Sermons on Worthless Pleasures:

Alcohol-Vs-You: Who Will Win The Battle?

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Jan 1, 2013

What are the long term ramifications of the recreational, pleasure use of alcohol as a beverage. What will that first drink mean for you in your future and the future of others?

Today is the last Sunday of 2012. How has the year flown past so quickly? If you can remember way back to November we started taking a look at the Covenant of Christian Conduct which a person agrees to honor when they join the Church of The Nazarene and become members. Initially we took a look ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:3

Denomination: Nazarene

Of Grace And Envy

Contributed by Greg Nance on Oct 17, 2010

How is the Kingdom of heaven to be understood in light of laboring for Christ while the world enjoys the pleasures of sin? The parable of Jesus in Matthew 20 is helpful here.

Matthew 20:1-16 Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard Jesus introduces this parable saying that the kingdom of heaven is like this. That's an impressive, if not disturbing introduction to this particular parable for many reasons. I believe that the kingdom of heaven in Matthew's gospel applies ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Reason I Live

Contributed by Rusty Tardo on May 1, 2009

The Bible says we were created for the purpose of pleasing God. I wonder how much pleasure the Lord gets from our lives?

The Reason I Live… Dr. Russell K. Tardo I. The Calling of Every Christian Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. [Rev. 4:11] As believers, we were created to serve and worship God. We ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Transfiguration Of A Mountaintop Experience

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Jan 12, 2014

Mountain top experiences are for a reason. They are not just moments of Epiphany or pleasure; they can be painful, as they change lives. So be careful as to who guides you through.

Title: The transfiguration of a mountaintop experience. Words: 1783 Tabs: Epiphany 7, Mountain, Transfiguration, 2 Kings 2:1-12 Psalm 50:1-6 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Mark 9:2-9 Summary: Mountain top experiences are for a reason. They are not just moments of Epiphany or pleasure; they can be ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:2-9

Denomination: Episcopal

Where Is Meaning? Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Jan 27, 2023

Today many are re-evaluating the lifestyle of seeking pleasure. The rich and famous are coming to the same conclusion of another rich and famous person Solomon, “meaningless”.

People try all avenues to bring meaning and purpose to their life. I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:1) You name any field, professional sports, business, politics and if you do just a ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

What Time Is It? Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Mar 10, 2023

If you want to enjoy a meaningful life, appreciate God’s timing in everything. Then cooperate with God. Cooperate with God and find beauty, pleasure, and permanence.

City Slickers is an old movie (1991) that tells the story of three friends having mid-life crises. They escape the city and head west for a two-week cattle run to discover what's important in life. Before they leave, Mitch (played by Billy Crystal) shares what he does for a living on ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Ephesians 1:11, Romans 8:28

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Approaching Life With An Ecclesiastes Philosophy Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 26, 2018

By taking heed to God’s Word here in Ecclesiastes, we can approach life with a godly, practical philosophy at hand.

Approaching Life With An Ecclesiastes Philosophy (Ecclesiastes 7:20, 29, 8:11, 9:7-18) 1. All of us have principles we live by, a personal philosophy of life. 2. Here are some comical ones: ? If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip. ? If you’re not part of the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:7-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How Can Anything That Feels So Right Be So Wrong?

Contributed by Michael Stark on Feb 12, 2021

A Valentine's Day message emphasising the sacred nature of marriage.

“God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-28

Denomination: Baptist

God's Great Purposes For His People Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Mar 12, 2024

1. To provide for His good pleasure (vs. 7-9). 2. To unite the universe (vs. 9-10). 3. To give us an everlasting inheritance in His family (vs. 11). 4. To help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ (vs. 11-13a). 5. To seal believers with His Holy Spirit (vs. 13-14).

God's Great Purposes for His People Ephesians 1:7-14 Sermon by Rick Crandall Series: The Book of Ephesians (Prepared March 12, 2024) BACKGROUND: *We are studying the Apostle Paul's letter to the Church in Ephesus. Author John Phillips explained that "Ephesus was a large and important ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Struggle With Satan Lent Sunday 1 Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 23, 2023

Was the Lord bragging about how He defeated the old Worm, man’s adversary, Satan? No.

First Sunday of Lent 2023 How did St. Matthew come by the story he shared in today’s Gospel? It was easy to understand the first line, what happened when Jesus, who was fresh from His baptism by John, where the Holy Spirit came upon Him in form of a dove, went into the wilderness of Judea. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 4:1-11

Denomination: Catholic

The Gift Of Enjoyment Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 24, 2003

The gift of enjoyment is a gift that comes from our happy God; without it, life will not satisfy; with it, we can find enjoyment in the simplest of pleasures.

The Gift of Enjoyment Ecclesiastes 6 1. There’s a story about a child psychologist who wanted to observe how different children respond to negative circumstances. They got a room and filled it with horse manure. Putting the pessimistic child in there, they observed how he responded. Predictably, ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 6:1-12, Ecclesiastes 6:1

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Making God Smile - Purpose Driven Life Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Oct 18, 2004

Not all gifts bring God delight. What could possibly make it so that God would not take pleasure in what I try to do for Him?

OPEN: (I went up on podium with t-shirt and tie that my two children had bought me for my birthday) A week ago last Wednesday was my birthday. My daughter bought me this tie (with Jesus on a blue background), and my son picked out this t-shirt (with a lion and Jesus and the message: "King of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:15-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The End Of Sin Series

Contributed by John Butler on Jul 14, 2009

The last message in a series on sin focusing on the Hebrew word for "end" in our text. An encouragement to look toward the outcome of sin rather than the temporary pleasures.

The End Of Sin I. When God Repeats Himself... Praise the Lord! How many came in here to have some church tonight? How many come to get fed from God’s Word tonight? By the end of the night how many want to have a new revelation from the Word of God? Well I believe you’ve come to the right ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:12

Signature Scent

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 7, 2010

A sweet aroma ascends God-ward. Godly living, which includes the proclamation of the gospel, manifests Christ to men, and thus, it brings pleasure and glory to God.

Opening illustration: You can’t see it, hear it, or touch it, but scent is powerful. The smell of things like crayons, petunias, and colognes evoke memories that transport me to the past and bring to mind people and places I might not otherwise recall. Some celebrities have fragrances named after ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Black Hole In A Human Heart!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 24, 2018

Consider each human heart has a black hole, a place of emptiness, fear and loneliness. Man tries to fill this void with materialism and pleasure. Only God!

THE BLACK HOLE IN A PERSON’S HEART? By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com BLACK HOLE: an invisible area in outer space with gravity so strong that light cannot get out. EMPTINESS, VOID, BLANK DO WE HAVE A BLACK HOLE WHERE ARE HEARTS SHOULD BE? ARE WE SPIRITUALLY EMPTY BECAUSE WE ARE ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 2:13, Matthew 6:33-34, Romans 1:22-25, Matthew 25:3

Denomination: Assembly Of God