Sermons on Take Heart:

"Thugs In Paradise” Word 2 Of The 7 Sayings Of Jesus Series

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Apr 7, 2023

The seven last words are the seven last phrases recorded across the Gospels that Jesus said before finally dying on the cross. This is the 2 politically charged statement.

Luke 23:43, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” “Thugs in Paradise” Growing up I understood that I had a little more grit than some of the others. I realized that while some young men were going to stay out of trouble and get home on time and make good grades, I mean ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:43

Denomination: United Methodist

Getting Noticed

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Apr 17, 2023

Jesus was noticed when he entered Jerusalem on "Palm Sunday." Is your church recognized in your town or city? Why is this important?

Getting Noticed John 12:12-19 Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz 12 And the next day, a great multitude who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took boughs of palm-trees, and went out to meet him. And they cried, and said: Hosanna, Blessed is he that cometh in ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-19

Denomination: United Methodist

Sermon On Life Is A Circus

Contributed by William Meakin on Apr 19, 2023

A circus has misleadingly been attributed as a “metaphor for life.”

Laura Vanderkam, an American author once remarked: “The more times I attend the circus, the more I am struck how inaccurate the life-is-a-circus metaphor is. When people say that life is a circus, they mean chaos. Too much going on, things flying everywhere. The circus is nothing like that. The ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2, Psalm 40:4, Isaiah 26:3, Mark 11:22-24

The Remedy To Our Fears And Doubts

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Apr 19, 2023

A sermon for the second Sunday of Easter, Year A

April 19, 2023 Rev. Mary Erickson Hope Lutheran Church John 20:19-31; Acts 2:1-4a, 22-32 The Remedy to Our Fears and Doubts Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. The Easter Doldrums. It’s the feeling we get after the high of Easter ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31, Acts 2:1-32

Denomination: Lutheran

"I Thirst” Jesus Is Thirsty. Series

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Apr 13, 2022

Jesus was also showing us that what we need when things get to their worst is a thirst to overcome our dry faith.

Sermon Good Friday 2022 Seven Last Words “I Thirst” Jesus is Thirsty. This may appear overly simplistic. The temptation is to take these words and interpret them in some overly spiritualized manner. We might equate “thirsting” with Christ’s call to “hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matthew ...read more

Scripture: John 19:28

Denomination: United Methodist

So Many Lambs, An Abundance Of Wolves, Too Few Shepherds

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Mar 1, 2024

The events described in Revelation Chapter 6 describe the terrors that will come upon the earth. The lost are like sheep without a shepherd about to face this horrid time. We must bring them to Jesus before it is too late.

Bible prophecy is not preached in a majority of churches today. The sad fact is that a lot of "churches" don't bother to preach from the Bible but are more than happy to cater to the unholy trinity of "me, myself, and I". They are in the business of people pleasing and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:36-38, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:8-9, Acts 20:28-31

Denomination: Baptist

The Fig Tree Series

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Mar 14, 2024

A sermon in the Lenten series "If Trees Could Talk." In this sermon we hear from the fig tree.

March 13, 2024 Rev. Mary Erickson Hope Lutheran Church John 1:35-51; Luke 13:6-9 The Fig Tree Good evening, friendly humans. It’s such a pleasure to be with you here this evening. Thank you for inviting me as a guest speaker in your Lenten series. May I introduce myself? I am Fig Tree. I ...read more

Scripture: John 1:35-51, Luke 13:6-9

Denomination: Lutheran

From Fishermen To Shepherds: Embracing Our Calling On The Right Side Of Easter Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Mar 26, 2024

On the other side of Easter, we are challenged to live as transformed people, fully alive in Christ. As we delve into the Word, let's explore what it means to move from being fishermen to shepherds, from the wrong side to the right side of Easter.

From Fishermen to Shepherds: Embracing Our Calling on the Right Side of Easter John 21:1-6 Introduction: Two weeks ago, we rejoiced in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of our faith. Today, we find ourselves on the other side of Easter, challenged to live as transformed beings, ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-6, John 21:15-17, Matthew 28:19-20, Ephesians 2:10, 1 Peter 2:9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Maundy Thursday Reflection Series

Contributed by John Saynor on Mar 28, 2024

We all want to be remembered don’t we? Look at the memorials on the walls…people who would be long forgotten whom the parishioners at the time didn’t want them to be forgotten. There is a memorial right here for a rector who was here in 1830!

Phyllis and Doug Weir were parishioners of mine in the parish where I served my curacy in Peterborough, Ontario . They would often have me over to their home for dinner and on one such occasion, Phyllis brought this out – a Royal Doulton figurine of an old man who was selling balloons – and gave ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:22-25

Being United In Body, Soul, And Spirt Series

Contributed by Lynn Sims on Apr 3, 2024

We must be United in Body, Soul, and Spirit

United We Stand - "Being United in Body, Soul, and Spirit for God" 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (NKJV) 12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Denomination: Other

The Wonder Of His Walk

Contributed by Don Kiper on Apr 5, 2024

The text admonishes us to WALK as He WALKED

1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: His manner of life was: • Simple • Sincere • Godly We know ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:6

Denomination: Baptist

A Broken Image Series

Contributed by Joseph Marshall on Jul 18, 2022

One of the most famous characters in the Bible is Adam, but what do we know about Adam?

Introduction: One of the most famous characters in the Bible is Adam. He is also one of the characters who is most scoffed at by the world because they have been deceived and brainwashed by the theory of evolution. Adam was the first man – this is not only explained in the book of Genesis but it is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:4-8

Denomination: Baptist

Sermon On The Meaning Of Life

Contributed by William Meakin on Aug 18, 2022

The meaning of life appertains to the significance of living, or an existence in general.

Jagadish “Jaggi” Vasudev, better known by the honorific title “Sadhguru,” an Indian yoga guru and proponent of spirituality once remarked: “If you are too serious about everything, you will only know thoughts and emotions. You will not know life.” 1 John 1:7 confirms: “But if we walk in the light, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:14, Psalm 90:12, Psalm 103:15-16

God As Father

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 31, 2022

God is described as Father about 15 times in the Old Testament and over 250 times in the New Testament? Why?

Studying God as Father is called patriology or paterology. God is described as Father about 15 times in the Old Testament and over 250 times in the New Testament? Why? Is God a Father even to orphans? “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” (Psalm 68:5 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:6, Matthew 6:26

Denomination: Baptist

Faith That Makes You Whole Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Jan 30, 2022

Your faith has made you whole. None of us will ever know the fullness, wholeness that God intends without faith in Christ. We do not come to Jesus by our good works. Salvation is a free gift and Jesus already paid the price when he died on the cross.

Faith has been illustrated in many ways, some of the illustrations successfully illustrate faith and some are not so successful. I remember seeing a friend of my wife and I in a wheelchair. When we asked her what happened she explained she took part in a faith exercise. She was asked to jump off a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:25-34

Denomination: Baptist