Sermons on Turn Back:

Why Do Bad Things Happen? Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 30, 2003

It’s easy to think that bad things happen because God is out to get us. That’s not true. The Bible establishes some reasons why things don’t turn out they way we’d like – personal sin, corporate sin, and evil influences. While we can’t insulate ourselv

Why Do Bad Things Happen? Brian Bill 4/22/01 I like puns. Here are two are my favorites. Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina. One went to Hollywood and became a famous actor. The other stayed behind in the cotton fields and never amounted to much. The second one, naturally, became ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:33

Denomination: Baptist

Let's Go To Dinner Series

Contributed by Lanny Smith on Feb 11, 2021

How much is enough? What do we do and where do we turn when we're afraid we don't have enough of (fill in the blank)? Jesus confronts his disciples with an enormous challenge to feed 5,000 people. But there's not enough. Now what?

You can listen to the audio of the sermon on my podcast at: https://www.buzzsprout.com/697261/7808947 Follow The Leader - Feeding the 5,000 “What’s for Supper?” • We’re having lunch together after services this morning. My wife is back in the kitchen right now checking on the preparation. • Right ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:11, Mark 6:34, Matthew 14:15, 1 John 3:17, Luke 9:13, Matthew 17:20, Luke 9:14-17, Luke 18:27  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You're Invited! Rsvp Required!

Contributed by Dean Shriver on Jun 1, 2006

It’s unusual to get an invitation from the White House. I suppose it’s more unusual still to turn that invitation down. But a far greater invitation has, in fact, been offered to you and to me. Matthew 22:1-14 tells us about it. It is an invitation th

January 15, 2006 YOU’RE INVITED! RSVP REQUIRED! Matthew 22:1-14 In the mid-1980’s my Aunt Vivian received an invitation to attend a rose-garden ceremony with President Reagan at the White House. I found the invitation a couple of years ago when I was looking through a box of old documents and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Patient For The Harvest Youth Sermon

Contributed by Youth Sermons on Oct 6, 2023

In the story of the weeds, Jesus wants us to focus on how we live our lives, not just what we say we believe. God is patient because He wants everyone to turn away from their wrong ways and come to Him. And because God is patient, we should be patient too.

Hey guys! Today we're going to chat about a cool story Jesus told about a farmer, some good seeds, and some bad seeds. It's all about how God is super patient with us and wants us to live our lives in a way that reflects His love. Let's dive in! It's all about how God is super patient with us and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30

Topics: Divine Patience, Human Response, Spiritual Growth, Faith Journey

Making Your Move Series

Contributed by John Braland on Sep 27, 2006

Risk is always easier to walk through when you feel like the deck is stacked in your favor. It’s easy to gamble a few bucks when you have a few hundred more in your back pocket. It’s easier to risk speaking the truth to a complete stranger than risk tel

Today is part three in my World Poker Tour series and today I need to ask you this question: When is the right time to take a risk? When is it time to move ahead, to step up to the plate, to throw in your cards and go all in? In the first week of this series we talked about going all in. Last ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Listening To The Right Voice Series

Contributed by Brian Williams on Aug 16, 2022

The only way we will not be fooled or led astray is to know His voice. He’s our Good Shepherd and He calls to us to come through Him into the fold. He’s the gate and the gate offers us protection, peace, freedom and security from those who would attempt to turn us from following the Shepherd.

John 10:1-10: 1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Wonders Of His Love Series

Contributed by Dorothy Lam on Jan 11, 2023

How did Jesus coming as a baby mean that there would be peace on earth and goodwill for us? My journey through Advent has brought me back to the manger where God shows up in the flesh, where the God-Man is all potential, just lying there. It's an offer. It's an invitation.

Babies change everything, or at least a lot of things change for a family when a baby is born. For mothers, a selfless devotion to her child kicks in. Life revolves around what the baby needs, not her own needs. New fathers find a place in their hearts that was not there before. A sense of pride ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7, Romans 6:23, John 3:16, Romans 5:6-11, Colossians 2:13, Colossians 1:15-23, 1 John 3:1-3  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

"stay Awake"

Contributed by Jessie Manuel on Nov 24, 2025

Church, can I tell you something this morning? Jesus is coming back! And when He comes, He's not coming as a baby in a manger—He's coming as the King of Glory! He's coming to set everything right! He's coming to judge the living and the dead!

