Sermons on Shrink Back:

Baptized To Go And Bear Fruit

Contributed by Bruce Lee on May 28, 2025

A church had purchased a new grand piano. Not a baby grand but one of the large grand pianos. The only way to get the piano into the Sanctuary was by taking out the back windows and raising the piano over thirty feet into the air.

Baptized to Go and Bear Fruit “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” John 15:16 Intro: A church had purchased a new grand piano. Not a baby grand but one of the large ...read more

Scripture: John 15:15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Philadelphia: Que Sera Or Carpe Diem? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 5, 2003

It’s hard to go forward if we continually look back. God puts before us an open door of opportunity, but we must know that we are capable of good, and we must know our identities.

Well, let’s get this over with. New Year’s resolutions: how many of you made New Year’s resolutions? Now how many of us have already broken at least one resolution? Come on, hands up, confession is good for the soul. How many have already, five days into the new year, broken at least ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13

Denomination: Baptist

Love Is Patient

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Oct 6, 2025

Someone said you can learn a lot about people by watching how they wait for an elevator. Some people are swayers; they kind of sway back and forth. Some are pacers and shufflers. Others are pushers, they keep pushing the button.

Alba 10-5-2025 LOVE IS PATIENT I Corinthians 13:4 Don't you wish the world was a perfect place? I mean in a perfect world… • Chocolate would have no calories. • Procrastination would be honored as a virtue. • Teenagers would rather clean their rooms than be on their phones. • Politicians ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

From Experience = Living And Coping With Injustice And Hurt (Second Part) – Guidelines – (The Retribution Of God – Part 7 In The Series) Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 25, 2023

How can I cope with injustice and hurt or failure or persecution? What is the difference between injustice and the hand of God in correction? We continue to examine coping strategies when our backs are to the wall. These guidelines are from experience.

FROM EXPERIENCE = LIVING AND COPING WITH INJUSTICE AND HURT (SECOND PART) – GUIDELINES – (THE RETRIBUTION OF GOD – PART 7 IN THE SERIES) This next message continues from the last one and further provides coping strategies when in distress and depression, or facing adversity or injustice. [3]. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:32, Hebrews 12:5-7, Hebrews 12:11, Revelation 3:19, Daniel 9:15-16, 1 Corinthians 12:22-27  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Danger Of Doing What Is Right In Your Own Sight

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Aug 6, 2023

The church has had far too much in common with the children of Israel back in the days when there was no king. We must cry out against the Spiritual, Moral, and Ethical Depravity that is being allowed to happen in the churches today.

The Danger of Doing What is Right in Your Own Eyes By Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr. PRAYER: SCRIPTURES: - Judges 17 – 21 Deuteronomy 12:8 says, “You shall not do as we are doing here today, everyone doing what is right in his own eyes”. That is not a request that is a command. Judges 17:6 ...read more

Scripture: Judges 17:6

Denomination: Apostolic

Qualifying The Called - Mark 3:6-19 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Sep 4, 2023

God made a lot of promises about the restoration of Israel after the exile. But most of them didn't happen when the Jews came back from Babylon after 70 years. Jesus reveals why.

Introduction The Promised Kingdom Before we pick up where we left off in Mark 3, I need to remind you of something. Do you remember back in ch.1 when Mark told us the topic of all Jesus’ preaching? Jesus preached about the arrival of the kingdom. Mark 1:15 "The time has come," he said. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:6-19

Rough Beginnings Series

Contributed by Joel Gilbert on Sep 11, 2023

In this sermon, we consider the back story of the letters to the Thessalonians - the founding of the church. It's tumultuous beginning helps us to understand a bit of the environment into which the new church was planted and some of the ongoing struggles they faces.

Pre-quals Every story has a back story. We may not always gain insight into the back story, but there are things impact characters and cultures. When George Lucas wrote the original Star Wars series, he had in his mind some of the events leading up to the movie that many of us were first ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:1-10, 1 Thessalonians 1:1

Denomination: Baptist

National Condemnation And A Course Correction (Isaiah 5:20-21)

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on May 31, 2024

Isaiah confronted the nation of Judah for its spiritual depravity and worldviews that turned the nation into a complete disaster with no concept of right and wrong. The LORD called Isaiah as His chosen vessel to warn Judah and call them back to God.

