Sermons on Self Willed Efforts:

Understanding Works Series

Contributed by Eddie Snipes on Jan 4, 2003

In this sermon we explore the difference between works by human effort and godly works.

Good deeds or works fall primarily into two categories: man driven works and God produced works. Man-centered religion always works to improve self in the hope that we will reach the level of salvation. Even Christians fall into this trap. Man driven works is either the attempt to become a god or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:8-10, 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

Denomination: Baptist

Free To Live The Life Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 1, 2004

Education, self-help books, and personal improvement efforts can make life richer and better. But nothing can do what God does when a person turns his or her life over to Jesus Christ. IN Jesus Christ, we can have victory in the fullest sense.

Free to Live the Life (Romans 8:1-4) 1. Once in a while you read a news story that makes you feel good: MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) - A Mexican boxing champion beat up and hospitalized a gunman who shot at him outside a gym in a crime-plagued city on the U.S. border. Prosecutors in Ciudad ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-4

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Internal Affairs Series

Contributed by Aneel Aranha on Feb 9, 2021

All of us — every single one of us — is inwardly corrupt. How do we heal the corruption? [Watch video: https://youtu.be/TdZjy3sBoW4]

Scripture Reading: Mark 7:14-23 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” After he had left the crowd and entered the house, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:14-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lord's Supper

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Sep 26, 2025

Communion isn’t just a private moment; it’s a shared act that shapes the church. In 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 Paul corrects abuses and gives a pattern: remember Christ, proclaim His death until He comes, examine ourselves, and consider one another.

Old Man Thanks God for a Solitary Lunch This week we’re in our second week of our communion series, and before I get into the sermon today, I just want to go ahead and encourage you to grab the elements if you haven’t yet. We’re going to take communion today as part of the message, so if you need ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Change That Comes With Church Growth

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Mar 10, 2009

A shorter midweek message that might help other churches in dealing with some of the potential problems they must deal with in growing from a very small to a medium sized church in a short period of time.

We all have choices in life. Some choices lead us into good times, while others will lead us into bad times. And considering that we are free to make whichever choice we want, we should be very careful and use much wisdom, because most choices, good or bad, have far reaching consequences that we ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Denomination: *other

Is The Righteous Life Worth Living?

Contributed by Robert Bravo on Jul 1, 2007

Living righteous in an unrighteous world is hard. Well is it worth the effort?

Is the righteous life worth living? Malachi 3:13 - 18 (NIV) 13“You have said harsh things against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ 14“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before ...read more

Denomination: Nazarene

Patron Saint Of The Disgruntled Series

Contributed by Hugh W. Davidson on May 25, 2009

God sees behind our facade and does what He knows is right.

Patron saint of the disgruntled Jonah 4 Here we have a prophet but he’s more than just a prophet. Jonah has the gift of an evangelist. He preaches and people get right with God. We don’t know too much about his ministry prior to Ninevah and we know nothing about what ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Easy Way

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Mar 19, 2011

We are always looking for the easy way to do everything.

Matthew 4: 1 – 11 / The Easy Way Intro: The portly, gray-haired gentleman approached the lovely young woman as she sat on a bench in the mall drinking her coffee. He had noticed the beautiful diamond wedding ring on her left hand as he sat down next to her. He said, “Young lady, I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Do Everything Series

Contributed by Lanny Smith on Feb 24, 2020

We all struggle with a "dual nature." We sort of like Bannon/The Hulk from the movies and comic books. It doesn't take much to move us away from Christ-likeness to self-interest and rebellion.

You can listen to this sermon on my podcast at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/697261/2134049 Do Everything  Intro: • Jekyll & Hyde, The Hulk o Book cover o Jekyll/Hyde illustration o Bannon/Hulk o Bannon/Hulk meld • Stories like these illuminate the struggle in all of us. Good vs. ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jehovah-M'kaddesh "The Eternally Self-Existent One Who Sanctifies" Series

Contributed by David Scudder on Jul 25, 2011

Have you tried and tried to be holy only to fail time and time again? If so, then the liberating truth that you need is found in God's Name Jehovah-M’Kaddesh (Jehovah Who Sanctifies).

Purpose: To define holiness and its importance. Aim: I want the listener to pursue holiness. INTRODUCTION: One Sunday on their way home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, the preacher's sermon this morning confused me." The mother said, "Oh? Why is that?" The little ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 31:12-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

What's Love Got To Do With It? (Part Five) Series

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Oct 25, 2016

Last week I shared about what love had to do with overcoming fear. Today my focus will be on what love has to do with overcoming unforgiveness. We've all struggled with this one. Overcoming being hurt by someone can be difficult. Forgiveness takes love.

WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? (Part five) INTRODUCTION: Last week I shared about what love had to do with overcoming fear. We looked at 1st John 4:18 that states perfect love drives out fear. Today my focus will be on what love has to do with overcoming unforgiveness. Let’s face it-we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why The Lord Withdraws

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Jan 30, 2022

Sometimes we can become prideful and overconfident in our own abilities, which is sin; and so, God will hide His face from us (Isaiah 59:2). The Lord will hide from us in order to gain our attention and cause us to cling to Him.

One day a mother was out shopping with her son. Every time she took him shopping with her she couldn’t keep him by her side. As soon as she would turn her back, the boy would wander off somewhere, though keeping his mother in sight the entire time. She would then have to go and retrieve him. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 32:27-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Conditional Forgiveness Of God Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 29, 2018

The point is this–God will forgive any sin, any offense. Nothing will make Him so angry as not to forgive. Unless. Unless we come to that confession, to that communion, with an unforgiving heart.

Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost Extraordinary Form “So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you do not forgive–every one of you–forgive your brother from the heart.” From the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, Amen. There are very few ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-17, Matthew 18:23-35

Denomination: Catholic

Three Levels Of Love, Part 1 Series

Contributed by David Dykes on Jan 28, 2018

You can't truly others and love God until you understand what it means to love yourself.

INTRODUCTION We’ve come to one of the most important passages in the New Testament. Jesus reveals what He considers to be the MOST IMPORTANT commandment in the entire Bible—to love God. And He volunteers the second most important commandment—to love our neighbors as ourselves. Since this is a very ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34

Denomination: Baptist

Living Life The Way God Intended

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Aug 4, 2019

When we become a Christian, not only does Christ take away our sin, we identify with him, in death to our old ways, resurrection power to affect change, and life in a whole new way.

Colossians 3:1-10 Living Life the Way God Intended When you become a believer, you adopt a whole new set of values. You realign your life to live God’s way instead of Satan’s way. You say, “God, you know better than I do how I should live my life.” We’ve been in a short mini-series in the book of ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-10, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Matthew 6:33

Denomination: Baptist