Sermons on Traditional Barriers:

God's Word Or Ours?

Contributed by Greg Nance on Sep 11, 2010

Religious traditions are dangerous. We can easily be satisfied by them. Passified by them so that we go to sleep and do not follow God's call. May God deliver us!

Matthew 15:1-20 has been a key passage to point out the danger of vain worship by following man made traditions instead of God's word. I have often heard this passage applied to the activities that we do in our church services, but Jesus' application is actually much broader. So just what is a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Everyone's Golden Rule

Contributed by Eric Muirhed on Oct 20, 2000

Jesus removes barriers between people and gives us a common ground of love.

Everyone’s Golden Rule In the name of Jesus Christ, who teaches us to found our lives on love. Amen. “Do unto others.” This pretty much sums up the Golden Rule. We’ve all heard about it, and to be honest it is a very simple, sensible statement that reflects wisdom in the matters of interpersonal ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Tall Trees And Tumbleweeds Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Aug 10, 2001

Honoring parents gives us and society the stability we need to flourish.

I started reading science fiction when I was 11 or 12, I think. My father brought home a couple of Heinlein juveniles from the library, Red Planet and Space Cadet. I don’t remember which one I read first, they’re both still favorites. All the Heinlein juvies are good reading. The plots were all ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 5:16, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 4:9-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Get On The Bus: State Of The Church

Contributed by Ken Hubbard on Feb 2, 2010

This is a "State of the Church" address given to encourage a congregation toward forward-thinking.

INTRO * If we're not careful we can spend a lot of time looking backwards at What was * And /or a lot of time looking at What will be... * Religious people do this  The good old days  God bring revival on the verge of revival * Parents do this  Longing for the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:13-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lent Is Not In The Bible

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Mar 31, 2009

Four reasons why the church of Jesus Christ should have nothing to do with Lent.

1. LENT PROMOTES A SALVATION OF WORKS Lent is ultimately a list of dos and don’ts. The focus is on the individual not Christ. Scripture teaches that forgiveness of sins cannot be obtained by our efforts. Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-20

Fruitless Religion Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Feb 27, 2010

If we want to bear fruit for the glory of God and lead people to Him on a regular basis, then we must let Christ clean out the fruitless religion, and we must pray with hearts full of faith and forgiveness

A clergyman dies and is waiting in line at the Pearly Gates. Ahead of him is a guy dressed in sunglasses, a loud shirt, leather jacket, and jeans. Saint Peter says to this guy, “Who are you, so that I may know whether to admit you into the Kingdom of Heaven?” The guy replies, “I’m Joe Cohen, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:12-25

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Blind Guides

Contributed by Mitchell Muller on Jan 6, 2016

Word of God,

Matthew 15:1-20 Blind guides Up until now Jesus has been mainly ministering in Galilee. This is not Judah, where Jerusalem is, so these scribes and Pharisees are a special delegation come to look at Jesus for themselves. So it starts out on the wrong foot right away. These scribes and Pharisees ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

Out Of The Heart

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 19, 2018

Are we so blinded by our church buildings and our rituals that we don’t see God? Are we blinded by the world’s sinfulness? Are we noble like the Bereans, studying our Bibles daily to see what God says?

Prelude Are we so blinded by our church buildings and our rituals that we don’t see God? Are we blinded by the world’s sinfulness? Are we noble like the Bereans, studying our Bibles daily to see what God says? What defiles us? Let’s look at Matthew 15:10-20 and see what Jesus has to say about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:10-20

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas - The Wise Men (2)

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 1, 2019

Over the years a lot of stories have arisen about the Wise Men. Most of them are folklore with no evidence to prove that they are factual. So, this morning lets concentrate on what we do know about them, rather than on what we don't know..

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK (REVISED 2018) THE WISE MEN (#2) TEXT: Matthew 2:1-12; Numbers 24:17 The story of the Wise Men in the Bible is a story of mystery, for it presents ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12, Numbers 24:17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Worship Wars

Contributed by Stephen E. Trail on Apr 21, 2013

A sermon developed around the diviersity of thought concerning what constitutes true worship.

“The Worship Wars” John 4:1-42 John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Some ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-42

Denomination: Baptist

Stale Religion Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 30, 2013

If you want to keep your relationship with Christ fresh and vital, don't focus on tradition and clean hands; instead, focus on scripture and a clean heart.

Alan Kraft, in his book, Good News for Those Trying Harder, shares a story about a time when his wife borrowed his car and heard a CD he had loaded in the sound system. The song touched her. When she asked him about it, he was able to recite the lyrics, but had never thought much about their ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Finding Balance

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jan 22, 2012

Are you sure what you believe and practice is balanced on God's scale?

In my years since becoming a Christian, I have found that people in general tend to be like pendulums that are normally broken to either stay on the Left or Right side of the swing without ever seeing the middle or they are stuck in the middle and never move at all. Indeed the ones that are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:17-18

Denomination: Baptist

Nehushtan

Contributed by Timothy Carignan on May 21, 2019

Jesus said, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14-15). What parallels are there between Christ and the brass serpent?

Introduction: I. The children of Israel were complaining – again. II. They were being fed, but they were tired of the kind of food they were getting. III. And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 21:4-9, John 12:32-33, John 3:14-15

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Careful Life Of Transference

Contributed by Jeremy Poling on Jun 3, 2014

Following the example of the elders is a blessed life.

Thank you Rev. Marty Varnel. “The Careful Life Of Transference” Psalms 100:5 God established covenant with Noah in Gen 6… He said: “I will establish my covenant with thee…” A covenant with one man that affected his entire family and ultimately the whole ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 100:5

Denomination: Pentecostal

Somethings Never Change

Contributed by Robert Butler on Jul 15, 2020

Never confuse the gospel with personal preferences, traditions and secondary issues

Today, we move to the book of Jude. So as you're pulling it up on your phone, tablet or paperback technology. Let me give you the context. The book is written by Jude, Jesus' half brother from a different father. He, like James, came to an understanding of Jesus as the Messiah after ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:1-15, 2 Timothy 3:16, Jude 1:22-23, Genesis 4:1-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational