Sermons on Religious Hypocrisy:

Friendly Fire - When Church Hurts

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Feb 4, 2008

People are going to church seeking something only to be hurt by the religiosity of a religious system. When you have been hurt in the church what must you do. I have been attacked by friendly fire.

“Friendly Fire” “When Church Hurts” By District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr. Jeremiah 20:9 “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 13:6

Denomination: Apostolic

This Man Receives Sinners

Contributed by Timothy Shumer on Apr 28, 2002

The self-righteous religious rulers of Jesus’ day didn’t want much to do with sinners - but that was precisely the point of Jesus coming to earth! They wouldn’t receive sinners, but Jesus would ~ and He did! Will you?

The custom of the family visiting around the dinner table = Perhaps a lost art + Some = My family = Enjoyed visiting during meals = But also after, living room + And then we would play cards and that’s when the real visiting began + Some = My wife’s family = Loved to linger at the table after the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Loosing Sight Of The Goal?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 5, 2006

How easy is it to loose sight of the goal? I set up a portable basketball goal in the sanctuary to illustrate my point. Mary and Joseph lost Jesus in the midst of doing their religious duties? Stay focused on the goal.

LOOSING SIGHT OF THE GOAL? By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com As I start to preach, I have some men carry a portable basket ball goal into the front of the sanctuary and set it up. We discuss who are we going to trust to take a shot and make a basket and not harm our pretty lights? I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-51

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Supremely Wrong

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Dec 9, 2011

Christian thought and biblical morality have an important historical and practical place in American society. This sermon examines the historical evicence that demonstrates America's strong religious foundation and calls Christians today to reclaim oru s

Religious intolerance is growing in our country. Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, an Americans for Separation of Church and State have brought lawsuit upon lawsuit against the placing of religious symbols on public property, against churches and clergy who speak out ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Exile And Return (Jesus Wants To Save America) Series

Contributed by David Mcbeath on Dec 12, 2011

Christinaity is no longer the valued, prestigious, privileged, powerful, influential institution it used to be in our country. Could it be the church in the U.S. is no different than Judaism and the religious people of Jesus' day? Do we want the benefits

Series: Lost Message: Exile and Return (Jesus Wants to Save America; Jesus Wants to Save the Church; or Jesus Wants to Save “Christians”) Text: Luke 15; Romans 4:1-8; Genesis 27-35 Date: August 28, 2011 Pastor: David McBeath As Jason’s song suggests—God’s Love is all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

True Love

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Mar 2, 2012

True Love is not a religious experience, as some Christians want to convince us. Love is part of our Nature and we need to cultivate it in order to have a real relationship with God. Without love life has no meaning.

True Love is not a religious experience, as some Christians want to convince us. Love is part of our Nature and we need to cultivate it in order to have a real relationship with God. Without love life has no meaning. Today we will learn what God has to say about it. Let's start at 1 Corinthians ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Broken Body & A Borrowed Tomb Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Apr 3, 2012

In the death of Jesus we see God’s Directing: God’s: 1) The Rich (Mt. 27:57–60), 2) The Relatives (Mt. 27:61), 3) The Religious (Mt. 27:62–66)

One of the majestic attributes of God is His absolute sovereignty, His supreme rulership and ultimate control over all things in the universe. He has created and He sustains all things that exist, and He ordains and brings to pass all things that happen. Nowhere in Scripture is God’s incredible ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:57-66

Denomination: Other

The Simplicity Of The Gospel

Contributed by David Scudder on Apr 25, 2011

If we are not careful, we can be so tangled up in a long string of religious ideas and rules that we wind up confused and discouraged. Many things about Christianity and the Bible are very complicated, the Gospel is not complicated.

Purpose: To explain the meaning of the Gospel. Aim: I want the listener to commit (or re-commit) his life to spreading the Gospel and rejoicing in the resurrected Christ. INTRODUCTION: Life can get very complicated. An illustration of this is a traffic sign at an intersection of two superhighways ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Falling In Love With Jesus

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Sep 29, 2008

When faced with a barrage of questions from the Sadducees, Pharisees and Herodians. They asked political, religious, and ethical questions. However, the master Jesus answered the life question. What is the most important commandment of all. Love God a

Intro: What a question! What is the most important commandment of all? What is the most important thing that God has said to us!! What you must know is that the Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees had not stopped with the law of God. There were 613 laws that were to be observed. 365 of those ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34

Denomination: Baptist

The Witness Of John The Baptist

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Dec 13, 2017

John the Baptist pre-figured and prepared the way for the ministry of Jesus but the religious authorities of the day could not understand what John was doing in his preaching and especially in baptising Jewish people when there was no need to do so.

THE WITNESS OF JOHN (John 1:19-28) In this 1st chapter of John’s gospel he begins his message, his good news to demonstrate that Jesus is the Mind, the Reason, the Word of God come into this world in the form of a human being. Having set down this central thought, John now begins to tell the ...read more

Scripture: John 1:19-28

Getting The Sabbath Right Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Jan 29, 2021

Practicing the Sabbath religiously is still something that is common in certain faith families, but I think mostly we ignore the idea. Getting the Sabbath right is essential for our mental, spiritual, and physical well being.

Getting the Sabbath Right     Luke 6:1-11 Introduction As a young Christian I was taught that all of the Ten Commands had been repeated and taught by Jesus - except one. Keeping the Sabbath day holy. When I preached out in the country during my Bible college days I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If Only People Understood What Jesus Was Offering Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Feb 9, 2021

The problem here is not so much that the religious leaders didn't understand Jesus. It's more that they actually do understand Him. What's He saying that is so provocative?

THE CLIMAX OF THE CONVERSATION: The more they understood Jesus, the more they thought He was crazy. - John 8:48, 52a, 55-57, 59. - This is the climax of a long conversation in John 8 that we’ve handled in several sermons because there is so much content there. The further the conversation went, ...read more

Scripture: John 8:48-59

Denomination: Baptist

Safeguarding Your Christian Life Series

Contributed by James Wallace on Jul 5, 2021

Like guardrails and protective barriers around potential dangers, so the writer to the Hebrews attempts to safeguard our Christian walk by noting potential dangers to our Christian life--among them apostate religious institutions

I’m a big fan of Yellowstone National Park, not only because of the great fishing it offers, but also because of the great natural wonders that can be seen. Of course, some of its most famous natural wonders are found in its geyser basins, where Old Faithful can be found among many others, along ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:9-25

Denomination: Bible Church

First Appearance Before Pilate Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jan 12, 2020

Jesus has been taken to Pilate’s palace by the religious leaders. They need Pilate to give Jesus the death sentence, since the Jews no longer have that authority. Pilate interviews Christ and announces that he is innocent.

HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS (31) First Appearance Before Pilate Scripture: Matthew 27:2,11-14; Mark 15:1-5; Luke 23:1-7; John 18:28-38 (focal passage) Tom Lowe 2/13/2008 Time: Friday of Jesus’ Final Week Place: Jerusalem Jesus has been taken to Pilate’s palace by the religious leaders. They ...read more

Scripture: John 18:28-38

Denomination: Baptist

In The Synagogue & School Of Tyrannus Series

Contributed by John Lowe on May 10, 2017

To this city of Ephesus, wealthy, profoundly religious, with a religion that was in itself worse than an absolute absence of it, the apostle came. There were many adversaries; adversaries among his own brethren in the synagogue, as he revealed in his....

June 26, 2015 By: Tom Lowe Lesson: IV.D.3.b: In the Synagogue & School of Tyrannus (Acts 13:8-10) Acts 19:8-10 (KJV) 8 And he went into the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:8-10

Denomination: Baptist