Sermons on Worthless Effort:

A Great Commission Church

Contributed by Stephen E. Trail on Apr 15, 2012

A sermon to challenge the church to greater missions effort.

“A Great Commission Church” Acts 13:1-3 Scripture Reading “A LOCAL CHURCH THAT IS NOT MISSION MINDED IS BY DEFINITION NOT A CHURCH! It’s a religious club that makes little or no impact on the world.” James Capps Aside from the church at Jerusalem the single ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Why Is There So Much Arguing Among Christians? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 29, 2014

There is a lot of arguing among Christians. This sermon looks at why that's largely worthless and where God would have to focus instead.

ARGUING AND CONTROVERSIES: Sometimes we act like the symbol of our faith is a bullhorn. - 1 Timothy 1:4 (“promote controversies”), 6 (“meaningless talk”), 7. - Sometimes we act like a bullhorn is the symbol of our faith – we speak loudly to drown out the other ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:3-7

Denomination: Baptist

Where's Waldo? Series

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Aug 27, 2007

Seeking means intentional effort to find. Finding Waldo is not always easy. Neither is finding his kingdom and his righteousness. Yet it is worth the effort.

When I think of seeking or searching, “Where’s Waldo?” The busy pictures where you search for Waldo and other objects that often blend into the rest of the picture. You have to search and search to find him. Sometimes it is easy and it jumps right out at you but usually it is not. The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:31-34

Denomination: Church Of God

Beauty Perishes

Contributed by Bala Samson on Dec 6, 2015

When we ignore God and His power and try to do things in our own power and might, we would wither away quickly! Caveat!

Beauty perishes! James 1:11”For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.” For many years I did not get any flowers from any students, but few students who ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-11

Denomination: Pentecostal

Get Along Children Series

Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Nov 7, 2007

People of God make up a family, and families sometimes ’feud’. Jesus lays out some helpful rules for restoration - 1. Personal Effort 2. Plural Effort 3. Public Effort - Link inc. to formatted text, audio, and PowerPoint.

Get Along Children Matthew 18:15-35 http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/GetAlong.html The beginning of this chapter tells us how to enter the family of God...by humbling ourselves as little children before the Lord. The rest of the chapter tells us how to get along with all the other children in our ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-35

Denomination: Baptist

Number One Draft Choice

Contributed by John Beehler on Jan 1, 2003

Through no effort or work on our part, we have been chosen and blessed.

Number One Draft Choice Well, here we are in the New Year. New Year’s resolutions, the end of our breaks from school and work, and the end of the College Football Bowl games marathon. How many here watched any of the bowl games offered this year? Did anyone get burnt out watching ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Jehovah-Rapha “the Eternally Self-Existent One Who Heals” Series

Contributed by David Scudder on Jul 3, 2011

Today we are going to learn why God would allow so many Jews to be thirsty and then lead them to a pool of worthless water.

Purpose: To show how God used bitter water to display His power. Aim: I want the listener to be confident in God’s ability to solve any problem. INTRODUCTION: Today’s text occurs right after God delivered the Jews from slavery in Egypt and from the entire Egyptian army. Excitement and ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27

Denomination: Independent/Bible

When People Say We Don’t Need God

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Nov 27, 2011

The TOWER of BABEL represents man’s effort without God. The Builders of Shinar failed in their attempt tried to reach heaven through human effort. We too will fail if we believe that spiritual enlightenment comes through human effort. The only way to k

The battle for our worship is a battle that draws our flesh and its desire to exert itself over God. The flesh demands that it be stroked, satisfied and honored. The inner part of our being cries out for independence. From our earliest days we desire to do things for ourselves. But we cannot ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Works Won't Work Series

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jan 24, 2008

Paul stresses the foolishness of trying to get into heaven by our own efforts

WHY WORKS WON”T WORK Romans 4:1-15 Old story of frog that jumped in a bucket of milk. Instead of just giving up the frog began to swim and swim and swim. The frog swam so much that the milk turned to butter and the frog hopped out of the bucket. Great story about working so had that you ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:1-15

Snake In The Grass Series

Contributed by Jason Pettibone on Mar 23, 2004

a look at the Fall and the ongoing efforts of Satan to delude the world

Beginnings # 2 I invite you back to the Book of Beginnings this morning! I’ll be speaking to you from Genesis 3 today. The Snake in the Grass - Speaking the Lies We Want to Believe A friend picked up his 3 yr. old son from Christian Preschool. As they rode in the car, the Dad was talking about ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Definition Of Christianity

Contributed by Johnny Carver on Apr 8, 2002

This sermon is an effort to clarify the true meaning of the term "Christianity."

Scripture: Acts 11:26 Title: “A Definition of Christianity” Introduction: What a sweet, suggestive title “Christian.” They were called after the name of Christ because they had believed on Him, and turned to Him, and were now, with full purpose of heart, living for Him. Wouldn’t it be wonderful ...read more

Scripture: Acts 11:26-27

Denomination: Pentecostal

Community, Gathering Of The Bunch

Contributed by Stephen Funderburk on May 13, 2007

community isn’t an individual effort but a corporate plan

Ill) squeeze a bag of marbles together, and squeeze a bunch of grapes–talk about the different results. As community, we are the bunch of grapes. We learn these valuable lessons from this illustration. We are not a community by ourselves. We must be soft, tender, available, to be valuable in the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Sacrificial Investments

Contributed by Charles Mallory on Aug 10, 2006

To be a Christian, it takes a life-time of effort, obedience, and sacrifice.

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT “THERE IS POWER IN THE PRESENCE OF A RISEN SAVIOR TO SOLVE OUR DIFFICULTIES, REMOVE OUR PERPLEXITIES, CALM OUR FEARS, EASE OUR BURDENS, DRY OUR TEARS, MEET OUR EVERY NEED, TRANQUILIZE OUR MINDS AND SATISFY EVERY CRAVING OF OUR HEARTS.” THE POWER THAT RAISED OUR SAVIOR FROM ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Denomination: Free Methodist

Spirit Led And Spirit Fed

Contributed by Mike Rickman on Feb 21, 2013

Walking in the Spirit is not as difficult as it seems - but it does require effort.

# #February 24, 2013 Troy First Assembly Text: Romans 8:1-17 – Focus on verse 14 Subject: the Holy Spirit Title – Spirit Fed and Spirit Led Pastor Darrell has told me that there is a real spirit of revival in this church and my message today is a message of encouragement for you ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-17

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Make A Difference

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Apr 27, 2017

have the right attitude about work - share the effort

Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Denomination: Episcopal