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!" - Isaiah 5:20-21, NASB. In these two verses, ...read more

Scripture: Judges 21:25, Romans 1:18-22, Isaiah 5:20-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Gardener In The Garden

Contributed by Ernie Arnold on Mar 29, 2023

(This drama/sermon involved the speaker dressing up as a gardener and sharing the story of the Risen Lord in an unusual way – looking back at a story from a family that originally served as the gardeners in the cemetery/garden where Jesus was buried.)

Scripture: Matthew 20:11-18 Title: The New Gardener (This drama/sermon involved the speaker dressing up as a gardener and sharing the Risen Story in a dramatic way – looking back at a story from a family that originally served as the gardeners in the cemetery/garden where Jesus was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:11-18

Denomination: Nazarene

Be A Witness Of Jesus’ Transfiguration

Contributed by Michael Otterstatter on Feb 20, 2023

As we peel back the layers, so to speak, of Jesus’ transfiguration we see how it confirms his identity, his mission, and his message. May the Holy Spirit enable us to be a witness of Jesus' transfiguration!

This morning our worship service is focused on a single event from Jesus’ life. Through the hymns have sung and will sing, through our Scripture readings, and now in our sermon together we are considering the details and the meaning of our Savior’s transfiguration. Before we look more ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Denomination: Lutheran

Paying Our Spiritual Debts

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 4, 2001

Debt can be a good thing, spiritually; we owe debts to those who have shaped us, both negatively and positively, and pay that back by sharing in mutual respect and by offering the good news to a generation yet to come.

How do you feel about debt? Do you like debt? Do you take pleasure in interest payments? How many of you say, “Oh, Mr. Greenspan, please don’t lower the interest rate again. I want to pay more. I love debt.” Can I get a show of hands? I thought not. You don’t like debt. I don’t like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:8-17

Denomination: Baptist

Reason #7: God Has A Plan! Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Dec 1, 2002

We’re not exempt from affliction, but God is working behind the scenes to bring good out of trouble. He’s not holding back; He’s involved. This should give us a better attitude toward suffering.

Sermon Series on Romans 8> Reasons to be ENCOURAGED Reason #7, God has a plan! Rom 8:28-30 We look at our lives and sometimes wonder what God’s higher purpose must be. Paul has already stated that it’s difficult enough knowing what to pray about (26-27); it’s even harder to fathom why life can ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-30

Denomination: Congregational

Go! And Use What God Has Given You - Romans 12:6–8 Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on May 17, 2025

"Go! And Use What God Has Given You.” This is a call not to sit back in comfort or hide behind humility, but to step out boldly in faith and obedience—because you are not saved to sit, you are saved to serve.

Go! And Use What God Has Given You - Romans 12:6–8 Romans 12:6–8 (NLT): “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:45, Romans 15:13, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, Ephesians 4:11-12, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Philippians 2:5-8, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Galatians 5:13, Romans 10:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Seek The Lord And Experience His Presence

Contributed by Amar Chandnani on Oct 13, 2024

Today, I would like to take you back to biblical times and examine closely how God blesses those who seek HIM and why it is crucial for us in our modern day to seek him too.

SERMON: Seek The Lord And Experience His Presence. Opening Verse: Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; Today, I would like to take you back to biblical times and examine closely how God blesses those who seek HIM and why it is crucial for us ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:25, Jeremiah 29:13, 1 Chronicles 16:11, Matthew 7:7-8, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 29:12, Romans 12:2, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Revival Through The Whisper Of Water SermonCentral

Contributed by SermonCentral on Sep 9, 2023

A sermon inspired by the metaphorical language of Job 14:7-9, illustrating how a seemingly dead tree can spring back to life at the mere 'whisper of water'. God calls us to be carriers of this life-giving water.

Today, I want to share a message inspired by the poetic language found in Job 14:7-9. In this passage, Job speaks of a tree that appears dead and without hope, but miraculously comes back to life at the "scent of water." This imagery reminds us that God wants us to be like water carriers, bringing ...read more

Scripture: Job 14:7-9

Topics: Encouragement, Hope, Revival