Sermons on Risks Of Popularity:

Have A Scandalous Christmas

Contributed by Joel Smith on Dec 11, 2008

Mary was willing to be scandalized so that God would be glorified.

Isn’t it amazing how we have sanitized Christmas? Over the centuries we’ve cleaned up the story significantly. Christmas cards bear evidence of this. Most of them depict tinsel, holly, Christmas trees, bells, female angels, and Santa Claus. If they do get around to an image of the real ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-56

Denomination: Baptist

Vantage Point: Mankind Series

Contributed by Quint Pitts on Dec 17, 2008

Last of four sermons discussing Christmas from the vantage point of major contributors in the story of the incarnation.

Opening Set of Praise and Worship Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee Hark The Herald Angels Sing While I’m Waiting Do You Hear What I Hear? Your Grace Is Enough Welcome and Announcements Advent Candle VANTAGE POINT—MANKIND Vantage Point Christmas—Part 4 There is only one Christmas story. It was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-31

Denomination: *other

What To Do About A Broken-Down Church

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 7, 2009

God is not committed to maintaining a church just because it is there. His commitment is to maintain us if we show compassion, particularly on the young. Restoration of our church life in challenging times begins with repentance, self-examination.

Two or three weeks ago, on a Sunday morning, I noticed several of you staring straight up here, right into the notch of this arch. I too looked up there, and what we all saw was a sizable piece of paint and plaster hanging there by a mere thread. It looked as though it was poised and ready just in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Clear And Present Danger Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Oct 19, 2010

Sermon delivered at the Mell Baptist Assn Annual Meeting 2010 regarding the decline of our churches, associations, and conventions

Text: Rev 3:1-6, Title: Clear and Present Danger, Date/Place: Mell Assn Annual Mtg, 10/14/10 A. Opening illustration: Dying Churches video, tell about the shock and broken heartedness that I felt when I did the OMC in Screven Co. read the Finding New Life for Struggling Churches, Stetzer about our ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Obstacles To Taking The Promised Land

Contributed by Gregory Mc Donald on Sep 6, 2011

Never in the history of God's dealings with His people has He done anything positive with pessimists and cowards. And the reason is they cut themselves off from the source of strength. Our unbelief and our unwillingness to trust God will limit His div

OBSTACLES TO TAKING THE PROMISED LAND EXODUS 14 God works in mysterious ways...and also speaks to us in somewhat mysterious ways at times. Over this past week God has spoken to me by bringing to my mind very clearly 2 situations ...one from my past...one from the Scriptures. They've had quite a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:1-31

Love Myths #2 Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jan 19, 2010

In our culture it is okay for love to be temporary, transitory, and to last as long as it seems to work.

Intro: On Friday, July 29, 2005, Fox News ran the following story: Some Seek Alternatives to 'Til Death Do Us Part' Friday, July 29, 2005 By Jennifer D'Angelo In some weddings, "'til death do us part" is going the way of "to honor and obey" — that is, out the window. Vows like "For as ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:36-39

Denomination: Baptist

A Talent For The Ridiculous! Series

Contributed by David Smith on Apr 30, 2012

We’ve reached a familiar story in the book of Matthew – the parable of the talents.

It’s a parable I’ve known since my youth - one I am quite familiar with – and having been in this parish almost 21 years now, it’s one that I am reaching for the 7th time even since I’ve been here, which is why it is all the more astounding that I’ve never ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Be A Blessing Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Oct 25, 2012

Go and be a blessing!

Some time ago (August 2001), I received an e-mail from a friend which gave Sandy and me both a good laugh. It contained a poem, entitled A Poem for Computer Users over 30. I thought you might enjoy it. A COMPUTER was something on TV From a science fiction show of note A WINDOW was something ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical Free

No Turning Back

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Jan 7, 2012

There are times in our spiritual lives when we want all the blessings of heaven, but with the least amount of sacrifice possible. There are times when we live our Christian lives in such a way that we seem to be saying, “What is the least amount that I ha

Opening illustration: Surprised to see an empty seat at the Super Bowl stadium, a diehard fan remarked about it to a woman sitting nearby. “It was my husband’s,” the woman explained, “But he died.” “I’m very sorry,” said the man. “You know, I’m really surprised that a relative or friend didn’t ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Promised Kingdom - Abram - Man Of Faith Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 22, 2007

God wants us to follow Abram’s example of living by faith, holding loosely to the things of this world, the things that appear to give comfort and security and to act on what God promises even when our external circumstances appear to indicate that it’s n

If you’ve been here for the last couple of sermons in this series you may remember that one of the things we noted in the account of Adam & Eve was that they were called to live by faith in God’s word alone. All they were given to go on was what God had told them about not eating of the tree of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9

Denomination: Anglican

The Lord Is Refining Fire Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 22, 2007

Like Job they complain about howe God is treating them, but they get more than they bargained for. Their behaviour doesn’t stand up before the gaze of God’s righteousness.

I love courtroom dramas especially the ones written by John Grisham: The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, Runaway Jury. Then there are the TV shows like Perry Mason, JAG, Judging Amy, Law and Order and so forth. It’s great to see these great legal minds in a battle of wits trying to prove their case. ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Zacchaeus Meets Jesus And Is Saved

Contributed by Chris Blackshaw on Oct 31, 2010

No one is beyond being saved. Our task is the same as Jesus' task - to seek the lost and save them and to be proactive in doing it.

Jesus was passing through Jericho from the area of Jordan to Bethany near Jerusalem. He was on his way to raise Lazarus back to life. It was an important journey that he was undertaking but as he was going to perform this great miracle he still found time to deal with other people and their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Methodist

You Can Be One Too…

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Nov 20, 2008

Importance of a name - it identifies and says something about us.

You can be one too… Acts 9:26-28 With all the advertising that we have seen with the election I am reminded about the continuous flow of messages that we are exposed to every day. The candidates for offices and the big companies want people to see or hear the name and think of something. One ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:26-28

Denomination: Congregational

The Road To Recovery Series

Contributed by Bob Lentz on Nov 25, 2008

A look at recovery from the vantage point of blind Bartimaeus.

The Road To Recovery 11-23-08 Series: Road Trip Mark 10:46-52 Intro. If you envisioned your life as one long road, then the chances are pretty good that there would be certain areas along that road that you’d classify as broken, fragmented, messy and maybe even washed ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:46-52

Denomination: Baptist

The School Of Faith Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Sep 13, 2008

God wants to reveal Himself to you so that He can reveal Himself through you.

[Use children’s sermon as introduction for this sermon.] I have a reward for one of you this morning, but you’re going to have to trust me to get it. Here’s the challenge: Somewhere in this room I have hidden a candy bar and you have to find it while blindfolded. I will tell you that it is in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist