Sermons on Straw:

Friend Of The Full Heart Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 23, 2009

Christmas is a time for full hearts: weary, guilty, anxious, sad -- past, present, and future. Mary felt the same things, but Christ comes to forgive our past, empower our present, and assure our future.

Christmas is an emotional time. All kinds of feelings are involved with the celebration of Christmas. If you don’t feel some tension, some excitement, or some pressure, something at this time of the year, you are either dead or you’ve been watching the Redskins, which is about the same thing. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Taking Aim For A Better Life Series

Contributed by Charles Forshee on Sep 15, 2008

This is a the first in a 6 part series on taking AIM for a Better Life using AIM as an acrostic for Authority, Initiative and Maintenance

Taking AIM for a Better Life Part 1 We’ve been talking about NEW BEGINNINGS that END WELL for the past few weeks.... And truly, we know that God is a God of "New Beginnings" He believes in "Starting Over" He believes in Second, Third, Fourth and many more chances..... But we also must know ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Denomination: *other

The Clanging Gongs & Crashing Symbols Of Christmas

Contributed by Charles Newman on Dec 12, 2009

When Christians get caught up with the traditions of Christmas, we have a tendency to forget the real reason behind this special celebration - LOVE. If we removed the commercialism from Christmas, would it be the same? I don’t think the world would know w

Illustration - For Always In 1994 two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on Biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments, and a large ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Denomination: Methodist

Snake Handling And Sabbath Keeping Series

Contributed by Mark A. Barber on Aug 10, 2013

John the Baptist called the Jewish leaders, snakes. Today the Jews accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath by healing a paralytic man at what was probably a Temple to the Greek snake god of healing named Asclepius

Introduction Last week we finished up the double story of the Samaritan woman, and Jesus teaching the disciples who were on a save Jesus mission to a Samaritan village to get food. Perhaps it was the same village that the Samaritan woman had returned to tell the elders about Jesus. If so, they ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Fresh Encounter

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Aug 13, 2013

All of us need a Fresh Encounter. Without any apology, Richard Blackaby was my inspiration for developing this message. Everyone needs a "First Encounter" with Jesus followed by a "Fresh Encounter"...It's life-changing.

Fresh Encounter Jerry Watts John 12:1-11 * Have you ever had an experience which you would call an ‘encounter?’ Encounters are those events in your life which you ‘remember!’ I’ll never forget the time I almost stepped on a cotton mouth moccasin. I’ll never ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

What Must I Do: Appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Christ

Contributed by Ken Pell on Sep 8, 2013

By realizing that we live in a tent, the Spirit of God lives in us, and that we will live with God, we can face the judgment with confidence.

WHAT MUST I DO? WE MUST APPEAR AT THE JUDGMENT 2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-10 Big Idea: By realizing that we live in a tent, the Spirit of God lives in us, and that we will live with God, we can face the judgment with confidence. SERIES INTRO We are asking ourselves “What Must I Do?” and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Denomination: Nazarene

Dear God, Why Did You Create Ticks & Other Nasty Things Series

Contributed by John Salley on Jun 18, 2012

This message attempts to answer the question of evil as it exists in creation, contrasting answers from both Naturalistic and Christian viewpoint.

Dear God, Why did You create ticks and other nasty things? Isaiah 11:1-10 , Romans 8: 18-23 When we ask “why did God made ticks and other nasty things?” the only way we can really understand the answer to the “ticks and other nasty things” question, is to at least be ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The One Critical Need

Contributed by Bruce Ferris on Aug 17, 2008

Beware Satan will do whatever he can to destroy the working of God’s grace in your life. We live in a society where our personal relationship with Jesus Christ is under constant attack.

Beware Satan will do whatever he can to destroy the working of God’s grace in your life. We live in a society where our personal relationship with Jesus Christ is under constant attack. Satan is a deceiver and if he cannot tempt you with the temporary pleasures of sin, or convince you are of no ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 10:23-24

Denomination: Baptist

Rich, But Foolish

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Aug 3, 2008

If we are concerned only about earthly possessions, we will enter eternity empty-handed.

Text: “…a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). I would venture to say that you and I learned a long time ago that material possessions are not the most important items in life. The first ten years of my life was spent in the coal-mining hills of Southern ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

Denomination: Christian Church

Can You Bear The Spices In The Darkness?

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Jul 4, 2009

An Easter message for those who are bearing burdens.

CAN YOU BEAR THE SPICES IN THE DARK? TEXT: John 19:38-42 John 19:38-42 KJV And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body ...read more

Scripture: John 19:38-42

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Cross

Contributed by Clark Harden on Apr 11, 2013

Our only hope is a spiritual blood transfusion from God. See Jesus conquered the terrible disease of sin on the cross!

The Cross In his book Written in Blood, Robert Coleman tells the story of a little boy whose sister needed a blood transfusion. The doctor explained that she had the same disease the boy had recovered from two years earlier. Her only chance for recovery was a transfusion from someone who had ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25

Denomination: Baptist

Broken: How God Uses Defective People

Contributed by John Beukema on May 1, 2013

The Bible is filled with stories of fractured lives and messy situations. From these we can learn truths about how God works.

Bob Dylan wrote a song called “Everything is broken.” Here are some of the lyrics. Broken bottles broken plates Broken switches broken gates Broken dishes broken parts Streets are filled with broken hearts Broken words never meant to be spoken Everything is broken. He’s right. ...read more

Scripture: Judges 13:1-25

Denomination: Brethren

Heaven

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jun 16, 2011

It’s nice to be able to look forward to something. When we were kids we got excited waiting for Christmas or our birthday to come. We as Christians are looking forward to something too. We eagerly await our arrival into our heavenly home. But what exactly

HEAVEN INTRODUCTION: It’s nice to be able to look forward to something. When we were kids we got excited waiting for Christmas or our birthday to come. At this time of year we looked forward to the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation. Although I’m sure by the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Waiting For Jesus: Shepherds Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 3, 2011

Ordinary people, holy times and places

Zach and his flock were the last into the fold for the night. One hundred and thirteen sheep, just the same as last night and the night before. He pushed the last one into the enclosure and pulled the dried thornbush into the space between the two rough stone walls. On the way up to the heavy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Coming Evaluation

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 5, 2011

One of the worst pieces of mail you can receive comes with three little letters in the return address: IRS. Getting audited is like going to the dentist without the novocaine. As troubling as it may seem, an even more important audit is coming for all of

In the first part of Chapter 5 I have some good news and some not so good news depending on how you look at it. The good news is that you’re due for an upgrade. The bad news: you’re being audited. First, the upgrade. We talked last time about the fact that to God we are ordinary clay ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-11

Denomination: Calvary Chapel