Sermons on Stay Close:

5 Tips For Christian Living In The New Year

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Jan 16, 2024

Pray, ask God for guidance, and then write a simple statement on a piece of paper as a guidepost for the coming year. Put it on your fridge, and let it be a reminder to you through the year.

As we head into a new year, I want to give you some tips for how to live your life in the coming year. As people we should always be growing, always learning more about God, and always attempting to see ourselves becoming more like Jesus. That takes intentional decisions, decisions to live a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:35

Denomination: Salvation Army

Standing Strong Against Evil

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Feb 28, 2016

It’s not enough to rely on our saved status as Christians. We need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in fleeing temptation, in battling temptation, in staying above reproach. We can learn from the mistakes of our ancestors, the ancient Israelites.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Standing Strong Against Evil Last week we looked at how Jesus withstood temptation from Satan in the wilderness. Today we follow up with a related passage from the Apostle Paul, encouraging us to stand strong against evil. Someone once wrote, “Learning from your own ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas Cast Of Characters (Mary) Series

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Dec 18, 2012

The story of Christmas is wrapped around people... real life people. This four-sermon-series looks closely at this special cast of characters in an attempt to find our stories in theirs. Alliterated and expository, with PowerPoint available if you e-mail

Christmas: Cast of Characters (1) Scott Bayles, pastor Blooming Grove Christian Church: 12/2/2012 Each December as Christmas gets closer and closer the story of Jesus’ birth is told many times and many ways. Maybe you enjoy reading the story from the Bible with your family on Christmas Eve, ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

The Divided Highway Series

Contributed by Grant Adams on Dec 9, 2019

How many of us can remember the day of 55 mph. It seemed like forever to get to our destination. With the age of the Superhighway, all of us desire to get on it and go, but when it comes to the spiritual road, we need to stay on the narrow way.

In this modern age of rapid travel and wide high-speed highways, it is possible to travel across counties and even states without the inconvenience of two-way traffic, speed zones or stop signs. It is not like the narrow often rough, roads that we traveled a few short years ago. Speed was limited, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Teaches Openly Series

Contributed by Robert Galasso on Feb 18, 2002

People were amazed at the teaching of Jesus and wondered about the source of his wisdom.

Introduction: The people were "amazed" at the teaching of Jesus and wondered where such knowledge came from. After all, Jesus had not studied as the "other religious" leaders had. I. Jesus Teaches The word "teach" means "to instruct by word." It is the ability to influence the understanding ...read more

Scripture: John 7:10-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Facing Your Tommorrows

Contributed by Daniel Cabrera on Nov 25, 2006

How should we face our tommorrows, considering all that is going on in our world today

FACING OUR TOMMORROWS Intro: How should we face them? How does the majority face their tomorrows? *without a clue *without confidence *without company go through life all alone Leadership: abilty to persuade others to come along *without ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:31-32

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keep The Marriage Intact Series

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 5, 2022

Divorce is a concession and not God's original intent. If separated, remain as we are. Do not initiate divorce even if your spouse is an unbeliever. Stay and bless the marriage and family, by the working of God's grace through you.

The word “intact” is beautiful, it means “not damaged or impaired in any way.” • Keep the marriage intact, so that the marriage union is not damaged or impaired in any way. Keep it intact and complete. From chapter 7 onwards Paul was answering the questions raised by the Corinthians in a letter ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, Matthew 19:6-9

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Intimacy With God

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

Why are so many people unable to obtain intimacy with God the way Paul did? Intimacy with God means that one has such a tight relationship that your thoughts are closely related with His all of His attributes

Illustration:Consider the postage stamp: Its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. Josh Billings. 1. Why are so many people unable to obtain intimacy with God the way Paul did? Intimacy with God means that one has such a tight relationship that your ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Certainly -- At A Distance

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 18, 2003

For Good Friday: sometimes we no longer see things because we are too close to them. The disciples saw the cross "at a distance", but the centurion saw it through his callousness, cynicism, and skepticism, and affirmed, "Certainly".

Sometimes when you are too close to something you cannot see it. Or at least you cannot recognize what it is. You can be so close that you do not know what you are looking at. You need somebody else to give you a fresh perspective. My wife and I buy grocery items when they are on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:44-49

Denomination: Baptist

Don't You Understand,

Contributed by Ralf Bergmann on May 30, 2002

Not neccesarily just an Easter message. Even with all of the wondrous signs that the close followers of Jesus had observed, they were still without understanding of what Jesus had come to do. We suffer much the same.

Sermon Title: Don’t You Understand, "HE IS RISEN"! Scripture: Luke 24 1-8 Wesleyan Community Church Terry, Mississippi Sunday Morning – March 31, 2002 Scripture Introduction: We can all probably remember the words of being told to do something, then we can probably remember a period of time ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-8

Denomination: *other

The Gifts Go On

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Jan 28, 2001

We will explore what Paul teaches about spiritual gifts. I think a great deal of controversy could have been avoided on this topic if people would have simply studied this a little more closely.

Church conflicts happen for pretty unusual reasons. In the 1890s there was a small Baptist church in Mayfield County, Kentucky. The church had just two deacons, and those two men seemed to be constantly arguing and bickering with each other. On a particular Sunday, one deacon put up a small wooden ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-13, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Problem With Power Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Aug 21, 2006

When we draw close to Jesus sometimes the aura of His power makes us feel powerful on our own. Luke 9 teaches us lessons on the real source of power and the real cost of discipleship.

What’s the famous line from American Express? Not Karl Malden saying "Don’t leave home without it" but this: "membership has its privileges." It was supposed to suggest that special things await you and only you if you get this card. The slogan is successful because it appeals to something in us ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:37-62

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

How To Convince God

Contributed by Isaac Magsino on Jan 16, 2006

But when you realize that it is God who can rise you up; you suddenly, find yourself ashamed and this could be the reason on why it is hard to be close to Him. You’re thinking that God is hard to convince.

Theme: How to Convince God Text: Genesis 32: 22-31 Place: FBC Kodiak, Alaska Date: January 15, 2k6 Intro: Illus: Three handsome male dogs are walking down the street when they see a beautiful, enticing, female Poodle. The three male dogs fall all over ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Sermon For Our Times Part 2 Series

Contributed by Guy Glass on Sep 14, 2009

From the very onset of this message, Jesus has made it clear that the kingdom of heaven was close, it was at hand. As such, his message was give in order to prepare the people on living in the kingdom. With his crucifixion, resurrection and promise of r

A SERMON FOR OUR TIMES A Series On The Sermon On The Mount Section 1 "Be All That You Can Be With The Right Attitude" Part 2b Matthew 5:3-12 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3-12

Denomination: Baptist

Recession Part 3 Series

Contributed by Shawn Williams on Aug 13, 2009

This lesson is to teach you how to close the door on fear, by strengthening your faith in God and solidifying your confidence in His Word. Fear is devastating, fear is destructive, fear is distractive, fear is deceitful, and fear is dominating.

Recession: This is not the Time to Fear 2 Timothy 1:7 Obj: to teach you how to close the door on fear, by strengthening your faith in God and solidifying your confidence in His Word. Fear is devastating, fear is destructive, fear is distractive, fear is deceitful, and fear is dominating. *You ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational