Sermons on Sponges:

Come, Believe, Live

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 17, 2015

Let’s examine what eating bread means and how Jesus is the bread of life.

Intro What is eaten but never totally consumed? How does eternal life transmit to us as we eat the bread of heaven? How does God want us to understand the bread from heaven? Goal Let’s examine what eating bread means and how Jesus is the bread of life. Plan We will read John 6:35, 41-51 ...read more

Scripture: John 6:41-51

Denomination: Baptist

Sense & Nonsense About Alcohol

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 17, 2015

May a Christian drink alcohol?

Sense & Nonsense about Alcohol Intro May a Christian drink? What about what Paul said about not eating or drinking if it caused offense? What about alcoholics? What about Jesus turning water into wine? What about respecting each other when there are differences of opinion? The Gospel is Like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:21

Denomination: Baptist

A Time To Dance

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 17, 2015

Is it okay for Christians to dance? Are rules against dancing just silly man-made rules or are they right? If dancing is okay, what kind of dancing would be right?

the Christian Church has a long history of making up rules that are not in the Bible. Is this right? Is dancing biblical or forbidden? What is the answer? Jesus criticized the Pharisees for making up religious rules that are not in the Bible. One example of this among Christians is the topic of ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:4

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 33: Preach An Adventure Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 11, 2018

Preach a sermon that builds to an adventurous climax

Lesson Goal To create an adventurous kind of sermon that is like a fox hunt or a game of chase which builds towards a climax at the end. Lesson Intro In our neighborhood the old fashioned game of tag was called chasey. It was a chase, a mission and an adventure all wrapped up on one. As I grew ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 34: Preach A Diagnosis-Remedy Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 12, 2018

Spiritual diagnosis and spiritual remedy

Lesson Goal I hope to encourage the preaching of a spiritual diagnosis and an appropriate remedy. Lesson Intro One of the most dangerous sermons a preacher/pastor/priest can give is, when he goes from preachin' to meddlin' by telling people that Houston, "we" have a problem and how to fix it. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:20-22

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 35: Preach A Hegelian Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 13, 2018

Solve a seeming contradiction, the Hegelian thesis, antithesis and synthesis

Lesson Goal I hope to encourage preaching a sermon solving a contradiction. Lesson Intro Non-Christian skeptics love to point out apparent contradictions in the Bible, the Church, Christian history or even Christian propositions like morality. Sometimes the point is valid, sometimes not. For ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 26:4-5

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 36: Preach An Analogy Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 15, 2018

Preaching analogies is very biblical

Lesson Goal I hope to encourage the preaching of sermons using an analogy. Lesson Intro Jesus is our prime model of good preaching. He used analogy continually. Many of his parables are analogies. Yet, his analogies are not limited to his parables. Jesus is the door, the bread, the light, the ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 37: Preach Proof Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 16, 2018

What is proof and what are its limits?

Lesson Goal Learn how to preach a sermon that proves something. Lesson Intro Jesus presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3). Jews could not refute Paul’s proofs that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 9:22). What is proof? It is a process for establishing truth. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 38: Preach A Rebuttal Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 17, 2018

Preach a sermon that disproves something

Lesson Goal Learn how to preach a sermon that disproves something. Lesson Intro In Matthew 12:1-14, Jesus presents a number of rebuttals to the Pharisees. What is a rebuttal? It is a counterargument to disprove the evidence supplied by another party. It is a process for establishing truth by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

What Is A Good Shepherd

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 18, 2018

What is a Good Shepherd? What is the difference between David as a brave young shepherd and Jesus as the Good Shepherd? Did Jesus die for His sheep voluntarily?

Prelude What is a Good Shepherd? What is the difference between David as a brave young shepherd and Jesus as the Good Shepherd? Did Jesus die for His sheep voluntarily? Purpose: Let’s understand how good a shepherd Jesus is. Plan: Let’s look at what it means to be the Good Shepherd in John ...read more

Scripture: John 10:11-18

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 39: Preach A Refrain Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 20, 2018

Preaching a sermon that repeats a motto as a learning tool

Lesson Goal Learn how to preach a sermon that repeats a motto. Lesson Intro Psalm 136 is a song with a repeating refrain, "for his steadfast love endures for ever." We can also preach a sermon with a repeating refrain. We already saw how the jewel or diamond sermon is one point tied together by ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 40: Preach A Series Of Statements Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 21, 2018

Preaching a sermon using several mottos

Lesson Goal Learn how to preach a sermon that builds on several mottos. Lesson Intro In the previous sermon model we tied several points together by the continual repeating of a refrain, a phrase or motto. In this sermon, we do something similar except that the refrain evolves, builds, or ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10, Ephesians 3:14-21, Romans 8:28-39

Denomination: Baptist

The Love Test

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 25, 2018

How can we tell a false from a true messenger of God? How does love separate truth from error? How do we know God loves us? Why is love of the church and its people such an important indicator of our love for God? How willingly and openly confess Christ?

Prelude to Part 1 How can we tell a false from a true messenger of God? How does love separate truth from error? How do we know God loves us? Let’s examine God’s love and the difference it makes, by looking at 1 John 4:1-11. 1 John 4:1 Test the Spirits In 1 John 4:1 we read, “Beloved, do not ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 42: Preach Without Notes Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 26, 2018

How to preach extemporaneously, without notes or a manuscript.

Lesson Goal In this lesson I hope to teach you how to preach extemporaneously, without notes. Lesson Intro Reading through Acts 2 we get the idea that Peter preached off the cuff. Okay, it's time to crank the ratchet up yet another notch. You have seen me allude to this before, but now it's time ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lesson 43: Subversive Preaching Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 27, 2018

How to subvert a popular theological misconception.

Lesson Goal In this lesson I hope to teach you how to subvert a popular notion. Lesson Intro The sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) is subversive, but wise in avoiding hot political issues. Many preachers around the world get themselves into political trouble by trying to subvert the legally ...read more

Denomination: Baptist