Sermons on Starting Poorly:

Shutting Down The Hypocrites, Especially Ourselves

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 30, 2024

Jesus, here in Mark’s Gospel, gives us a start on our understanding the proper response to hypocrisy.

Thirty-first Sunday in Course 2024 How could you get a hypocrite to shut up? They are called “Karens” these days, which to me is an disrespectful misuse of a woman’s name. Nonetheless, no matter what you call that kind of behavior, pharisaical people are just about as irritating as one can be. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34, Hebrews 7:23-28, Deuteronomy 6:2-6, Psalm 18:46

Denomination: Catholic

Fights And Quarrels Series

Contributed by Jefferson Williams on Nov 18, 2024

James makes the point that conflict starts on the inside with wrong desires and motives and moves to the outside to conflict with others.

James: Practical Faith  James 4:1-6 Pastor Jefferson M. Williams Chenoa Baptist Church  11-03–2024 A Fight on an Exit Ramp I’ve only been in a couple of fights in my life. One was when I was thirteen years old and I was walking to a friend’s house. This older kid on a bike came out ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Digging

Contributed by Robbie Parnell on Jul 6, 2024

It’s time to start digging again and open up the wells the enemy has stopped up.

• Notice the last part of the verse: “when you shall search for me with all your heart” • Something that I always wanted as a child was a metal detector. Not a cheap one, but one that could really detect stuff deep in the ground. I could imagine hearing it going off really loud, grabbing the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13

Denomination: Pentecostal

Judah's Inheritance (Joshua 15)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Feb 16, 2025

Does God care about the details of our lives? Let's start in Joshua 15.

Why does God go into such detail regarding the tribe of Judah’s inheritance? Do small villages, that we might consider insignificant, matter to God? Do we matter to God? Let’s consider Joshua 15. What was the southern border of the tribe of Judah? The clans of the Judah tribe were given land that ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Character Study Of John - The Beloved Disciple Series

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Mar 25, 2025

John, the beloved disciple, started as a zealous and ambitious follower of Christ but matured into an apostle of love and deep revelation.

CHARACTER STUDY OF JOHN (SON OF ZEBEDEE) – THE BELOVED DISCIPLE, WRITER OF JOHN, 1-3 JOHN, AND REVELATION By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: John 13:23 "Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved." Supporting Texts: Matthew 4:21, Mark 3:17, Luke ...read more

Scripture: John 13:23, Matthew 4:21, Mark 3:17, Luke 9:54-56, John 1:35-40, John 19:26-27  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Leadership Pain Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 9, 2025

Leadership pain is the school of personal growth and ministry growth – you will enroll in it when you start leading!

Topic: My topic today is Leadership pain – I knew we would have a lot of young people going into the ministry and the number 1 lesson I feel you need to hear is on this subject! My message is based out of three books today – I highly encourage you to read all three of these books to prepare for ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:4-10, 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, Galatians 6:9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Go And Make Disciples Series

Contributed by Gina Krause on Nov 2, 2025

Today we will start by reading 2 passages. Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8

Today we will start by reading 2 passages. Matthew 28:19-20 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always- to the very ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8

Faith To Overcome Opposition Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Sep 29, 2006

We began this year discovering what God has to teach us from the Book of Nehemiah. - Where we find a calling I believe is appropriate for this new year; a calling to fresh starts… fresh starts for the unfinished walls of our personal lives and the vision

We began this year discovering what God has to teach us from the Book of Nehemiah. - Where we find a calling I believe is appropriate for this new year; a calling to fresh starts… fresh starts for the unfinished walls of our personal lives and the vision God has given us as a fellowship... in this ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Book Of Lamentations – Part 16 – Restlessness And No Peace In Defeat. Remembering Is The Start To Return. Strength, Hope, Affliction - Chapter 3:16-20 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2025

The defeated nation, Judah, is without hope or strength, and has its teeth broken by gravel. There is prayer for God to remember. We see a contrite spirit being expressed by a people without strength and hope, where peace is rejected, and in affliction.

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS – PART 16 – RESTLESSNESS AND NO PEACE IN DEFEAT. REMEMBERING IS THE START TO RETURN. STRENGTH, HOPE, AFFLICTION - CHAPTER 3:16-20 We are in a descriptive passage of the sorrows of Judah. This great devastation resulted from the nation’s foul sins in the departure ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:16, Genesis 3:14, Isaiah 13:9-11, Jeremiah 31:28, Romans 11:25-27, Isaiah 57:20-21, Lamentations 3:17, Lamentations 3:18, Romans 5:3-5, Lamentations 3:19, Lamentations 3:20, Ezekiel 16:43, Ezekiel 16:42, Ezekiel 36:31, Zechariah 10:9-10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Wise Fool

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 1, 2001

Solomon’s mistakes were that he started out well, but did not end well, he was a minimalist and he allowed his strength to become his weakness.

Have you see the bumper sticker that says, “I took an IQ test and the results were negative”? Sometimes very intelligent people can get very negative results on their IQ tests. For instance, people are paid a lot of money to write the things that appear on the packages and products we buy. But a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 3:1-15

Denomination: Methodist

You Will Bear A Son

Contributed by Paul Kallan on Dec 19, 2002

It is immaterial how old a person is, how shattered, how poor or rich; no one is locked up in the past. One could always and everywhere follow the voice of his or her angel and start a new life.

Jim’s parents regarded him as dull and unintelligent. He performed poorly in his studies. His bad performance in the school confirmed the opinion of his parents. During a summer camp, he learned to play chess and defeated all his campmates. In a declamation contest, he stood first. There Jim ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Catholic

Do You Remember Your Baptism?

Contributed by Jay Winters on Jan 13, 2008

Many times when we talk about our Baptisms we talk about the stories of our own Baptism and not the Baptism that started it all, not the story that started it all. The Gospel and the 2nd reading for this Sunday (Acts 10) both point to the over arching sto

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Three In One in whose Name we are Baptized. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On April 23rd, 1978, in a small seaside chapel in San Juan, La Union, in the Republic of the Philippines, my father, speaking the local ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17

Denomination: Lutheran

An Unfinished Symphony

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 22, 2010

We start the new year thinking it will be much like the last and that we will not finish all those things we have started. But there is more beauty in being unfinished than in being complete; for in Christ we can grow and become what He wants us to be.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC December 29, 1985 I have told you before, I believe, that I am an inveterate list-maker. I believe I have mentioned that my way of working and of setting daily work priorities is to build lists, long, elaborate, detailed lists of things ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-16

Denomination: Baptist

Is Sorry Enough?

Contributed by Terry Cavanaugh on Jan 31, 2009

Have you ever wished you could start over. Here is a picture I began months ago. This was to be a drawing of my son Dennis, who is serving in the navy. As I began the drawing I was pleased with how it started, but then I began to see all the problems

Have you ever wished you could start over. Here is a picture I began months ago. This was to be a drawing of my son Dennis, who is serving in the navy. As I began the drawing I was pleased with how it started, but then I began to see all the problems with it. I noticed there was a problem with ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Denomination: Methodist

Not By Might, Not By Power Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jul 30, 2009

supposed to be, right? Not always, and not now. God doesn’t relieve us of all responsibility and do all the work for us. He empowers us, and we get started. And maybe it is a small start. A few boulders moved, a few shovels of dirt thrown to the s

Not By Might, Not By Power Aug 3, 2008 Zechariah 4 Intro: I like to get things done. To make things happen. To accomplish something. To be “productive”. Cut a board, build a fire, assemble a shelf, paint a sanctuary. Part of it is my personality, part of it is a desire that all of us have – ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 4:1-14

Denomination: Baptist