Sermons on rituals:

Go And Do Likewise

Contributed by Dennis Jones on Oct 8, 2004

Like the parable of the Good Samaritan we need not only treat others as we would like to be treated but we need to treat others as if you were others.

GO AND DO LIKEWISE Today I want to share a story that talks about a very dangerous and treacherous road between Jerusalem and Jericho. It was notorious during biblical times for being dangerous to travelers. Jerusalem was on a hill that measured nearly 2,300 feet above ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Pentecostal

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

Baptism, The Next Step

Contributed by Mike Rickman on Nov 7, 2007

This is a look at the three baptisms mentioned in the New Testament.

November 4, 2007 Morning Worship Text: Mark 1:1-4; Acts 16:25-34; Romans 6:1-4 Subject: Baptism Title: Baptism, The Next Step When your kids were little did they ever play church? I used to love it when our girls did that. I remember Charlotte telling me that she played church as a child with ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:2-4

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Lost In The Crowd

Contributed by Tim Hedberg on Apr 24, 2006

The actions of the crowd and Jesus’ response.

Lost In the Crowd? John 12:12-18 April 9, 2006 There were 2 crowds there on the day Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on the donkey. 2 Crowds. 1 crowd was in Jerusalem for historical reason. They had come from all over to recognize the annual religious festival of Passover. 2,700,000 people, ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be Prepared

Contributed by Christopher Raiford on Nov 17, 2002

2nd Sunday in End Time - Saints Triumphant A sermon that encourages us to be prepared for Jesus’ 2nd Coming

Matthew 25 1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Denomination: Lutheran

Why Don't You Honor Me? Series

Contributed by Charles Cockroft on Jan 24, 2008

God asked Israel a Question: … it seemed that God wasn’t pleased with either their sacrifices or service,

"WHY DON’T YOU HONOR ME?" TEXT: Malachi 1: 6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear(reverence)? Living for God can become a ritual rather than a relationship! A ritual causes a lack of genuine ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Truth Or Tradition? Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 30, 2007

Guess who’s come for a visit? It’s the big whigs from denominational headquarters. Isn’t it sad that Jesus had more problems w/ the religious than the lost? They made it all an outward matter and not an inward experience. Link inc. to text, audio, and Ppt

Truth or Tradition? Matthew 15:1-20 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/TruthOrTradition.html Guess who popped in for a visit? It’s the scribes and Pharisees … the big whigs from denominational headquarters in Jerusalem. They are likely part of the Sanhedrin, the heavy hitters if you will. They have ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Lenton Season

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Oct 22, 2007

What was lent supposed to remind us of? What does lent remind us of?

Some thoughts on the Lenten Season Lent, known to be the oldest ritual in Church. It came into existence as early as 130 AD. The observation of lent began as a season of penance, driven by the example set by Lord Jesus Christ during his 40 days of fasting in the desert where he overcame the ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Baptism 2015

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on May 26, 2015

Baptism. Why do we observe the sacrament of believer baptism instead of infant baptism? Why do we celebrate the dedication of a child to God instead of baptizing them right then and there? We will attempt to answer these questions in this sermon.

(Illustration ...) Aman lived in a country where a person’s religion was stamped on their birth certificate. His said muslim. He grew up in a muslim household. He was taken each week to the mosque. He read the koran. He kept all of the religious observances that he knew of. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Denomination: Nazarene

Encouragement & Unity Series

Contributed by Paul Foster on Dec 26, 2014

Part of a sermon series on Galatians

Introduction In 1896, Henry Ford, who eventually invented the car, attended a company event where Thomas Edison (the great inventor of the light bulb) was the guest of honour. His friend introduced him to Edison as "the man trying to make a car that runs on gasoline." Edison asked young Henry Ford ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:1-10

Denomination: Anglican

A Higher Life

Contributed by Rick Pendleton on Jan 5, 2015

A higher Christian life is: 1. Faith in the Promises of God. 2. Consecration to the will of God 3. Fellowship in the presence of God 4. Testimony to the Honor of God 5. Warfare Against the Enemies of God 6. Victory in the Name of God

A Higher Life Hebrews 3:11-11 Introduction: Some people are content with limping along the fence. Others want to launch out into the deep. Where true revival is taking place, Christians become interested in doing more for Christ, not less. They are not content with living the same kind of a life ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:11

Denomination: Baptist

Power To Meet The World's Desperate Need Series

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Jan 23, 2023

As God has authority over all of life, so Jesus has authority over all of life.

For the next 4 weeks we will be studying from the John 5. This chapter deals with the authority and power that Jesus has. In fact, chapter 5 reveals Jesus to be the Authority over all of life. Jesus is equal with God and that is claimed later on in this chapter. So, He is due the same worship, ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

When Death Has Taken My Loved One

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jul 11, 2010

Though unnatural, death comes to all. How shall we respond to death? We explore this neglected subject by looking at an incident in the ministry of Ezekiel.

“The word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of man, behold, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you at a stroke; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your shoes on your feet; ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 24:15-18

Denomination: Baptist

Wrong About Religion

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 30, 2024

If we focus on our tenets to the exclusion of focusing on the will of the Lord, we are in danger of drifting into Pharisaical Religion. If we allow this to happen, we will displease the Lord and oppose Him.

“When the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

What Happens When God Controls Worship

Contributed by Keith Crouch on Jul 24, 2004

There are some things that will happen when God is in control of our worship. This message examines some of these things.

What Happens When God Controls Worship John 4:23-24; Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6,8,10-13, 9:1-3 Introduction I. The Congregation is Edified (Neh. 8:1-3) A. When God controls our worship and the Word of God is proclaimed in the spirit and power of the Holy Spirit the body will be edified and built ...read more

Denomination: Baptist