Sermons on Smoking Ceremony:

Be Like Valentine

Contributed by Benjamin Utomo on Feb 9, 2023

Billions of people around the world celebrate Valentine's Day. More than celebrating it, we should follow the good examples of Valentine.

Opening: A husband always carries a photo of his wife in his wallet. Whenever he faced a difficult situation, he opened his wallet and saw the picture of his wife. When his friends saw what he did, they said, "You love your wife so much, don't you?" He replied, "When I saw my ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:27-29, John 15:13, Galatians 2:20, 1 John 3:23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ordinary Water Into Fine Wine

Contributed by Les Buttolph on Mar 13, 2023

Moses gets water from a rock; Jesus gets fine from stone jars

You’ve all heard that phrase, “You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip”. Well this morning, as you heard from our Scripture readings, you can get water from a rock, and even get the finest wine from ordinary water in a stone jar. At least with God, nothing is impossible. Our OT lesson, told in 8 ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11, Exodus 17:1-8

Denomination: Other

More Than Just Sending Cards Or Giving Chocolates And Flowers

Contributed by Benjamin Utomo on Feb 12, 2022

Americans spent $21 billion on Valentine's Day in 2021 to send cards or buy chocolates and flowers for their loved ones. God wants us to show our love more than that. As Christ always loves us, He wants us to love others every day!

Opening: A husband always carried a photo of his wife in his wallet. Whenever he faced a difficult situation, he opened his wallet and saw the picture of his wife. When his friends saw what he did, they said, "You love your wife so much, don't you?" He replied, "When I saw my ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:27-29, 1 Corinthians 1:18, John 15:13, Galatians 2:20, 1 John 3:23  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Quinceanera - Caterpillar To Butterfly

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 17, 2022

What does it mean to be transformed into the image of Christ? This Quinceanera message addresses more than just a coming of age celebration. It focuses on the butterfly-like change that can take place in God's people.

(I was honored to preach the sermon at the Quinceanera - pronounced “kin-sin-yarra” - of one of our Hispanic members. I wanted to do this right, so I studied a lot about this event means. I discovered that a Quinceanera is a celebration of the 15th birthday (Quinceanera literally means “15th year). ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Great Inauguration

Contributed by Les Buttolph on Feb 6, 2025

Jesus was inaugurated to His Office of Ministry at His Baptism.

The headlines of the past week focused on the Inauguration of Donald Trump to begin his term of office as 47th President of the United States. Watching this every 4th year, Constitutionally mandated inauguration, led me to compare that event with Jesus’ baptism, His inauguration to begin His ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:7-17, Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Other

Barriers To Planting And Growing Churches

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 11, 2001

Barriers to planting and Growing Churches in cross-cultural communities with 38 case studies

BARRIERS AND BRIDGES FOR PLANTING AND GROWING CHURCHES Barriers 1. Tribal, Religious, Ethnic Prejudices 2. Other Political, Religious, or Ancestral Allegiances 3. Differences in world view a. (Experiences, Realities, and Nature of God and His creation. b. Truth (Its nature, origin, and its ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seven Commitments For Spiritual Growth

Contributed by W F on Jan 27, 2007

Don’t tread water - or worse - lose ground in your spiritual life. Make these seven commitments for spiritual growth in 2007.

INTRODUCTION What do you want to achieve this year? While you’re thinking about that why not consider what you want to achieve in your spiritual life in 2007. Did you grow in your faith in 2006? Or did you tread water – or worse – did you lose some spiritual ground? Here are seven commitments that ...read more

Denomination: *other

Jesus Loves Lingayats

Contributed by B. D. B Moses on Sep 24, 2003

Our Commission from the Lord is to “go and make disciples” of all nations (peoples). Jesus loves the Lingayats and has a desire for the Lingayats to know the truth of His saving power.

The Lingayats are the twelfth largest people group of India and the largest people group of Karnataka. Lingayats number 9 million people in the Karnataka state alone. A Lingayat is one who wears the Linga, a small spherical object that the Lingayat believes represents God. Lingayats are also ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:2

Denomination: Baptist

Indecisive Compromise

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Apr 17, 2012

Eight times in this passage Pilate moves back and forth, showing how indecisive he was in this matter.

The Roman trial of Jesus is a picture of indecisive compromise. The scene flows along with Pilate moving back and forth to Jesus and to His accusers or the people. Eight times in this passage Pilate moves back and forth, showing how indecisive he was in this matter. We have a lot to cover ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Fast Until The Bridegroom Comes, Then Feast With Him

Contributed by Neil Richardson on Mar 17, 2008

New birth, not new resolve; new covenant, not old traditions

Mark 2:18-22 Cornhill gobbet, 27/04/04 Broader context- Jesus’ titles and roles 1. The Son of God who comes to baptise with the Holy Spirit (1:1-11) 2. The Preacher of the kingdom of God (1:14,15) 3. The Teacher with authority (1:21-28) 4. The Healer of bodies (1:40-45) 5. The Son of Man who has ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:18-22

Denomination: Baptist

The Amazing Holy Spirit

Contributed by Garth Wehrfritz- Hanson on Jun 4, 2017

A sermon based on all three Year A lectionary pericopes for the Day of Pentecost: Numbers 11:24-30; Acts 2:1-21; John 7:37-39.

Day of Pentecost Yr A, 4/06/2017 Num 11:24-30; Acts 2:1-21; Jn 7:37-39 Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson “The amazing Holy Spirit” Today we celebrate the third major festival of the church year, the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost means fifty, and so it is an appropriate name, since Pentecost Sunday falls ...read more

Scripture: John 7:37-39, Numbers 11:24-30

Denomination: Lutheran

Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus Series

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Jun 4, 2017

This is the 4th sermon in the series "Jesus Is Better- The Better Covenant".

Series: Jesus Is Better- The Better Covenant [#4] NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS Hebrews 9:11-22 Introduction: Another hymn about the blood of Jesus is “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus”. This song used to be sung differently than we sing it today. The leader would sing the 1st line: “What can ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-22

Denomination: Baptist

Cleaning Up Our Act

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Sep 2, 2018

We all know about protecting our natural environment and the problems we have created in the past but what about moral pollution? Our Sin is moral pollution how can we counteract it?

CLEANING UP OUR ACT. MARK 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23. Over the years we have become more and more concerned about protecting our natural environment. Once such concern was expressed by a few scientists and they were regarded as alarmists. The rest of the world thought that our earth was so vast and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23, 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, James 1:17-27

Don't Just Empty The House And Sweep It Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 14, 2016

Don't just empty your life of vices; fill it up with prayer, fasting, almsgiving and good work.

3rd Sunday in Lent 2016 Extraordinary Form “As the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters, so are our eyes on the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.” The words of the psalmist could and should integrate our meditation on God’s word today, because all the ills of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Prodigality, Love And Grace Series

Contributed by Garth Wehrfritz- Hanson on Mar 5, 2016

A few details of this beautiful parable that we may miss or take for granted because we think the story is so familiar.

The so-called parable of the prodigal son is one of the—if not the—most beautiful stories in the whole Bible. God, it is pointed out, is like the father in the story. The beauty and power of this story is made very clear in the description and actions of the father. One of the dangers ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Lutheran