type of relationship that Jesus wants us to have with Him to be ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Saw The Light

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 20, 2002

The Pharisees tries to turn out the light. Jesus simply turned up the wattage.

Question: How many Episcopalians does it take to change a light bulb? Aswer: TWELVE - one to do the work and 11 to serve on the committee. Question: How many Church of Christ members does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: THREE - one to convince the light bulb to change and 2 to carry the ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Some Profound Heresies

Contributed by John A. Peck on Jan 27, 2010

On the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, a clear look at some distorted teachings on Atonement and Salvation are presented, one by one, and a brief look at the therapeutic nature of Atonement.

Some Profound Heresies Luke 18:10-14 Today, I’m going to teach you some profound heresies! In today’s Gospel, we have two men. This is a short, but important parable. First, the Pharisee. The Pharisee begins his prayer “O God, I thank you that I am not like other ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:10-14

Denomination: Orthodox

Mercy Not Sacrifice

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jun 6, 2008

Today, let us be reminded by the words of Jesus, "But go and learn what this means: "I DESIRE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE." For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Matthew 9:13 NKJV)

Mercy Not Sacrifice, Matthew 9:9-13 Introduction There is the story of the man who came down from the North Carolina Mountains. He was all dressed up and carrying his Bible. A friend saw him and asked, "Joe, what’s happening? Where are you going all dressed up like that?" Joe said, "I’ve been ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:9-13

Denomination: Christian Church

It's All In The Approach

Contributed by Matt Hoffmann on Oct 2, 2009

In Mark 10 we learn from the Pharisees and from some kids on how we approach Jesus. Do we try to justify ourselves, or be justified by God?

Mark 10:2-13 So, usually I like to have my sermons done by Wednesday or so, and I worked very hard to get this one done on Wednesday. I wrote a sermon using the Gospel lesson that talked about marriage and divorce. And after I wrote it, I read through it before I went home and realized it was ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:2-13

Denomination: Lutheran

Lessons From Failure Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Dec 26, 2009

When we fail in ministry, our failure need not be fatal. Rather, if our failure teaches us to depend on Christ and care for people, we can move on from failure to impact our world like Jesus’ original disciples did.

A CEO has taken on a new job, and the outgoing CEO says to him, “Sometimes you’ll make wrong choices. You will. You’ll mess up. When that happens, I have prepared three envelopes for you. I left them in the top drawer of the desk. The first time it happens, open #1. The second time you mess ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:14-29

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Countercultural Jesus

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 8, 2023

Did Jesus seek to be culturally relevant or bring new faith to an old culture? Were there people who criticized and ridiculed Him? Let’s find out in Matthew 9:9-26.

Did Jesus seek to be culturally relevant or bring new faith to an old culture? Were there people who criticized and ridiculed Him? Let’s find out in Matthew 9:9-26. How did Jesus call some of His disciples? Is that a picture for anyone who chooses to follow Him? As Jesus passed on from there, He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:9-26

Denomination: Baptist