Sermons on Popular Piety:

Who Are Your Friends?

Contributed by Daren Mitchell on Dec 10, 2013

Everyone needs friends. The reason the Toy Story franchise is so popular is because everyone can relate to the idea of having friends who stick with you no matter what. But for followers of Jesus this definition doesn't go far enough.

Randy Newman wrote a song called, "You Got a Friend in Me". Most folks recognize this song as the theme to the popular Toy Story franchise. According to Randy a real friend is someone who loves you and sticks with you even through your worst troubles. This is a great definition of what a friend ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Game Of Thrones- Israel’s Experience With Human Kings” Series

Contributed by Rev. Clarence Eisberg on Oct 27, 2015

King Saul has been consumed by jealousy over David’s popularity. This jealousy turned to hatred fueling his desire to kill David. Jonathan had to choose loyalty to his Father, or his best friend David.

The Game of Thrones- Israel’s Experience with Human Kings” “A House Divided” In the darkest hours of the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln quoted Jesus when he said: “A house divided cannot stand.” This morning we are returning to our series of messages ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Attending Idiots Unaware

Contributed by G W Bill Elliott Jr on Feb 1, 2015

Sure, the timely phrase 'attending angels unaware' is quite popular and we seem to secretly hope, wish and pray someone unique will bless our lives or at least give-us-a-break (they'd truly be an angel, huh).

Sure, the timely phrase 'attending angels unaware' is quite popular and we seem to secretly hope, wish and pray someone unique will bless our lives or at least give-us-a-break (they'd truly be an angel, huh). But how rare is it that we are in the presence of angels? While it is virtually impossible ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Purpose Of Man Series

Contributed by Vince Miller on May 30, 2018

One of the most popular questions you will get from men is "What is my purpose?" This question plagues men of all ages but what is the answer? Clearly, God designed men with a purpose in mind. Discover in this lesson, the purpose of man.

I've got to tell you, one of the big questions that I get from men - hands down it's the most asked question - is, "What is God's purpose for my life?" It doesn't matter if I meet a man in his 20's, or in his 80's. Every man asks this question, "What is God's purpose for my life?" I think it's one ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Won't You Be My Friend Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 9, 2018

God said it was not good for the man to be alone, and yet too many people are more isolated than ever. Using a clip from the popular TV series "This is Us" we address the question of "How can we witness to others?"

OPEN: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn9aSZ7uPXI – video clip from “This Is Us” of conversation between Katie and a woman she’s helped. See Footnote) APPLY: That clip came from a scene in a popular TV series called “THIS IS US”. Katie (one of the main characters in the show) is helping a girl ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"Stephen: A Heart Of Commitment" Series

Contributed by David Henderson on Dec 22, 2015

One of the things that are clear as you look at the gospels is that popularity can be costly. Most of us if we would admit it, certainly desire to have it. But we sometimes don’t realize what it can cost us.

HEARTBEATS “Stephen: A heart of Commitment” Acts 6:8-15 and 8:54-60 One of the things that are clear as you look at the gospels is that popularity can be costly. Most of us if we would admit it, certainly desire to have it. But we sometimes don’t realize what it can cost us. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:8-15

Denomination: Baptist

There’s Just Something About Christmas Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Dec 22, 2022

Christmas is by far the most popular of these seven American holidays. Yet, not everybody can tell you why we celebrate every other holiday. Only around half of all Americans could retell the Christmas story from memory.

It’s now just two weeks and just fourteen days until Christmas! Christmas is so exciting for so many reasons: family gathering together, time off from work and obligations, and the strong sense of nostalgia we all feel this time of year. Nat King Cole captured the sentiment of the season for many ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-3, Romans 11:36

Denomination: Baptist

Get Real! Series

Contributed by Mitchell Skelton on Feb 16, 2004

Popular TV show host, Dr. Phil McGraw, has a famous "one—liner" that I think best relates for us today what Paul was saying here in our passage. What Paul is saying to us is GET REAL!

Get Real! 1 Corinthians 16:13—14 INTRODUCTION Chapter sixteen of 1 Corinthians concludes Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. In his final words Paul gives the Corinthians some strong final words that really wrap up "in a nutshell" what he has been trying to teach them. 1Corinthians ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Old, New, Borrowed And True

Contributed by Simon Robinson on Dec 11, 2001

Lot’s of people sing songs at Christmas and don’t think about what they mean. We’re going to put three popular songs together and see how they’ll combine to tell us some christmas truth

Old, new, borrowed and true I suppose it must be a sign of ageing that I really enjoy TV programmes like ‘I love the 70s As soon as they start to show those nostalgic clips and play the songs I used to listen to the memories come flooding back There’s something about music that does that – ...read more

Scripture: John 1:10, Isaiah 1:18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Friend Day Sermon Series

Contributed by Ken Kersten on Nov 8, 2002

Popular TV theme songs through the years such as "Friends", "Cheers", and "All in the Family" reflect the need in our society to find a place of togetherness and belonging. God’s Word has always known and revealed this deep need within people as well as

Ecc. 4:9-12 Popular TV theme songs through the years such as "Friends", "Cheers", and "All in the Family" reflect the need in our society to find a place of togetherness and belonging. God’s Word has always known and revealed this deep need within people as well as the Church’s responsibility to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:9-21, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Lost - But Not A Total Loss Part 2 Series

Contributed by Terry Jones on Nov 8, 2008

In Prime Time Christianity, Pastor Terry will look at our impact for Christ in the world around us with some help from this seasons more popular prime time Television Series. In this second message of the series Pastor Terry will challenge the Body to se

(We will consider selected text throughout the 27th and 28th chapters of Acts) ABC will run the third season of their prime time drama of 48 plane crash survivors who find themselves marooned on a remote Pacific island. They don’t know where they are and worse yet, it seems no one else does ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It's Your Time Now Part 5 Series

Contributed by Terry Jones on Nov 8, 2008

In Prime Time Christianity, Pastor Terry will look at our impact for Christ in the world around us with some help from this seasons more popular prime time Television Series. In this conclusion of the series Pastor Terry encourages the Body to take advan

In praying over this morning message, I wanted to kind of stay in the flow of the work the Holy Spirit has been doing in the last week. As I prayed, the Lord dropped “Now is the Time” into my spirit. I started looking for scripture that held that phrase when the Lord directed me to this morning’s ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 47:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Can Define God Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 19, 2004

Third in a series on popular illusions. We try to limit God by turning to religion instead of relationship. The issue is in our own integrity. The world understands the power of God better than we do! The loss of our idols is fatal, but in Christ ther

She was obviously tired of discussing the issue. The wrangling had gone on long enough. Neither side was about to give in to the other. It was time for somebody to settle this matter. So she drew herself up to her full five feet two; she threw her shoulders back; and with that certain toss of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

I Can Change People Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 19, 2004

Third in a series on popular illusions. We think we can change others, but shaming them will not work. Nor will forcing them. Only a spiritual-relationship crisis will do so. Help them see how sin injures Christ and they will change.

There have always been folks who have thought they could change the world, people who were unwilling to leave things as they are, who want to make a difference, who want to get things done. They want to change the world. The trouble is, they usually run up against harsh human reality. Eighty or so ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Contrasting Healthy And Unhealthy Ways Of Viewing Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Sep 18, 2006

Unhealthy Views of Spiritual Gifts-* Useful for gaining popularity, status and power * Useful for helping one stand out from the crowd * Useful for self-aggrandizement (Increasing one’s power, rank or wealth) * Useful for protecting oneself from other’

Contrasting Healthy and Unhealthy Ways of Viewing Spiritual Gifts 1 Corinthians 12:6 (NIV, NIRV, TNIV, KJV) Unhealthy Views of Spiritual Gifts * Useful for gaining popularity, status and power * Useful for helping one stand out from the crowd * Useful for self-aggrandizement ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:6-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational