Sermons on Proper 23 Year B:

What Is The True Meaning Of Christmas?

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 18, 2011

You cannot sensibly divorce "Christ the King" from Christmas - for why else would we remember the birth of a child born in an obscure part of the world 200 years ago unless he was different

WSG 20-11-2011 With Christmas just around the corner and this being the last Family Service before the New Year, I wanted to ask the question Why is Christmas so special? What is there about Jesus Christ that marks him out as being different from all the other babies born in Israel 2000 years ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Denomination: Anglican

Christmas Cheer

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 20, 2020

Christmas is a time of cheer. You might respond with, "not this year. The Christmas cheer has been replaced with Christmas fear!" There was both fear and cheer surrounding the events of the first Christmas.

CHRISTMAS CHEER There's a Christmas song titled, Holly, Jolly Christmas. It starts out, "Have a holly jolly Christmas; It's the best time of the year. Now I don't know if there'll be snow; But have a cup of cheer". I wonder what's in that cup? But Christmas is a time ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-15, Matthew 1:18-21, Luke 1:39-49, Luke 1:67-79, Hebrews 2:14-15  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Law In Our Hearts Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Sep 29, 2021

A 2,000 year long discussion still continues among Christians. The discussion centers around the question, how much of the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, applies in the New Testament, and how much is discontinued?

Let's begin a study on the spirit of the law. A 2,000 year long discussion still continues among Christians. The discussion centers around the question, how much of the Old Testament, the Hebrew Scriptures, applies in the New Testament, and how much is discontinued? The argument between ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:6, Romans 2:29

Denomination: Baptist

The Biggest Waste Of Time!

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 16, 2022

Those who are doing something positive with their life recognize that we are only allotted so many days, weeks, months and years in this life, and we can not afford to waste the precious time that is given to us.

For example: (1) SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME In the name of increased productivity, we humans have battled against time since the beginning of time. For example, if you look at the past 200 years, the invention of the cotton gin, the assembly line, the telephone, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1

Denomination: Baptist

Echo: The Abilities Of Visions

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 7, 2022

Oh, here comes the dreamer... 13 long years before the dreams become a reality. We seem to focus on the temporal not the eternal. May we open our eyes to see what God is doing.

ECHO… THE ABILITIES OF VISION… By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (I do this in 2 parts) I once read a lesson about this man, Simeon, he was a shepherd that lived in 390 A.D. He saw how corrupt the world had become. So he decided to LIVE ABOVE ALL THE EVIL and CORRUPTION. So ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18, Genesis 37:3, Joel 2:28

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Trial Of Jesus: Brought Before Caiaphas Series

Contributed by Jenny Franklin on Nov 30, 2021

When Jesus was arrested, the multitude led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Found in Matthew 26:57-68,27:1; Mark 14:53,55-65; Luke 22:54,63-71 and John 18:13-14,19-24 John 18:13-14 When Jesus was arrested, the multitude led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year. Now Caiaphas was he, who gave counsel to the Jews, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:57-68, Matthew 27:1, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:54-71, John 18:13-14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

An Amazing Confession Of Faith

Contributed by Jon Mackinney on Aug 17, 2010

This is a very controversial passage, and is the basis for a debate that has raged between Catholics and Protestants for many years. Let's see what Jesus was talking about when He referred to the person and the event as "the rock."

Passage: Matthew 16:13-21 Intro: We are looking at a passage today that has sparked huge controversy among believers. 1. and in fact, it is the interpretation of this passage that essentially separates Catholics from Protestants. 2. (by the way, protestant means “for the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-21

Denomination: Evangelical Free

A Messianic Agenda

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 2, 2016

The Spirit anointed the speaker "to announce glad tidings: to heal the broken in heart; to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and the recovery of sight to the blind; to send forth the crushed in deliverance; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

A MESSIANIC AGENDA. Luke 4:14-21. Always a methodical writer (Luke 1:3), Luke has grouped together reports of three manifestations of the Spirit’s work in Jesus’ life. The first is the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus at His baptism, that wonderful moment of Trinitarian confirmation of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:14-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Holiness, What Does It Look Like?