"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44

Denomination: Methodist

The Guy With The Donkey

Contributed by Larry Elder on Jul 14, 2003

Actually all of us have a donkey. Each of us have things in our life if given back to God, would help carry Jesus to another place. What is it that you have, a song, a hug, an idea or just a little time? Maybe you can write a big check or teach a greatles

The Guy with the Donkey Matt 21:2 - 3 Matt 21:2 - 3… If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ’The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately send them." ILL Talking to some of the interesting bible characters in heaven will be interesting. Some would like to talk to “one of the Mary’s”, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:2-3

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Worshipper Or Worrier

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 2, 2008

The bow that is always bent will soon break. People are intensely worried today. To avoid worry, we must have the proper focus, and focus comes through worship. Time to sit back and let Him do what He pleases. Let Him be in the driver’s seat and you’ll ex

Opening Illustration: In her book, Celebrate Joy! Velma Seawell Daniels gives a striking new meaning to this familiar phrase. She tells of interviewing a man who had made a trip to Alaska to visit people who live above the Arctic Circle. "Never ask an Eskimo how old he is," the man said. "If you ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Imitators Of God

Contributed by Mark Roper on Mar 3, 2009

To imitate God means to be like him. As far back as Leviticus 11:45 God said, "Be holy, for I am holy."Jesus gave us the starting point for imitating God in the Sermon on the Mount. We need to mourn over our sin with a broken and contrite spirit. When we

Imitators of God Eph 5:1-2 KJV I was reading about some of the dangers that face our young people simply because they imitate what they see. (How many times have we heard the disclaimer – Don’t try this yourself) The article told about the Reebok company pulling an ad which showed an athlete ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-2

Denomination: Church Of God

Part 5 - Genesis 19:1-38 - Happily Ever After - Not! Series

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Aug 3, 2010

Lot was saved because God ANSWERED Abraham's prayer back in Genesis 18:23-32. James 5:16 (NLT) says "...The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." So Lot starts afresh and they ALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. NO

PART 5 - GENESIS 19:1-38 - HAPPILY EVER AFTER - NOT! Julie and the kids were on their way home from the park when it happened. Ben was only about 5 years old and happily walking and running ahead on the edge of the road. There was no footpath beside the road but he was still on the grassy area. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:1-38

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Adam And Eve

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Jul 13, 2012

We once had it all living with God in a Paradise but one creatures fall set into motion another’s and we are caught up in making our way back to the garden. You see we can not just blame Satan for what happened in the Garden of Eden. We had a choice and

Adam and Eve Genesis Chapters 2 and 3 Using "The Story" narrative by Max Lucado and Randy Frazee - Zondervan Publishing 2008, 2011 The Bible tells us that it was God who made man and woman and not an act of evolution. While I admit that God is present in nature and in fact it is God who has given ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Out Of The Salt Shaker

Contributed by Francis Balla on Jul 18, 2018

Some time back, our denomination’s District Executive minister wanted to get to know me, since I was a new minister in the region. He wanted to treat me to an authentic southern breakfast, so he took me out to a Cracker Barrell Country Store. He ordered “Grits.”

Introduction: Some time back, our denomination’s District Executive minister wanted to get to know me, since I was a new minister in the region. He wanted to treat me to an authentic southern breakfast, so he took me out to a Cracker Barrell Country Store. He ordered “Grits.” I was dreaming about a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-17

Denomination: Baptist

When The King Restores

Contributed by Larry Grant on Mar 4, 2023

You may think that when you step out on faith that God is going to sit back and just watch you work. God will go before you and get the conversation started so when you get there all you have to do is show up prepared and God will show out!

2 Kings 8:1-6 (NKJV) When the King Restores March 5, 2023 Today’s scripture begins with the Shunamite woman we preached about in chapter 6, where we learned that she had prepared a rooftop room with a bed, a desk and chair for Elisha. Because of her hospitality toward the prophet, God blessed her ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 8:1-6

Denomination: Baptist