Sermons on rites: showing 1,051-1,065 of 2,049

Facing The Challenges Of 2010!

Contributed by Jofrey Bustamante on Jan 9, 2010

So much for the past year! But, considering the tide of events, it seems we will be facing greater challenges this year. Let’s gear up!

Introduction: Two teenage brothers grew up as hooligans in a slum, making a living as couriers of illegal substances traded in the streets. These egocentric thugs religiously kept their dodgy earnings and shrewdly started their own illicit modus operandi until they became self-made millionaires ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Article 19. The Threefold Function Of The Law Series

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Jan 13, 2010

This sermon unpacks the threefold function of the law: Natural universal function, its Evangelsitic diagnostic function and its didatic function.

THE THREEFOLD FUNCTION OF THE LAW OF GOD LAW IS A PHENOMENON THAT APPLIES TO ALL DIMENSIONS OF OUR LIVES: PHYSICAL LAWS OF NATURE- POSITIVE LAWS OF SOCIETY - IMPERATIVES OF HUMAN MORALITY - AND EVEN DIVINE LAWS OF REVELATION. THESE LAWS ALL HAVE FIXED FUNCTIONS WHICH INTERACT ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-19

Denomination: Baptist

World Religions - 2 Hinduism Series

Contributed by Chris Surber on Nov 13, 2008

All things are not equal. All roads do not lead to the same destination. Our experience bears this out. Who among us would trust our own guesses when traveling on a long road trip of many hundreds of miles rather than trusting a compass and a map? Let

What About Hinduism? Revelation 5:11-13 Introduction A Hindu said to a native missionary, “I am sure if I lead a good life and do what is right, giving up my bad habits, God will be pleased with me and receive me into heaven.” “That is the way most people reason today,” replied the missionary. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:11-13

Denomination: Christian Church

Life Isn't Fair!

Contributed by Lew Slade on Dec 22, 2008

If God is just why is life so unfair?

Life isn’t fair? “Life isn’t fair!” How often have you heard those words spoken? We read ‘unfair’ news stories everyday. Widows and pensioners defrauded of their life savings; young women attacked and raped; young men killed or maimed in car accidents; refugees from yet another war in Africa dying ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:11-17

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Worship Is A Verb Part 1 Series

Contributed by Rodney V Johnson on Jan 10, 2009

This series focuses on our need to enter into true worship of God.

Worship Is A Verb Part 1 Scripture: Psalm 34:1; 51:14-17; Hebrews 13:15 Introduction: Many years ago when I was elementary school, we learned to diagram sentences. I am not sure if they still do that today, but when I was in school we had to and I hated it. The first thing you had to know in ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Friend Of The Full Heart Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 23, 2009

Christmas is a time for full hearts: weary, guilty, anxious, sad -- past, present, and future. Mary felt the same things, but Christ comes to forgive our past, empower our present, and assure our future.

Christmas is an emotional time. All kinds of feelings are involved with the celebration of Christmas. If you don’t feel some tension, some excitement, or some pressure, something at this time of the year, you are either dead or you’ve been watching the Redskins, which is about the same thing. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Kid's Stuff 1 - Kids Are Special To God Series

Contributed by David Parks on Nov 30, 2007

1st in A series based on George Barna’s book Thermoforming Children into Spiritual Champions.

KID’S STUFF 1 – KIDS ARE SPECIAL TO GOD Text: Deut. 6:1-9 Introduction: 1. Occasionally, someone will approach me and ask, “How much time do you spend preparing a sermon?” 2. I really can’t answer that question, and today’s lesson is an example of why. 3. I have been thinking, praying and ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Presumption

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 9, 2007

Religion does not create a relationship with God, nor does ritual. It is refinement born of repentance that shapes that relationship. Repent, relate, and receive.

“Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Famous words supposedly spoken by journalist Henry Morton Stanley somewhere in Tanganyika at the end of his expedition to find the missing explorer. “I presume”. It means, “I think I know what I am doing. Would you please confirm it for me? You look like what I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Bondage Verses Freedom Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Aug 12, 2009

The proposition that only those who by faith accept God’s promise are children of God is given its last defense with an appeal to Scripture interpretation. It appeals to Scripture to again prove that Christians are not under law.

GALATIANS 4:21-31 BONDAGE VERSES FREEDOM [Genesis 16:1- 4; 21:8-12] How you interpret the facts is important. A worldly young Southern Baptist went to the racetrack for the very first time. He saw a priest in the paddock give a horse a blessing. The boy took the horse’s number, placed a ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:21-31, Galatians 4:26-30

Denomination: Baptist

The Castle Or The Wall

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Dec 28, 2010

As a church, we have certain options. We can spend our time, energy, and resources building the wall…and forfeit the church. Or we can invest our time, energy, and resources building the church and forfeit the wall. Wall or church …which will it be?

In Robert Frost's Poem "Mending Wall," the poet says, "Something there is that doesn't love a wall." We can identify with that statement, can't we? We detest walls. Walls divide. Walls hide. Walls even kill. Remember the Berlin Wall that split families, a city, and a country? But don't we ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Denomination: Baptist

New Wine

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Jan 3, 2011

The underlying reason for all of Jesus' mighty works is clearly stated in John 2:11, “In order that they might see, and seeing believe.”

Out of the vast amount of material available to John, the writer of the Gospel, he has carefully chosen his material as an eyewitness of all Jesus did and said, In his writing he has a clear, guiding purpose. John 20:30-31 tells us, "Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Church.... Why We Do What We Do.

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Jan 12, 2011

To share some areas that we need to look back at and understand the reality of why we do the things we do. God desires each of us to follow Him not blindly but boldly and intelligently.

Illustration: A story is told about a wife cooking a roast. She cuts the end off of the roast, puts it on a pan and then in the oven. The husband asks her "Why did you cut the end off?" she replies "Because my mom always did." The next day the wife talks to mom and asks "Why did you cut the end off ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 24:3-4

Denomination: Other

Ritualism Versus Spiritual Reality Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on May 20, 2010

God desires to curb the trend toward formalism in religion which is satisfied with meeting external observation. To obey the moral precepts & principles of the word is infinitely more important than ceremonies & man-made traditions.

ZECHARIAH 7: 1-7 RITUALISM VERSUS SPIRITUAL REALITY [Ezra 6:1-11] The seventh and eighth chapters are the third distinct division of the prophecy. In the first portion was the call to national repentance and turning to the Lord for His Covenant blessings. After a national turning to God ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 7:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

What God Wants On Sunday Morning

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 16, 2010

We are incurably religious, thinking that if we use the right formulas, we will be acceptable to God. But God wants our personal involvement and our investment in understanding Him.

Our most persistent sin is that we are religious. Of all the sins that men and women commit, of all the wrongheaded directions we take, of all the wayward wanderings on which we go, none is more persistent than this: that we are religious. As someone has put it, we are incurably religious. ...read more

Scripture: John 4:19-26

Denomination: Baptist

Brought Near From Afar Series

Contributed by David Welch on Feb 14, 2011

13th in the series dealing with our having been brought near to God from alienation through the work of Christ.

“Brought Near from Afar” Eph 2:11-22 I. Our Wealth and Worth In Christ 1-4 A. Paul blessed God for blessing us with every spiritual blessing 1:3-14 1. Specially Chosen 1:4 2. Purposefully Adopted 1:5-6 3. Freely Redeemed and Forgiven 1:7-8a 4. Spiritually Enlightened 1:8b-10 5. Surely Deemed ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-21

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance