Sermons on Side Roads:

Spiritual Schizophrenia Series

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Jul 13, 2001

James calles it doublemindedness -- we call it playing both sides of the fence -- what will help our human tendency to live a "double life"?

July 15, 2001 7So humble yourselves before God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you hypocrites. 9Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7-12

Denomination: United Methodist

Will You Stand In Times Of Testing

Contributed by Mark Lennon on Jan 6, 2003

In a world of uncertainty and Peril on every side what will keep our life from falling apart? Jesus is our Rock, our foundation.

Will you stand in times of Testing? Matthew 7:24-27 In a world of uncertainty and Peril on every side how will we know if we will stand? “Therefore”, Jesus was wrapping up His sermon on the mount 3 Chapters are dedicated to the best sermon ever preached. He wanted his hearers to be doers of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27, James 3:13-17

Denomination: Baptist

Half The Truth #5 Series

Contributed by J. Brad Campbell on Nov 6, 2006

This is the 5th sermon in the series "The Spirit of Ishmael" dealing with people that can only hear one side of a story, or half the truth.

Spirit of Ishmael Half the Truth #5 Text: Gen 16:1-4 1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Story Of The Moral Series

Contributed by Mark Haines on Dec 28, 2004

Jesus’ "parables" brought EVERYDAY experiences along side ETERNAL truths and this is the first sermon in a series that brings NASCAR next to Christian life.

Selected Exposition #108 Series: NASCAR Comes to Church Title: The Story of the Moral Topic: Christian Living Theme: Living according to God’s Pattern Purpose: to be the Holy Spirit’s second witness calling God’s people in my care to consider his pattern for life in his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Denomination: Wesleyan

Start Well / Finish First Series

Contributed by Mark Haines on Dec 30, 2004

This is the second sermon in a series that brings NASCAR along side spiritual truths in order to help us understand God and his PATTERN FOR LIFE.

Bible Text: 2 Timothy 2:15, 20-21 Series: NASCAR Comes To Church Title: Start Well / Finish First Topic: Christian Living Theme: Purpose & Power for Christian Living Purpose: to be the Holy Spirit’s second witness challenging God’s people in my care to determine to live out God’s purpose in his ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15-21

Denomination: Wesleyan

Putting It Into Practice

Contributed by Robert Tallent on Aug 16, 2008

there are onlt two sides when you draw a line. God’s word draws a line between living righteous or living unrighteously.

What are you putting into practice? 1 John 2:29 A young man and his wife stopped by his parents house for a visit. His mother noticed that something was bothering her daughter-in-law but she didn’t want to meddle. She couldn’t imagine what ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:29

Denomination: Baptist

Gotcha!

Contributed by Bradley Boydston on Nov 8, 2010

When we keep the focus on the central issue the side issues become less tricky. For followers of Jesus the central issue is resurrection life.

Have everyone take the following “quiz.” 1. How many 3-cent stamps in a dozen? a. 3 b. 4 c. 12 d. 6 2. You're the pilot of an airplane that travels from New York to Chicago - a distance of 800 miles. The airplane travels at 200 m.p.h. and makes one ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:27-40

Denomination: *other

Struggle Of Love With The Powers Of Darkness Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 28, 2012

In the world we struggle with darkness, but we have the power of God's love, expressed in the Incarnate Word, on our side, and the victory is already won.

Monday in the Octave of Christmas 2012 Gaudium et Spes “The Word became flesh, and pitched his tent among us.” This literal translation of the words of John’s hymn to the Logos, the Word of God, sums up the Good News we celebrated this year as we celebrate it in every year. As ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Denomination: Catholic

God's Steadfast Love Despite Our Wayward Ways Series

Contributed by David Welch on Nov 19, 2018

Message 33 in our James series with a bit of a side trip looking at how God responds to our waywardness from Psalm 107.

Chico Alliance Church Pastor David Welch “God’s Steadfast Love despite Our Wayward Ways” Psalm 107 The last verse of James emphasizes the value or restoring the fallen or winning the wayward or stabilizing the stumbling. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings ...read more

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Where Are You God? When The Wicked Prosper And You’re People Suffer? Series

Contributed by Glenn Newton on Feb 17, 2013

How should the Christian compare his life to others around us? Where is God when it feels like we are on the losing side?

Psalm 37: 1-9 1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-9

Denomination: Nazarene

The Judgment Of The Rebellious Series

Contributed by Doug Fannon on Feb 19, 2018

The ungodly have crept into the church (Jude 4). Jesus is coming and they will be judged. All the ungodly will be judged. What side of Judgment are you on?

In 1935, an umpire in his rookie year, named Ralp “Babe” Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. When the crowd booed with sharp disapproval at the call, the legendary Ruth turned to the umpire with disdain and said, "There’s 40,000 people here who know that the last pitch was ball, tomato ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:14-19

Denomination: Baptist

Blossom Time

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 30, 2023

Love and life are two sides of the same coin, that where love is life springs up, and life is a sign that love has been there.

This week the flowers decorating the altar are poinsettias. Do you know why? Pepita was a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve services. As she walked to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy. “I am sure, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

4 Aspects Of The New Way Of Life (Ephesians 4:25-5:2) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Sep 23, 2025

Paul gives four examples, illustrative, not exhaustive, of what this new life/shirt/road in Christ looks like. Specifics, of what God is looking for in a worthy walk.

Over the last couple of weeks, we've seen Paul starting to pull his entire argument in Ephesians together. God is in the process of creating one holy family, who will live in peace with Him and with each other. Or we can say, God is in the process of creating one holy body-- one person-- with ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32, Ephesians 5:1-2

The Neutrals Series

Contributed by Shingirayi Gwete on Nov 21, 2020

Is there a neutral ground when it comes to matters of religion? Is it possible for one to consider themselves as a non-aligned? Can you take the middle ground? Can you sit on the fence? In short, can you be neither on God's side nor the devil’s side? Let us get our answers from the sermon.

Switzerland has not participated in any foreign war ever since 1815 when it established itself as a neutral country. A neutral country is defined as a state which does not take sides of belligerents (warring parties) in a specific war or future conflicts. Such states refuse to even enter into ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:30, Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Kings 18:21, Matthew 6:24

Denomination: Adventist

Jesus' Meal With Matthew Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 12, 2021

If the gospel is only successful among one stratum of society, it loses its punch. But if the gospel assembles people from both sides of the track (rich and poor), there is an intrigue to the gospel.

Jesus kept the wrong company. In the later decades of the nineteenth century, Hell’s Half-Acre was known as the red-light district of Fort Worth. While the area was cleared in the 1960s for the Tarrant County Convention Center, it was, as the name suggests, a rough and rowdy district. In the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-26

Denomination: Baptist