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Oct 17, 2017

Currently, we are in the Salvation Army spending the whole year mobilising for mission, this months topic is mobilising for holiness. What does it look like, here are a few thoughts and questions that will be presented at tomorrow morning prayers.

This is a short address that is also a group of questions about what God requires, about holiness. We are called to be a holy people, are you - judge for yourself. What does holiness look like, how can we be mobilised to be holy. At the age of fourteen I committed my life to God as a member of a ...read more

Scripture: James 1:26-27, Micah 6:8-9

Denomination: Salvation Army

Forever And Ever

Contributed by Samuel M on Feb 28, 2024

Forever and Ever, Everlasting to Everlasting and Eternity runs through the prayers and lives of the patriarchs and saints in the Bible. Their lifespan was at most 100 years, but their prayers, lives, and hopes extended from eternity past to eternity future.

Forever and Ever, Everlasting to Everlasting and Eternity runs through the prayers and lives of the patriarchs and saints in the Bible. Their lifespan was at most 100 years, but their prayers, lives, and hopes extended from eternity past to eternity future. They lived their lives in the light of ...read more

The Fifth Sunday In Advent: The Christ Candle Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 27, 2022

This candle, according to some customs, represents the birth of Jesus Himself. This message contains excerpts from one of Dr Martin Luther's Christmas sermons preached nearly 500 years ago!

Edited from a message preached 12-25-2022 at First Baptist Church, Chamois, MO. This is not an exact transcription. Introduction: It’s good to see you here today as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Christmas Day only falls on a Sunday every dozen years or so, as I recall, so ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-18, Galatians 4:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Temptations -- Jesus' And Ours Series

Contributed by Revd Dr Ruwan Palapathwala on Jan 1, 2025

Temptation is our awful struggle not to lose ourselves and our potential to lose ourselves. Temptation also highlights God’s mercy and grace in our lives in the wilderness for forty minutes, hours, days or years.

In today’s Gospel reading, we encounter the most human and common experience: temptation, which Jesus also experienced in a very profound way. The temptations of Jesus are found in all four Gospels. But we are accustomed to thinking that Jesus was tempted three times before his public ministry ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-2, Luke 4:1-13, Mark 1:12-13

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

"The Distractions At Easter”

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Apr 18, 2025

Life can bring distractions. the first distraction was created by the Pharisees 2000 years ago . a story by Charles Colson (I've used it before) a quote from Leonard Sweet Jesus A Theography

In Jesus Holy Name Easter 2020 Text: Matthew 28:2,11 Redeemer “The Distractions at Easter” Welcome to Easter! He is risen! He is risen indeed! But There many distractions. The first distraction happened 2000 years ago when the Pharisees paid he soldiers ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:2, Matthew 28:11

Denomination: Lutheran

The Greatest Mission On Earth

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 13, 2025

Take heart from the Scriptures today and know that as we break and share the Bread of Life and take and drink the Cup of Blessing, we are surrounded by each other and a huge throng of witnesses, thousands of years old.

Twentieth Sunday in Course 2025 Cisterns, which date back thousands of years, are holes in the ground meant to collect and store water. Often they are lined on the sides with rocks to slow down leakage into the surrounding soil. At our house we have no cisterns, but we do have rain barrels that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-53, Hebrews 12:1-4, Psalm 40:2-4, Jeremiah 38:4-10, Psalm 40:17  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

Salvation Questioned Series

Contributed by Ricky Tuttle Thd on Jan 10, 2026

The subject of salvation has caused great division in churches over the last 2000 years. It should not be a shock to discover that this subject is in our Bibles, but the answer that is clear has also been ignored and discarded as well.

“Salvation Questioned” Acts 15:1-5 The subject of salvation has caused great division in churches over the last 2000 years. It should not be a shock to discover that this subject is in our Bibles, but the answer that is clear has also been ignored and discarded as well. Our defense is very ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:1-5

Denomination: Baptist