Sermons on Wrong Focus:

From Lame Man To Leaping Man

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jul 11, 2005

Too many of us today are have our focus set on our afflictions, problems worries, our attention must be directed to God as the lame mans was so that we can turn affliction into adoration with our attention on God.

Intro: I don’t know if you have ever heard of Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations. It is a story of an orphan boy named Pip. After a turn of events he is left a large sum of money by an unknown benefactor. He wants so terribly bad to become a gentleman and no longer be common. He has ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

It's Not Over Until It's Over

Contributed by James May on Jul 31, 2005

Let us not get our focus drawn to the things of this world and let them keep us from remembering that there is a Day of Judgment coming. Prosperity in this life isn’t worth losing the promise of Heaven in the eternity that lies ahead.

It’s Not Over Until It’s Over By Pastor Jim May I received an email this week from a young man who realized that so much of the “gospel messages” that we hear today are not gospel at all. He has come to a realization that the messages preached by most TV and radio evangelists are no longer a ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dealing With Disappointment

Contributed by Don Jaques on Jan 24, 2007

All Christians can find renewed hope in times of disappointment by 1)keeping an eternal focus, 2)cast your anxiety upon the Lord, 3)be self-controlled and resist the devil, and 4)offer a sacrifice of praise.

If there is anything I’ve learned in my years working as a pastor it is that things don’t always go the way we think they should go. I’ve been witness to more tragic stories than I wish – and the truth is, life is hard. God has chosen to use people just like us to be his ambassadors on this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Follow The Call Series

Contributed by Chris Heimsoth on Jun 16, 2011

This is the 5th of our series on Action in Acts. We look at the charges against Peter, how he did not seek to justify himself but share what God was doing, and how we are called to focus on what is truly important.

Action – Follow the right voice (5:17-42) Have you noticed how there seems to be people making stands for all sorts of things in life? There are thousands of causes, and there are people fighting for all sorts of things. Even within the “church” community, there are people with ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:17-42

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Am Here; Did You Notice?

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Nov 27, 2012

We need to take time to intentionally focus on God because... "when we obey, when we accept, when we pause, when we awaken, when we realize and recognize and receive, love transforms everything."

I am Here; Did You Notice? August 12, 2012 Intro: I am learning a valuable lesson lately – about things I’ve never noticed. Things I’ve taken for granted for a long time. Things that have been around, doing their job, with never a celebration or a word of thanks or the ...read more

Scripture: John 14:16-17

Denomination: Baptist

I Am Here; Did You Notice?

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Nov 27, 2012

We need to take time to intentionally focus on God because... "when we obey, when we accept, when we pause, when we awaken, when we realize and recognize and receive, love transforms everything."

I am Here; Did You Notice? August 12, 2012 Intro: I am learning a valuable lesson lately – about things I’ve never noticed. Things I’ve taken for granted for a long time. Things that have been around, doing their job, with never a celebration or a word of thanks or the ...read more

Scripture: John 14:16-17

Denomination: Baptist

How Should We Then Live? Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 25, 2010

While most people --including many professing Christians -- indiscriminately follow the popular culture and focus their lives on either looks, materialism, popularity, success, power, prestige, or social acceptance -- why should we pursue God and godlines

How Should We Then Live? 2 Peter 3:11-12, 17-18 1. I just came back from a pastor's conference, and I had a good time. We did not have too much free time, but I was able to work in a sermon outline and borrowed my room mate's computer to send the outline to Jane. . I brought two commentaries with ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:11-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Jesus Appoints The Twelve Series

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Jul 5, 2010

Is your faith totally inward focused or does it have a gospel shaped outward focus as well? Are you one of Jesus disciples so you can serve him or just yourself? Are you not just a disciple but an apostle as well?

Imagine Jesus appeared in Melbourne today and was looking to form a band of disciples. What sorts of people do you think he might look for? People with influence? Media savvy types? University trained professionals? People who are good with words, good at presenting the right image? It’s ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:7-19

Denomination: Anglican

Escalation Series

Contributed by Dustin T Parker on Feb 17, 2010

Loosely based on Roger Sonnenberg's lent series of the same title, this series looks at damaged relationships using the passion of Christ. Not only advice on how to prevent damage, there is a major focus on the hope we have, that results in all relations

Concordia Lutheran Church Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Escalation Phil.2:1-10; May the grace, mercy and truth of God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and through you, impacting every relationship you are part of! Some are simple, nothing more than a smile now and then, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-10

Denomination: Lutheran

Wisdom From God - James 1:5-7 Series

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Jul 21, 2015

Wisdom! The Lord has it and He wants you to get it from Him! We need to pursue the Lord and His wisdom with a single minded focus in order to glorify God by being "a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ".

Wisdom! Is there anyone here who is wise and has all of the wisdom they will ever need? And, you all have probably heard the old quote attributed to Yogi Berra about the fork in the road, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!” Life is filled with forks in the road, choices, ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5-7

Denomination: Nazarene

The Treasures Of The Snow Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 1, 2021

That part of nature we want to focus on is--snow. There are 25 references to snow in the Bible, and we are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and so snow is to be a part of creation that teaches us something about God.

It was one of the strangest funerals on record. Nobody was being buried, but things were being buried in a lot of little graves, and in one, the Bible was being buried. Shackleton and his men were exploring the Antarctic when they were over whelmed by the forces of nature. Their ship, Endurance, ...read more

Scripture: Job 37:1-14

Believing In Jesus Is Not Enough (John 8:12-59) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Feb 7, 2022

In John, there are a cluster of verbs Jesus wants from us, to be full disciples, and we have to hold them all together. If we focus too hard on "believing," we will misunderstand Jesus, and what he wants.

Last week, we read just two verses from John 8, spending the rest of our time in Leviticus 23 and Exodus 13. I scratched my itch to get back to the OT, and I'm ready to take another shot at this. I say that, but this is probably the most depressing chapter (I hope!) in the entire gospel of ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12-59

Weaving Evangelism Into Discipleship

Contributed by Wayne Lawson on Aug 22, 2022

Our focus this morning will deal much with communication. Specifically, we will examine how to effectively communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray we will understand the bottom line of evangelizing is to simply communicate and invite others into our story

TITLE: WEAVING EVANGELISM INTO DISCIPLESHIP SCRIPTURE: ACTS 4:23-37 After preaching the fourth installment last week in our ‘Shifting of our Vision’ here at ‘First Church’ which is tied to our Campaign of “LET’S GO FISHING,” I found myself praying and said to the Lord, after four sermons, I ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:23-37

Denomination: Baptist

The Compassion Of God Series

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Mar 21, 2022

The message of Hosea 11 is for you and me, not only wayward Israel. The family life of Hosea and his wife Gomers serve as is an illustration of how our sin breaks the heart of God. Now the focus is on God’s compassion and redemption.

There is a difference between compassion and concern. If a man falls off an ocean liner, we will show concern by yelling man overboard and look for help. Compassion would be at the risk of our own life; we jump in and rescue the drowning man. Compassion is much deeper than concern. In Hosea 11 we ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

The Treasures Of The Snow Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 9, 2021

That part of nature we want to focus on is--snow. There are 25 references to snow in the Bible, and we are to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and so snow is to be a part of creation that teaches us something about God.

It was one of the strangest funerals on record. Nobody was being buried, but things were being buried in a lot of little graves, and in one, the Bible was being buried. Shackleton and his men were exploring the Antarctic when they were over whelmed by the forces of nature. Their ship, Endurance, ...read more

Scripture: Job 37:1-14