Sermons on Suspects:

Stay!

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 2, 2025

God will encourage His servant to stand firm when opposition arises. This is demonstrated when Paul sought to leave Corinth as opposition arose. just so, God will encourage you when you are ready to throw in the towel in your own service.

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Church Has Left The Building!

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 2, 2024

God may use persecution to compel the faithful to fulfil His commands. That was assuredly the case for the first church, and it may be the case in this day.

ACTS 8:1b-4 THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING! “There arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Wrong About Religion

Contributed by Michael Stark on Nov 30, 2024

If we focus on our tenets to the exclusion of focusing on the will of the Lord, we are in danger of drifting into Pharisaical Religion. If we allow this to happen, we will displease the Lord and oppose Him.

“When the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Be Fruitful And Multiply

Contributed by Michael Stark on Jan 18, 2025

The Creator's command, "Be Fruitful and Multiply," is largely ignored by the people of God today. We have much to learn even with the second part of His command to subdue the earth.

“God blessed [the man and the woman]. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” [1] Undoubtedly, I am venturing into ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:28

Denomination: Baptist

And We Hold Our Peace

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 4, 2023

What responsibility do we bear to our world as followers of Christ?

“There were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, ‘Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, “Let us enter the city,” the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 7:3-11

Denomination: Baptist

Crooks And Robbers And Thieves, Oh My! Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 26, 2021

Christ receives even thieves and robbers when they receive Him as Master over life.

“After this [Jesus] went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-32

Denomination: Baptist

Homosexuality Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Sep 25, 2020

A review of the sin of homosexuality with encouragement for followers of Christ to treat homosexuals with compassion while holding firmly to the Word of God.

“The men set out from [the oaks of Mamre], and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. The LORD said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:16-21

Denomination: Baptist

Thanks For The Memories Series

Contributed by Gordon Pike on Dec 15, 2020

Without God’s Light, without the promise of God’s love, Scrooge was doomed … and so are we! It is God’s love and judgment that are bringing Scrooge into the light so that he can repent and get on track to a better life … the life that God intended for him and not the one that he made for himself.

Ah … remember good Ol’ Jacob Marley from last week? How he appeared in his pigtails, usual waist-coat, tights, and boots? He also sported a huge chain “clasped about his middle … and wound about him like a tail … made of cash-boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers, deeds, and heavy purses wrought in ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:4, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 3:5-6, John 1:41-42, John 3:19-21  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: United Methodist

When God Says, "don't Pray For Them!"

Contributed by Michael Stark on Sep 16, 2021

God holds all mankind to account. All face judgement, and some are judged now. When God judges individuals and even communities, He informs His people, saying, "Don't pray for them!"

“Thus says the LORD concerning this people [Israel]: ‘They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore, the LORD does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.’ “The LORD said to me: ‘Do not pray for the welfare of this people. ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 14:10-12

Denomination: Baptist

When The Giants Just Keep Coming!

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 23, 2021

Each Christian will face battles throughout the life they are called to live. There will not be one battle, but each of us will face multiple battles, and the situations we face may appear overwhelming as we face our own giants. But God will send a deliverer just when we need that deliverer most.

“There was war again between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines. And David grew weary. And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 21:15-22

Denomination: Baptist

Four Days Late

Contributed by Michael Stark on May 29, 2021

When Christ delays answering our pleas, how shall we respond? God is merciful, even when it appears that Heaven in silent.

“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-27

Denomination: Baptist

Divide And Conquer Series

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Dec 8, 2017

A study of the book of Acts 22: 30 – 23: 35

Acts 22: 30 – 23: 35 Divide and Conquer 30 The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them. 23 Then Paul, looking ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Be Careful What You Wish For–you Might Get It!

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Feb 8, 2018

A study in the book of Genesis 27: 1 – 46

Genesis 27: 1 – 46 BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR–You Might Get It! 27 Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son.” And he answered him, “Here I am.” 2 Then he said, “Behold now, I am old. I do ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Hey, Wake Up!

Contributed by Thomas Swope on Aug 16, 2018

A study in the book of 1 Samuel 26: 1 – 25

1 Samuel 26: 1 – 25 Hey, wake up! 26 Now the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding in the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?” 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the Wilderness of ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Abundant Grace Series

Contributed by Chuck Gohn on Jul 8, 2022

This sermon explores the concept of God's abundant grace as seen through the conversion of the Ethiopian by Philip and how God continues to pour out His grace to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.

As most of you know, we have been going through a 30-35-week series called The Story. We are getting close to the end of the story. We have been most recently going through the New Testament portion of the story called the book of Acts. As I mentioned a couple times, the book of Acts is a long ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40, Deuteronomy 23:1, Isaiah 56:1-5

Denomination: Christian Church