Sermons on Substitutes:

Real Belief In The Real Jesus Series

Contributed by Richard Tow on Dec 8, 2003

Faith in Christ is the key to eternal life. But the Jesus we put our faith in must be the Christ revealed in scripture not some substitute Jesus we have fabricated in our own minds.

Real Belief in the Real Jesus John 1:1-3 and 20:30-31 2-9-03 John 1:1-5 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and ...read more

Scripture: John 20:30-31, John 1:1-3

Denomination: Charismatic

Ishmael And Isaac: From Mistake To Mission

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 20, 2009

We live with dreams deferred, and act hastily, out of impatience. Either we then go into denial or we try to make do with a substitute. But Christ makes all dreams ever new.

The playwright Lorraine Hansberry asks it: "What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up, like a raisin in the sun?" A dream deferred. A dream deferred is something you’ve put heart and soul into, for a long time, but it’s delayed. It hasn’t come. It’s incomplete. What happens to a dream ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Can't Get No Satisfaction Series

Contributed by Perry Greene on Aug 11, 2016

This sermon begins the series in which we want to encounter and honor God in our lives and church. The only real satisfaction we have in life is God. Everything else is a poor substitute.

1. If She Doesn't Hurry... When J. K. Rowling was having trouble finishing her fifth Harry Potter book, her fans grew impatient. One was quoted as saying, "If she doesn't hurry, we're going to move on to caring about something else." That reflects our age. Our attention spans are short, and we want ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What's Got Your Attention

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Feb 4, 2026

We must not focus on compromised preachers that have sold out for prosperity and popularity, we can’t be lauded into mediocrity and complacency by superfluous gimmicks and smoke machines trying to substitute the spirit.

“What’s got your Attention” By Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr. OPENING: - I have been teaching lately on prophecy and how the things that are happening in the world today are fulfilling many prophecies seemingly bringing the End-Times to fruition. My desire is to make people aware of how rapidly ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:4, Philippians 4:8

Denomination: Apostolic

Welcome To The Wedding Feast Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 23, 2009

John observes the most elegant and exciting wedding banquet he’s ever seen... and then he bows down to the angel who’s guiding him. Why would he do that?

OPEN: Weddings are times of excitement and great celebration, and different cultures have different ways of celebrating their marriages. • In Bulgaria – the bride tosses a dish filled with wheat, coins and a raw egg over her head. If the dish breaks it signifies good luck to come. • African ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:5-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Convicting Ministry Of The Holy Spirit Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jan 11, 2010

Jesus assures His followers that He would not leave them alone, but would send His substitute, the third member of the God-head. The Holy Spirit came to empower the church for life and witness

JOHN 16:7-11 THE [CONVICTING] MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT [1 John 4: 1-6] There was much disappointment among the Apostles when Jesus disclosed that He must return to the Father. Jesus’ great work of redemption required His death so that through His resurrection from the dead death ...read more

Scripture: John 16:7-11

Denomination: Baptist

Have The Obedience Of A 12-Year-Old ! Series

Contributed by Peter Schmidt on Jan 8, 2004

We study the only biblical story about Jesus as a youth. He is already going about his work as our obedient substitute. Mirror Christ by being obedient to the Lord and his representatives.

The First Sunday after Christmas Luke 2:41-52 During the first decade of life, children tend to view their parents as the greatest people in the world. This is the time of life when kids argue among each other, “My dad is stronger than your dad! My mom is prettier than your mom! My parents are ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-52

Denomination: Lutheran

Arrival Of Enemy Upon The Body

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Jan 24, 2016

To show that the body of unbelievers here are for only decoration on earth with no purpose, and can easily be possessed by the enemy who is looking for rest and substitutes a human body for their rest instead of GOD's Presence because they are no longer a

I. EXORDIUM: Do you agree with unbelievers? No. I cannot be yoked together with unbelievers. 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 (Amplified Bible) Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:25

Denomination: Pentecostal

Face To Face With God!

Contributed by Jan Oosthuizen on Oct 7, 2017

I believe the best way to communicate is meeting face to face. Yet we try to substitute this most ancient and proven way with technology and social Media and have become terribly disconnected as a result.

A face-to-face request is 34 times more successful than an email In research Mahdi Roghanizad of Western University and I conducted, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, we have found that people tend to overestimate the power of their persuasiveness via text-based ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shields Of Brass Or Gold?

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Mar 12, 2022

Here, the Scripture portrays an Israelite king substituting true godliness with a cheap imitation in an attempt to fool the people of Israel into believing that the nation still had favor with God. But in reality, Israel was falling apart.

Some of the insights contained in this evening’s message were inspired by O. S. Hawkins’ book Shields of Brass or Shields of Gold? One day while Mr. Jones was chatting with Mr. Smith about yard work, Mr. Jones happened to mention that he had only cut the grass in his front yard that week because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 12:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

The Heart Of The Matter: When Tradition Makes A Trespasser

Contributed by Paul Dayao on Oct 4, 2025

This sermon delivers Jesus' powerful warning that religious traditions can become a dangerous substitute for God's commands, leading to a worthless worship from a heart that is far from Him.

Introduction: The Danger of Good Habits Traditions can be wonderful things. They give us a sense of identity and rhythm. They connect us to our heritage and to our families. In the life of faith, traditions and habits—like coming to church, praying before a meal, or reading our Bibles—can be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing

Contributed by Ronnie Mcneill on Nov 19, 2007

This is a Word that lets us know that when God tells us to do something, we need to do it without delay. There is no substitute for God because there Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing Baby!

Introduction: When I think of the Sermonic Theme, I can’t help but think about a song that Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell sung years ago called, Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing Baby, Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing. I was singing that song in Junior High School with no real meaning but little ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Joseph Reveals Himself Series

Contributed by Claude Alexander on Nov 2, 2020

It is at this point that chapter 45 begins. It continues from chapter 44 where Judah tries to reason out with this Egyptian official and offers himself as a substitute for Benjamin in whose sack was Joseph’s silver cup.

Joseph reveals himself Gen. 45: 1-45 It is at this point that chapter 45 begins. It continues from chapter 44 where Judah tries to reason out with this Egyptian official and offers himself as a substitute for Benjamin in whose sack was Joseph’s silver cup. Judah and his brothers anxiously ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 45:1-28

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Seventh Word: Contentment Series

Contributed by Freddy Fritz on Apr 8, 2009

In this sermon we examine the seventh word Jesus uttered on the cross, which is a word of contentment.

Introduction Herbert Lockyer, in his book titled All the Last Words of Saints and Sinners, says, "The last words of both saints and sinners about to enter eternity, what they had to say before their stammering tongues lay silent in the grave, demands our deepest attention and most earnest ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:44-46

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When He Was On The Cross, You Were On His Mind Series

Contributed by David Dykes on Jan 29, 2018

Four important things that happened when Jesus was crucified.

INTRODUCTION It’s been my joy to lead hundreds of Holy Land visitors to a cliff outside Jerusalem that looks like the face of a skull. You can see indentions in the rock that look like the eye sockets of a skull. Even after twenty centuries of erosion, the cliff still resembles a skull. And many ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:21-39

Denomination: Baptist