Sermons on Wrong Focus:

Thanksgiving Series

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jun 11, 2002

A thanksgiving sermon about living life in focus and highlighted from passages in the first part of Ephesians which we had been studying in a sermon series.

Thanksgiving Sunday 2001 Steve Simala Grant I saw a commercial on TV last week - you are in an opera house, looking at the stage The soprano is hovering over a dead body, singing in some foreign language, then she takes out a ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

O Come Let Us Adore Ourselves?

Contributed by W Pittendreigh on Dec 15, 2004

Christmas has become a very self centered time. Let’s focus back on Christ! Here is a sermon addressing the call to adore and praise Christ.

Psalm 111:1-10 Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 111:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Let's Go Fox Hunting!

Contributed by Kenneth Trent on Jul 23, 2004

A look at how this elegant love song has an important message for us today. We will focus on three things: the foxes; the vines (the vineyard) and the grapes.

LET’S GO FOX HUNTING! “Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.” Song of Solomon 2:15 (NKJV) The Song of Solomon is a love song rife with metaphor and allegory. On the face of it, this elegant song depicts the courtship of King Solomon and a ...read more

Scripture: Song of Songs 2:15

Denomination: Baptist

The Gift Of Hospitality Series

Contributed by Sherman Gordon on Jun 11, 2006

God has gifted every child of HIs with the special ability to do something to enhance the kingdom. Today we focus on those who are people persons.

PART VI: DISCOVERING YOUR GIFT: THE GIFT OF HOSPITALITY GENESIS 18:1-10 INTRO: MOTHER/DAUGHTER STORY . . . QUESTION: GIFT OF HOSPITALITY HOSPITALITY – THE SPECIAL ABILITY THAT GID GIVES TO CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST TO PROVIDE AN OPEN HOUSE AND WARM WELCOME FOR THOSE IN NEED OF FOOD, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:1-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Focusing In On A Vision

Contributed by Chip Monck on Mar 9, 2005

God has a vision for your church. What steps can you, and your congregation, take to focus in on that vision? Here are some thoughts from Daniel.

I grew up in a good size family. I have two older sisters, a younger brother and a younger sister. My oldest sister and my youngest sister are both adopted, and on top of that my parents had a number of foster children in our home while I was growing up. So we naturally had a Chevrolet Caprice ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 10:1-14

Denomination: Wesleyan

Don't Stand On The Sidelines Series

Contributed by Robert Fox on Jan 19, 2007

Compares being a Christ Follower to being a member of a football team, focus on choosing to follow God, and "holy ground". Student Ministry PowerPoint format.

[Don’t stand on the Sidelines] If you decide that it’s a bad thing to worship God, then choose a god you’d rather serve - and do it today … As for me and my family, we’ll worship God. (Joshua 24:15 MSG) This material was originally presented in PowerPoint format to a student ministry audience. If ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 5:13-15

Denomination: Baptist

Why Waste Your Life? Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 11, 2010

Is your life a temporary distraction, or a preparation for the long term? Are you enjoying life while preparing for eternity, or is your focus solely the fleeting moments of this life?

Why Waste Your Life? (Psalm 49) 1. Psalm 49 is categorized as a Wisdom Psalm, and it deals with the wisdom of living with a view toward eternity; none of us know when death may catch up to us. 2. Illustration: A friend loans you a car at the last moment. As he rushes off, he says, "By the way, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 49:1-20

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Or The Trappings Of Religion? Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 19, 2009

People who have a heart for the true God observe the outward trappings of Biblical faith, but they put the focus loving and knowing God by internalizing His Word.

God or the Trappings of Religion? (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 15; Matthew 22:34-40, 23:1-12) 1. There is more than one way to look at things. 2. "Our daughter took the afternoon off from her job at the funeral home to visit her daughter in preschool. When one of the kids asked what she did for a living, ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-15

Denomination: Independent/Bible

From Envious To Thankful

Contributed by John Petty on Dec 1, 2008

Asaph the Music Minister lost his focus and became envious of the wicked. But one trip to God’s house helped him to refocus and become grateful.

When we read the Psalms we need to first understand what they are. They are a collection of poetry that has been set to music. They are songs of poetry, most of them written by David but also by other writers. They were written at different times in Israel’s history. Some of them were written while ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 73:1-28

Denomination: Church Of God

Changing Our "Why's" Into "How's"

Contributed by John Petty on Jan 11, 2008

Much of our time and energy is spent on trying to figure out "why" things happen, when we need to focus on "how" to make it through it.

2 Chronicles 20:1 (NKJV) 1 It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:1-12

Denomination: Church Of God

Pray As Jesus Did All The Time

Contributed by Ralph Andrus on Feb 5, 2008

Luke 18:1 ...men ought always to pray, and not to faint --- Four Things for Prayer 1. A Need 2. A Time 3. A Place 4. A Focus

1 Thess 5:17 - Pray without ceasing Ephesians 6:18KJV 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Romans 12:12KJV 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1

Denomination: Baptist

Resisting, Grieving, And Quenching The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Andrew Drummond on Jul 3, 2008

Many times our focus is on how to invite and welcome the Holy Spirit into our lives and churches, but what if we are doing things to push Him away?

I want you to imagine with me for a minute we are all living in a time when we had no fire. We have no way to produce a great deal of warmth at night; we have no way to cook what we kill in the forest. Someone has told that all we need to do is pray for it and it will come. So imagine we want to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:51

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit Series

Contributed by C Jordan on Feb 20, 2009

God wants us to discover and develop our spiritual gifts. This teaching is an overview of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor. 12 with a focus on prophecy and tongues.

DISCOVERING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS #2: THE SUPERNATURAL GIFTS KEY TEXT: “God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.” (1 Peter 4:10) • EVERY Christian receives at least ONE spiritual gift. THE BIG ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Denomination: *other

No New Year Resolutions

Contributed by Charles Salmon on Jan 3, 2007

Instead of making New Year resolutions, focus on your relationship with Jesus, value the eternal above the temporal, and let God guide your life this year.

No New Year Resolutions. Rom. 12:1-5 INTRO.: New Year’s resolutions include ideas to make us look better and live longer, have more, and to get along better with others. However, they usually serve only to generate guilt when we fail to keep them. Let’s try not to make any resolutions this year. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Do Not Dwell On The Past; Look To The Future

Contributed by Ryan Ferwerda on Apr 25, 2019

When we focus too much on what happened in the past it becomes hard for us to see what God is doing in the present and is leading us in the future.

When I was in the parish, preaching every Sunday, there was usually one of my parishioners that would always come up to me after service and express how that day’s particular sermon seemed like I was speaking directly to them; that the sermon on that given day was addressing something specific ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4-14

Denomination: Lutheran