Sermons on Suspects:

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

Bad Medicine Series

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 2, 2009

Settling for answers other than God’s answers is like taking poisoned medicine for a headache.

Bad Medicine More than 25 years ago (1982), seven residents of the Greater Chicago area made an assumption that proved fatal. They all took a dose of Extra Strength Tylenol® that had been laced with potassium cyanide. What they thought was medicine proved to be poison. This crime, still being ...read more

Denomination: *other

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

Hitting Rock Bottom: The Younger Brother

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 19, 2010

The prodigal succumbed to temptations all of us face: money, sex and power. He survived because he stopped denying his reality and received the grace of the father.

Takoma Park Baptist Church, Washington, DC June 26, 1988 It is frequently said about alcoholics that they have to hit rock bottom before they can be helped. The usual understanding is that because of the nature of the disease, the behavior called alcoholism, the person who suffers as a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

Frantic Work Or Focused Life

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 26, 2009

Wisdom lies in knowing when to be busy and when to be reflective. Both Martha and Mary wanted the affirmation of Jesus. But it always comes by grace alone.

Author Sam Keen, in his provocative little book called Apology for Wonder, tells us the lesson he learned as young boy swimming in the Indian River inlet on the Delaware coast. Keen says that swimming there was very tricky, because the outgoing waters from the bay met the incoming tides waves from ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-41

Denomination: Baptist

The Good Samaritan Series

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jun 11, 2010

This message focuses on the story of the "Good Samaritan" as an example of what it means to take a detour in order to minister to another. Using Luke 10:25-37 as the text.

Faith in Action series, #1 The Good Samaritan What does it cost to Love your Neighbor? Luke 10:25-37 CHCC: May 2, 2010 INTRODUCTION: Today we begin a new series called “Faith in Action --- Don’t just go to church- be the church!” For the next 4 weeks, both in services and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It's The Little Things Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Apr 14, 2010

This message looks at why the women gave of their own resources to support Jesus

When you stop and think about it, it’s the little things the minutiae. I can get my head around the miracles in the New Testament, miracles are by definition miracles. You either believe them or you don’t. So I don’t struggle with how Jesus fed the five thousand that was a God ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:1-3

Denomination: Wesleyan

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

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

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

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

Drink Your Own Water Series

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Feb 10, 2015

This whole chapter contains the wisdom of God about marriage and avoiding the adultery trap. What’s the message? 1- Drink your own water 2- Rejoice in your wife/mate 3- Consider your ways

INTRO.- ILL.- I remember when I was only 17 or 18 years old and working as a stock clerk in a grocery store in Webb City, MO. I was stocking merchandise one day when suddenly the manager came to me and said, “Steve, follow me. I want you to witness something.” I could tell that he ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 5:15-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jesus, His People, The Local Church

Contributed by D Marion Clark on Mar 6, 2017

Who are you? How you answer that question guides how you live your life. In our text this morning, John lays before us the identities of three parties: that of fellow Christians, of Jesus, and of the local church.

Revelation 1:9-20 Jesus, His People, the Local Church 3/5/17 D. Marion Clark Introduction Who are you? How you answer that question guides how you live your life. In our text this morning, John lays before us the identities of three parties: that of fellow Christians, of Jesus, and of the local ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:9-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

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

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