Sermons on Provoking:

Is Your Best Offense Really A Good Defense?

Contributed by Darian Catron on Mar 17, 2022

Why are so many so offended by everything today, and are we exempt from this problem? What is the best response (the Christlike one) when things are offensive to us?

INTRODUCTION: Illustration- There’s an old saying – “The best defense is a good offense.” It’s been used in sports, in business, and in war. It’s also known as the strategic offensive principle of war. The theory is that being proactive with a strong offensive action will make your opponent so ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-36, Romans 12:14, James 1:19-20, Ephesians 4:26-27, Colossians 3:12-13, Romans 12:17-21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bringing Up Children

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Jun 20, 2023

Not every father models what our Heavenly Father does, so this scripture in Ephesians chapter six is appropriate to help us understand the role of a father in the home.

Alba 6-18-2023 BRINGING UP CHILDREN Ephesians 6:1-4 Maybe you’ve heard the old story about fatherhood that says that when a child is 4 years old he says proudly, "My dad knows everything about everything." When he is 7 he says, "Dad knows almost everything about ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4, Hebrews 12:5-11, Colossians 3:20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Battle For Souls (Sixth Sunday Of Easter 2022)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on May 20, 2022

The Lord has planned and is planning how and when he sends us as His instruments to share the Gospel.

THE BATTLE FOR SOULS Text: Acts 16: 14 - 20, & Acts 16: 23- 31 Acts 16: 14 - 20, & Acts 16: 23- 31 (14) A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:14-20, Acts 16:23-31

Denomination: United Methodist

Jesus' Legacy Of Love (Sixth Sunday Of Easter May 5, 2024)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on May 4, 2024

Jesus' commandment to love one another was a legacy to Jesus' disciples then as much as it is also a legacy to Jesus' disciples today and in every generation.

JESUS' LEGACY OF LOVE Text: John 15: 9-17 John 15:9-17  I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love.  (10)  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.  (11)  "I have ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17

Denomination: United Methodist

This Mother's Worst Dilemma

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 9, 2025

She went in disguise to find out if her son would live after he became ill. The disguise didn't work, and she came back with a dilemma no mother ever wants to face.

Introduction: She was the queen, but not even she could overcome her son’s illness. When she sought a message from a prophet of the LORD, she received news that shook her to her core. (Full disclosure: Sermon Central has previously accepted a message based on this text, called “The Message This ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 14:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

The Blindness In Misinterpreting God’s Way-3

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Jul 29, 2025

3 of 6. YHWH God answered the frustrations experienced by His prophet Habakkūk, when he misinterpreted God’s way. Spiritual blindness results from misinterpreting God’s way. But, ?What characterizes that blindness? Misinterpreting God’s way, blinds you to...

The BLINDNESS In MISINTERPRETING GOD’s WAY--III —Habakkuk 1:6a(:5-11) Attention: Have you ever experienced realistic artwork done with chalk on cement walkway. It’s made to appear 3-dimensional. To the person walking down the sidewalk or in the town-square, the artwork has the look of real water, ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:6, Habakkuk 1:5-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Straw That Broke The Camel’s Back

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Aug 2, 2022

There are many godly people on this earth and we can learn how to live a godly life from their life.

Also, there are many ungodly people on this earth and we can learn what not to do from their life. The Bible gives us godly and ungodly men and women to learn from. Illus: August of 2022 the local news reported that the schools in South Carolina was a large shortage of teachers to teach our ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 21:1-16, 2 Chronicles 33:12-13

Denomination: Baptist

The Blindness In Misinterpreting God’s Way-1

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Mar 25, 2025

1 of 6. YHWH God answered the frustrations experienced by His prophet Habakkūk, when he misinterpreted God’s way. Spiritual blindness results from misinterpreting God’s way. But, ?What characterizes that blindness? Misinterpreting God’s way, blinds you to...

The BLINDNESS In MISINTERPRETING GOD’s WAY--I —Habakkuk 1:5[part-1--:5a](:5-11) Attention: Airport Mistletoe: It was the beginning of December. The business trip had gone reasonably well, & the businessman was ready to return home.  Due to the season, the airport had been decorated ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:5, Habakkuk 1:5-11

Denomination: Baptist

Lessons From The Life Of Saul

Contributed by Maurice Brown on Jun 15, 2001

We can lose our crown just as Saul did!

Introduction A. Give us a King! - the demand of Israel in I Sam.8 1. Saul was their choice, and he became their conquering hero 2. But Saul later became the King who threw away his crown 3. The Bleating sheep on the slopes of Mt. Carmel signalled the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 31:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Elder And His Family

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Sep 12, 2001

The Elder needs to have a good family relationship

INTRODUCTION The qualifications for a leader in God’s church start long before the man is of the proper age to be an Elder. These are things that we work on our of our lives so that we can serve God’s church as Elders. One day Bill and John will not be here to do the job and we will need a new ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:2-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Marks Of Spirituality

Contributed by Roddy Chestnut on Oct 18, 2000

Thesis: Those who live by the Spirit can be identified.

Thesis: Those who live by the Spirit can be identified. Introduction: 1. What does it look like to be a spiritual person? a. Seems like an odd question! 1) Perhaps you've always thought spirituality was invisible. 2) Spirituality IS seen--but man's idea & God's often differs. b. Man has always ...read more

How To Not Over React To People Or Problems

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

James wrote, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." (James 1:19) Only when our mind, will and emotions are under the control of the Spirit of

How Not to Over-React We all have a tendency to over react when provoked. One day a Midwestern Lawyer became so discouraged with his productivity that he despaired of everything in life. He wrote in his diary, "I do not know if my life is worth anything to anyone. I often wonder if my life will ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Prodigal, A Parishoner, And A Ceo Series

Contributed by Michael Hollinger on Nov 9, 2005

Part I of a 3 part series, "How to spend an inheritance"

Title: A Prodigious Inheritance, Pt.1 Text: Luke 15:11-24 FCF: God has given us a remarkable inheritance; we must choose wisely how to invest it. SO: Next week, I’ll be challenging the congregation not to rest on its laurels, but before I do that, I want to remind them of the riches they have in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-24

Denomination: Baptist

Let Your Good Works Glorify Your Father

Contributed by Carolyn Malaika Foster-Brooks on Sep 23, 2002

A sermon of encouragement for Christian workers who are feeling as if they are not and have not done enough to serve God!

(Sermon By: Evangelist Carolyn Malaika Foster- Brooks of Lyons, Georgia delivered to the St. Luke AME Church.) SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:14-16....Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorif ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16, Philippians 4:8

Denomination: Baptist

The Potter

Contributed by Dr. C. David White on Sep 23, 2002

God has a purpose, place and people. All the Master Potter needs to fulfill his design is yielded mud!

The Potter 1 ¶ The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words. 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he was working a work on the wheel. 4 And the vessel that he made in clay was ruined ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-7

Denomination: Baptist