Sermons on Proper 23 Year B:

Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Feb 26, 2020

Perhaps you have played the childhood game, Ring Around the Rosie.

Ashes, Ashes, We All Fall Down Matthew 6: 1 - 6 Intro: Do you remember as a child singing “Ring Around The Rosie”? It is unknown what the earliest version of the rhyme was or when it began. The game has a group of children form a ring, dance in a circle around a person, and stoop or fall to the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Message Of The Cross Series

Contributed by David Owens on Apr 14, 2008

The remedy for division rooted in pride is the proper appreciation for the Cross.

Introduction: A. I love the story of the two men were digging a ditch on a very hot day. 1. One said to the other, “Why are we down in this hole digging a ditch when our boss is standing up there in the shade of a tree?” 2. “I don’t know,” responded the other. “I’ll ask him.” 3. So he climbed ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

4th Sunday After Epiphany, Year C. Series

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 24, 2022

February 2nd, 2025.

Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30. A). A COMMON CALL. Jeremiah 1:4-10. Throughout history both the Church in general, and churches in particular, have published books of Common Order, Common Worship, and Common Prayer; common lectionaries, common liturgies, and ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Make A Joyful Noise

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 24, 2020

A call to exuberant praise, and reasons for this praise.

MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE. Psalm 100. PSALM 100:1a. This “Psalm of praise” is known in some liturgical circles as ‘Jubilate’, after the first word of the Latin version. The English translation of the original Hebrew is “Make a joyful noise.” (Similarly, Psalm 95:1-2 twice calls upon us to “make ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 100:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lessons In The New Year From Lepers - Part 2 Series

Contributed by William Wyne on Mar 7, 2012

Learning from the trials and testings of others to be strong and courageous.

Life is a total of our choices. There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist and live with them and in them, or to take the responsibility to change them. And it’s only when you exercise your right to choose, can you exercise the right to change. You may think ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Presence And Glory Of The Lord.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Sep 6, 2023

Having asked the LORD to “show me now thy way,” Moses next waxed bold to ask, “I beseech thee, show me thy glory.”

THE PRESENCE AND GLORY OF THE LORD. Exodus 33:12-23. 1. Show Me Thy Way (Exodus 33:12-17). EXODUS 33:12. Earlier in the chapter the LORD had said: ‘Go up hence, thou and the people… unto the land which I sware unto Abraham… I will send an angel before thee (cf. Exodus 33:1-2). Yet Moses now ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:12-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Life Story Of Moses

Contributed by Joey Nelson on May 10, 2006

A panorama of Moses’ life breaks nicely into three forty year segments (Acts 7:23; Deut.34:7). Our focus today will be on the second forty year segment of his life for it was in this time of life that God did His greatest work in Moses.

Background: A panorama of Moses’ life breaks nicely into three forty year segments (Acts 7:23; Deut.34:7). Our focus today will be on the second forty year segment of his life for it was in this time of life that God did His greatest work in Moses. In Stephen’s speech just prior to his martyrdom in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:20-36

Moses Drawn Out

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jun 24, 2018

Drawn by the cords of everlasting love!

MOSES DRAWN OUT. Exodus 2:1-10. We all know, used to know, or should have known, the story of baby Moses drifting in an ark of bulrushes, placed by his mother in amongst the reeds by the banks of the River Nile (Exodus 2:3). In ancient maps, uncharted waters used to be indicated with an ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pray Not For This People!

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 9, 2022

The context of Jeremiah 14:11.

PRAY NOT FOR THIS PEOPLE! Jeremiah 14:7-10, Jeremiah 14:19-22. A series of droughts affected Judah during the reign of King Jehoiakim. The watercourses were empty, the ground was chapped, and there was no grass for the livestock. Nobles and their children, ploughmen, and both domestic and ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 14:7-10, Jeremiah 14:19-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Choosing Life For Others

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jul 29, 2017

Faced with the desirability of reaching our destination in Christ, are we willing to tarry a while to help others along the way?

CHOOSING LIFE FOR OTHERS. Philippians 1:21-26. The Apostle Paul had just referred to his ‘earnest expectation and hope’ that Christ should now be ‘magnified’ in Paul’s body ‘whether by life or by death’ (Philippians 1:20). Suddenly, it seems, Paul found himself in a state of perplexity. “For to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:21-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Words And Meditation.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 29, 2025

A prayer for guidance.

WORDS AND MEDITATION. Psalm 5:1-8. PSALM 5:1. David longs for a hearing from the LORD: “Give ear to my words, O LORD” (cf. Psalm 54:2; Psalm 55:1). Then he adds, “consider my meditation.” We see the same combination of words and meditation in the well-known quotation from Psalm 19:14. If we ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 5:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hosanna To The King Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Apr 3, 2020

As the King came to die, He did so: 1) At the Proper Moment (John 12:12a), 2) With the Passionate Multitude (John 12:12b-13), 3) In the Predicted Manner (John 12:14-15), and 4) To the Perplexity of His Men (John 12:16).

John 12:12-16 [12] The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. [13] So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" [14] And ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-16

Denomination: Other

The Grave Of Lazarus.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 5, 2024

Jesus wept tears of righteous anger against the violent tyranny of death.

THE GRAVE OF LAZARUS. John 11:32-44. Hearing of Jesus’ call, Mary ran to Jesus, prostrated herself at His feet, weeping, and complained: “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). Jesus became vexed in His spirit, a champion fired up for the fight to the death ...read more

Scripture: John 11:32-44

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Example Of Jesus' Suffering.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 12, 2023

It is in His victory that we are made victorious.

THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS’ SUFFERING. 1 Peter 3:18-22. The example of Jesus’ sufferings is set before us as our paradigm (1 Peter 3:18): we suffer, just as Christ suffers. Yet His suffering is unique in that it is vicarious: He suffered for us to bring us to God. He was put to death as to this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

6th Sunday After Epiphany, Year C. Series

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Feb 7, 2022

February 16th, 2022.

Jeremiah 17:5-10, Psalm 1, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Luke 6:17-26. A). A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS. Jeremiah 17:5-10. The prophet Jeremiah’s response to the political and international situation of his day was, “Thus says the LORD” (Jeremiah 17:5). And what does the LORD say? He says, in ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:5-10, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Luke 6:17-26

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational