Sermons on Religious Ritual:

Country Club To Church: The Membership

Contributed by Matthew Morine on Mar 11, 2008

The church is looking more like a country club with every year, this is a call back to service instead of being served. We are not on a religious vacation, but a spiritual journey.

COUNTRY CLUB TO CHURCH: THE MEMBERSHIP THEME: OVERCOMING A ME ATTITUDE FOR A CHRIST ATTITUDE TEXT: PHIL. 3:1-11 Feeling the hot sun upon me is heavenly. Walking to the pier to eat an ice-cream cone is one of the simple pleasures. Reading a great book as I hear the consistent waves in the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Part 1 - Genesis 17:1 - Sanctimonious And Self-Righteous, Or Blameless? Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Apr 7, 2010

OUTWARD FAITHFUL SERVICE. INWARD BLAMELESS DEVOTION. Not some RELIGIOUS, SELF RIGHTEOUS, SANCTIMONIOUS FAKE LIFE but a life that honours God from the inside out.

Part 1 - Genesis 17:1 - RELIGIOUS, SANCTIMONIOUS AND SELF-RIGHTEOUS, OR BLAMELESS? I was speaking to a man yesterday who is 95 years old. He still has all his mental faculties and is fascinating to speak with. Many old people can be rigid in their thinking but he has an ability to be flexible and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:1

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Wicked Tenants (October 8, 2017).

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Aug 14, 2020

The text for today is almost a mirror image of how religious leaders who were so called qualified, failed miserably for those who relied on their leadership.

THE WICKED TENANTS Text: Matthew 21:33 - 46 Back in 2002 I was helping my oldest sister Teresa clean up her condo. She and her husband lived there while my brother-in-law was studying to be a doctor at the Medical University of South Carolina in Columbia. I had remembered what the place ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

Denomination: United Methodist

Grow Up Your Faith Series

Contributed by Thang Le on Jan 14, 2019

Christian faith is a religious faith that has its unique characteristics. It needs not an audible or visiual proof and once you have it you need to grow it up!

GROW UP YOUR CHRISTIAN FAITH! Heb 11:1-6 Today, I will tell you stories about faith, more exactly “growing faith” that helps us to follow Jesus. We all have faith in Jesus and in God (John 14:1). However, we need to grow up our faith to make sure that we will follow Him faithfully to the end. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1, James 2:14-17

Is There Any God Besides Me? Series

Contributed by Moy Hernandez on Oct 27, 2009

We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator. Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.

Is There Any God Besides Me? - Captain Erika Hernandez Isaiah 44:6-8 http://pomonacorps.blogspot.com/2009/02/is-there-any-god-besides-me-2-8-09.html Does anyone know how many faith groups there are in the world today? Over 4300 faith groups that we know of since 2007. Yet each one believes that ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:6-8

Denomination: Salvation Army

Just Passing By Series

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 24, 2014

This is sermon #2 in a series based on the Good Samaritan. This message focuses on the two religious men who passed by and failed to help the wounded man on the road to Jericho.

Just Passing By (from the series: Get off your Donkey) Luke 10:30-32 INTRODUCTION: This is the second in a 5 week series we’re doing called “Get off Your Donkey.” We’re taking time to focus on one of the most well known stories Jesus told: The Good Samaritan. Last ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If You Want To Walk On Water You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat

Contributed by David Parks on Oct 3, 2020

If you are going to follow Jesus, you must, by faith, be willing to step out of the safety of your comfort zone and "do something religious."

IF YOU WANT TO WALK ON WATER YOU’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT Text: Matthew 14:22-33 Introduction: 1. John Ortberg is an exceptionally talented writer who can catch your attention with his titles. 2. One book was Titled Everyone is Normal Until You Get to Know Them. 3. Another one is Titled, If ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Take The Opportunity To Reach The Lost

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 24, 2020

MAYBE WE CAN GET SO BUSY DOING OUR RELIGIOUS PROGRAM THAT WE FORGET THE LOST GOING TO HELL? We must love the lost.

OPPORTUNITIES? NEVER FORGET THE BURDEN FOR THE LOST By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Genesis 48 is known as the BRIDAL SEARCH chapter. Psalms 51 is known as the REPENTANCE chapter. I Corinthians 13 is known as the LOVE CHAPTER. Hebrews 11 is known as the FAITH CHAPTER. Come let us ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:4-8, Luke 14:9-10, Proverbs 4:25-26

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Build On Rock, Not Sand Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 2, 2017

" pray for our young religious and seminarians, for all of us will be judged on the basis of where we build–on the firm rock of obedience to God, or on shifting sand."

Thursday of the First Week in Lent Reformation & Revolution It is the happy decision of the Church that brings us so much of the prophet Isaiah as we celebrate the time of expectation, the time of Advent. Isaiah was a prophet of hope in a time of social and religious and political upheaval. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-27

Denomination: Catholic

The Storyteller: The Parables Of Jesus: Lost And Found

Contributed by C Jordan on Jul 17, 2015

In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus reveals God as Father who is extravagant in His love for us, welcoming both rebellious and religious sons to come home.

THE STORYTELLER: THE PARABLES OF JESUS #2: LOST AND FOUND OPENING: Have you ever lost something that was important to you? • I remember one time I lost my wallet and how I felt – looked everywhere for it! • There was another time we lost Austin in Walmart, and left Caleb behind ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: *other

How Is Jesus’ Way Different From The Law? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 8, 2021

This passage highlights how different what Jesus is bringing is from what the religious teachers were offering. How exactly is Jesus' way different?

THE JEWS' PLAN: 1. THEIR SYSTEM WAS THE LAW. - John 7:21-24. - The miracle that is referred to in v. 21 is almost certainly the healing at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15). John records miracles after that, but that was the miracle that brought out the issue of healing on the Sabbath. ...read more

Scripture: John 7:14-24

Denomination: Baptist

Legalism Versus Love

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 13, 2021

We are in a world of great religious competition. We will all tend to follow one of these two strategies: The legalistic or the loving, the rule book power, or relationship power.

We live in a world where competition is a master motive. When the news reach Russia in 1945 that the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Stalin ordered secret scientists to find a way to catch up to the U.S. Andrei Sakharov was only 24 years old then, but his brilliant mind was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20

Legalism Versus Love Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 17, 2021

We are in a world of great religious competition. We will all tend to follow one of these two strategies: The legalistic or the loving, the rule book power, or relationship power.

We live in a world where competition is a master motive. When the news reach Russia in 1945 that the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Stalin ordered secret scientists to find a way to catch up to the U.S. Andrei Sakharov was only 24 years old then, but his brilliant mind was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20

Hypocrisy Series

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Aug 5, 2022

If Christians really love Jesus, why is there so much hurt in the church? Jesus confronted the hypocrisy of religious people and desires that his disciples walk in love.

INTRODUCTION • In our new series, Hot Topics, we will dig into six tough topics that people inside and outside the church often think about (even if we don't ask about them out loud!): • If Christians love Jesus, why is there so much hypocrisy in the church? • How can we trust the Bible? ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:1-36

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Taking Christ Out Of Christmas

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 2, 2023

If Christmas has become a "cultural" holiday, This message looks at what happens when we try and take out all of the religious elements.

Have you noticed that every year, people seem more intent on secularizing Christmas? They wish you a “Happy Holiday” or “Seasons Greetings” and then have presentations at school that make no mention of the Manger or the Wise Men, let alone the Christ Child. Now, I may be a little overly sensitive, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Wesleyan