Sermons on Religious Vocations:

Answering Religious Pluralism

Contributed by Dr. Kenneth Rhodes, Jr on Sep 29, 2002

Defending the Christian faith against religious pluralism and tolerance.

1. Answering Religious Pluralism Also called tolerance. 2. Defining Pluralism · “Traditional tolerance (Social Pluralism) is now referred to as negative tolerance. This is defined as ‘respecting others beliefs and practices without sharing them,’ or ‘to bear or put up with something not ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Religious But Hard-Hearted Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 2, 2007

If God does not soften ones heart, one may dabble with religion, but one will never find a saving relationship with the true God.

The Religious But Hard-Hearted (Exodus 8:20-9:12) 1. What if God was politically correct? Imagine this: Moses was sitting in the Egyptian ghetto. Things were terrible. Pharaoh wouldn’t even speak to him. The rest of the Israelites were mad at him and making the overseers even more irritable than ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Are You Religious Or Spiritual?

Contributed by Jay Winters on Jun 28, 2008

This week the texts seem to revolve around the idea that you can’t be "religious" but not "spiritual". It sounds like that tired line, "I’m spiritual but not religious". In the Gospel reading, I think it is interesting how Jesus heals both someone who wou

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Three in One who has come to call sinners home. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Up to 10 percent of the world’s population that does not attend church on a regular basis describes itself as “spiritual, but not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:9-26

Denomination: Lutheran

God Encounters: Ezekiel (Religious Experience Vs. Religious Action) Series

Contributed by Wesley Bishop on Jul 24, 2004

This is about Ezekiel’s God encounter. It explores the difference between religious experience and religious action. Religious EXPERIENCE means nothing without ACTION.

Read Ezekiel 1:4-3:15. This is a bizarre vision. Not all God encounters are alike. We see here two things: Religious Experience (ch. 1) and Religious Action (chs. 2 & 3). What is the difference between the two? * Religious Experience is… In chapter 1, we see Ezekiel’s strange religious ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Abraham, Isaac, And Our Vocation As Other Christs

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 8, 2015

We are called to be children of the promise, not children of slavery to sin.

Fourth Sunday in Lent 2015 Extraordinary Form Our Lord Jesus Christ was no politician. If some charismatic leader today advertised himself as a wonder-worker, and down at our convention center or stadium took five loaves of bread and two fish and fed five or ten thousand people, and then promised ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:22-31

Denomination: Catholic

The True Summit Of Our Vocation As Human Beings Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 7, 2011

Music must be in harmony with Logos, not an offbeat and disordered hymn to individualism.

Monday of 3rd Week of Easter Spirit of the Liturgy The Spirit that inflamed deacon Stephen is always at work in the Church. This spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, fills those who respond to the gift of faith, and makes us hungry for the Word of God, the Sacrament of the altar, and service to those ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:8-15

Denomination: Catholic

The Tyranny Of Tradition

Contributed by Stephen E. Trail on Oct 4, 2019

Jesus dealt with wrong ideas about tradition

The Tyranny of Tradition - Mark 2-13-28 1. The Problem of religious exclusivity v. 13-17 2. The Problem of religious exercise v. 18-22 3. The Problem of religious enlightenment v. 23-28 ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:13-28

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Just Be Religious Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Mar 31, 2016

The Fourth Commandment is given because God gives us a Sabbath so that we can enjoy him.

Message Colossians 2:13-19 “Don’t Just Be Religious” In Israel they have “Sabbath elevators”. This elevator is designed to automatically stop at every floor – even if no one is going in or out. That is because pushing the button for the elevator is work, and ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:13-19

Denomination: Baptist

"reformation: Finding Peace With God"

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Oct 25, 2019

The Reformation explosive, hard hitting, controversial, grace saturated, salvation clarifying Christ moment in history, based on Luther’s understanding of God’s grace as he lectured on Romans. The Reformation changed culture and our view or vocation.

In Jesus Holy Name October 27, 2019 Text: Romans 3:21-24 Redeemer “Reformation: Finding Peace with God” What a great event last night. Good food. Great music. Fun fellowship. Great beer. I always tell my Calvinist friends I’m so glad I’m a Lutheran. Why? Because I don’t ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:21-24, Romans 5:1-3

Denomination: Lutheran

Not What They Had Planned

Contributed by Mary Erickson on May 2, 2022

A sermon for the 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C

May 1, 2022 Hope Lutheran Church Rev. Mary Erickson Acts 9:1-6; John 21:1-19 Not What They Had Planned Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. Saints Peter and Paul. Both men are full of zeal. They will both be instrumental in the ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-19, Acts 9:1-6

Denomination: Lutheran

Eyes Front

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on May 28, 2023

As long as we’re looking at other people, we’re not getting on with what God has called us to do.

The disciples had just come back from going fishing. In the passage just before ours, we see Simon Peter, James and John, Thomas, Nathanael and two others, out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, fishing. But then comes the twist in the story. We've already seen how Jesus appeared on the shore and ...read more

Scripture: John 15:23, 1 Corinthians 12:21-24

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Agents Of Grace

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Jul 3, 2023

A sermon for the Sundays following Pentecost, Year A, Lectionary 13

July 2, 2023 Rev. Mary Erickson Hope Lutheran Church Matthew 10:40-42 Agents of Grace Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. I’ve always been a fan of good news - bad news jokes: One day, the Pope’s assistant urgently approached ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:40-42

Denomination: Lutheran

We Lift Our Hands Series

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Oct 7, 2024

The second sermon in a stewardship series. This week focuses on service and vocation.

September 29, 2024 Rev. Mary Erickson Hope Lutheran Church Micah 6:6-8; Philippians 2:1-11; Mark 1:29-31 We Lift Our Hands Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. We lift our hands. Hands are amazing things. There are 27 bones in a ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:6-8, Philippians 2:1-11, Mark 1:29-31

Denomination: Lutheran

A Wedding Banquet Not Just Any Old Party

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 25, 2025

All Christians, by their baptism and faith, put on Jesus Christ. That means that like Jesus, we are prophets, priests and kings or leaders. That imposes a moral code, doesn’t it?

Thirteenth Sunday in Course 2025 (Year C) There are a couple of strange sentences in today’s OT reading that need to be clarified, so you don’t leave church today with question marks on your face. Now we should all leave our Sunday assembly with questions, but they should be queries like “how can ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:13-18, Luke 9:51-62, 1 Kings 19:16, 1 Kings 19:19-21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

The Marvelous Cost Of Discipleship

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Sep 7, 2022

A sermon for the Sunday following Pentecost, Year C, Lectionary 23

September 4, 2022 Rev. Mary Erickson Hope Lutheran Church Luke 14:25-33 The Marvelous Cost of Discipleship Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. This is Labor Day weekend. Typically, we think of Labor Day as the last big holiday of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Denomination: Lutheran