Sermons on Simple Pleasures:

Approaching God

Contributed by Mark Hensley on Mar 15, 2001

Many people avoid God, because they don’t believe He can be known, others stay away because they don’t think they would like Him if they knew Him! Still others would rather hold on to the temporal pleasures of a sinful life, assuming that the way of God is less than fulfilling or meaningful!

West Greeley Baptist Church March 18th 2001 "Approaching God” Exodus 20: 18-21 Pastor Mark Hensley “When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:18-21

Denomination: Baptist

Fountains Of Joy Series

Contributed by Lonnie Erwin on Jan 23, 2015

Peter statement that our "hope" is not built upon the temporal, "not seeing" or the human senses are of the flesh but our love for Jesus exist in the spirit. the love the repentant heart has developed a love for Christ through the Spirit

Text: 1 Peter 1:8-12 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls. 10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:8-12

Denomination: Baptist

Home Is Where You Left It: The Three Gifts Of The Redeemed

Contributed by Sean Dees on May 1, 2021

We are living in a time of runaways. All around us we are hearing of cases of children and teenagers running away from home in search of the “good life”.

Intro: We are living in a time of runaways. All around us we are hearing of cases of children and teenagers running away from home in search of the “good life”. We have adults that are packing up and leaving their families, marriages, and responsibilities behind to start a new life; all because ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-24

The Biography Of The King

Contributed by Terry Hovey on Dec 16, 2022

I. The Supernatural Birth of the King II. The Simple Life of the King III. The Substitutionary Death of the King A. He took our sins B. He took our shame C. He took our separation D. He took our suffering IV. The Saving Resurrection of the King

The Biography of The King Isa 53:1-12 Who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? (2) For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

10 James 5:1-12 Series

Contributed by Michael Collins on Aug 31, 2021

This is the 10th of 11 Studies on the Bok of James, which contains a warning to the rich and also words of comfort to those who are facing persecution on account of their faith.

James 5:1-6 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up ...read more

Scripture: James 5:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, Matthew 5:33-37

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Rise Up And Walk

Contributed by Wayne Lawson on Jun 10, 2019

Years of dependency upon everyone else. Years of begging had taken an emotional toll on this man’s self-esteem and sense of worth.

TITLE: RISE UP AND WALK SCRIPTURE: ACTS 3:1-10 He had become a familiar site to Temple goers over the years. Every day his friends would carry him there and leave him by the Gate called Beautiful. All day long he would sit by the gate with outstretched arms begging for money from people entering ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

The Remarkable Rainbow Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 9, 2021

There are rainbows everywhere, but the most amazing rainbow on record is the one the Apostle John saw in heaven. Here is the only permanent rainbow that exists. They fade so fast on earth, but this one is part of the furniture of heaven. It is part of the presence of God.

I never realized how many rainbows there are in the world, until our trip to the West Coast. We would get up early to travel before the Sun came up. When it did come up it was at out back, and it was at just the right angle when we went past the irrigation systems. The light of the Sun hit that ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:1-11

Youth With Christ In Action

Contributed by Minister Dachi on Oct 20, 2022

Solomon, who wasted much of his life in folly, perhaps thought better of the matter in his declining days. He contended: “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, I have no pleasure in them” (Eccl. 12:1).

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT YOUTH LIFE? ECCLESIASTES 11:9-10 Young People, enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do, and follow your heart’s desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do. Youth is a time for fundamental decisions ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:1-17, Acts 6:1-7

Who Cares? Series

Contributed by Gordon Pike on Aug 22, 2021

Has our prosperity made us so oblivious and so apathetic that we are no longer willing to leave our pleasures long enough to protect and heal the nation that so many others have sacrificed to give us? Even if America has reached that point, we Christians must rise above the apathy around us.

[NOTE: The beginning of this sermon is referring to flooding that occurred where I live in western North Carolina.} Wow! What a week, amen? Life can come at you from out of nowhere and turn on a dime, can’t it? Last Sunday we gathered here to worship and had no idea how our little corner of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Malachi 3:10, Romans 13:1, 1 Timothy 2:1-3  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: United Methodist

Muddy Waters [simplicity / Assurance]

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Feb 25, 2005

If you had a child that was abducted, and you had the chance to get a message to them telling them how to get home...would you make that message simple or complicated? So it is w/ God’s salvation. Free Powerpoint at website.

Muddy Waters Acts 16:25-30 PowerPoint at: http://www.gbcdecatur.org/sermons/MuddyWaters.html Several cases of child abductions have been in the news in recent weeks. And just this past Friday, in a kidnapping horrifyingly reminiscent of Elizabeth Smart a few years ago, 9 yr. old Jessica Lunsford ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:25-30

Denomination: Baptist

Spirit Of God My Teacher Be Showing The Things Of Christ To Me

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 19, 2003

The Holy Spirit teaches us by enlightening the mind of the simple, ignorant and naive who are not fully aware of the gaps that exist between their professing ideals and their living realities. Paul wrote, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Chri

Spirit of God My Teacher Be Showing the Things of Christ to Me (Eph. 1:17,18) Illustration: I remember walking to church one winter evening to preach on the words, "He will glorify me" (John 16:14), seeing the building floodlit as I turned a corner, and realizing that this was exactly the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:17-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Flora's Message

Contributed by Ryan Akers on Sep 22, 2005

This is a very simple sermon written specifically for a lady in our church who passed away. But the message is a salvation message. I hope you may be able to use it to help you in writing a personal message about someone in your church.

From the moment I walked through the door of Warrenton Wesleyan Church 16 months ago I knew there was something special about Flora. I will admit that I pride myself in trying to learn and remember names, but for some reason, and I have never admitted this, I have the hardest time remembering ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:20-23

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Sufficiency Of Christ Series

Contributed by Douglas Dudley on Jun 2, 2005

THE APOSTLE PAUL’S MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN COLOSSAE WAS SIMPLE.SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY ARE RELIGIOUS MIGHT TRY TO TELL YOU THINGS CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD. IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE WORD OF GOD, KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

The Sufficiency of Christ Text: Colossians 1:1-14 Introduction. A preacher looks out his window one hot summer day and he sees an overturned hay-wagon on the road with a young farmer boy struggling to move the pile of hay out of the road. The boy looked hot and sweaty….and upset. The ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:1-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Holy Spirit Knows The Best Ways To Work With Each Leadership Style

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

Dwight D. Eisenhower used to demonstrate the art of leadership in a simple but forceful way. He would place a single piece of string on a table and say, "Pull it, and it follows wherever you want it to go. But push it, and it goes nowhere."

The Holy Spirit Knows the Best Ways to Work With Each Leadership Style "When He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13) Illustration: Shepherd the flock of God . . . , not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you. --1 ...read more

Scripture: John 16:13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Again Without The Presence Of Jesus

Contributed by Rich Cook on Jun 28, 2005

A simple Easter sermon used in at sunrise. What must it have been like between Jesus’ death and resurrection? To be without the presence of Jesus must have been utter emptiness. To be with him again must have been utter joy.

Never again without the presence of Jesus Purpose: To reflect on Jesus’ presence and challenge the people to be the presence of Jesus to a world that needs Him. 1. Read John 20:1-21 2. Do you ever wonder what it would have been like to actually be in the presence of Jesus? What would it have felt ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-21

Denomination: Nazarene