Sermons on The Cleft Rock:

Crossbearers Needed

Contributed by Richard Cook on Aug 25, 2009

A sermon admonishing believers to deny themselves and take up their cross daily, as our Lord instructed us to do.

Matt 16:24-17:1 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Be Still Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Aug 27, 2009

Rest in the Lord and so find rest in the storm. Trust His Word. Trust His presence. Trust His power.

Be Still! (Mark 4:35-41) When Sharon Fleming was a teenager, her family took cross-country car trips each summer. To keep the peace, they each took a turn choosing a cassette to play in the car tape deck. No one was allowed to complain or comment about another’s choice. Sharon says her mother ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Who Would Ever Deny Christ? Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Aug 31, 2009

Jesus was denied by all sorts of people. Are we like them?

Sentence of Scripture: “He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. 4Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

A Door Of Hope Series

Contributed by Paul Green on Sep 18, 2009

I see a lot of modern day Christians, including myself, in the story of Hosea. But I don’t see us in the person of Hosea. I see us rather in the person of Gomer the prostitute. Are we very much different from those people?

Dallas and Irene Sherman of Cincinnati had a really stormy relationship. During one of their many rows Irene deliberately wrecked two of their cars, which was the last straw for Dallas and he filed for divorce. But as time went by, he found that he couldn’t live without her, so they were ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Jonah's Prayer Series

Contributed by Travis Markes on Nov 10, 2009

Sermon series on the Book of Jonah. Some of my resources come from John Hamby’s sermons as well as Jerry Giffords

“Returning to God” “Jonah’s Prayer” Jonah 1:17-2:1-10 Jonah’s story is simple. Jonah, a child of God, ran from his Father. God pursued his child on the wings of a storm. The storm, of course, forced Jonah to reconsider the path he had chosen. This short book is his record of those difficult days. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Anticipating Advent: Unwasted Pain Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Nov 28, 2009

When it feels like we’re in the Tribulation, we anticipate the coming of our Lord so we can grow through the pain, go on in confidence, and glow with the glory of Christ.

One day, a cowboy was driving down a dirt road with his dog riding in back of the pickup truck and his faithful horse in the trailer behind. He failed to negotiate a curve and had a terrible accident. Sometime later, a highway patrol officer came on the scene. As an animal lover, he saw the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Time For Celebration Series

Contributed by David Rumley on Dec 21, 2009

Learning from the heralding messages of the Angels to the Shepherds. In this second message we pick up with the first of three messages from the Angels heralding moment. The first is a time for celebration... a personal message, a universal message, and

Purpose of Christmas Part 2: A Time for Celebration Last week we discussed from Luke 2 the response of the Shepherds to the Angels heralding cry of the coming messiah… Christmas is a time for Celebration… Christmas is specifically a party, a birthday party… celebrating the birth of Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-19

Denomination: Pentecostal

Lessons From Failure Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Dec 26, 2009

When we fail in ministry, our failure need not be fatal. Rather, if our failure teaches us to depend on Christ and care for people, we can move on from failure to impact our world like Jesus’ original disciples did.

A CEO has taken on a new job, and the outgoing CEO says to him, “Sometimes you’ll make wrong choices. You will. You’ll mess up. When that happens, I have prepared three envelopes for you. I left them in the top drawer of the desk. The first time it happens, open #1. The second time you mess ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:14-29

Denomination: Evangelical Free

When Prophets Lodge In Caves

Contributed by Victor Yap on Dec 28, 2009

Elijah

WHEN PROPHETS LODGE IN CAVES (1 KINGS 19:1-18) How have these few (four) months in Hong Kong affected people’s physical, emotional and mental health? According to the University of Hong Kong (HKU) survey, nearly one in 10 people in Hong Kong were found to have suspected depression in a study ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

"A Portrait Of The Church"

Contributed by Michael Luke on Dec 31, 2009

As we begin the New Year, our congregation needs to seek to further our work to be like the church described in the New Testament.

“PORTRAIT OF THE CHURCH” 1 PETER 2:4-10 OPEN On the wall near the main entrance to The Alamo in San Antonio, TX is a portrait with the following inscription: James Butler Bonham – no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Second Coming Of Christ Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Jan 26, 2009

Exposition of Mark 13:24-27 with more questions than answers about Christ’s return in Mark and Revelation 19

SE020407 DESPERATE HOUSEHOLDS 1. Communication Looking down Wisteria Lane, we find perfect homes in a quiet suburb. But the whole show is about finding out things are not always what they seem. - Susan, the divorcee and single mom who will go to extraordinary lengths for love, or - Lynette, the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

America - Under New Management

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Jan 27, 2009

A message about how we are called to react to our new government - whether we agree or disagree with them.

* This message was adapted from, and to a degree copies, Rev. Steve Shepherd’s excellent sermon of January 22, 2009 - "A New Beginning For America". Done with Rev. Shepherd’s permission. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Someone ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:13

Denomination: *other

Putting God First

Contributed by S S on Feb 9, 2009

Sermon on Luke 9:57-62 - Putting God First

Luke 9:57-62 PUTTING GOD FIRST Introduction ILL -- It is well with my soul A story was told of a man named Horatio Spafford who faced many trials. He was a Christian lawyer from Chicago and a friend of DL Moody. In 1871 the Great Chicago Fire took almost everything he owned. That same year his ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:57-62

Denomination: *other

Were You There? No, But We Are Here

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Feb 21, 2009

To know real and lasting power means admitting that we fail at what we do (repentance), giving over the control of our lives to Christ (faith), and obedience.

The speech choir has asked us a pointed question, "Were you there?" "Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?" They went on, "Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?" And finally, "Were you here when He rose up from the grave?" Were you ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:4-11

Denomination: Baptist

Why Does Easter Matter

Contributed by Jay Robison on Feb 24, 2009

What difference does Easter make? The sermon looks at "explanations" for Jesus’ death on the cross. But Easter matters because we all have baggage in life, we will die one day, and we need help.

WHY DOES EASTER MATTER? March 23, 2008 Jay Davis Robison MARK 16:1-8 Do you suppose it will make any difference? Augsburg Sermon Book for the year 1985: "I’ve never seen such a crowd in church, the woman exclaimed’. I didn’t know her, but apparently she was impressed by the number of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Baptist