Sermons on Pharisees Warning:

"Coming Back To The Heart Of Worship"

Contributed by Lance Hostetter on Jan 7, 2014

This message looks at the Pharisee and tax collectors attitude toward worship.

“Coming Back to the Heart of Worship” The Pharisee and the Tax Collector History of the heart of worship. Luke 18:9-14 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:9-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jesus The Controversialist Series

Contributed by David Owens on Apr 17, 2023

Mark portrays Jesus as strong and bold as He dealt with spiritual controversies "head on." In this section of Mark, he grouped together four incidents that showed how Jesus faced the controversies and taught the truth. We need to ask ourselves if we are more like Jesus or the Pharisees.

A. Let me begin with a question: when you try to picture Jesus in your mind, how do you picture Him? 1. Do you picture Him being gentle, meek and loving? Certainly, He was all those things. 2. But Jesus also had other characteristics and other sides to Him. 3. When we read the Gospel accounts, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:8-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

On The Sabbath Series

Contributed by Peter Baumgartle on Apr 5, 2022

Everybody is religious. Many make up their own rules - about worship, about money, about sex, about the environment, about politics. Jesus isn't the Messiah many want Him to be. The Pharisees plotted to kill him. People today reject Him and dismiss Him and ignore Him. Are you a Pharisee?

ON THE SABBATH MATTHEW 12:1-2 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” Question: ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:1-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jesus Answering The First-Century "karens" He Encountered Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jul 13, 2025

All of them were survivors, in the strict sense, each party with its own quirks. The Pharisees stood behind the Law.

Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Course 2025 Have you ever wondered just why it was that the Pharisees, who seemed to be everywhere Jesus went, were such prigs? These days we might even call the “Karens,” although I’ve known real Karens and they weren’t so judgmental as the Pharisees. I think the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:1-8, Luke 9:3, Psalm 116:12-18, Exodus 11:10, Exodus 12:1-17  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

The Human Heart (Mark 7)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 7, 2024

Do we add human traditions that overshadow or even disobey Jesus? Let's look at Mark 7.

What did Jesus say about using man-made traditions to disobey God’s commandments? Do evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness defile us? Does Jesus still make the deaf to hear and give ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

An Outline Of Acts 15

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 9, 2022

Acts 15 is an important chapter. Once and for all, the Church, under the Holy Spirit's leadership, made it plain that Gentile believers were not to be under the Law of Moses. The chapter closes with a pair of departures.

Introduction: This chapter covers the first Church Council meeting in Jerusalem, and the decisions reached after all sides presented their statements. The result was a request for Gentile believers to stop doing four things which Jewish-background believers, and possibly unbelieving Jews, would ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Righteous Or Sinner?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 17, 2022

Do we use our knowledge of God's word to criticize others, or to become more and more humble about our own sins? Let’s learn that we are all still sinners and that God alone justifies. Let’s discuss self-righteousness and self-justification in Luke 18:9-14.

Do we use our knowledge of God's word to criticize others, or to become more and more humble about our own sins? Let’s learn that we are all still sinners and that God alone justifies. Let’s discuss self-righteousness and self-justification in Luke 18:9-14. Self-Righteousness “Also He spoke ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Baptist

"the Great Mercy Of God"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Jul 26, 2023

A sermon about something we are all guilty of.

“The Great Mercy of God” Luke 18:9-14 Have you ever driven past another person holding a sign “will work for food” and felt a bit of disgust or even contempt in your heart toward them…kind of like a feeling of “I’m better than you”? Have you ever felt superior to a prostitute, a drug addict, an ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: United Methodist

Be Faithful To The Mission To The Nations

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 22, 2023

The story of Ruth, and her place in the genealogy of the Messiah, is written testimony against a kind of closed faith and worship.

Saturday of the 20th Week in Course 2023 The story of the Moabite woman, Ruth, has come down to us because of her association with the kingly house of David. She was David’s great-great grandmother. But for both OT and NT authors, her distinction was that she was not descended from the patriarch ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:5, Matthew 23:1-12, Ruth 2:1-3, Ruth 2:8-11, Ruth 4:13-17, Psalm 128:1-5  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

His Powerful Name; His Awesome Promise

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 5, 2023

We look forward at the end of our lives to participating in a New Creation, the very Kingdom of God and of His Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Saturday of the 22nd Week in Course 2023 The overall impression one can get from this very brief Gospel from Luke is that the Pharisees have nothing better to do on the Sabbath than find fault with how other Jews keep Shabbat. In this case, it was not a violation of Torah to eat the grain on ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:21-23, Luke 6:1-5

Denomination: Catholic

Running On Empty

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 13, 2023

If we are all we have, we better hang onto it. But those who are full of God can’t wait to give it away.

Show me the alley, show me the train, Show me the homeless man who sleeps out in the rain... And I’ll show you a young man with so many reasons why, There but for fortune go you or I, you or I. Show me the whiskey stains on the floor, Show me the drunkard as he stumbles out the door... And I’ll ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Something Completely Different

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 17, 2023

When God intervenes to bring life out of death, we have to let him do it his way.

How many of you remember Monty Python? The British comedy group in - I think - the 70's which used to transition between their skits with “And now for something completely different....” And it always was pretty strange. Part of their appeal was that their humor was so totally off the wall, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:27-38

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

First Impressions

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Dec 3, 2024

Luke 7:36-39, Mary M. pours perfumed oil on Jesus' feet, is an example of how wrong one can be using only first impressions of another person.

First impressions Luke 7:36 – 39 Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz 36 Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 aAnd there was a woman in the city who was a 1sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-39

Denomination: United Methodist

Can We Learn From The Example Of The Ninevites?

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 5, 2018

We get implicit and explicit warnings: from our own bodies warning us of problems and from our doctors warning us about unhealthy habits.

3B RUTH FROM OMAHA SAID: AT A RECENT WEDDING I attended, the groom and groomsmen stood at the altar in eager anticipation of the bride's arrival. My three-year-old niece, sitting next to me, was also filled with anticipation. Pointing to the men, she shouted, “I wonder which one she'll ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-10, 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, Mark 1:14-20

Denomination: Catholic

Do You Have The Fruit Of Repentance In Your Life?

Contributed by John Lowe on Feb 4, 2015

“Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” He is talking to Pharisees and Sadducees, who were very religious but also very distant from God. Many of us here this morning could easily claim to be very religious, but if we are. . . .

25-Aug-05 Do You Have The Fruit Of Repentance In Your Life? Matthew 3:7-11 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:7-11

Denomination: Baptist