Sermons on Tax Collectors:

Guardrails Part 5 Guard Your Heart

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on Mar 26, 2018

This is part 5 in our series Guardrail adopted from Andy Stanley's series. The message is written from a Palm Sunday viewpoint and deals with why the Pharisees had hard hearts toward Jesus. We all need to protect our hearts.

Guardrails Part 5 Guard Your Heart Proverbs 4:23-27 Luke 19:28-40 How many of you have ever had a crush on somebody and thought they were the greatest, but when you finally got to know the person, you didn’t think they were all that after all. As a matter of fact, you were surprised that ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:23-27, Luke 19:28-40

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Game Of Mutually Assured Destruction Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 11, 2015

It's one game board, but two games. Checkers and Chess are not only played differently, but they illustrate for me the difference between how the world deals with conflict and how God would have us do so. Do you know the difference?

OPEN: (We showed a picture of a checker board on the overhead) What is this game? That’s right, it’s a checkers game. How many of you have ever played checkers? (almost everyone held up their hands) You know, I did not realize it until I began my research for this morning’s ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Effective Fasting Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Jan 1, 2020

Fast when out of your despair, you feel totally dependent upon God.

One day, Kathy Cash’s husband, of Dallas, Texas, announced to the family that he was going to fast and pray. Ginny, their 5-year-old, had recently learned that fasting meant not eating. “No!” she shouted. “You can't fast! You'll die!” Her dad carefully explained that many men and women ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-17, Luke 18:9-14, Isaiah 58:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical Free

The Transformation Of Zacchaeus, And Us Too If We Would Listen And Believe.

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Nov 1, 2016

What others think of us is irrelevant to the Lord. It is what he see in us that is important. Zacchaeus show us how the power of God is used to free us from the influence of others, and free us to be ourselves.

This sermon was delivered to Holy Trinity in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 30th October 2016; Holy Trinity is a Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow and Dumfries. The readings for today are: Habakkuk 1.1-4; 2.1-4 Ps 119.137-144 2 Thessalonians 1.1-4, 11-12 Luke 19.1-10 Luke ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Episcopal

Parables Of Lostness Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Oct 17, 2023

Jesus is the answer to all our lostness no matter what kind we may find ourselves in.

JUST JESUS: CHAPTER BY CHAPTER THRU LUKE Parables of Lostness LUKE 15:1-32 #justJesus INTRODUCTION NARRATIVE 1: “Taken” In 2008, an action movie came out that spurred 2 more movies after it and all because of one speech. 7 sentences is the crux of one movie and allowed them to make two more after ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Must I Do To Be Saved? Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

In answer to the question: There seem to be a lot of different ideas about how a person can be sure to be allowed into Heaven. I have a lot of family members who tried different approaches. Are they in Heaven or not?

Question to be asked: There seem to be a lot of different ideas about how a person can be sure to be allowed into Heaven. I have a lot of family members who tried different approaches. Are they in Heaven or not? Intro: I’m going to guess that the main reason for this question is that someone ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

21st Sunday After Pentecost. November 2nd, 2025. Series

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Oct 23, 2022

Year C, Proper 26.

Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:1-4, Psalm 119:137-144, Isaiah 1:10-18, Psalm 32:1-7, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Luke 19:1-10 A). WATCHING IN PRAYER. Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:1-4. This is the oracle or “burden” which Habakkuk the prophet did “see” (Habakkuk 1:1). So, ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:1-4, Psalm 119:137-144, Isaiah 1:10-18, Psalm 32:1-7, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Luke 19:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lost Sons And A Prodigal Father Series

Contributed by Joel Gilbert on Nov 3, 2025

While the parable of the prodigal son reveals some things about the lostness of the younger son, it also reveals the lostness of the elder son and the prodigal love of God.

How do you view God? Some people view God as a heavy-handed, demanding judge with strict rules of right and wrong. Others view God like a doting grand-father who willingly gives his grandchildren whatever they want - practically spoiling them. Some may view God as aloof and distant, uninterested or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, Luke 15:11-32, John 3:16-17, Romans 8:32, Ephesians 2:4-7, Titus 3:5-6, 1 John 3:1  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Sinner And The Saint PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Oct 25, 2025

True acceptance with God comes not through self-righteousness or comparison, but through humble confession and receiving His mercy offered in Jesus Christ.

Some stories slip into the room and sit right beside us. This is one of them. It whispers to the weary, “You can put down the mask,” and it nudges the proud, “You can put down the measuring stick.” Picture it: two people walk into God’s house—one with a polished prayer and a proud posture, the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Topics: God's Mercy, Divine Compassion

A Vision Of Loving Like Jesus

Contributed by Charles Whitmire on Feb 5, 2008

This is a vision message for Phoenix Church - and ultimately for us all ...to love as Jesus loved Zacchaeus

What is Phoenix all about? Phoenix Church is a church that exists to help people far away from God, come explore what it means to follow Christ. The mission of Phoenix Church is to serve as a conduit for irreligious people to meet Jesus and learn to follow him. We want to be middle ground. We want ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Debt Is A Taskmaster

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 16, 2020

You can own stuff or stuff can own you.

Do you own your house or does your house own you? We tend to love the American dream and that usually translates as having bigger and more expensive stuff with swapping it often. That stuff can own us. If you were to be unemployed tomorrow due to layoff or illness how long would you last before ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:7, 1 Timothy 6:9

Denomination: Baptist

A New Covenant Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Aug 2, 2008

A Communion meditation warning us against substituting ritual for relationship.

MATTHEW 26:26-29 A NEW COVENANT “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:26-29

Denomination: Baptist

Following Jesus

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Sep 23, 2014

Following Jesus transforms lives. If that is not happening, then people are not following Jesus.

In the day when most traveled by train, there was a physically disabled boy who ran a small newsstand in a railroad station. Each day he sold candy, gum, and newspapers to people who passed through the station. One day two men rushed through the crowded station to catch a train that was to leave ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

What To Do When Someone Sins Against You Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Nov 25, 2006

When someone sins against us, we’re to talk first, then take others, then tell it to church, then treat as an unbeliever. But goal is always restoration.

What to Do When Someone Sins Against You Matthew 18:15-17 Rev. Brian Bill 11/26/06 One Sunday morning a wife tried to wake her husband up for church. He kept his eyes closed and said, “I don’t want to go to church; they don’t like me there.” She tried again, this time pleading with him to get ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-17

Denomination: Baptist

Your Place To Give With Open Hands Series

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Aug 21, 2016

God has a place for the unlikely, places where the Lord will direct us to GIVE. Let’s look quickly at seven unlikely and perhaps unexpected ways we can give: Unlikely places to give because your sins are forgiven.

UNLIKELY - Your Place to Give with Open Hands John 3:7-8 MsgB “So don’t be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above’—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Assembly Of God