Sermons on Stark:

If You're Thankful And You Know It...

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 8, 2022

A message delivered on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This is a study of the impact of a thankful heart on the follower of the Christ.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:15-17

Denomination: Baptist

Lily Of The Covenant Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 14, 2022

Standing firm in the Lord, we can depend on Him to deliver us from all evil.

To the Director: A special Davidic psalm to the tune of “Lily of The Covenant,” for teaching about his battle with Aram-naharaim and Aram-zobah, when Joab returned and attacked 12,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley. “God, you have cast us off; you have breached our defenses and you have become ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 60:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Tyranny Of Tradition

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 22, 2022

We must realise that we are susceptible to transforming the Faith through the introduction of our best efforts to make the Faith more meaningful.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” [1] Traditions are essential to civilisation. Societies are built around traditions which most of those living ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:8

Denomination: Baptist

How Can We Sing The Lord's Songs In A Foreign Land?

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 11, 2023

Our life as followers of Christ serve as either a hymn of praise pointing to our Saviour, or it serves as mere background noise for the delight of a dying world.

“[By the waters of Babylon] our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!” [1] “Our citizenship is in Heaven, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 137:3-5

Denomination: Baptist

A Funeral Sermon For A Dear Friend

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 15, 2023

This dear woman requested that the message of Christ be clearly presented at her funeral.

Among the most difficult messages for a pastor to deliver is a funeral message for a godly member of the congregation. Among the easiest messages for a pastor to prepare is a funeral message for a godly member of the congregation. Messages for the vibrant child of God are easy to prepare because ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

Denomination: Baptist

A Funeral Message For An Unsaved Friend

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 16, 2023

This message was presented at the funeral of a longtime friend who never professed Christ. Many at the service were unsaved.

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them;’ before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Where Is God When Life Crashes In?

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 17, 2023

God always works in the life of His people, bringing glory out of our trials. Because He loves us, the pain experienced through our trials will exalt Him.

“As [the mob was] stoning Stephen, he called out, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep. “And Saul approved of his execution. “And there arose on that day a ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Are You Saved? Are You Sure?

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 23, 2023

Jesus warns that there exists people who appear to be serving Him, though they are lost. Therefore, He challenges each person to ensure that He has been born from above.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23

Denomination: Baptist

Worshipping The Snake

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 30, 2023

We Evangelicals are as susceptible to idolatry as are every other religious group. We don't identify our idols as opposed to Christ's rule, but they are idols that cause us to stumble, nevertheless.

“In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 18:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

God In The Dark

Contributed by Michael Stark on Apr 5, 2023

God made atonement as Jesus hung on the cross. All who receive Him as Master over life are brought into the family of God, forgiven all sin, and saved forever.

“From the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, ‘This man is calling ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:45-54

Denomination: Baptist

The Impact Of One Friend

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 8, 2023

We Christians are commanded to love one another. But what does such love look like? If we love one another, what practical impact will that love have on us as a congregation?

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

Let Me Die The Death Of The Upright!

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 17, 2023

Surprised by the intervention of God, Balaam pronounces one of the great aspirations of all who know and worship the Lord God.

“Who can count the dust of Jacob. or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!” [1] King Frederick the Great of Prussia is reported to have once asked his physician to provide proof for the existence of God. The physician is said to have ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 23:10

Denomination: Baptist

A Preacher For This Generation

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 25, 2023

A call for us who preach to determine that we are delivering the message our God has given and not speaking to make people feel good about themselves.

“‘Do not preach’—thus they preach— ‘one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.’ Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the LORD grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly? But lately my people have risen up as an ...read more

Scripture: Micah 2:6-11

Denomination: Baptist

Perfection In Paradise Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 1, 2023

An unusual Advent series focusing on how we arrived t our present condition so we will know why it was necessary for Messiah to be born in order to give His life.

“God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So, God created man in his own image, in the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-31

Denomination: Baptist

Help! There's A Snake In My Garden! Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Dec 5, 2023

We need a Redeemer because we are fallen people. We inherited our fallen nature because of the fall of our first parents. Eve was seduced by Satan, and Adam chose to rebel against God. Thus, the creation was plunged into ruin.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. “He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “You ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-7

Denomination: Baptist