Sermons on Wretched:

What Makes Heaven Happy? Series

Contributed by David Dykes on Apr 4, 2003

Luke 15 contains three parables about lost items. In each story, extreme measures are taken to seek the lost; when each is found, there is great rejoicing. These stories are pictures of how God seeks us and the joy heaven experiences when we are found.

What Makes Heaven Happy? Luke 15:1-10 by David O. Dykes INTRODUCTION What are the greatest chapters in the Bible? If I compiled a top five list, I think Psalm 23 would be near the top, along with Romans 8, and the third chapter of John. I would also add Luke 15 to the short list of the greatest ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

A Neglected Command

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 10, 2008

How odd that Christians should be commanded to be thankful. However, upon reflection, we discover that we truly need such commands if we will honour God.

A NEGLECTED COMMAND COLOSSIANS 3:15b “And be thankful.” Only three words comprise our English text; but the text is assuredly appropriate on this Sunday before our national day of Thanksgiving. It serves to remind us of one of the essential characteristics marking the person who knows the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:15

Denomination: Baptist

How To Live Right

Contributed by Richard Tow on Sep 7, 2009

Our thinking drives our behavior. Rather than blindly accepting the trends in our society, Christians should allow their thinking to be shaped by revelation in the word.

How to Living Right Romans 12:1-3 6-28-09 I begin this message today with an assumption. My assumption is this: Deep in the heart of every Christian is the desire to live right before God. I can’t imagine someone who is truly born again not wanting to please God. When the cry “Abba Father” comes ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Charismatic

A Stairway To Heaven Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 9, 2009

The Tower of Babel reflects a desire that we still have today, to be independent of God and focus on human achievement.

When I was a teenager one of the most popular songs out there was a classic by that wonderful, very non-Christian rock band Led Zepplin, it was called “Stairway to Heaven”. There have been few songs in history that have been listened to under the fog of marajuana more than this one. Fortunately ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:1-32

And Be Thankful

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 11, 2014

Christians are to be thankful. The message is encouragement from the Apostle to the Gentiles to remember to exhibit gratitude.

“And be thankful.” [1] Only three English words comprise our text; but the text is assuredly appropriate on this Sunday before our national Day of Thanksgiving. It serves to remind us of one of the essential characteristics marking the person who knows the Living God. I have often ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:15

Denomination: Baptist

What Is The Good Life?

Contributed by Adrian Rogers on Nov 18, 2011

The fruit of the Spirit is goodness. You don’t produce this fruit. You bear it. He produces it, as you abide in Jesus.

Introduction Take God’s Word, and find Galatians chapter 5 and verse 22. We’re in a series, speaking about the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians chapter 5, verse 22, says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness” (Galatians 5:22). And then, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23, Galatians 5:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Yuck: The Lukewarm Church Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Apr 7, 2018

Christ delivers a message to those who are Christian in name only. Being neither zealous for good works nor orthodox in their doctrine, they are lukewarm and sickening to Christ.

George Barna makes a living through surveys. What makes him unique is that his surveys are on exclusively Christian topics. Although he does poll populations at large, he also does polling on those who profess to be Christian. For millennia, there have been standard benchmarks of orthodoxy. Yet, as ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Denomination: Other

Bearing Fruit

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Oct 8, 2002

What happens when Jesus inspects your life? He cursed the fig tree because it didn’t bear fruit - why? And how do we bear fruit for our Savior?

I have three fruit trees in my backyard. I would not call it an orchard – just three trees – a plum, a pear, and an apple. It’s not an orchard, nor am I an orchardist – or whatever you are when you have an orchard. I think my trees know it too – they get together every winter and say "how are we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:18-46

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Tenth Leper

Contributed by Bob Hostetler on Jul 6, 2001

We ought to live and worship and serve in such a way that our lives become a Te Deum of gratitude to God!

The Tenth Leper Scripture Reading: Luke 17:11-19 Text: Luke 17:17 A man stood writing at the post office counter one day when an older man shuffled up to him with a postcard in his hand. “Sir,” the older man said, “would you please address this postcard for me?” The first man gladly consented, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19, Luke 17:17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Which Will It Be?

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 24, 2001

Everyone of us has the capability of displaying a spirit of generosity & kindness & goodness. There are other moments when we are hateful & hostile & greedy. And in each of us are those 2 diverse natures.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK (REVISED: 2015) Years ago, when our children were small, I learned a lot about being a parent. But then, as they got older, I began to forget what it was like to have young children around the house. But now, with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11, Romans 7:18-25, Romans 8:28-39

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Fantastic News For Living From The Sermon On The Mount Part 1

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Oct 3, 2001

Finding God’s will to bless us in the sermon on the mount.

Fantastic News for Living from the Sermon on the Mount PART 1 Matt. 5:1-5 A man walks up to the bar with an ostrich behind him, and as he sits, the bartender comes over, and asks for his order. The man says, "I’ll have a beer," and turns to the ostrich. "What about you?" "I’ll have a beer too," ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical Free

A Blind 20/20 Visionary

Contributed by Jeremy Farmer on Jul 17, 2002

Why don’t you have vision, and what’s holding you back?

Intro: They say that there is no one so blind as he who will not see. In this story, we are presented with a man who was absolutely blind. Bartimaeus could see nothing with the physical eyes with which he had been born, yet he could see things one a spiritual level that others were blind to. He saw ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:46-52

Denomination: Pentecostal

Pray For Less Interesting Time

Contributed by Charles Scott on Jan 19, 2008

Christians face a strong temptation to be dispassionate, lukeward in their Christian service; Christ promises the victor’s crown to those who are steadfast.

PRAY FOR LESS INTERESTING TIME Revelation 3__14-22 Laodicea: the Lukewarm Church Introduction Translations of quotes from other languages, other times, and other cultures often do not work well. A person from another country gave advice on prayer petitions. He included a line that some ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Denomination: Anglican

Mediocrity Series

Contributed by Brad Froese on Jun 28, 2006

A splash of cold water for mediocre Christians...

There is a series of unfortunate events that occurs throughout churches worldwide. They are the unfortunate things Christians do, which work to divide the church instead of unite it, and which destroy the faith of fellow believers and drive people away from the house of God instead of building it ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:15

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Added Dimension

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Nov 13, 2006

The Holy Spirit 1. Inwardly transforms us. 2. Spiritually empowers us. 3. Liberates us from the bondage of sin.

Earlier this month one of the country’s leading evangelical pastors finally admitted to using drugs and being involved in homosexual relationships. The irony was not only that Ted Haggard was a pastor of a 14,000 member church and president of the National Association of Evangelicals, but that he ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:4-8

Denomination: Methodist