Sermons on Thistles:

Get On Board: Why We Need Christmas Series

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Dec 18, 2004

1st in two-part series on Christmas using the Polar Express Movie as a backdrop. (See important note at top of sermon text)

{NOTE: This series is best used with the clips provided by HomeWord with Jim Burns and Max Lucado. You can find many free resources at this link: http://www.homeword.com/PolarExpress/ You may also be able to secure the clips by contacting them.} THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON: BELIEVE GET ON BOARD: WHY WE ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-13

Denomination: Christian Church

Dull Listener Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Mar 16, 2018

If you want to grow in these tough times, practice God’s Word; then persist in the practice of God’s Word, and don’t be pig-headed in your ways.

Dana Van Scoy, of Oxnard, CA, talks about the time when her son had graduated from the 8th grade and was getting ready to enter high school. He was the first of their children to reach this point in life, and she wasn’t real sure about how to prepare him for the pitfalls lurking in the halls of his ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:11-14, Hebrews 6:1-8

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Focus On Feet Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 16, 2021

Two of the major commands of Christ were, "Come follow me," and, "Go into all the world." Both of these demand the obedience of the feet.

Centuries ago the Danes decided to invade Scotland. They very cleverly moved their great army in the night so they could creep up on the Scottish forces and take them by surprise. In order to make this advance as noiseless as possible they came barefooted. As they neared the sleeping Scots, one ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Focus On Feet Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 26, 2021

Jesus used his feet for the glory of God, and the good of man. He not only had love expressed to Him by means of His feet, but He expressed His love for His disciples by washing their feet.

Centuries ago the Danes decided to invade Scotland. They very cleverly moved their great army in the night so they could creep up on the Scottish forces and take them by surprise. In order to make this advance as noiseless as possible they came barefooted. As they neared the sleeping Scots, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Impossible Love Part 5 Series

Contributed by David Welch on May 29, 2018

Message 38 in our exposition of 1 Corinthians. This is the fifth of seven messages exploring the nature and practice of genuine love supplementing the understanding of love from 1 Cor 13 with the description of unhypocritical love found in Rom 12.

Chico Alliance Church Pastor David Welch Impossible Love Part 5 or “Unhypocritical Love” Romans 12 Just in case you thought you slid by the impossible list of love’s characteristics in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul provides some further characteristics of genuine love in his letter to the ...read more

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Recovery Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Oct 20, 2021

To recover from a fall, confess your sin to the Lord, accept its consequences, and put your confidence in Him.

Bob Beasley, a pastor in Ontario, Canada, talks about the time when Rena, a three-year-old, sat with her parents during a baptismal service. It was a new experience for her, so she exclaimed, “Why he pushed that guy in the water? Why, Dad, why?" Her mom tried to explain briefly and quietly, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:8-24, Proverbs 28:13, Hebrews 2:14

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Signs Of Salvation

Contributed by John Lowe on Jun 3, 2015

It’s very important for us to know whether or not we are saved. For one thing there are eternal issues at stake, and for another, there can’t be any real joy in a person’s Christian life if they are always worried about whether they are saved.

5-17-05 Title: Signs of Salvation Introduction It’s very important for us to know whether or not we are saved. For one thing there are eternal issues at stake, and for another, there can’t be any real joy in a person’s Christian life if they are always worried about ...read more

Scripture: John 1:11-12

Denomination: Baptist

Can The Devil Cause A Born-Again Christian To Become Sick?

Contributed by Dr. Craig Nelson on Dec 31, 2021

Many interesting explanations try to explain the reason for sickness

The most dominant one is that the devil causes it. In the New Testament, we read that the Apostle Paul had a 'thorn' that many believe was a sickness given to him by the devil (2 Cor 12:7). (I will address this in more detail shortly). There was also a woman who was bound/disabled by satan ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:23, 1 Corinthians 11:27-32, Romans 5:12-13, Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 7:21-25, 2 Corinthians 12:7, Acts 26:18, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Two-Part Plan (Zephaniah 2:1-15) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Mar 19, 2022

God will destroy the wicked, and give the world to the humble. The question is, what role will you play in this?

Today, we'll work through Zephaniah 2. This chapter is a "little" difficult. So what I want to do is give you a framework to help you understand what you are reading/hearing. And I'll just say, up front, that there are things in here that are confusing. No one really ...read more

Scripture: Zephaniah 2:1-15

Fire And Hail: Understanding The First Trumpet Series

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on May 24, 2025

Today, we face a world scarred. Revelation 8:6-7 unveils God's judgment, a "Fire and Hail" for centuries of human unfaithfulness and our planet's destruction. Let's understand this trumpet's warning.

Fire and Hail: Understanding the First Trumpet Text: Revelation 8:6-7 "Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 8:6-7, Habakkuk 1:2, Romans 8:22, Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:21, James 5:1-3, Proverbs 11:26, Amos 8:4-6, Jeremiah 2:13, Hebrews 12:29, 2 Peter 3:9, Luke 13:3, 2 Peter 3:4, Joel 2:12-13, 1 Kings 18:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Three Things That Can Cause A Church To Die

Contributed by Robert Kerr on Jan 23, 2001

How to evaluate the Spiritual health of your Church and your own personel life.

THREE THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE A CHURCH TO DIE TEXT: Rev 3:1b "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." INTRO: Jesus said the Church at Sardis was dead! I see two meanings here, there could be more. First, this probably means this local Church lost it’s influence ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

Simple Truths In Genesis Series

Contributed by James Westervelt on Nov 27, 2001

Greatness of God’s power; Goodness of God’s creation; Self-centeredness of man; Consequences of sin; Inevitability of death; Total depravity of the heart; Way of salvation; Necessity of faith.

SIMPLE TRUTHS from GENESIS Gen. 1-22 Last week, Joy and I had the privilege of hearing Marquis Laughlin quote the first 22 chapters of Genesis. These were all familiar stories about Creation, Adam & Eve, Cain & Abel, Noah, Abraham & Sarah, etc. But ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Apostle Peter's 2nd Sermon, Pt. 2 Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jun 8, 2004

Acts Series: 16th Sermon--The Promises, The Prophets, and The Persecutions.

The Apostle Peter’s 2nd Sermon, pt. 2 Acts 3:11-21 Sermon followed a great miracle… Read 11-19 3 pts.: desired a murdered/denied the Lord/must decide to repent! Continuing… v. 19-20 Peter makes 2 promises, if they will repent: 1. Their sins will be blotted out 2. Jesus will return and set up His ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:11-21

Denomination: Baptist

What Kind Of Tree Are You?

Contributed by Chris Summers on Jun 24, 2005

What branch are you on now in life? Are you produceing fruit?

What kind of tree are you. Good morening everyone. What kind of tree are you ? Kind of a strange question isn’t it. What kind of tree am I ? Have you ever looked back in your life and looked at the things that you have done and looked at what you could have done ? ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Crown Of Thorns

Contributed by Keith Linkous on Jun 24, 2002

Why did the soldiers place a crown of thorns on the head of Jesus? Could there be something more significant to it than we realize?

I am amazed at many of the details of the story of Jesus’ trials, His suffering, abuse, and mockery, and how that there is significance to each event, to each episode. This morning we took a graphic look at the torture He suffered in being scourged or flogged. The ripping apart of His flesh, the ...read more

Scripture: John 19:1-6

Denomination: Pentecostal