Sermons on Pick Up Your Cross:

Kingdom Sex Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Sep 27, 2019

To overcome a porn addiction and lust, Jesus says: Don’t look with the deliberate intention of fantasizing sex. And if you can’t keep from looking, take drastic action to avoid the trap of lust. But above all, depend on Christ to purify your heart.

On a December Sunday afternoon in northeastern Pennsylvania several years ago (2005), Pedro Sainvil sent two of his two children, ages 8 and 9, outside to play in the snow. Several minutes later, they rushed back into the house screaming, “Dad! Dad! There's a bear under the house!” Sure ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:27-30

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Lessons From Jeremiah – Part 3 – Jeremiah Commissioned; Two Visions; And God Demands Action Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 26, 2024

Jeremiah is commissioned by the Lord for the task ahead. Two visions speak of coming judgement upon Judah, and God demands the prophet acts urgently with the message God gave him of impending doom.

LESSONS FROM JEREMIAH – PART 3 – JEREMIAH COMMISSIONED; TWO VISIONS; AND GOD DEMANDS ACTION PART 3 – Jeremiah 1:9-17 CHAPTER 1 {{Jeremiah 1:9-10 Then the LORD stretched out His hand AND TOUCHED MY MOUTH, and the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:9-10, Jeremiah 1:11-12, Isaiah 55:10-11, 2 Peter 3:3-5, Jeremiah 1:13-15, Jeremiah 1:16-17  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Facing Giants At Work

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on May 1, 2015

This sermon deals with all of our vocations as being callings from God. It deals with the reality that the giants we face in life and at work are not all that they seem to be once we get up close. It is the final message in the transformation series.

FACING GIANTS IN LIFE & WORK 50 Days of Transformation– Part 7 (Your Career) Pastor Rick April 19, 2015 Exodus 35:30-35 I Samuel 16 This sermon is my variation of the sermon from Rick Warren in the 50 days of Transformation Series. Some of the background information on David and Goliath is ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Closing In On The Cross Of Jesus Christ - Part 3: How To Triumph Over Our Troubles Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Mar 31, 2023

1. Wake-up to our shortcomings (vs. 31, 33-35). 2. Keep worshiping the Lord (vs. 30). 3. Keep trusting in God's Word (vs. 31). 4. Keep waiting on the Lord (vs. 31-32).

Closing in on the Cross of Jesus Christ Part 3: How to Triumph over Our Troubles The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 26:30-35 Sermon by Rick Crandall (Prepared March 31, 2023) BACKGROUND: *Today in Matthew 26 we are closing in on the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus and His disciples ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:30-35

Denomination: Baptist

Lay Up For Yourselves Treasures In Heaven Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 29, 2008

In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus looks at materialism-particularly in regard to luxuries-from the three perspectives of 1) Treasure, 2) Vision, and 3) Master.

There is a new problem reported this week that you may not be familiar with. In one situation, farmer Lawrence Penner. Mr. Penner ran short of storage space and loaded his canary seed, due to be delivered to a buyer the following week, into his truck ahead of time. He and his partners left it there ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-24

Denomination: Other

The Hope Of A Healthy Child Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jun 18, 2022

Left to themselves, children tend to grow up wild and untamed. And instead of growing to the full potential, they often grow up wounded and broken adults. What can we do to give them a life filled with hope, peace and a future?

OPEN: In the 1700s, there was a poet named Samuel Coleridge was talking with a friend who’d come to visit one day. During the conversation they got around to the subject of children. The visitor said “I believe children should be given the freedom to make all their own decisions. Parents should not ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What's So 'good' About Good Friday?

Contributed by Lalachan Abraham on Mar 29, 2018

Two thousand years have passed since the Crucifixion Day, yet the Bible account enables us to visualize the day and event with a great deal of accuracy. While on the cross, Christ makes seven brief utterances. Ponder it in your hearts by reflecting

Good Friday is observed traditionally as the day on which Jesus was crucified. Jesus set the ultimate example of sacrifice in His once-for-all work on the cross. It reminds each of us that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Much Does God Love Us? Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Dec 15, 2019

How much does God love us? 1. Enough to go through the greatest grief for us (vs. 27). 2. Enough to miraculously speak to us (vs. 28-30). 3. Enough to suffer and die on the cross for us (vs. 31-33). 4. Enough to miraculously draw us to Him (vs. 32).

How Much Does God Love Us? The Gospel of John John 12:27-33 Sermon by Rick Crandall Grayson Baptist Church - May 31, 2017 (Revised December 15, 2019) BACKGROUND: *Please open your Bibles to John 12:20. A couple of weeks ago in John 12, we looked at the Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on ...read more

Scripture: John 12:27-33

Denomination: Baptist

Deny, Take, Follow

Contributed by David Buffaloe on Nov 2, 2011

Though salvation is a free gift, Christ requires we deny ourselves, take up our Cross, and follow Him to be saved.

Mark 8:34-38 (KJV) And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38

Denomination: Baptist

What Is Your Calling? (Part 3) Series

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Mar 10, 2016

We also receive our call at just the right time. How often do we rush into something and end up failing because we ran ahead of God? How many times have we decided to go in a different direction because we did not have the patience to wait for him?

Opening Illustration: The struggle I had with my personal calling - • I knew I had a call upon my life since childhood but was running from it because I saw that there was nothing lucrative in it for me or my family … it meant the cross and suffering … I wasn’t ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:7-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Leave The Mountain

Contributed by Steve Sheek on Apr 9, 2018

Israel had been at Mr Sinai for a year, building the tabernacle, training an army, and learning God's instructions (Torah). The God told Moses, "you have been at this mountain long enough". It was time to move on and accomplish God's plan for Israel.

Our Torah Portion today is the beginning of the book titled Deuteronomy. It comes from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) and means “second law” or “repetition of the law. We know that when people say law, the actual Hebrew word Torah means instruction. God gave us His ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:1-8

Denomination: *other

Your Treasure

Contributed by Ricardo Rodriguez on Sep 11, 2011

Money, Selfishness, Treasure in Heaven

“Your Treasure” 3/20/2011 – Nampa, ID Luke 12:15-21 THEME: COVETOUSNESS WILL NOT SATISFY THE PASSIONS OF THE FLESH “15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:15-21

Denomination: Apostolic

Never Give Up, Never Surrender Series

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Sep 26, 2025

Paul shows how to return and keep moving—admitting we haven’t arrived, forgetting what holds us, and pressing on toward Christ (Philippians 3:12–16). The direction is the point: let go of past wins and wounds, lean forward, and run because Christ already holds you.

Last week, we kicked off our series "Back At It," and we talked about how Jesus meets us where we are, even when we've drifted back to our old ways. We looked at the story of Jesus cooking breakfast for His disciples on the shore, calling them back to their true purpose. Today, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Can I Tell You About Jesus When I Am Afraid?

Contributed by Randy Rodenborg on Mar 28, 2006

Max is a Jr Higher who hates the locker room, and is now likely to be picked on for having a ash cross on his head after the Ash Wednesday service. It ends with a call to pray for others and submitting yourself to God to use you to lead others to Him.

Max hated the locker room. It wasn’t a mild dislike, like the days he would rather not go to science or choir. Max really dreaded walking into the locker room and confronting first the smelliness of the locker room and then those small lockers. These lockers were really just baskets that you could ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:54-61

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The 153 Fish Wake-Up Call Series

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Sep 26, 2025

As seasons shift, many of us need a reset with Jesus. John 21 shows the risen Christ meeting drifting disciples, filling empty nets, and inviting them to “come and have breakfast.” This isn’t box-checking; it’s returning to the One who seeks us, provides for us, and re-commissions us.

Can you feel it in the air? That subtle shift as summer fades into fall? Me either. But somehow every single store in all of existence seems to feel it as they’re already putting out Christmas decorations. I think by next year we’re going to see combo-fireworks stands selling candy canes and ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational