Sermons on Ulysses Grant:

Overcoming Giant Problems

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 18, 2018

Are our problems too large for God to handle? Let’s learn that God helps us conquer giant problems. Let’s learn from the story of David and Goliath (Gol-YATH) in 1 Samuel 17:1-49 and a squall on Lake Galilee in Mark 4:35-41.

Prelude to Part 1 Giant Personalities Are our problems too large for God to handle? Purpose: Let’s learn that God helps us conquer giant problems. Plan: Let’s learn from the story of David and Goliath (Gol-YATH) in 1 Samuel 17:1-49. 1 Samuel 17:1-19 Israel’s Fear Saul ignored the advice of God’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:1-49, Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Baptist

Are We Greatly Mistaken

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 25, 2018

What if we are greatly mistaken in our understanding of Christianity? If our ideas do not square with the Bible, will we change? As the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, will we follow?

Preamble After preaching the lectionary through in these churches, I find myself drawn more and more to a year of preaching the texts the lectionary leaves out. My suspicions were aroused when I learned that Jude was eliminated, a letter which condemns many practices engaged in by the modern ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Foreigner Preached Repentance

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 3, 2018

What business does a foreigner have telling any nation to repent? Jonah was such a foreigner, but he ran away because he despised Assyria. Are we running away from God? Are we bigoted against other nations?

Prelude What business does a foreigner have telling any nation to repent? If his name is Jonah, it’s God’s business. But, Jonah ran away because he despised Assyria. Are we running away from God? Are we bigoted against other nations? Purpose: Let’s learn that God cares even for our enemies. Plan: ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Biblical Leaven

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 10, 2018

The Bible uses leaven to symbolize how both good and bad things grow in our lives. Let's put in the good leaven and leave out the bad, because either one can fill our lives.

Prelude The Bible uses leaven to symbolize how both good and bad things grow in our lives. It’s important for us to know the difference, so that we make sure that the good things in our lives grow and not the bad. Purpose: Let’s learn about the meaning of leaven in the Bible. Plan: We’ll look at ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:13-21

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

You Will Long To See

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 31, 2018

When times are tough, what do we long to see? Do we long to hear once more the stories of Jesus?

Prelude This week several stories of firefighters and a police chief losing their homes to wildfires have emerged. They had no time to mourn their losses, because they had a job to do in continuing to fight. Something greater than personal loss drove them on, they longed to see others saved. When ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:20-37

Denomination: Baptist

The Son Of Man Is Coming

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 7, 2018

Are we ready to open the door for Jesus upon His return? Let’s look at the parable of the waiting servants in Luke 12:35-48. A Year D Sermon.

Are we ready to open the door for Jesus upon His return? Let’s look at the parable of the waiting servants in Luke 12:35-48. Ready Luke 12:35 “Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.” As a household servant would have had the lamps lit for the owner’s return, so do many of us leave an ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:35-48

Denomination: Baptist

Such Great Faith

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 29, 2016

How can we have faith since we are at such a distance from the days of the Apostles?

Intro The culture and history in the Bible are in the distant past. How can we have faith in God when the stories we read are so far from us? Purpose Let’s understand that distance does not have to diminish faith may enhance it. Plan Let’s look at Luke 7:1-10 and see how one ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Is It Too Late?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 5, 2016

Is it too late for Jesus to give life back to a dead marriage, business, relationship, dream, or even a dead body?

Intro Who has the authority to give life to the dead? Is death too late for Jesus? Purpose Let’s look at Jesus’ authority over life and death. Plan We will look at Jesus’ resurrection of a widow’s only son in Luke 7:11-17 and how it is different than other resurrections ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:11-17

Denomination: Baptist

A Sinner Comes To Jesus

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 12, 2016

Do we look upon fellow sinners as a "super-righteous" person might or as Jesus does?

Intro When we look at people what do we see? Do we see others as a super righteous person might or as Jesus would? Purpose Let’s discover how to see people as Jesus sees them, for the love in their hearts and not for the mistakes they may have made. Plan Let’s look at Luke 7:36-8:3 ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Freedom From Our Demons

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 19, 2016

In a crazy world, can we be free from our demons?

Intro Can we be free in a world of insanity and self-destruction? Purpose Salvation is often seen as only for eternity. But, salvation is also for today. Plan Let’s examine Luke 8:26-39 and Jesus saving a gentile from his insanity. Luke 8:26 So they arrived in the region of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:26-39

Denomination: Baptist

Making Difficult Choices

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 26, 2016

How do we make difficult choices and stick with them?

Intro How do we make difficult choices and stick with them? Purpose There are many factors involved in a difficult choice, but let’s look at a very important place to start. Plan Let’s look at Jesus’ instructions in Luke 9:51-62 and learn a very important consideration in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:51-62

Denomination: Baptist

70 Apostled

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 3, 2016

Let’s examine Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 and what we can learn from 70 or 72 who were “apostled” by Jesus and what their mission was.

The term Apostle can refer to the twelve disciples of Christ. However, in Greek it was used more broadly. Let’s look at what God has sent us to do. Let’s examine Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 and what we can learn from 70 or 72 who were “apostled” by Jesus and what their mission ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:1-20

Denomination: Baptist

American Revolution Sermons

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 3, 2016

Was the American Revolutionary war an act of un-Christian rebellion or does the Bible support the idea of freedom from tyrants?

Intro Was the American Revolutionary war an act of un-Christian rebellion or does the Bible support the idea of freedom from tyrants? Jonathan Mayhew July 4th reminds Americans why people fought for freedom. Jonathan Mayhew preached January 1749 on Romans 13:1-8 revealing that we submit only to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

False Friends And Loving Enemies

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 10, 2016

Who is the Good Samaritan?

Intro After World War Two the Allies helped former enemies Germany and Japan rebuild. The hatred did not last forever. Thanks in large part to Allied aid, former enemies became close friends and two of the world’s strongest economies were given life. Purpose Let’s look at how even ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Denomination: Baptist