Sermons on Raise The Bar:

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

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

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 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

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)

A Colony Of Heaven

Contributed by John White on Aug 17, 2018

In this passage Paul describes some changes that should mark the life of a believer. He sets the bar of Christian living very high for himself and for all those who profess to follow him as he follows the Lord Jesus Christ.

A Colony Of Heaven Philippians 3:13-21 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-21

Denomination: Baptist

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

One On One With Jesus In Mark Part 4 Series

Contributed by Greg Nance on Nov 2, 2007

The death march of Jesus to Jerusalem in his final days reveals many disturbing things. You and I are in this parade as well. He led captives...

Present Mark 10-13 dramatically, by memory if possible. The Teacher’s Death March As Jesus nears and enters Jerusalem the conflict thickens and the tensions strain. Jesus is going to his death. We know that, he keeps teaching his disciples that, and in fact, that is his chief purpose in coming ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Seven Honest Questions Regarding Christianity: A Challenge

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Mar 5, 2021

Recently I challenged my friends and acquaintances, those who are skeptics, agnostics, non-religious and so on to raise their best questions regarding the Christian faith. I asked them to raise honest questions, questions that if answered would possibly clear the road for them to believe.

Recently I challenged my friends and acquaintances, those who are skeptics, agnostics, non-religious and so on to raise their best questions regarding the Christian faith. I asked them to raise honest questions, questions that if answered would possibly clear the road for them to believe. I ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Resurrection Of Humanity

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Apr 28, 2017

Jesus is the First Born from the dead; raised in a glorified body. Every human from Adam onward will also be raised from the dead. What will our bodies be like? What do the Scriptures say?

Colossians 1:15-23 (please open your Bibles as we read this passage) The entire gospel is based on the fact that Jesus was and is the one and only Son of God who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified, buried and rose again from the dead for our salvation. And, last Sunday was a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-23, Luke 16:19-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 1 Corinthians 15:42-55, Matthew 10:28, Job 19:23-27  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Seventh Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A: What Loving Your Enemies And Being ‘perfect’ Mean

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 8, 2023

“Now raise your hands if you have only one or two enemies.” And even fewer people raised their hands. “See,” says the priest, “most of us feel like we have enemies.”

A priest is giving a homily like I am right now on “What loving your enemies and being ‘perfect’ mean.” “Now,” says the priest, “I’ll bet that many of us feel as if we have enemies in our lives. So, raise your hands if you have a few enemies.” And several people raise their hands.” “Now raise ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Denomination: Catholic