Sermons on pretender:

Looking For The Perfect Church: Part One Series

Contributed by Mike Rickman on Jan 11, 2003

If you are looking for the perfect church just close your eyes and pretend there is nothing else going on in the world. Jonah did and look where it got him.

January 12, 2003 Morning Service Text: Jonah 1:1-17 Subject: Running from God Title: Looking for the Perfect Church: Part One There are people out there who move from church to church to church hoping that someday they will find just the right one. It will be the one where everything is just ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Assembly Of God

“i Do”

Contributed by David Roth on Jan 13, 2015

Proper 23 (A), 18th Sunday after Pentecost. We enter into the wedding feast of the Lamb when we believe His word of promise and come in faith, to praise and honor Him. Those who did not enter were centered on themselves instead of Christ.

J. J. May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. “I Do” “I do.” Two small little words with big impact. While they can be used on many occasions, we immediately associate them ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Lutheran

Pain, Perseverance, And Pure Joy - James 1:2-4 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Oct 13, 2020

When James commands us to consider it pure joy when we suffer, does that mean we are to pretend we are happy when we aren’t?

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Introduction: Perseverance Years ago ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Counting The Cost

Contributed by Giles Mullen on Feb 8, 2002

Trust in Jesus; how far will your trust in Jesus Christ carry you in todays society? Will you be seen as a commited to discipleship, or like Judas--an uncommitted pretender?

COUNTING THE COST Luke 14:25-35 Counting the cost of discipleship. That is something that we don’t like to think about too often. But, everything comes at a cost. For an athlete, they must decide early in life just how serious he/she wants to become in their sport and train accordingly. I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How To Avoid The Peril Of Pretentiousness

Contributed by John Kapteyn on Oct 18, 2000

Have you ever wondered how to avoid having any trace of pretense? To make an unsupported claim about one’s accomplishment is pretending to be something we are not.

Have you ever wondered how to avoid having any trace of pretense? To make an unsupported claim about one’s accomplishment is pretending to be something we are not. Paul spoke harshly against the pretentious Jewish teachers of his day because they preach too little to themselves. These ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:21-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How To Avoid The Peril Of Pretentiousness

Contributed by John Kapteyn on Oct 18, 2000

Have you ever wondered how to avoid having any trace of pretense? To make an unsupported claim about one’s accomplishment is pretending to be something we are not.

Have you ever wondered how to avoid having any trace of pretense? To make an unsupported claim about one’s accomplishment is pretending to be something we are not. Paul spoke harshly against the pretentious Jewish teachers of his day because they preach too little to themselves. These ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:21-29

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Lord Is Faithful

Contributed by Larry Grant on Sep 25, 2022

A preacher once said, "We may sometimes be in as much or more danger from false and pretended friends as from open and avowed enemies." But the Lord is Faithful!

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 NKJV The Lord is Faithful September 25, 2022 Intro: This second letter, from the pen of Paul, is written to a church that is experiencing great spiritual growth, 1:3. They are a giving, loving church that is active, growing and reaching out, 1:5. However, this church is ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Life Together

Contributed by Chris Surber on Sep 7, 2007

Today, let us celebrate the unity that we share in Christ. Let us abandon pretend unity in favor of living out life together in Christ in genuine Christian community.

Life Together, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Introduction In this life, I’ve found that people are a lot like bouncy balls. We spend all of our years bouncing through this life. We are born and bounce our way into our parent’s arms. Then as toddlers we bounce around playrooms and playgrounds, we bounce ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Denomination: Christian Church

The Danger Of Hypocrisy

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Jan 29, 2025

Hypocrisy is the act of pretending to be something one is not, especially in matters of faith and morality. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, exposing their focus on outward appearances while neglecting inner purity.

Title: THE DANGER OF HYPOCRISY By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: Matthew 23:25-28 Supporting Texts: Luke 12:1-2, 1 Samuel 16:7, Proverbs 26:24-26, Galatians 6:7-8, James 1:22-24 INTRODUCTION: Hypocrisy is the act of pretending to be something one is not, especially in matters of faith and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:25-28, Luke 12:1-2, 1 Samuel 16:7, Proverbs 26:24-26, Galatians 6:7-8, James 1:22-24  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Incarnation (Matthew 1:18-25)

Contributed by David Smith on Nov 13, 2007

Let’s stop pretending that we know a lot about God! If we want to know God at all, we’ve got to start from the human end of God - Jesus. ...

"Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. (19) Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Helpful And Harmful Hypocrisy

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 13, 2021

Man is the most clever creature when it comes to figuring out how to get his own way. Hypocrisy, or pretending something that isn't so, is one of his best methods.

Every able bodied man in Russia must serve in the army, but Abe managed to remain quietly on his farm year after year. One day his neighbor asked him, "Abe, how does a strong young man like you manage to get by without being drafted for the Red Army?" "That is what I am asking ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6

Justifiable Complaint Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 1, 2021

There was no escapism with Job. He got no comfort by trying to deny the reality of evil. Many believers often try to pretend that there is no evil. This is not healthy at all. Job is healthy, for he condemns evil for what it is.

Disraeli, as the Prime Minister of England, was once walking with a friend. As they went along the street in London, they met a distinguished looking gentleman. Disraeli greeted him, and asked, "How is your old complaint?" The man responded that it was getting worse, and he was sure it ...read more

"Are You Going To Tarshish Or Nineveh" Series

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 18, 2011

This lesson is about acting on what God desires for us to do. A lot of times we wait, pretend like we don't hear God or just go to Tarshish instead of Nineveh.

Yesterday we left off where the men on the ship threw Jonah overboard. The sea grew calm and a great fish swallowed Jonah. A large fish could have been a huge sperm whale but the Bible doesn’t say what kind of fish. But its insides had to big enough for Jonah to breathe for three days. ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 2:8

You Can't Just Fake It!

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on May 24, 2017

In the life of King Josiah he did all he could do to bring Judah back to worshiping and obeying the Lord God of Israel even to the point of calling them together to recommit to faithfully serving the Lord. Did they really commit??? Let's find out.

Today we’ll be talking about Josiah and his striving to bring Judah back into fellowship with the Lord God Almighty and out of idolatry. Where does Josiah fall in the timeline of the history of Israel? - The Lord chooses Abram - The patriarchs - Bondage in Egypt - Moses and the Exodus - Wandering ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 35:25, Jeremiah 3:6-10

Denomination: Nazarene

Getting Real Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Oct 8, 2014

Don’t pretend to be better than you really are. You could end up worse than you were; and besides, you don’t have to fake it to make it with God.

A cowboy walked into a Texas bar, ordered three bottles of beer, and sat in the back room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finished them, he came back to the bar and ordered three more. The bartender told the cowboy, "You know, a bottle goes flat after I open it. It would taste ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical Free