Sermons on Try Harder:

Usury & Extortion

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jan 16, 2024

Why do western banks engage in usury and extortion? Why do Christians go along with it without trying to change this practice?

One of the earliest principles of money lending is a law against usury. If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest. (Exodus 22:25 NKJV) This is the exact opposite of how western banks operate today. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 22:5

Denomination: Baptist

Listen Up Sheep!

Contributed by Gary Holt on Jan 14, 2023

God is trying to get our attention. He has things to say, do we want to hear them? Are we listening?

"Listen up sheep” part 1 John 10:22-30 https://youtu.be/6RfkCc5Tlyo Something interesting happened: ? with my sermon this week ? I started off in one direction ? my introduction to that sermon became this sermon Today’s sermon is not as organized as I like: - I like to think the ideas ...read more

Scripture: John 10:22-30

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Reason To Praise. Psalm 34:1-3

Contributed by David Cramer on Jan 3, 2025

As we continue on in our lives we go through tough times and trying times. We need a reason to continue to Praise.

Please stand with me and lift up you Bible and repeat after me. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I can do what it says I can do. I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be. Today I will learn more of the word of God. The indestructible, never ending, living word Of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:1-3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Failure

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Aug 18, 2008

In our text, it appears that Paul was a failure but only in the eyes of the world, not in the eyes of the Lord. 1- He was insulted but daring 2- He was accused but pure 3- He was displeasing but pleasing

INTRO.- ILL.- Pete walked up to his teacher’s desk, holding a report card with a big red F. "If I were you," said Pete, "I would change this while you still can." "Why is that?" asked the teacher. "Because my daddy told me that if I brought home one more failing report card, someone was going to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Attending Your Own Funeral, Part One Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 1, 2004

Christians should not take sin lightly, but need to focus on developing their relationship to God instead. Paul offers several arguments to convince us of this. There are other motivations besides merit and fear (Law); Grace motivates us out of love, app

Attending Your Own Funeral, Part One Note: When I preached this sermon, I found out I really had two sermons (time wise); so I preached part two (labelled, "Attending Your Own Funeral Conclusion" in which I summarize my first point and then half of the second point (which is far as I got), and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-23

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Cleanliness Laws Series

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Aug 30, 2010

The Third sermon in the Leviticus series deals with cleanliness laws from chapters 11-15 and compares the temporary cleanness of the law system to the permanent cleanness we enjoy because of Christ.

Leviticus Series #3 Cleanliness Laws Leviticus 11-15 CHCC: June 27, 2010 Visual aids: Magnifying Mirror, Hand Sanitizer, and Matryoshkas (nesting doll from Russia) INTRODUCTION: Put hand sanitizer on hands and wash them, then pat face, then look in mirror (small side). Make a comment about ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Running On Empty Series

Contributed by Pat Cook on Dec 5, 2011

#5 in series. This is about doing God's work in our own strength, or in His.

Colossians 1:24-2:5 – Running on Empty I have preached through Colossians before. The first time was in my first church, in northern Maine, and it was the first time I preached through a book verse by verse. It changed my preaching style forever, so I remember it fondly. The next time was in ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Keys To Effective Worship

Contributed by Tony Lewis on Aug 21, 2002

Keys are usually used to help us gain access into something, without keys if it’s locked the only way we can get in is to break in, and that’s what some of us are trying to do, break into God’s presence.We are trying to use shortcuts to gain illegal acces

Dr. Tony V Lewis Intro; Keys are usually used to help us gain access into something, without keys if it’s locked the only way we can get in is to break in, and that’s what some of us are trying to do, break into God’s presence. We are trying to use shortcuts to gain ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:27-29

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Committed To Christ

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Aug 28, 2019

You're trying to make the right decisions and live out your Christian life, but the more you try, the more difficult life seems to get. Our Christians lives are not always so glorious. Why do we continue? Where do find the glory of a life committed to following Christ?

Have you ever had one of those weeks where things seem to go wrong? You’re trying to do the right thing, make the right decisions, but it just doesn’t work out the way you thought it would. You set aside time for a family dinner, only to have it turn into sibling arguments, someone stomping away ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:14-21

Denomination: Lutheran

Problems That We As Parents Are Facing In This Modern Day.

Contributed by Ed Pruitt on Jun 16, 2005

Now we see here that Paul is trying to tell us to wake up and realize what the condition of the world is and not just set there and let evil take over!

Problems That We As Parents Are Facing In This Modern Day. Sunday June 18, 2000 A.M. We take our text this morning from Ephesians 5:14-33 14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” Now we see here that Paul is trying to tell us to wake up ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:14-33

Denomination: Church Of God

The Easter Message Is Of Utmost Importance

Contributed by Christopher Raiford on Sep 2, 2004

Easter Sermon

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Denomination: Lutheran

"Where Is Jesus In The Storm?" Series

Contributed by John Hamby on Jan 30, 2007

#19 in series. Dealing with doubt in the uncertainly of the storms of life.

A Study of the Book of John “That You May Believe” Sermon # 19 “Where Is Jesus In the Storm?” John 6:15-21 Recently Paul Bradshaw interviewed Rick Warren (CNN Interview – April, 2005), author of the “The Purpose Driven Life” book ...read more

Scripture: John 6:15-21

Denomination: Baptist

Self Help Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jun 16, 2013

The journey of faith is a call to change your habits to those of God.The reality is that people need help in living a healthy and Godly manner. One answer has been the self help books which can be found in their own section at any bookstor

Self Help Ephesians 4:22-24 Have you ever had difficulty trying to change a habit? Human beings are creatures of habit. The 19th century psychologist William James observed, "All our life ... is but a mass of habits." We develop habits and tend to continue acting as we have acted in the past. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:22-24

Denomination: Methodist

Conformity To The Cross Series

Contributed by Scott Maze on Jun 4, 2021

The Corinthians Christians had become arrogant, crowing like a rooster. To use a Texas idiom, they had become “all hat and no cattle.” In the words of Glenn Campbell, “A Rhinestone Cowboy.”

It’s a message from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians and it represents a journey of sorts. A journey to an another land – and older land – where the goals of Christianity were not set by marketers in order to make it more palatable. Instead, the agenda was set by prophets who sought holy, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Denomination: Baptist

The Legalistic God Series

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on May 7, 2017

Too often we think God has too many rules and laws and we do not embrace God because of the rules/legalism

Believing and Not Believing The God of Rules May 7, 2017 I believe there are lots of people who would love to be followers of Jesus, people who want to believe, however, something holds them back. While these people are rejecting God, I believe they are doing this because they have a distorted, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:20-23

Denomination: Baptist