Sermons on Proper 23 Year B:

Starting Over With God

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 13, 2010

God, though He is a god of wrath, also gives Himself permission to start over with us; we ought to take a cue from that and give ourselves permission to start over in our relationship with Him.

Did you ever start something and then find that it was going so badly, it was such a mess, you just wished you could just start all over again? You started down some path, you knew it was a mistake, but you got so invested in it you felt you had to see it through, even though it was getting worse ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

From Death To Life

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 10, 2011

The story of the raising of Lazarus and the hope that awaits us all.

The story of Lazarus is one of the most human in the New Testament. We are touched by several emotions. Here is a family that Jesus loves very deeply. Mary later shows her devotion by anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume and drying them with her hair. Their home was a respite from the ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-45

Denomination: Methodist

Mother Of God

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 6, 2018

The infinite dimensions of Mary's the mind and will of God and her surrender.

Psalm 90:12 says, “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” There should not be a New Year’s Day that goes by that we don’t remind ourselves of that truth one way or another. Last night, one guy was really counting down the time for the New Year. He remarked ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 6:22-27, Luke 2:16-21

Denomination: Catholic

Times And Season Series

Contributed by Maurice Mccarthy on Dec 30, 2013

We must often be stripped of one season before we can enter another. Putting the past behind us. Comparing your season to someone else's can lead to great disappointment, don't do it!

Times and Seasons PPT 1 Series Title Text Ecc. 3:1-11 Today we are beginning a new series on Times and Seasons. in todays message we will look at 3 important truths about "seasons," in your life. 1. In order to enter a new season we must often be stripped of the last season. 2. Comparison of ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

Denomination: Pentecostal

"Whatever Was,is, Whatever Will Be Is"

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Jan 2, 2014

New Years Eve Sermon for a Historic Watch Night Service dealing with the past year and some hard questions on the concept of God as only a Good God.

December 31, 2013 (Watch Night/New Year's Eve/New Year’s Day) Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 “Whatever was, is, Whatever will be is” Psalm 8 (UMH 743) Revelation 21:1-6a
 From time to time, God tests us—as Abraham was tested—to see just how much we trust God and how much ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:9-15

Denomination: United Methodist

First Things First Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jan 2, 2012

Understanding how quickly life goes by and how long eternity is should teaches us to have the right priorities. Getting to know God in a personal way should be our greatest priority in life.

FIRST THINGS FIRST [NEW YEAR] MATTHEW 6:33 [25-34] Jesus presented evidence that worry is irreverent, for it fails to believe that God is in control, that the God who gave us life is sustaining it. Worry is irrelevant because it does not change things nor help us cope with problems. And worry ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, Matthew 6:25-34

Denomination: Baptist

The Need For Light Then... And Now!

Contributed by Monty Newton on Jan 9, 2012

The message a dark and chaotic world needs to hear and see is that God has sent light to show us the way out of darkness into light and life.

Title: The Need for Light Then… and Now Text: Genesis 1:1-5 Thesis: God said it and says it still, “Let there be light!” The message the dark and chaotic world needs to hear and see is that God has sent light to show us the way out of darkness into light. Introduction Most ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Best Is Yet To Come

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Jan 31, 2017

Jesus keeps the vintage wine until everyone is drunk. This is the same for the vintage years of our lives - old age is viewed as something NOT to be thought of but Jesus shows us that our vintage year are the best yet to come.

The Best is Yet to Come Gospel reading: John 2:1-12 from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Wedding at Cana 1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-12

The Stroke Of The Clock

Contributed by T.j. Conwell on Jan 2, 2011

Resolutions come and go, but Jesus Christ will always remain the same! Will we accept that and be encouraged that it is to Him that we must follow in the New Year? (Ref: Isaiah 55:6, Psalm 105:4, John 1:12-13, Matthew 6:33)

The Stroke of the Clock Psalm 27:8 (and several others) Introduction - In the bulletin you will see the four pieces of scripture we’ll be looking at - This morning we are going to conclude the message that we began on Wed eve - Today, we find ourselves in the New Year facing many different ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Despising The Lord's Table

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 24, 2010

The New Year brings with it a sense that here we are again, doing the same old things, even in worship. But the prophet warns us that weariness in worship comes from offering God less than our best.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC January 3, 1988 Prominent in Greek mythology there is the story of Sisyphus. Sisyphus, you may remember, was the poor lost soul who had been condemned to spend eternity heaving and shoving a huge rock up to the top of a hill, only to have it roll ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 1:6-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Song Of Beginnings - Genesis 1 Series

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Jan 4, 2015

What is the origin story of the universe and of humanity? When do we, really, show up in the story?

The Song of Beginnings - Genesis Chapter 1 - 1st in a 4-part Series on the Gospel According to Genesis Happy New Year to you. I hope it’s been good so far. New Years, like all beginnings of a type, can have an impact on how our year goes and on shaping where we end up at the end of the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Say What! Series

Contributed by Robert Fa’atoia-Collins on Mar 1, 2014

Make things right with God and be faithful to Him

As you reflect back on 2013, I'm sure there are times in your journey that you will somehow say to yourself; Did I do that? or in the words of our heading; SAY WHAT?! Yes we are all guilty of that and we want to change and not repeating our stuff ups of 2013. Whatever you've done let me remind ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 4:18-27

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Building The Hose Of The Lord: A New Beginning

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Feb 26, 2012

Let us dedicate ourselves to building the Hose of the Lord, this new year

New Beginnings – Building the House of God This is the last Sunday of January. Many of us have forgotten the New Year promise card, though Pastor tries to remind us every week. Most of us would have already forgotten about our New Year resolutions. But the fact is that we are still in the ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 3:1-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Now The Lord Is The Spirit, And Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is Freedom.

Contributed by Mark Van Cuylenburg on Jan 14, 2024

The Spirit Of The Lord is The Lord and he indwells all believers. How will His Spirit use us?

Last week Pastor Jude preached from 2nd Corinthians 3:17 wherein The Apostle to The Gentiles, Paul states ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.’ ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.’ Paul is writing to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:17, 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, Acts 3:1-20, Acts 9:15, Acts 13:6-12, Exodus 19:5-6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

No Screaming, Lots Of Listening

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 8, 2025

We might make the fiery preacher John the Baptist into our kind of Messiah. Energize by screaming at folks.

Feast of the Baptism of Jesus 2025 Sometimes in our reflections we might think that if God just made a few changes in the way He engineered our salvation, things might have gone better. Isaiah predicts that the Messiah would come gently, not screaming His message, giving people who were broken and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-4, Isaiah 42:6-7, Acts 10:34-38, Luke 3:15-16, Luke 3:21-22  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic