Sermons on Pharisees:

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

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

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

Thirty-First Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A- Hypocrites

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Oct 8, 2023

We ask for the daily grace to walk the talk.

Have you heard the one about the priest, the minister, and the rabbi?” A rabbi and a priest were talking about the perks of each job. The priest mentioned that he gets a rectory to live in that comes with a housekeeper and a cook, all paid for by the church. The rabbi responded by asking if ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

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

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

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

One Thing I Know Series

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Oct 10, 2001

The Pharisees claimed to know everything but nothing about Jesus. The former blind man only knew one thing.

Someone said to Helen Keller, "What a pity you have no sight!" to which she replied, "Yes, but what a pity so many have sight but cannot see!" A minister, a Boy Scout, and a computer expert were the only passengers on a small plane. The pilot came back to the cabin and said that the plane was ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Denomination: Baptist

Who's Your Daddy? Series

Contributed by Guy Caley on Mar 2, 2003

7th in the series "Conversations With Jesus." Jesus tells the Pharisees that they are not the Children of God because they lack a family resemblance

About 8 years ago I nearly swerved off the road in downtown St. Louis when I saw a Billboard with this message: A photo of a baby with the words "Who’s my Daddy" and the telephone number 1-800-DNA-1005. I guess it’s a sign of the times that the market for these services is great enough that the ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-45

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Following Jesus To Court Series

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Jun 17, 2007

When the Pharisees bring a woman caught in the act of adultry before Jesus we see their Accusation and Jesus’ Acquittal.

by Scott Bayles Following Jesus part 2 Following Jesus to Court Victoria Ruvolo was on her way home late one November evening when she crossed paths with a car-full of punks on a joyride in a gray Nissan. She probably never saw it coming. One of the juvenile delinquents—who had already broken into ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Denomination: Christian Church

The "Lost' Parables

Contributed by Keith Butler on Aug 24, 2005

Why did the Pharisees receive these parables from Jesus? Because they did not rejoice over the lost being found.

THE “LOST” PARABLES Luke 15:1-32 Key Verse and Theme: “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:32) 1. Who was Jesus addressing? A. The tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

True Righteousness Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Nov 29, 2007

Can you imagine the faces when Jesus told them their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees to go to heaven?

Can you imagine the faces of all the people sitting on the Mount of Beatitudes listening to Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus told them their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees to go to heaven? In Jesus day there were many people deeply concerned about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20

Denomination: Baptist