Sermons on Try Harder:

With God The Impossible Becomes Possible Series

Contributed by Michael Trigg on Oct 15, 2006

Today, are you living in and relying on God’s Holy Spirit, or are you trying to rely on your own might and power?

INTRODUCTION. We are continuing our exploration of the prophecies of Zechariah. We are looking, at the moment, at the visions that God gave Zechariah, and are recorded in chapters 1 to 6. This time we are looking at the fifth vision: The Golden Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees. These visions ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 4:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Lent And Traditions

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Feb 14, 2013

Is the Lenten season Biblical or does it spring from church tradition? Is it good, neutral or harmful? Just trying to answer these questions ....

Traditions... Body Bags: Israel's major airline, El Al, recently rejected a plea by ultra-orthodox Jews with a priestly heritage to fly inside body bags. Why would someone want to do this? Ritual law states that a priest who enters a cemetery becomes religiously "unclean." A ruling by a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:6-8

Denomination: Nazarene

The Scrooges Of Christmas Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 3, 2012

Not every Scrooge at Christmas is a classic Ebeneezer type Scrooge, this message looks at the different Scrooges who try to ruin Christmas

The Scrooges of Christmas Bah, Humbug, Scrooge is like Bond, everyone has a favorite. For some there is no Scrooge like Alistair Sim, he was the actor who portrayed Scrooge in the clip we just saw. He also reprised the role in an Oscar winning short film in 1970. Maybe it is Albert Finney in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-8

Denomination: Wesleyan

Breaking Out Of Religious Identity Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Aug 22, 2012

Without realizing it, we can try to contain the eternal God of the universe within the boundaries of our comfort and control.

Breaking Out of Religious Identity Series: BREAKOUT – God on the Move through the Book of Acts Brad Bailey – April 22, 2012 Intro Today we are going to engage a problem that can quietly be at work in every life: the unconscious tendency to become attached to forms of religious ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:8-15

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Rock Of Remembrance Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 24, 2009

For 20 years God’s judgment had been on Israel. He was trying to get them to remember something... but what?

OPEN: The story’s told of an old Navajo Indian who had had the good fortune to have oil discovered on his land. He became a very wealthy man as a result, but wealth did not change him. He went on living just as he was before. In the meantime, the money piled up in the bank. But every now and then ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 7:1-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Change In Leadership

Contributed by Darrell Coats on Aug 5, 2009

A sermon designed for pastors who are leaving a church and trying to prepare the congregation for the new pastor. An ideal sermon for an interim minister.

A Change of Leadership Deuteronomy 34:1-9 Introduction: A few weeks ago, Cathy and I were driving in the Houston area when we came across a bumper sticker that read, “I’ll keep my money, you keep the ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 34:1-9, Deuteronomy 34:1-34

Denomination: Methodist

Not Bound By The O.t. Law

Contributed by William D. Brown on Mar 27, 2008

SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL CONFUSED WHEN IT COMES TO THE O.T. LAW, THIER STILL TRYING TO HOLD ON AND HOLE OUT.

KEEPING PEOPLE BOUND BY THE OLD TESTEMENT LAW Acts 15:1-5 1And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, “ Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.” 2When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

An Open Door

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on Nov 22, 2009

A Call to follow God through the doors HE opens and not try to walk through doors which others may open.

An Open Door 1 Corinthians 16:5-9 * When one door closes, another opens, but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us. -- Alexander Graham Bell * What comes to your mind when hear the term open door? A door is a movable barrier ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:5-9

Denomination: Baptist

One God ... Or Three?

Contributed by Pierre Naude on May 6, 2011

Christians are often confused by the concept of the trinity. Do we serve one God ... or three? Try this lesson in Christian Maths!

The Holy Trinity Deut 6.1-9 Jn 14:6-27 Have you ever struggled with the idea of the Trinity - one God in three beings? Our Christian faith has such strong roots in the Old Testament that we “know” that “The Lord is One” – after all, isn’t that what is ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Denomination: Methodist

Surrender Series

Contributed by Betty Johnson on Jan 12, 2011

This is the second in the holiness series of messages speaking of the importance of surrender in the life of the believer, as opposed to trying to be holy in our own efforts.

Holiness Unto the Lord Surrender Scripture: 1 Thess. 4:1-8 Text: 1 Thess. 4:3 Last week I introduced a series called, “Holiness unto the Lord” and I suggested to you that most denominations have a doctrine of holiness. And we were reminded last week that God calls us - God’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Denomination: Wesleyan

When It Doesn't Make Sense, Does That Make It Senseless

Contributed by Joe Robbins on Mar 7, 2009

Why do we try to figure out how God works?, instead of just trusting He know best.

"When It Doesn’t Make Sense, Does That Make It Senseless?" 2 Corinthians 4:8,9 How do we as Christians in this world make any sense out of what makes no sense? How do we cope with things in our lives that just don’t make sense? There are 4 steps that we must take in this situation. 1. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Denomination: Church Of God

Spiritual Tycoons (Ephesians, Chapter 2) Series

Contributed by David Richardson on Nov 10, 2005

In these verses, Paul is trying to explain to the Ephesians, and to us, the riches that we have in Christ Jesus and how it all came about.

Series Title: The Heavenly Reserve Bank of God (Ephesians) Message Title: Spiritual Tycoons (Ephesians, Chapter 2) Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-10 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-10

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Pay The Toll In Order To Reach The Goal

Contributed by Keith Shuler on Nov 3, 2002

What if Jesus had quit? What if Jesus had given in to the pressures of trying to please man instead of pleasing God.

Pay The Toll To Reach The Goal Matthew 26:36-46 My wife and I took a journey up north a few weeks ago, because we had decided to visit New York. As soon as we entered Richmond, we had to pay a toll fare. As soon as we reached D.C we had to pay a toll. From Maryland to New York we had to pay a toll ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Something Is Wrong! Series

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Feb 11, 2011

The culture uses logic to disprove God. Christians try to defend God using a worldly vision and experience and lose the discussion.

Something is wrong! 1 Peter 1:3-12 A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that we were going to take a look at a few of the basic troubles with Christianity. We talked about how the culture believes that Christianity and religion in general are exclusive. The religion is the reason for a lack of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-10

Denomination: Congregational

Placebo Faith

Contributed by David Hodgin on Jun 9, 2009

People are impressionable and the world takes advantage of that, trying to mold our minds and conform our thoughts to align with theirs.

A young teacher with obvious liberal tendencies explains to her class of small children that she is an atheist. She asks her class if they are atheists too. Not really knowing what atheism is but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like fleshy fireworks. There is, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31