Sermons on Whole:

A Dirty Altar

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Oct 12, 2009

(Various objects on the altar). Our church altar is dirty with unresolved anger, put-downs, and prejudicial outreach. These things must be cleaned away before God accepts what we bring here.

Who says there’s nothing new under the sun? The pastor not accepting the offering! Lots of folks think that raising money is about all we ever do in church. Wish they could have seen that! But, you see, the problem is there isn’t any room up here on the altar. We have a dirty altar today. It’s ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Who Can Be Saved? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 11, 2008

Salvation seems elusive, whether it means personal peace, reconciliation, or productive life. Good Friday we see what God will do about that frustration.

I Everyone gets frustrated. In ways small or great, we feel the frustration of not being able to do what we want to do, not being able have what we want to have, not being able to achieve as we would want to achieve. Young people, by nature, dream great dreams. If you give them half a chance, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-26

Denomination: Baptist

"We Have An Advocate With The Father" Series

Contributed by John Hamby on Nov 20, 2008

John wants his readers to understand that the work of Christ is the basis upon which the Christian may approach God for full forgiveness and cleansing.

A Study of the Book of 1st John “Back To the Basics” Sermon # 3 “We Have An Advocate With The Father” 1 John 2:1-2 In verse nine of chapter one, we were told, “If we confess our sins, He ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Summer Disappointments

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Nov 24, 2008

When we feel disappointment in life, we blame our own expectations, we blame those who love us, and ultimately we blame God. Repentance and acceptance of grace takes us away from self and toward contentment.

Those of you who attempt to grow gardens know that it takes infinite patience and infinite hope to be a gardener. It takes infinite patience because it can be a great deal of work and a lot of expense and much waiting to get any kind of results. Incidentally, I dispute the notion that you can ...read more

Scripture: Micah 7:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Born Right The First Time?

Contributed by Michael Hollinger on Jun 11, 2009

Jesus won’t make you a better man - he’ll make you a new one.

I apologize this morning if you hear me coughing a bit – I’ve been suffering from some sort of the plague. Of course, I haven’t suffered enough to go to the doctor – I am, after all, a guy. I’d like to believe that my suffering has a purpose. That it makes me more of a man. And, when it comes to ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

God Really Did Make This Time For You.

Contributed by Doug Koehler on Jun 12, 2009

When going to church on Sunday seems like just another demand on our time or another obligation, why not stay in bed to get extra sleep? That is why God teaches us that God made the Sabbath day for you. It is a day when God gives and who would want to sle

Sermon Second Sunday after Pentecost Mark 2:23-28 June 14th, 2009 From the concise code of Jewish Law: When one observes the Sabbath properly it is as though he has fulfilled the whole Torah, and one desecrates the Sabbath, it is as though he has denied the whole Torah. (from the Holiness of the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:23-28

Denomination: Lutheran

The Huge Pricetag Of Instant Gratification

Contributed by James May on Oct 5, 2008

We will often miss the best things in life because of impatience. The price of impatience is a price we don’t want to pay.

The Huge Price Tag of Instant Gratification By Pastor Jim May Matthew Chapter 15:22-28 We live in a world that wants what it wants and it wants it right now. There isn’t one of us that does not love a little instant gratification now and then. How do I know that? All you have to do is look at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:22-28

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Love For A Lifetime Series

Contributed by Betty Johnson on Oct 12, 2008

The outline for this message is taken from Hal Seed’s reference to wedding rings in his 3rd sermon for the Fireproof Series. They are 1. round(no end) 2. Equally strong at all points 3. Costly. As God intended our marriages to be.

Love for a Lifetime Fireproof Your Relationships: Sermon Three Scripture: Matthew 19:3-12 A little boy asked his mother, “Marriage makes you have babies, doesn’t it, Mom?” The mother reluctantly answered her son, “Well, not exactly. Just because you are married does not mean that you get ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:3-12

Denomination: Wesleyan

Parting Words Series

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Apr 12, 2009

We commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection annually and claim to personally experience the resurrection of Christ in our own lives. If however there is hostility toward the church and organized religion, something about the resurrection of Christ

• I showed a comic slide to start, which asked the question, "Did anyone hear what the chairman of the board’s parting words were?" The point is how we can walk through an experience, meeting, etc., and totally miss what it was all about. The big question facing us this morning is that very ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:9-20

Denomination: Salvation Army

Remembering, Reconnecting, And Rejoicing: Taking Charge Of Our Own Grief Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 26, 2009

We take charge of reducing our grief when we first trust ourselves, then trust others in redemptive relationships, and ultimately trust God, who raised Christ from the dead.

Granger Westberg, in his little book, Good Grief, says that when you have something worth grieving about, then go ahead and grieve, but grieve in a healthy way. Westberg agrees that the Bible says, "Do not grieve as those do who have no hope", but that does not mean we do not grieve. When you have ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Denomination: Baptist

Giving With Intent Series

Contributed by Gary Stebbins on Feb 17, 2009

In today’s world many are struggling financially, this series is to help us understand how to be rich in a way that honors God ( Adapted from a series by Craig Groeschel, lifechurch.tv)

As a parent, when I had young children, I remember times that I would give something to one of my children and ask them to share it with their brother/sister. For example you are on a trip in the car and hand child “A” a bag of French fries and ask them to share it with their brother/sister. Before ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Denomination: Charismatic

Unity In The Body Of Christ Series

Contributed by Andy Flowers on Mar 9, 2009

Working together to build the church.

Text: Nehemiah 3 Title: Unity in the Body of Christ I. Unity behind a common cause II. Unity in the midst of diversity III. Unity with humility IV. Unity achieves excellence When I first scanned over chapter 3 here I thought, great, just a laundry list of names. That’s not too exciting. My ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:1-32

Denomination: Baptist

Rising Or Rejecting? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Mar 21, 2009

The man at the pool of Bethsaida had lost his will to achieve, and blamed others. Jesus, however, gave Him his self-worth as well as his health. Do not blame prejudice or racism for failure; turn to Jesus and be healed and motivated.

The day dawned like any other day ... a little chillier, maybe, than you might have expected this time of year. But still, about as gray and bleak and unpromising as any other day. After all, every day was about like every other day. What reason did he have to expect anything different? For 38 ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-18

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas And Culture

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 23, 2006

1. Christmas informs the culture. 2. Christmas transforms the culture. 3. Christmas forms a new culture.

Christmas is about God breaking through at surprising times, and showing up in unusual places in the world. You never know when, where, or how God is going to show up. The Bible is full of stories of how God broke into the world at the very time that people thought he was nowhere to be found. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25-32

Denomination: Methodist

More Forgiving, Less Fault-Finding!

Contributed by David Cook on Nov 14, 2009

God’s people should be known for being forgiving...not fault-finding!

“MORE FORGIVING, LESS FAULT-FINDING!” INTRO: It is so easy to get into the trap of judging others unfairly! ILLUS: Chuck Swindoll told of his being at a pastor’s conference where he would be speaking. The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Denomination: Baptist