Sermons on Shrinking Back:

Elijah—a Time To Flee, To Learn, And To Return Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 4, 2024

Suppose you had run for your life but received word to go back to where this took place again! This happened to Elijah after he received a death threat from Jezebel, wife of King Ahab of Northern Israel!

Introduction: Sometimes after a positive experience, something awful comes along. These could be trials; they could be threats; they could be any number of things but one thing is for sure: the one who is going through it, probably wishes “I don’t want to go through this!” Elijah had a set of ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Second Appearance Before Pilate Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Mar 4, 2020

Pilate reminds the mob that Herod has also interviewed Jesus: "I sent this man to Herod . . . he has sent him back, and He has not been convicted of any . . . crimes . . . worthy of the death sentence . . . "

HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS (33) Second Appearance Before Pilate Scripture: Matthew 27:15-16; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-19:16 (focal passage) Tom Lowe 2/13/2008 (Deuteronomy 21:6-9) And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

We Have Not Yet Arrived! The Best Is Yet To Come...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 20, 2021

At the wedding Mary and Jesus attended, Mary felt it was time for Jesus to launch into his miracle ministry. Mary simply said: JUST DO IT... It is time to quit looking back and start reaching forward. Worry vs Faith?

WE HAVE NOT YET ARRIVED? THE BEST FOR LAST! By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com TEXT: Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:42, John 2:3-10, Philippians 3:12-14

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Spiritual Preparation Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Mar 29, 2022

Ever since Joshua was leading God’s people had responded by faith and now, they must prepare for what God will do next. The river at flood stage is behind them and the fortified city before them. No turning back.

What do you expect to see after a great victory? In winning a war you expect to see a whole nation in jubilant celebration. There will be parades maybe even a ticker-tape parade and much fanfare. When a team wins a championship football game you expect to see the team dump Gatorade on the winning ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 5:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

1 Shattered Commitments Series

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Feb 21, 2020

Here in Lent we explore stones. We begin today with the shattering of the commitment between God and God's people. Let us take up our stones and walk to the freedom of Easter and the rolling back of the stone.

Exodus 32 =:1--24 NRSV When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-24, Exodus 19:5-7, Exodus 20:1-21, Psalm 62:1-2, Exodus 31:18  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Shipping Out Shame Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 2, 2021

The paradox is that the only way we can get back to Paul's position of not being ashamed of the Gospel is to add to our lives shame for all that is not the Gospel. We need to be embarrassed by all of the false gospels of our day.

It is on the highest interest level to hear of people's most embarrassing moments. Jane Wyman tells of hers. She was preparing for very important guests and she put a note on the guest towels that she had so carefully selected. The note read, "If you use these I will murder you." ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:14-17

Jesus Restores

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Mar 12, 2025

Restoration is one of the key promises of God to His children. Throughout the Bible, we see how God restores what was lost, stolen, or destroyed. Jesus, as the Restorer, came to bring back everything the enemy has taken away.

JESUS RESTORES By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you." – Joel 2:25 Supporting Texts: Psalm 23:3, Isaiah 61:7, Jeremiah 30:17, Acts ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:25, Psalm 23:3, Isaiah 61:7, Jeremiah 30:17, Acts 3:19-21, 1 Peter 5:10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Jacob’s Ladder

Contributed by Dr. Jwt Spies on Mar 28, 2024

On the ladder there are the messengers of God who were traveling up and down, between heaven and earth. They were delivering the people petitions to God in heaven, and they were bringing God’s answers back down to help the people of the earth.  

Genesis 28:12-15 By Pastor J.W.T. Spies   The story of Jacob and his brother Esau is a tangled one, filled with deceit, dishonesty, conspiracy and animosity. Esau despised his birthright, and sold it to brother Jacob for a pot of stew. Jacob then deceived their father and got him to bless him ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 28:12-15

Denomination: Baptist

What To Do With Your Irreversible Mistakes

Contributed by Perry Fowler on Mar 15, 2023

Do you ever wish you could get a “do-over?” A clean slate? A new beginning? A repentance that allows us to stop looking back? A true redemption? What do we do with our irreversible mistakes?

As we meet Jacob today, we find him in a place called Shechem. Shechem is an interesting place because it is the place where God will meet with Jacob in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament, Jesus meets a certain Samaritan woman there as well.... at a well. Jacob’s well it is called. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Sermon # 15 - The Gradual Steps Of Backsliding Series

Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Oct 9, 2024

Jonah walked away from God and landed everyone aboard the ship he travelled in big trouble. Backsliding is a gradual process, but if we repent and turn back to the Lord we can be reconciled and restored to our first love.

We read in Jonah 1:10-12, Then the men were terrified. They knew that he was running away from the LORD, because he had told them. They asked Jonah, "Why have you done this?" The storm was getting worse. So they asked Jonah, "What should we do with you to calm the sea?" He told ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:10-12, 2 Timothy 4:5, Acts 3:19, Revelation 2:5, Matthew 28:18-20, Hebrews 10:25  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

We Share In Christ's Pain On The Cross

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 28, 2025

when someone is murdered, it catches all of us up short, and when the violence is carried out on children, especially as they are praying on the second day of school, no words can ever suffice to bring us back to anything like normalcy.

Twenty-second Sunday in Course 2025 Humility, yes. I suspect that many preachers in this country have been humbled by the recent events at a Catholic church and school in Minneapolis last week. Typically we work hard on a homily for some days and often feel proud of our work when we come to the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 68:4-7, Psalm 68:10-11, Hebrews 12:18-24, Luke 14:1, Luke 14:7-14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

Gethsemane Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 23, 2013

When Christ calls us to be with Him, He honours us. He does not treat us as we deserve should we fail Him, but He is glorified in raising us up and employing us to His glory.

“Jesus went with [his disciples] to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to [them], ‘Sit here, while I go over there and pray.’ And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46

Denomination: Baptist

The Dead Church

Contributed by Jeff Taylor on Jan 21, 2023

Many churches all over the world are dead churches. Why? Because they have forsaken the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are still living on past victories and faded glory from long past. They are not living the daily life with Christ the Lord and as such, have now grown cold to the Gospel.

Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation Chapter 3, as today we are going to look at verses 1-6, Jesus’ warning to the church at Sardis. John MacArthur, in his exposition of these verses, used an illustration that has stuck with me. I would like to begin with it. He talked about the phenomenon ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:27-28, Revelation 3:1-6

Denomination: Pentecostal

Keys To Answered Prayer - James 5:14-15 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jul 2, 2022

Scripture describes several things we can do to make it more likely our prayers will be answered. This message explores several of them.

James 5:12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned. 13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you weak? He should ...read more

Scripture: James 5:14-15

Good News Of Great Joy Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 17, 2021

1) Joy in Watching (Luke 2:8), 2) Joy in Wonder (Luke 2:9-14), 3) Joy in Worship (Luke 2:15-16), 4) Joy in Witness (Luke 2:17-20

Luke 2:8-20. [8] And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Other