Sermons on Tom Ellsworth:

Spiritual Paralysis Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

There are two main causes of paralysis in the Christian - attack of the enemy or lethargy of the spirit. Learn how to combat both.

There are two dangers that we face as Christians - attacked by the enemy we become paralyzed - or not motivated to keep going we become lethargic. Paul finishes up his second letter to the Thessalonians by giving them some warnings about the present. He’s spent most of the letter warning about ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Backfiring Schemes Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

What happens when everyone does the wrong thing? We find that in this chapter - and how God gets His way despite our best efforts to mess up!

Do you ever find a situation where absolutely everybody does the wrong thing - and yet God still gets His way? That’s what we find in Genesis 27. Everyone - Isaac, Essau, Jacob, and Rebekah - all have plans they want hatched and so they go about trying to maneuver God’s blessing to their benefit. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 27:1-46

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Spotting False Doctrine Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

Paul encourages Timothy to put an end to people who wanted to argue for argument’s sake. It gives us some information on how to spot bad teaching and stand up for what is right!

Isn’t it great when everything goes well? Especially in churches - it’s a great feeling. But there are times when things aren’t going well at all - and at those times it calls for leaders to step up and for special measures to be employed. That’s the situation faced by Timothy. Timothy was a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:1-20

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Killing The Flesh - The Spiritual Jounrey Of Jacob Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

Jacob begins a relationship with God after the Lord strips away everything he has. It is a process God brings each of us through.

Verses 1 - 5 So you’re Jacob. You’ve just wrangled the biggest deal of your life - by cheating your brother first of the birthright then of the patriarchal blessing. But far from celebrating, Jacob now has a death threat against his life and is going to be sent away on a journey hundreds of ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Roles Of Women In The Church Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

This is among the most controversial sections in the Bible. Paul appears on the surface to be against women, but if you look at the context there is much more here - and more important issues than how we dress and act.

There is no doubt that 1 Timothy 2 is among the most controversial passages of Paul’s writings. In this chapter it appears as if Paul calls men to pray and women to shut up - while dressed in sackcloth and ashes - staying home barefoot and pregnant. Although it is short - only 15 verses - it is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-15, 1 Timothy 2:15

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Spotting Bad Leaders - Growing Good Ones Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

What makes good leadership material? It might surprise you that it’s not the strong, dictatorial man-in-charge, but is someone who models the gentle and giving spirit of Jesus.

Timothy found himself in a pickle. False teachers had come in and were fomenting dissent among the men and using freedoms in Christ to pull women off into their deception and rebellion. Some of these men were leaders in the church. He needed a strong hand to put this troubled church back on track ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-16

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Confrontation! Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

Laban confronts Jacob after God tells him to leave and go to Canaan. We learn how God peels away the flesh and transforms us with His character through the confrontation between Laban and Jacob.

I don’t like confrontation - especially with people who I know have ulterior motives and are trying to trip me up and get the best of me. I get obsessed about it - and it makes my stomach churn. I’m sure Jacob was feeling some of those feelings as he thought about Laban - who at every turn cheated ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:1-55

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Jacob's Final Transformation Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

After Jacob gave his heart to God, and saw the Lord change his character, there was a point where God needed to break Jacob so that he would be fully devoted. God does that in our lives as well - what does it mean?

You give your heart to the Lord - saying "I’m yours, be my Lord and Savior." Then the Father begins a process of transformation. The Apostle Paul put it this way: "being transformed into His image with ever increasing glory" (1 Cor 3:18). That transformation process often involves the tearing ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:1-31

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Treating People Right Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

What is the appropriate response to bad leadership, or people that you have to correct that are older or younger than you? Find out - along with how Paul told Timothy to treat widows on the church payroll.

Paul gives Timothy some pastoral advice on how to treat various groups in the body of Christ: older and younger men, older and younger women, widows - and then elders. Finally he gives Timothy some very personal advice. It’s possible that these two groups - widows and elders - were the focus of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 5:1-25

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Unexpected Welcome - Unexpected Sin Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

After dreading the meeting - Jacob and Esau have a family reunion. But then jealousy and violence take over as Jacob’s sons do something unthinkable.

Jacob has had a really tough time - back in Padan Aram he finally left his uncle Laban, who had cheated him for 20 years. Laban would have probably killed him had God not intervened but even still Laban gives Jacob a really hard time and then makes this agreement asking that God judge Jacob if he ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Secret To True Contentment Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

What is true contentment? Is it gaining security by gaining possessions? Learn the mistakes of loving things - even if you don’t have any.

When is enough enough? Each day we Americans are bombarded with thousands of messages - many telling us that we aren’t complete until we buy the latest and greatest product. Whether its cars or houses or boats or computers - what you have is no good anymore. It has bred a society founded on the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:1-21

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

What To Do If You Make A Big Mistake Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on May 20, 2005

We all make small errors now and again. But what do you do if you make a big blunder? We learn from Jacob and what he did after Shechem about how to get back with God.

When we make small errors we often just breeze over them or remind ourselves not to do that anymore. But what happens when we make a really big blunder - something that affects other lives and our own in significant ways? Sometimes we panic, or we throw up our hands and do nothing, or we allow ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Able Available & Actively Seeking God Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 12, 2006

When Jesus comes around your life are you like Zacchaeus who couldn’t wait to see and experience Jesus - or are you like the third servant in Jesus’ parable who wants nothing to do with the family business?

If you’ve ever been laid off and received unemployment insurance you know the saying "able, available, and actively seeking." It’s what you’ve got to do in order to continue receiving those benefits. You are able to work, you are available to accept work, and you are actively seeking to find ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-27

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Developing A Vision For Spiritual Growth Series

Contributed by Tom Shepard on Nov 17, 2006

This is the third sermon from Ruth. It shows how Naomi had a vision and developed a plan which affected her future. Our Purpose Driven Vision is included.

Developing a Vision for Spiritual Growth Ruth 3:1-3, 18 Review: Chapter one shows Naomi is in a bad situation. She has left her own country, lost her husband, lost her two sons and one of her daughters-in-law left her too. In chapter two we find that Naomi and Ruth had returned to Naomi’s ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 3:1-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Step One - Choose The True God Series

Contributed by Tom Cartney on Nov 20, 2006

This is the first of a ten sermon series on the Ten Commandments

Step #1 – Choose The True God Exodus 20:3 I. The Ten Commandments In The News When people arrived at the State Judicial Building in Montgomery, Alabama on the 1st of August five years ago, they came face to face with something they had not expected. Without telling anyone about his secret plan, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:3

Denomination: Independent/Bible