Sermons on Stephen Stoned:

John The Baptist: Challenge For A Deeper Life

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

John the Baptist didn't follow in his father's footsteps as a priest in the temple. He challenged people to break out of normality and live radically new lives.

(John, entering from the back, in costume, down the center aisle.) Wake up, everybody! God’s Messiah is coming! That’s really good news! Get ready! Things have got to change around here! God’s blessings are coming for you! But you have to be ready! Clean it up, folks! (John standing in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-18

Point Them To Jesus

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

Churches easily get struck in a rut and decline. John the Baptist serves as a model for vital ministry: focus on Jesus above all else.

Last week we started looking at the ministry of John the Baptist. He was a prophet. He cared for the spiritual health of his nation with all of his heart. He saw clearly what needed to be done and he spoke out what people needed to hear, boldly, without any sugar coating. His boldness was what ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:15-18

A Family Like Ours

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Apr 22, 2020

We may be tempted to skip over the account of Jesus' ancestry, but it is an important part of the good news of Jesus.

If you had the job of writing up the story of the life of Jesus, one of the decisions you would make would be what to do with the opening paragraph. You know how important the opening is. You want something to grab people’s attention and pull them into reading the whole thing. What would you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:23-37

God Is In Control

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Apr 28, 2020

Remembering God's power, provision and presence.

GOD IS IN CONTROL Years ago a military officer and his wife were aboard a ship that was caught in a raging ocean storm. Seeing the frantic look in her eyes, the man tried unsuccessfully to allay her fears. Suddenly she grasped his sleeve and cried, "How can you be so calm?" He stepped ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:31-39

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Saving Grace Series

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Apr 28, 2020

GRACE - God's gift, Received by faith, Available to everyone, Christ purchased and Extending to eternity

SAVING GRACE In a small cemetery of a parish churchyard in Olney, England, stands a granite tombstone with this inscription: “John Newton, pastor. Once an infidel and libertine. A servant of slavers in Africa. Now by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 145:8-9

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Restoring Grace Series

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Apr 28, 2020

How does God's grace help us when we turn away from Him?

RESTORING GRACE Many of us can remember when we were in elementary school of what would happen as soon as the teacher left the room. She would have to go out for some reason and would always tell the class, “Be quiet while I am gone and study!” However, as soon as the cat was away the mice would ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:27-31

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Offering Grace Series

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Apr 28, 2020

What forgiveness is and is not.

OFFERING GRACE The Rhone River begins high in the Swiss Alps, some 5000 feet above sea level. It is one of the most important commercial waterways in France, stretching more than 500 miles in length. The river that glistens and sparkles through France, however, is much different than it was at its ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:11-15

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Forgive Us Our Sins - The Lord's Prayer - Part 4 Series

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Apr 30, 2020

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us. What a dangerous prayer to pray to the One who knows our hearts better than we even know them ourselves. Did Jesus literally mean what He said?

Forgive Us Our Sins (This sermon is a shorter sermon due to being delivered via Facebook/Live during the Covid-19 shutdown) Today Pastor Karenlee will be reading from Matthew 18:21-35. When she reads it, it will not read exactly like the NIV which we usually use. She will be reading from the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35, Matthew 6:12, Matthew 6:14-15, Luke 23:34, 2 Corinthians 5:20  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Our Father In Heaven - The Lord's Prayer - Part 1 Series

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Apr 30, 2020

Our Father in Heaven, Holy Is Your Name. How do we start our our prayers? Do we just rush right in without acknowledging Who we are addressing. Do we come with gratitude and with reverence and awe? Or do we just barge right in with demands?

Our Father In Heaven (This is a shorter sermon due to being preached via Facebook Live during the COVID-19 shutdown) This past week I received a call about sending chain-mail prayers around the internet. This conversation eventually led into discussing what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”. Almost ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:12-56, Matthew 6:5-9

Denomination: Nazarene

Lead Us Not Into Temptation - The Lord's Prayer - Part 5 Series

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on May 8, 2020

This one phrase has given some folks "spiritual heartburn" from time to time. Would "Our Father in Heaven" ever lead us into temptation? Let's look at some other Scriptures and see if we can figure it out!

Lead Us Not Into Temptation (This sermon is a shorter sermon due to being delivered via Facebook/Live during the Covid-19 shutdown) Today Pastor Karenlee will be reading from Psalm 23. But, before she reads today’s Scripture let’s take a brief review of what we have seen so far in the “Lord’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-13, Matthew 6:13, James 1:13, Luke 4:1-2, Luke 4:13, Hebrews 4:15, James 4:7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Mother’s Day 2020 - Thine Is The Kingdom - The Lord's Prayer Part 6 Series

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on May 14, 2020

The phrase, "For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Amen" is only found in about half of Bible translations. Why is that? Are some people take it out or did someone add it in? And, what does that have to do with Mother's Day???

Mother’s Day 2020 and Thine Is The Kingdom (This sermon is a shorter sermon due to being delivered via Facebook/Live during the Covid-19 shutdown) Today we will be reading from 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 If you would like to turn to that passage in your Bibles … Over the past couple of months we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13, 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Denomination: Nazarene

Giving God Your Worst

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on May 21, 2020

In the Book of Malachi we see Israelites dishonoring the Lord by offering animals as sacrifices that they would cull out of their herds and flocks. We also see priests dishonoring the Lord by actually offering these detestable non-sacrifices. Do we offer the Lord our best or our worst?

Malachi 1:6-14 (This sermon is a shorter sermon due to being delivered via Facebook/Live during the Covid-19 shutdown) Today we will be reading from Malachi 1:6-14 If you would like to turn to that passage in your Bibles … (Explain where it is found) It is important to know what the situation ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 1:6-14, Malachi 1:1-5, Malachi 3:16, Deuteronomy 6:5

Denomination: Nazarene

The Rapture Of The Bride (Part 2) Series

Contributed by Stephen Smith on Jun 1, 2020

A message that examines the close parallel between the ancient Hebrew wedding ritual and the marriage of Christ and the Church.

Pt 7: The Rapture of the Bride (part 2) The Hebrew Wedding and the Rapture As I pointed out in my last message ('The Rapture of the Bride pt 1'), there appears to be significant misunderstanding concerning the nature and purpose of the Lord's 'parousia' ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 22:17, Matthew 1:19-20, Revelation 19:7-9, Revelation 3:20, James 4:4, 1 Peter 1:18, Titus 2:11-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Colossians 3:1, Revelation 22:20-21, Ephesians 5:31-32, Ephesians 1:13-14, Ephesians 1:4-5, John 17:19, John 14:2-3, Matthew 26:27-28, Matthew 24:36, Ephesians 5:25-26, Song of Songs 1:2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Ascension And Pentecost 2020

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Jun 16, 2020

In this sermon the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven and Pentecost are intertwined in an attempt to reveal the full working of the Holy Trinity in the plan of salvation. Next Sunday, Pentecost Sunday, will be a follow up from the perspective of the birth of the Church.

Ascension And Pentecost 2020 - Acts 1:1-14 (This sermon is a shorter sermon due to being delivered via Facebook/Live during the Covid-19 shutdown) Today we will be reading from Acts 1:1-14 This Thursday was a holiday. Well, actually NOT a holiday but the remembrance of a Holy Day. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, Romans 12:4-5, 1 Peter 3:8, John 3:16-18, 1 Timothy 3:8, 1 Timothy 5:17, Ephesians 4:11, Matthew 22:37-40, 1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 1:1-14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Pentecost - The Church Is Born!

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Jun 16, 2020

What a day!!! In all of the history of humanity there was never a more important few weeks than the time that passed between the suffering of Jesus on our behalf and the arrival of the Holy Spirit. It is almost too great an event to tell as it cannot be given the justice it deserves!

Pentecost - The Church Is Born! Today we will be reading from Acts 2:1-13 Last Sunday we took a look at a combination of Jesus’ ascension into Heaven and the Holy Spirit being given to all of humanity on the Day of Pentecost. In doing so we contrasted the work of God in the Old Testament and the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13, Numbers 27:18, 1 Samuel 16:12-13, Exodus 23:16, Acts 1:11-13, Acts 1:13  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene