Sermons on Try Harder:

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

When God Asks The Questions

Contributed by Tony Skaff on Jul 17, 2006

We ask many questions when we should try to answer God’s own for our own benefit.

1stBBC When God asks the questions Job 31:14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? We ask many questions when we should try to answer God’s own for our own benefit. 1. What is your life? Jam 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the ...read more

Scripture: Job 31:14

Denomination: Baptist

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

Are You Wearing Your Best Clothes? Series

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Apr 27, 2001

This sermon explains why trying to live the Christian life is impossible for us--becasue only CHRIST can live it!

Personal Questions… Are You Wearing Your Best Clothes? Isaiah 64:6 March 25, 2001 Intro: A. [Clothes Make a Church] A Methodist church tried to get a man to attend, but he never did. "Why don’t you come?" the minister asked, and the man finally admitted it was because he didn’t have proper ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 64:6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pita Bread, Fish, And Boat Potatoes Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 26, 2002

The miracles of multiplying the loaves and walking on water are connected in Mark 6:52; what was Jesus trying to prove to His disciples?

Pita Bread, Fish, and Boat Potatoes (Matt. 14:13-33, Mark 6:31-52, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-21) Intro 1. It is hard to define a miracle. 2. In one sense, miracles are happening all around us…(read excerpt for Swenson’ Book, "More than meets the eye" or other creationist materials explaining the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-33, Mark 6:31-52

Denomination: Independent/Bible

H.o.m.e.

Contributed by Mickey Bell on Apr 1, 2006

Churches need to start ministering to the home. Satan is trying to destroy it and we are not focusing on how to keep our families together.

H.O.M.E Ephesians 5:21 God plainly ordained everything that He placed in this world from the very beginning. But out of everything that He created in Genesis 1, there was one creation that God said was not good. v. 3 – God created light v.4 – God saw light that it was good v. 6 – God created ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Be All That God Has Made You To Be

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Feb 24, 2005

In this sermon I try to follow the flow of comfort and directives as Paul uses it in his directives to the Ephesians to live as children of Light.

February 27, 2005 Ephesians 5:8-14 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-14

Denomination: Lutheran

Can You Hear Me Now. . . Good

Contributed by Scott Cody on Dec 9, 2005

God is relentlessly trying to get our attention. Let’s learn from the life of Jonah to watch for his attempts.

Title: Can You Hear Me Now . . . Good Text : Jonah Author: Scott Cody Herrin church of Christ www.herrincoc.com How did your parents get your attention when you were little? Some snapped their fingers and that sound could be heard across an entire room filled with people. Somehow, we could ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

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

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

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

The Confrontational Gospel

Contributed by Jon Mackinney on May 27, 2010

We try so hard to make the gospel easy to accept, but the way Jesus presented it was bound to be confrontational in a sinful world.

Passage: Matthew 10:34-42 Intro: Sometimes the words of Jesus are so different from the image we constructed that it shocks us. 1. and often we try to soften them, reinterpret them, make them less offensive and more acceptable. 2. but these statements this morning are really clear. 3. and in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:34-42

Denomination: Evangelical Free