Sermons on Straighten Out:

Paying Our Spiritual Debts

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 4, 2001

Debt can be a good thing, spiritually; we owe debts to those who have shaped us, both negatively and positively, and pay that back by sharing in mutual respect and by offering the good news to a generation yet to come.

How do you feel about debt? Do you like debt? Do you take pleasure in interest payments? How many of you say, “Oh, Mr. Greenspan, please don’t lower the interest rate again. I want to pay more. I love debt.” Can I get a show of hands? I thought not. You don’t like debt. I don’t like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:8-17

Denomination: Baptist

The Deacon And The Drunkard

Contributed by Robert Warren on Nov 29, 2001

Based on the Pharisee and the publican, this sermon urges us to not judge but find our righteousness in God’s eyes.

"The Deacon and the Drunkard" Luke 18:9-14 October 28th, 2001 Robert Warren Luke 18:9-14: To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Love In The Dark Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 10, 2010

If we truly love God and people, then we exalt the Savior, not ourselves, and give everything we have even when the days are dark.

A father passed by his son’s bedroom and was astonished to see the bed nicely made up and everything neat and tidy. Then he saw an envelope propped up on the pillow. It was addressed, “Dad.” With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands: Dear Dad, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:35-44

Denomination: Evangelical Free

John- Believe In Jesus And Live!-Part 9- " Stay Hooked" Series

Contributed by Randy Edwards on Jan 14, 2016

Part 9 of Believe in Jesus and live

John – Believe in Jesus and live! Part 9 “Stay hooked” John 15:1-8 For many years I have loved fishing All the way back to my very early years my fondest memories of my Dad and my Granddad on my mother’s side revolve around some type of fishing My Dad loved to fish for ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Master Of The Wind Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Jan 26, 2014

Every day at the beach isn't a day at the beach, this message looks at how Jesus wants to be the master of our lives

It was a dark and stormy night. I’ve always wanted to start a story like that. The wind howled blowing the top off the breakers before they crashed back into the troughs below. The darkness was broken by momentary streaks of light as the clouds raced across the face of the full moon. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Wesleyan

Pushing Through The Pain Of Relationships Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 2 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

I want to start off this morning by directing your minds to an encouraging place. I want you to think about the worst smell you have ever smelled. That’s an exciting thought, isn’t it? For me, I don’t even have to think about it. Growing up, I was a dockhand at a marina on Lake Michigan and we had ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

All Your Anxiety?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 26, 2004

Final sermon as pastor, before retirement. Trust God for the future; He cares for you. Cast on Him anxiety about what threatens us; what only appears to threaten us; and about our ultimate destinies.

I was taught never to put all my eggs in one basket. I was told, as a young person, that I needed to be careful not to commit myself to one and only one thing. I was to stay open to a variety of choices. When I started earning money, my parents taught me not to spend it all on any one ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

Fear And Love God Series

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Aug 21, 2003

We see two completely different pictures of God at Mt. Sinai. How can we fit them into our hearts? Don’t bother reading this if you’re looking for cute stories and illustrations for your entertainment.

August 24, 2003 Exodus 19, 20, 24 How do you FEEL about that? As a Lutheran, a German, and a male that question and that focus has nearly driven me nuts throughout the past years. It just isn’t natural or easy for me or most males to be “sensitive” or “emotional”. But the fact of the ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Poor Choices And Difficult Days Series

Contributed by David Owens on Mar 9, 2009

For 16 long months David lives distant from the Lord, but finally our hero turned to the Lord, and God was ready to help him.

Introduction: A. The story is told of a woman who went to the police station with her friend to report that her husband was missing. 1. The police officer asked for a description of her husband. 2. The wife said, “He’s 45 years old, six foot three, has blue eyes, blond hair, an athletic build, is ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Obey The Right Thirst Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Jan 2, 2008

People outside of Jesus are like a field ready to be harvested and Jesus and them are dependent on us taking the first steps to reach them

Without apology, I’m standing in front of you this morning to suggest you need to change. It’s not because there’s something about you that I don’t like. It may not even be anything I know about. But I’m telling you that you need to change, and so do I. Being a Christian is all about changing, ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-42

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Have You Ever Been To Key West?

Contributed by Dennis Raines on Mar 8, 2008

What is necessary for God to help in time of difficulty.

Have you ever been to Key West by car? I lived in Florida most of my life and did not make that journey until I was in my late 40’s. I was quite impressed with the Keys. I was impressed with the beauty of the water and the scenery. But one thing really impressed me. I was impressed with the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

Repentance Series

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Aug 19, 2020

Looking at the essence, essentials and evidence of repentance

REPENTANCE Those of you who are older may remember an old television program back in the 70s called ‘The Wide World of Sports.’ It started with the intro showing the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. To show the agony of defeat, a clip of a ski jumper suffering a terrible fall was always ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 33:10-11

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Greed Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 9, 2021

Benedictine Monks had rules for just how much each monk was to eat in the monastery. But if one monk takes more than his share of the limited food, another monk goes without dinner lunch.

We are continuing our teaching series around the Seven Deadly Sins of Family. This is the fifth in the series. Our fifth deadly sin for families is greed. The Sin of Greed In the iconic 1987 film, Wall Street, Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas gives an affirming speech in favor of greed. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:15

Denomination: Baptist

Be Cautious About Judging Series

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Oct 30, 2021

When believers criticize each other, it can actually drive people away from the church. Jesus warned about the consequences of criticizing others, and of the need to do some spiritual self-examination before passing judgement.

This morning we are going to look at the spiritual issue of judging others. The applicable definition for the word “judge” in our main passage means, “to form a judgment or opinion” and to “decide upon critically.”(1) The key word here is “critically,” for when we judge others we are often ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

The Lord's Return Is A Promise

Contributed by Brian Bill on Sep 19, 2022

Because Jesus is faithful to His promises, we must be ready for His return.

Beth and I were up in Wisconsin last weekend to help her parents winterize their home. We had a very pleasant drive, especially after purchasing some squeaky cheese curds. When we arrived in Sturgeon Bay, I saw a sign announcing a roundabout ahead and became immediately nervous. If you’re not ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Denomination: Baptist