Sermons on Pilgrim Journey:

How Far Do You Want To Go? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 15, 2021

Why did Elisha insist (3 times) to go with Elijah to his fiery chariot ride... but all of the "sons of the Prophets" insisted on standing some distance away?

(I opened the sermon by leading the congregation in an old hymn called "If Jesus Goes With Me I'll Go Anywhere". And then ended the sermon by singing the first verse and chorus with them again). In 1936, a 17 year old Bob Feller became a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, and he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pentecost: The Arrival Of The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Scott Maze on May 18, 2021

Look inside today’s story for two items the Spirit does in your life: 1) The Spirit makes you bold ; and 2) He makes your conscience tender to His touch. My hope this morning is simple: I want you and I to hunger for life-changing power the Holy Spirit brings.

This morning I want look at what the Spirit does to transform us. Today, we are looking at a famous account inside the New Testament, called Pentecost. Let me set up our story for those of you who may have missed earlier messages. The miracle of “speaking in tongues” had worked liked shooting a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:12-41

Denomination: Baptist

Pentecost: Keep In Step With The Spirit

Contributed by Reuben Bredenhof on May 23, 2021

When children of God walk through this life, we should not be wandering aimlessly, getting tripped up by our desires, but God calls us to keep in step, to watch where we put our feet, and to follow the lead of the one who commands us: “Walk in the Spirit!”

When the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the church, that event was spectacular in every way, with a rushing wind, tongues of fire on the disciples’ heads, and foreign languages on their lips. But that first Pentecost was more than just an impressive beginning. For now that they had the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:25

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Moses And His Presence Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on May 24, 2021

We are scouring the pages of the Bible for a series of encounters between ordinary people and God. These encounters are called visitations and they are almost always following a crisis of some kind. There’s a crisis, an extraordinary time when people seek God, and there’s a visitation.

The Aim of This Series Today, we begin a series designed to show you what happens when God shows up. I am really excited about this series and I have been looking forward to this for quite some time. Over the course of this fall sermon series, we are scouring the pages of the Bible for a series of ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:12-23

Denomination: Baptist

Love & Marriage Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on May 24, 2021

Jacob’s family life is almost continual strife. As great Jacob became, he will see him transform before our eyes in the weeks to come. From a scheming manipulator to a humbled man, Jacob transforms by the grace of God.

We continue our series, My Crazy Family, only it is the Tailgate edition. It gets even crazier today. Great things can come from broken families. Jacob is a complex character – he’s truly a piece of work. For much of his life, this much was true of Jacob – Jacob always put Jacob first in every area ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 29:15-35

Denomination: Baptist

The Test Of A Stranger Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on May 24, 2021

Watch Joseph’s strategy here. Joseph is alternating the sun and the frost in order to break the brothers open to God. When things alternate between really hot and really cold, it breaks things. It breaks the ground.

We’ve called Joseph’s life a roller-coaster… … where his dips included two years of languishing in prison and eleven years of slavery. And we meet him in today’s story, he’s been promoted over the world empire, Egypt, and second only to Pharaoh inside the world’s most important nation of the time. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Our Longing For Heaven Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on May 24, 2021

All those in Christ will spend eternity living in the new heavens and new earth. The new heaven and new earth is everything that we loved about the old heaven and earth, minus the curse of sin. Creation’s beauties are heightened, its pleasures strengthened, and our limitations removed.

Twenty years old, Matthew decides to begin his sophomore year at Texas State University, by pledging for a fraternity. He feels it’s a good way to make new friends. During initiation, he consumes enough alcohol to make an elephant inebriated. Still, at 20 years of age and two-sport athlete in high ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:22-23, Isaiah 65:17-25, Genesis 3:6-8, Genesis 3:17-19

Denomination: Baptist

Memorial Day Motivations

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 25, 2021

Memorial Day motivates us on a patriotic and spiritual level.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hallowed Be Your Name Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 3, 2021

Anyone who is serious about Jesus will want to grow in prayer. One of the quickest ways to check the health of your spiritual life is to answer this question: How’s your prayer life?

Every faith has some form of prayer. Muslims stop whatever they’re doing five times a day to pray as you’ll hear the wailing cries of prayer callers in many Asian cities. Incas and Aztecs went so far as to sacrifice humans in order to attract their gods’ attention. And millions of people who attend ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-2, Matthew 6:5-13

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Give Up Praying Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 3, 2021

God is very much like a runner at a track and field event, waiting for the starting pistol to fire. God is eager to hear your prayer and to answer your prayer. So dive in! Ask God for the moon. Ask Him for the stars.

Two teams are away from this morning: middle school students are in St. Louis area doing door to door canvassing and block parties. Second team is in Vancouver at the Point Church – our church’s flagship church plant. Let’s celebrate the people there and pray for them together. Series ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-4, Matthew 6:9-15

Denomination: Baptist

The Birth Of A Church Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 4, 2021

I don’t know what you think of when you think of evangelism, but evangelism is reason powered by the Holy Spirit. Paul would consistently use the persuasive powers of reason as he talked to people about becoming a follower of Jesus Christ.

We begin a new series today. Our church celebrates its 125th year anniversary. We have some things planned for later this year. We also begin a new book: 1 Corinthians. Many of you may think it odd to begin journey of a book of the Bible and then focus on Acts. Yet, Luke tells us the beginnings of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Divide Your Love Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 4, 2021

The command to love one another is sandwiched between two reasons to love that are both descriptions of the birth of hope. Love is encased in hope.

“What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life” (Emil Brunner) There are a lot of reasons for us not to be hopeful. I listed some just this week as I thought about this message: Suicide Stillborn children Multiple Sclerosis Sexual Abuse Eating Disorder Special Needs ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22-25

Denomination: Baptist

The Depravity Of Man Series

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jun 6, 2021

Men suppress the truth about God and lost their only true bearings in life, become futile in their thinking and darkened in their hearts. The result is ungodliness and unrighteousness.

Why do we need the Gospel? Why do we need Jesus to save us? What’s wrong with us? Why the need to be rescued in the first place? • These are important questions because unless we understand our plight, we will not appreciate the Gospel. It won’t be good news to us. • Jesus: "It is not the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:18-32, Isaiah 44:13-20, Acts 14:15-17, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How To Follow Jesus--Though Persecuted Series

Contributed by James Wallace on Jun 8, 2021

How we regard difficulties and persecutions will have everything to do with whether we respond positively or negatively to them. Surprising to us, the very things designed by men to destroy faith cause it to thrive, when we have a godly attitude.

Jeanie and I recently read a book with a provocative name—The Insanity of God—by the pseudonymous author Nip Ripken. Of course, the title elicits the question, what is insane about God—a question the author never directly answers, but only becomes evident upon contemplation of his message. It ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-11

Denomination: Bible Church

Sharing Your Story With Those Closest To You Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 8, 2021

haring your salvation story builds a relationship bridge of understanding that Jesus can walk across into the heart of a lost person.

To know Jesus is to have a story of how you came to know Jesus. This story is often referred to as your “testimony.” In fact, if you are saved you have a testimony or a story. Your personal story matters; the personal details of how you came to Christ matter. The change Christ makes in your life ...read more

Scripture: Acts 22:1-29

Denomination: Baptist