Sermons on Struggles:

Twenty-Sixth Sunday In Ordinary Time- Yes Means No And No Means Yes.

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Aug 21, 2023

Statistically, in St. Matthew’s Gospel, words and expressions which emphasize obedience, the doing of God’s will, are among his favorite.

Nikos Kazantzakis was a tortured Greek writer who was constantly haunted by God. He once wrote of an experience he had when he climbed Mount Athos to visit a monk at a monastery. “Father Makarios,” he said to the old monk, “I remember that in your younger days you wrestled with the devil. Do you ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 18:25-28, Matthew 21:28-32

Denomination: Catholic

Fourth Sunday Of Advent C- The Visitation

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 14, 2021

Heart-based people look out at reality with soft eyes, so we can become encouragers of one another. It’s easy to be critical or withdrawn. It’s not so easy to offer encouragement in healthy ways.

Elizabeth and Mary teach us a few things today in our Gospel- 1.Mary’s Service- Luis Angel is a professional cleaner. A new client texted him the address and said the key was under the mat. Luis Angel arrived, found the key, and got to work. After three hours of mopping and scrubbing, he was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:39-45

Denomination: Catholic

Refine Yourself Or Be Refined

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 25, 2021

Better to reach out to the "untouchables" before God reaches out to touch you on their behalf.

Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. Isa 48:11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 48:10-11, Zechariah 13:9, James 2:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Lessons On Faith Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Feb 8, 2017

We have many lessons to learn about living an "incomparable faith" from the words and actions of a Roman Centurion."

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY FEBRUARY 5, 2017 Luke 7:1-17 “Lessons on Faith” INTRODUCTION We learn in different ways. Some of us learn by reading, others by hearing and still others by hands on experience. There have been countless books written on the topic of faith. These have been ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:1-17

Denomination: Lutheran

Step Ten - Review, Rinse And Repeat Series

Contributed by Robert Butler on Jan 8, 2020

Continued to take personal inventory and when we wrong promptly admitted it. How?!!!

STEP 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we wrong promptly admitted it. How?!!! Read Scripture: John 15:2 "Every Branch in Me that does not bear fruit, he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit he prunes it, that it may bear more fruit" The biblical equivalent of ...read more

Scripture: John 15:2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Jesus Is Doing When He Seems Distant Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Oct 18, 2019

Where is God when He seems distant?

- The Jews here had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. They were surrounded by strong enemies and their attempts to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem had just gotten restarted. - Here we have eight night visions designed to encourage God’s people. As I noted last week, the theme of Zechariah can ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 1:7-17

Denomination: Baptist

Have You Made Your Mind Up ?

Contributed by Travis Leib on Apr 21, 2019

A rumor of a risen savior, and an empty tomb was not enough to convince.

Recently, the news has been captivated with the burning of the Notre Dame Cathedral. There are thousands that are grieving the loss of many artifacts and history telling items. The cathedral was a celebrated icon, for what it contained inside, which is now lost. The greatest medieval cathedral ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-29

Denomination: Holiness

Division Over Jesus

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 11, 2019

Is conflict always avoidable? Is conflict always a sign of failure? Can good come from conflict? Let’s see how conflict is part of the Gospel message in Luke 12:49-56.

Is conflict always avoidable? Is conflict always a sign of failure? Can good come from conflict? Let’s see how conflict is part of the Gospel message in Luke 12:49-56. Fire & Division Luke 12:49-51 “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! 50 I have a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:49-56

Denomination: Baptist

Three Steps To Finding Victory Over Sin Series

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Nov 1, 2022

What is victory and what does it mean?

What is victory and what does it mean? • Victory - a conquest, a gaining of superiority in a contest, overcoming an enemy, success in a struggle, to endeavor against odds or difficulties. • Defeat - to suffer, prevention of success, loss of a contest, failure, to be overthrown. Have you ever felt ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8-9

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Turning The Tables Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Jun 14, 2012

By his resurrection, Jesus has turned the tables. Rather than be consumed with the present and the temporary, we are able to turn our attention to the hope and eternity. The change in perspective can tyurn our lives up-side-down, or right-side-up.

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 “Turning the Tables” INTRODUCTION I heard a story recently about a young man who had trouble one Sunday getting up for worship. His mother knocked on his bedroom door and called to him that it was time to get up. The young man rolled over and pulled the ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

From Faith To Power

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 23, 2010

After Christmas, 1985. We alone of creation know that we could be and should be more than we now are. In Christ and in his vulnerability we are empowered to change.

"To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God." Power to become … If you ask what it is to be human, if you want to know what separates us as human beings from all other forms of life, one way you could answer the question would be to say that ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Plan Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Dec 15, 2014

God has a plan as seen in Esther when she was made queen

Esther 4:1-17 “The Plan” INTRODUCTION Sharon was a good student with almost an “A” grade point average. She had her heart set on going to a prestigious college. She wasn’t accepted into that college, however, and the scholarship she was awarded by her second ...read more

Scripture: Esther 4:1-17

Denomination: Lutheran

Faith Walk Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Jun 13, 2016

We live our lives not based on what we see, but on what we know to be true and cannot see.

“Faith Walk” 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 INTRODUCTION One of the most common demonstrations of faith is one person leading another person who has been blindfolded. It is one thing to say that we walk by faith and not by sight, but if someone isn’t looking out for us we are ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Whose Eyes Are You Looking Through Series

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Aug 23, 2020

This is the 22nd sermon in the Action Series. This series began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Series: Action [#22] WHOSE EYES ARE YOU LOOKING THROUGH? Acts 10:1-23 Introduction: Having a blind person living with you lends itself to jokes and pranks. When Tharon doesn’t notice something, I will say things like, “Tharon, open your eyes”; or “What are you looking at”? When Tharon lost his ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:1-23

Denomination: Baptist

A Story Of Slow, Painful Forgiveness Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 16, 2023

The story of Joseph coming to a place of forgiveness with his brothers is a long story (four whole chapters!) but the story is a great illustration of how difficult forgiveness is.

HOW WE THINK YOU FORGIVE: Say “I forgive you” and move on. - Discuss the fact that “forgive and forget” is not in the Bible. PLOT POINTS: - This is a really long story – basically four chapters! But it’s important that we hit the various plot points because they show the back-and-forth, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist