Sermons on Popular Culture:

Why Power Blinds Us Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 9, 2021

The Pharisees desire for power blinds them to the point where they acknowledge Jesus is doing miracles but still want to kill Him! What can we learn from their lust for power?

THE PHARISEES WANT TO KILL THE GUY DOING MIRACLES: Power creates blind spots. - John 11:47-48, 53. - The connection between v. 47 and v. 53 is almost unbelievable. - In v. 47, the Pharisees admit that Jesus is doing many miraculous signs. - Yet in v. 53 they plot to take Jesus’ life. - What in ...read more

Scripture: John 11:45-57

Denomination: Baptist

Rich In Poverty Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 2, 2021

There are rich Christians who live in utter poverty says Jesus. But to the church in Smyrna He says, "I know your afflictions and your poverty-yet you are rich!" So you have in the judgment of Jesus your poor Christians who are rich, and your rich Christians who are poor.

One of the great paradoxes of life is the fact that the poor can be richer than the rich. Poverty is no necessary hindrance to being wealthy. Wealth, on the other hand, is no guarantee of being truly rich. Even rich Christians are often not rich just because they have wealth. Charles Schultz, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

A Strike At His Identity Series

Contributed by Guy Glass on Mar 30, 2003

1st in a three part series on the three occassions Jesus spoke about His death on the way to Jerusalem

THREE STRIKES AND HE’S OUT! A STRIKE AT HIS IDENTITY EASTER SERIES – 2003 Luke 9:18-27,Matt 16:21-23 INTRODUCTION: Baseball games are wonderful pass-time events. The excitement is sudden, the hot dogs tastes better (even at prices that stop your heart), and there is probably no other sport which ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:18-27, Matthew 16:21-23

Denomination: Baptist

Love Your Enemies? Series

Contributed by Scott Chambers on Sep 27, 2011

This message is the second in a series that deals with some of the difficult sayings of Jesus. This message deals with Jesus’ call to love your enemies.

Sometimes we hear something that sounds so unreasonable our response is, “You have got to be kidding.” I believe in our text we encounter Jesus saying something that really sounds unreasonable. In fact this statement goes against what we consider to be reasonable. This statement goes against ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-44

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Typical Counselees' Masks

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 19, 2001

Typical Counselees’ Masks

Typical Counselees’ Masks Matt 5:44 1). The Mask of Politics - Some people both inside and outside of the church are making decisions based on what is diplomatically expedient. They are often more concerned about hiding behind their diplomatic identities, roles, and responsibilities than doing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:44

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Mary's Story Series

Contributed by Lynn Malone on Jul 25, 2016

Mary of Bethany displays the extravagant nature of worship as she anoints Jesus, and in so doing gives us all the model of the life of a disciple.

Mary is a popular biblical name. As a matter of fact, it was the single most popular name in first century Palestinian culture. One in every five girls born carried the name Mary. Wow! 20% of the women named Mary! Contrast that to the Social Security Administration’s latest “most ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Christian Excellence Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

What we see in this letter of Titus is that Paul was committed to excellence. The goal of God is not just to get His Son a bride, but to get Him a bride who is without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. In other words, the goal of God is always perfection.

For some unknown reason a sculptor hacked an 18 foot high piece of marble into an awkward shape, and then left it unfinished to lay in a Cathedral courtyard in Florence, Italy. For about a hundred years it laid there until Sept. of 1501. The damaged block had been offered to other sculptors, but ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:5-16

Jesus' Best Joke? Series

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 2, 2010

Luke chapter 18: "Jesus told them another joke", we are told, "and He told this one to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and looked down on others." Did you hear the one about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector who wandered into the

Now I know I’m being a little free with my translation here. I know most translations say that Jesus told them a 'parable' rather than a 'joke', but I'm not the first person to suggest that 'joke' is actually a very good translation. # Did you here the one about the frog and the scorpion who were ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Your Bible And You

Contributed by Eric Hanson on Nov 28, 2011

Here are the ways that the Bible is important in the life of any believer. Here are some guideline to help people get something helpful from their Bibles.

Your Bible and You Pastor Eric J. Hanson 1. This collection of books is our written authority for life. (II Timothy 3:16-17) 2. We must use it rightly in order to gain accurate insights -using quotes from the guys in Job as though God said it, is just wrong. It can lead you astray. -Do you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Next Level Worship – The Real Thing

Contributed by Keith Manry on May 7, 2003

Palm Sunday Sermon dealing with worship which challenges the worshipper to take their worship to the next level, to make it more than an event, to in fact make a lifestyle.

A little boy lived out in the country around the turn of the twentieth century. He had never seen a traveling circus, and one was coming to his town on a particular Saturday. When he asked his father for permission to go, his dad said he could providing his chores were done early. Saturday morning ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-17

Denomination: Methodist

Living In Peace Series

Contributed by Thomas Cash on May 1, 2006

2nd in a series from 1 Timothy. Without a relationship with the Prince of Peace, we cannot be at peace. But by yielding ourselves to God as peacemakers, He can use us to make a difference in direction, attitude, and goals.

Lessons for a Healthy Church Living in Peace 1 Timothy 2:1-15 Introduction: Last Sunday we learned that there are times we must confront error. But that doesn’t mean we are to be in a constant state of war with the world or with each other! Paul taught, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Blessings And Sorrows

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Nov 6, 2016

Let’s discuss four blessings and four sorrows from Luke 6:20-31

Intro We should take several different baths each week. The obvious one is a bath for the outer body. A not so obvious bath is one for the inner body, by drinking an appropriate amount of clean water, rather than polluting our bodies with too much junk. Another not so obvious bath is for the mind, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:20-31

Denomination: Baptist

What American Idol Do We Follow?

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 10, 2006

"The the dearest idol I have known. Whate’er that idol be. Help me to tear it from the throne and worship only Thee."

What American Idol Do You Follow? "I am the Lord God. You shall have no other idols before me." (Exodus 20:2,3) Recently, American Idol pulled in over 60 million viewers and continues to be the number show on television. Many people long to find heroes to follow only to be disillusioned by ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christian Dialogue With The State Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 19, 2017

Our responsibility is to hold these politicians’ feet to the fire, remind them of what is good, and vote godly people in to replace them if they do not.

Thursday of third week in Lent 2017 Joy of the Gospel Teaching science, as I do every week in the school year, involves risk management. When one is teaching kids who are fifteen to eighteen years old, one has to recognize that these are children in adult bodies. Their frontal lobes, where logic ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 7:23-28

Denomination: Catholic

How The Holy Spirit Helps Us Identify And Remove The Masks People Hide Behind

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

1. The Holy Spirit convicts us of any form of dependency other than Jesus Christ.

1. The Holy Spirit convicts us of any form of dependency other than Jesus Christ. Jesus said to the Pharisees, "You hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:6-8, 2 Chronicles 4:2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational