Sermons on Suspect:

In The Beginning – David

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Jul 5, 2008

God’s selection process - Understanging the Psalms starts by knowing the story and compairing to the poetry.

In the beginning – David 1 Samuel 16 I am not really an American idol fan. I have watched enough to catch on to the concept. I find the whole process to be just a little too much for me. You have 1000’s of people trying out all over the country wanting to become winners and amazingly ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-5

Denomination: Congregational

One Is Bigger Than Many Series

Contributed by Mary Lewis on May 7, 2009

Idea: THE ONLY WAY TO REACH GOD’S GOAL IS TO REACH IT TOGETHER

[INTRODUCTION] The Olympic contestants line up in the starting blocks for the hundred-meter dash. Anticipation has the crowd suspended on the edge of their seats. The starter raises his gun and fires. The athletes spring out of the starting blocks. As they do, it becomes obvious this is no ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Persistence In The Presence: How Women Pray

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 22, 2009

Women succeed in pray because they persist in trusting God, allow the whole self to pray, take God at His word, are not afraid of intensity, choose responsibility over religion, and keep their commitments.

If, as Thomas Edison tells us, genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration, then I suspect it is also true that prayer is one per cent insistence and ninety-nine per cent persistence. Prayer is one per cent insistence, to be sure; we do, in our prayers, tell God what ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Denomination: Baptist

God's Friends

Contributed by Kevin Lockett on Sep 8, 2007

We can grow as friends of God by applying life lessons from three of God’s friends: David, Mary, and Peter. Appropriate for Pentecost, Confirmation, or honoring a pastor, deacon, teacher, or other faithful servant of God.

“God’s Friends” Acts 2:1-21 The title for today’s sermon comes from a confirmation text book used in my church.(1) In fact, the scripture lessons I selected for today are actually the texts traditionally read in Christian churches around the world on Pentecost Sunday – the day on which ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What’s A Preacher To Do? Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 5, 2010

Christians have all kinds of opinions about what preachers should do in their congregations. But what does God want those who enter the pulpit ministry to focus on? What is the "main thing" that these men should devote themselves to?

There’s an old saying: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” We’ll come back to that in a moment. Back in the 1990’s the Indianapolis Pacers Basketball Team had been struggling for more than a decade to be a contender in the NBA. With the exception of a couple of years, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Earth Yielding Increase

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 24, 2009

For Worldwide Communion Sunday: How can we, like the Psalmist, be optimistic in the face of international conflict, national dispute, racism, church tension, our personal conflicts? The Cross is God’s reaching out to heal.

It was an awesome ruin. A hulk of stone, a pile of rubble. Smoke stains clearly visible. Jagged edges its roofline. What once had been a magnificent building lay now exposed to the open air, useless, a scar on the horizon. What terrible thing had happened here to create this ugly defacing of the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 67:1-7

Denomination: Baptist

Snapshots In An Autumn Album

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jul 15, 2009

Contrasting Koheleth and Paul in the later season of their lives: one blames the young, the other gathers them; one mourns broken things, the other invests in ideas; one is anxious, the other trusts God for every need.

This past weekend, as a part of our brief getaway, my wife and I spent two nights in an old farmhouse. The farmhouse dated from 1704 and was partly furnished with antiques. Now my wife loves antiques; I guess that’s why she puts up with me. So we took the tour of the house, especially the parlor ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Now That You've Tasted The Lord Series

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Aug 10, 2009

Because we have tasted of the goodness of the Lord, what should we do? Here is some of our pay back to Him. 1- We should rid evil 2- We should crave good 3- We should grow spiritually

INTRO.- ILL.- Someone said: According to a recent article I just read on nutrition, they said eating right doesn’t have to be complicated. Nutritionists say there is a simple way to tell if you’re eating right. Colors. Fill your plates with bright colors. Greens, reds, yellows. In fact, I did ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3, 1 John 2:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

His Frustrating Ways Series

Contributed by Joel Smith on Sep 25, 2008

God’s ways are usually more frustrating than mysterious.

Back in 2000, my friend Dan and I were called and hired as pastors of Wellspring Community Church, a fellowship that we started from scratch. Dan and I began the process as friends, but we’d never actually worked together. At first, all was well as we concentrated on getting the facilities ready ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Family Who Stole From God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 21, 2011

Achan stole from God... but all of Israel was guilty? How did that happen? And what can it tell us about our responsibility before God?

A man told this story at his first AA meeting: He’d gone to a party and had too much to drink. His friends pled with him to let them drive him home but he said no, he only lived a mile away. About 5 blocks from the party, the police pulled him over for weaving and asked him to get out of the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Integrity Of Motive & Conduct Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jun 23, 2014

God is the source of all stability. In Jesus and through the promises of God we too are stabilized & become stable.

2 CORINTHIANS 1: 18-22 [GAINING PERSPECTIVE Series] INTEGRITY OF MOTIVE AND CONDUCT [Galatians 5:21-22] Some of the trouble makers in the church discredited Paul by pointing to inconsistency and saying he was at the least insincere, and more likely two-faced, in his relationship with them. But ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:17-22

Denomination: Baptist

Do You Want To Get Well?

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jul 9, 2015

John 5

DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL? (JOHN 5:1-14) The Ice Bucket Challenge is all over the papers, TV and internet. Participants from celebrities to businessmen and politicians are dared to have a bucket of iced water poured over their heads. Why? Many have forgotten the reason. It is to raise money and ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-14

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Jesus, The High Priest (Pt 1) Series

Contributed by E. True Neilson on Dec 16, 2014

The book of Hebrews is all about Jesus!

SIMPLY JESUS Hebrews 5:1-10 Jesus, the High Priest (pt 1) INTRO -In grade school I remember taking a field trip to the state capitol and getting to walk into the governor’s office. -That was when Vic Atiyeh was governor of Oregon. -He wasn’t there when we came in, but we got to see ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:1-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Only One Believes

Contributed by Denn Guptill on May 20, 2018

It's a part of every church, those who are there on Sunday without their spouse. What happens when only one believes?

“Love and Marriage, Love and Marriage, goes together like a horse and carriage”, at least that’s what the song says.  You know as well as I do that isn’t always the reality.  Sometimes the horse doesn’t want to pull the carriage, and sometimes the carriage doesn’t want to be pulled.  For the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:12-16

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Tax Man Commeth

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Mar 28, 2019

A study in the Gospel of Matthew 22: 15- 22

Matthew 22: 15- 22 The tax man commeth 15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:22

Denomination: Calvary Chapel