Sermons on Pushing:

The Examined Life

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Feb 5, 2006

The hard commands of Jesus are best understood as being directed to the church, which should be a Community of Grace. This sermon addresses Jesus’ teaching on lust, sin and adultery.

The Examined Life in the Community of Grace Our key scripture today suggested to me the sermon title, The Examined Life”. You may have heard of this saying by Socrates, an ancient philosopher: “The unexamined life is not worth living." It struck me that, in some very strong language, what ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:27-32

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Is For Us

Contributed by Fred Sigle on May 1, 2006

No matter what difficulty we face in life, God is always there to pick us up. He is for us.

GOD IS FOR US A. Son Games ILLUSTRATION: In 490 B.C., a great battle between two WORLD EMPIRES, the PERSIANS and GREEKS (the Athenians), was fought in the ancient town of Marathon, some 22 miles from the city of Athens. The battle was FIERCE, but resulted in the DEFEAT of the PERSIANS. A ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:31-39

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Spirit And Unity With God Series

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on May 3, 2005

We were created to join in the dance of unity with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Spirit draws us back into the dance.

Knowing the Holy Spirit May 1, 2005 The Spirit and Union (Baptism in the Spirit) Do you remember a few weeks ago we were trying to find an image, a metaphor for the trinity that goes beyond an fills out the images of the egg, or the shamrock, or fire? And we rediscovered this ancient word ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:4-7

Denomination: *other

The Spirit And Identity Series

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on May 12, 2005

The Spirit reminds us who we are in Christ.

Knowing The Holy Spirit May 8, 2005 The Spirit and Identity Matthew 3:13-4:11 Donald Miller writes in “Blue Like Jazz,” “everybody wants to be fancy and new. Nobody wants to be themselves. I mean, maybe people want to be themselves, but they want to be different, with different clothes or ...read more

Denomination: *other

Duck, Duck Goose

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Sep 25, 2002

Words of encouragement for when we are tempted to "duck" out of our Christian responsibilities and Christian living.

This past week Justin began dancing around the floor saying “Awses, Awses, Awses” and then he would fall over and just laugh and laugh. At first I couldn’t figure out what he was doing then he repeated it again laughing with the delight the whole time and I realized he was playing Ring Around the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:22-31

Denomination: United Methodist

Take It To The Limit- Morals Series

Contributed by Tim Hedberg on Mar 10, 2008

Don’t cave under pressure, keep your convictions.

Take It To The Limit February 3, 2008 Daniel 1:1-21 On the top of your bulletin is a quote. A quote I found in an article in our Skagit Valley Herald back in December. It was an article about learning to say no. In order to live into your life. In order to live your life. In order to not let ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Mother's A Mother All Of Her Life

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 13, 2009

Preached in 1989. The Holy Spirit, like mothers, is stubborn. He will accomplish what He sets out to do, as mothers do not abandon their children; so we must not give up on each other but must become motherlike.

There’s just something about mothers -- they are without a doubt the stubbornest people on God’s green earth. Mothers are stubborn, mothers stick with it, mothers stay with something until the cows come home. Mothers are persistent, mothers are consistent ... I think I said it best at the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:6-11

Denomination: Baptist

Stirring The Nest Series

Contributed by Steve Ely on Sep 11, 2009

The nest is comfortable. It is safe, warm, secure and only for a season. You can’t stay in the nest forever. If you stay there too long, then it is no longer an incubator, but a coffin!

"Outed” Pt. 1 Text: Deut. 32:11 "Like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions.” NIV “He was like an eagle hovering over its nest, overshadowing its young, Then spreading its wings, lifting them into the air, ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 32:11

Denomination: Pentecostal

Expanding Our Souls Through Compassion Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Jun 11, 2009

Our truest self lies not in independance from God but in relationship with God and others…. and finds itself when given to these.

Last week began series entitled LIVING BEYOND SELF… Jesus understood that if we want to truly find ourselves we can’t just look within… to do so will become like the onion being peeled away to find it’s essence… We find ourselves by losing ourselves… not literally ‘losing’… but in giving ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35-38

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Josiah Series

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Apr 6, 2009

Our last hero, Josiah, shows us what it means to be a breakthrough hero. What Josiah is able to accomplish sets the stage for the renewal of a pivotal worship practice that prepares the way for Jesus’ new covenant.

Heroes of the OT: Josiah 2 Kings 23:19-25 March 29, 2009 Our last hero is Josiah. He is what I’m calling a breakthrough hero. I’ll be talking about what that means for the people of the OT and for us. What I believe this hero will address is the social area of our lives with a strong emphasis on ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 23:19-25

Denomination: Church Of God

A Wandering Desire

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Feb 20, 2007

We like to think of God’s blessings as being rewards for good behavior. That is not always the case. In many cases they are given so that we can benefit the kingdom of God, whether through giving to Him or to others and so strengthening other believers.

A Wandering Desire Ecclesiastes 2:10 Ecclesiastes takes us on a journey through Solomon’s life and pursuits. A survey of Solomon’s life shows us that he tried many things in his life. These pursuits are discussed in the historical books of 1 Kings, 2 Chronicles and Ecclesiastes. In the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:10

Denomination: Mennonite

Pray In The Spirit Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jun 9, 2007

What does it mean to pray "in the Spirit", and how do we start?

Pray “In The Spirit”: A Season of Prayer Eph 6:18 June 10, 2007 Intro: Some people pray in their car. Some people pray in their rooms. Some pray in their office, in their shower, or in their pj’s. Some people pray in their heads, others pray in spoken words, and some even pray in languages ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18

Denomination: Baptist

The Law Of Giving And Receiving Series

Contributed by Don Hawks on Jul 10, 2007

You can make a difference wwherever you are everyday because you’re different. And you can say in any given moment, “What can I give?” I want to help you to find out what kind of a person you are in a given moment.

A crumbling old church building needed remodeling, so, during his sermon, the preacher made an impassioned appeal looking directly at the richest man in town. At the end of the sermon, the rich man stood up and announced, "Pastor, I will contribute $1,000." Just then, plaster fell from the ceiling ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-40

Denomination: Methodist

Holiness: The Hollow Inheritance Series

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jan 21, 2007

The God who we find in the Bible, is the God of real life, not the God of our imagined Disneyfied Happy Ending Life. Nasty, bad things happen in life. Being holy is not looking good, its dealing with life God’s way.

What you believe will determine how you behave and your behavior reveals your true beliefs. We who have been involved in the church for many years read this Scripture about holiness and we say to ourselves…I know all about that holiness stuff, we say…Holiness is literally God separating us from ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-25

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"Lessons From Mt. Eddy"

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Aug 31, 2010

Spiritual lessons from climbing a mountain

“Lessons From Mount Eddy” September 5, 2010 Isaiah 65:17-25 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 65:17-25

Denomination: Holiness