Sermons on Raise The Bar:

Joseph - The reluctant Stepfather

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Jan 30, 2017

would you be willing to raise another man's child as your own

Listen to the Scripture on Joseph’s side of the Nativity story: Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-21

Denomination: Episcopal

My Hope Is In Heaven

Contributed by James Chandler on Jul 2, 2024

My hope is in Heaven because I have been raised with Jesus

A recent family vacation has me thinking about heaven. I was standing on a beautiful ocean shore that was paradise. It brought to mind the scene in Revelation around the throne, the glassy sea. The colors, the thunder and lightening. Being with family reminded that one day I will be reunited ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Colossians 3:1-4, Colossians 3:1, Colossians 1:5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jesus And Lazarus

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Mar 15, 2022

A message of how Jesus dealt with Lazarus being raised from the dead.

Title: The Resurrection and the Life Theme: The Giver of Life can give life and freedom to you. Text: John 11:1 - 43 Introduction John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-43

Denomination: Church Of God

Attentive To The Swirls

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Feb 26, 2013

Because God speaks in a variety of ways, it is important that we pay attention to the variety of ways that God is speaking to us through our life circumstances, scripture, prayer, etc.

Intro: In my experience, a significant part of living as a child of God is being attentive to life. It is in listening carefully and prayerfully to all the various sounds going on inside and around, to all the various voices and calls, to all the various situations and circumstances, to the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:20-23

Denomination: Baptist

How Jesus Exercised Discerning Judgments

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

People often misunderstand one statement that Jesus made, "Judge not less you be judged yourself." (Matthew 7:1) Actually, Jesus taught that no one should try to play God by assuming a position as the final judge of what is right

How Jesus Exercised Discerning Judgments People often misunderstand one statement that Jesus made, "Judge not less you be judged yourself." (Matthew 7:1) Actually, Jesus taught that no one should try to play God by assuming a position as the final judge of what is right. The Lord showed amazing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seven Commitments For Spiritual Growth

Contributed by W F on Jan 27, 2007

Don’t tread water - or worse - lose ground in your spiritual life. Make these seven commitments for spiritual growth in 2007.

INTRODUCTION What do you want to achieve this year? While you’re thinking about that why not consider what you want to achieve in your spiritual life in 2007. Did you grow in your faith in 2006? Or did you tread water – or worse – did you lose some spiritual ground? Here are seven commitments that ...read more

Denomination: *other

Stations Of Life: Attitude Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 10, 2014

Behind our behaviors are the attitudes that greatly affect the quality of our behaviors.

Stations of Life: Attitude (Colossians 3:20-25) 1. A passenger jet was suffering through a severe thunderstorm. As the passengers were being bounced around by the turbulence, a young woman turned to an evangelist sitting next to her and asked, "Sir, you are a man of God, can't you do something ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:20-25

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Will You Come And Follow Me? (3rd Sunday Before Advent - Year B)

Contributed by Ian Bullock on Nov 4, 2021

We consider how the calling of the fishermen affects our lives, and allows us to focus on our own calling and why it is important for us to share our faith beginnings with others.

In the name of the Living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. As I sat thinking about our Gospel this morning, a film that I watched a number of years ago came to mind, a comedy called School of life, starring Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds was a school teacher whose job was to teach his students ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Denomination: Anglican

Radical Love: The Mark Of A Disciple

Contributed by Mark Zorn on May 18, 2025

Jesus, in His final hours with His disciples, shares these words: “ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Introduction Beloved friends in Christ, today’s passage from John 13:33-35 calls us to a profound yet simple commandment: to love one another. Jesus, in His final hours with His disciples, shares these words: “Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said ...read more

Scripture: John 13:31-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"radical Love: The Mark Of A Disciple"

Contributed by Mark Zorn on Sep 16, 2025

Beloved friends in Christ, today’s passage from John 13:33-35 calls us to a profound yet simple commandment: to love one another.

Introduction Beloved friends in Christ, today’s passage from John 13:33-35 calls us to a profound yet simple commandment: to love one another. Jesus, in His final hours with His disciples, shares these words: “Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said ...read more

Scripture: John 13:33-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Made It Again/Fruit Salad

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Dec 8, 2003

ONE OF THE GREATEST GIFTS YOU COULD GIVE JESUS IS TO FORGIVE THAT PERSON WHICH YOU ARE, BITTER, ANGRY OR HURT. AS YOU FORGIVE ANOTHER, YOU WILL RELEASE YOURSELF FROM BEHIND THE BARS OF BITTERNESS AND DISAPPOINTMENT.

HE MADE IT AGAIN! FRUIT SALAD! Broken, spilled out, at Jesus’ feet. By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.   Kyfingers@aol.com TEXT: Jeremiah 18:2 The word of the Lord told Jeremiah, ARISE, and GO to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my word. 4. And the vessel that He made of clay was ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 18:2-4, John 15:1-5

Denomination: Assembly Of God

False Prophets-Simon Magus Of Samaria Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 27, 2025

He practiced sorcery and amazed people with his deeds. Then Philip the evangelist arrived and preached Jesus. What Simon did after this tells me he was truly a false prophet, like Elymas Bar-Jesus.

False Prophets-Simon Magus of Samaria (Note: This message is based on a sermon preached at New Hope Baptist Church near Fulton, MO on Sunday evening, 3-23-2025, but is not an exact transcription.) Introduction: Someone once remarked that where you find a religion, you’ll find a prophet or more ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:4-24

Denomination: Baptist

Part 10 - Matthew 10:8-10 - Now That Would Make My Mothers Day! Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 11, 2010

"I think it was partly that experience that prompted me to start praying for dead bodies to be raised back to life - just to be sure that it was really their time. Jesus gave His disciples authority to raise the dead."

Part 10 - Matthew 10:8-10 - NOW THAT WOULD MAKE MY MOTHER'S DAY! I was working as a funeral assistant and it was the first time I had ever touched a dead body when it happened. We had been called to a house to transfer the body to the hospital or funeral home. "THE BODY" - that sounds so ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:8-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Uniqueness Of Jesus - The Tomb Opener!! (Sermon #1) Series

Contributed by Peter Naveen Saketi on Sep 17, 2021

The only person in the whole universe was raised by himself from dead and never died again is Jesus! All the others were raised by someone's prayer but then later on, died again.

Wages of sin is death! Romans 6:23 1. WHY DEATH AND TOMB COULD NOT HOLD JESUS FOR MORE THAN 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS? The reason behind is, Jesus was sinless, there is no sin in Him, death & tomb's can only hold the ones who had sinned and died. In the other words we can say the requirement ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:11, John 10:17-18, Mark 16:9, 1 Corinthians 15:4, Luke 23:46, John 14:6, Matthew 12:40, Acts 2:24, Romans 6:23  (view more)  (view less)

Send Others! Series

Contributed by Sterling Franklin on Jun 25, 2010

The local church is an agency of commissioning and sending. Are we deliberately training those called to ministry and affirming them via sending at the Holy Spirit's prompting?

Series Review (Midweek): Week 1: An Encounter with the King - Have the willingness to be sent! Isaiah 6 – Having the willingness to be sent & commissioned Isaiah 6:8 – “Here am I, send me!” Week 2: The Great Commission - In obedience to the Lord, be sent and make ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational