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Sermons on Christian life


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Preaching on Christian life? Browse these sermons to find fresh ideas.

The Key to a Meaningful Life
The Key to a Meaningful Life

Introduction

Maybe this is the first time you've ever stepped foot into a church. Or maybe you don't normally go to church unless it's Christmas ...


The Resurrection happened—and the Resurrection matters.


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A Hunger for Glory
A Hunger for Glory

Introduction

Something happened in the fall of 1976 that sent shockwaves through the senior class of Edina-East High School in Edina, Minnesota. During ...


Got glory-hunger? Meet Jesus at the Cross


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For the Sake of Others
For the Sake of Others

Introduction

One of the hardest-to-get, most-difficult-to-live-into, toughest-to-hold-onto ideas of the truly Jesus-like life is this: A Christian lives ...


We need to practice the art of 'othering.'


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Halloween: Rethinking This Weird Holiday
Halloween: Rethinking This Weird Holiday

Introduction

Ever watch Sesame Street? Remember the old jingle "Which One Doesn't Belong?" They'd put up on the screen a picture of a beach ball, basketball, ...


How should Christians respond to October 31?


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Stay Strong in the Lord
Stay Strong in the Lord

Introduction

I think the older I get the more intense I get about this, because I feel like we do things backwards in the Christian church. A lot of times ...


Don't live a backwards life, live a courageous life.


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The Myth of Balance

Introduction

I'm going to read from Matthew chapter 6 verses 24 through 34. These are the words of Jesus,

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate ...

If you're not living for Christ, your life is failing even if you're "winning."


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Deny Ability
Deny Ability

Introduction

Years ago Clarence Jordan started an interracial Christian community, Koinonia Farm, down in Georgia. He suffered greatly for his stand, ...


Being a true disciple means following Jesus on his own terms instead of your own.


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The Dark Side of Grace

Introduction

In the structure of John's gospel, John 11 serves as a hinge between two halves. The first 10 chapters are concerned with the ministry of ...


The dark side of God's grace is that a sovereign God who is in control sometimes uses the things he allows as much as he uses the things he directs.


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Why the Biggest Loser Wins

Introduction

In Mark 10:17-27, we meet a man who is a lot like us. For one thing, he has clearly been through the part of the spiritual journey where a ...


The saddest thing in the world is someone who clings to this world's concept of wealth and, in so doing, misses the treasure of heaven.


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Satan Strikes Out

From the editor:

In the second half of Mark's sermon, he shares that C. S. Lewis once wrote that we often fall prey to two equal yet opposite errors concerning ...


We mustn't fear Satan; we must overcome him.


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Strong Grace, Hard Word, Good Memories

Introduction

Be strong. Suffer hardship. Remember Jesus Christ. These are Paul's words of counsel to Timothy in a fallen world and imperfect church. Timothy ...



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Jesus and John - Together to Trust

Introduction

The year was 155 AD and the place was Smyrna, in the Roman province of Asia. There was a new wave of persecution that was sweeping against ...



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Tide Riding

Introduction

During the troubled years of the Second World War, the Italian forces were driven out of Eritrea in North Africa. In an effort to make the ...



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The Journey to Integrity

Introduction

If I had just one gift to give you, I think it would be the gift of integrity—such a gift that when you come to the last chapter of ...



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Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?

Story behind the sermon (from Lee Eclov)

I wonder if people aren't a little suspicious when we preach about work. When we say that all work is a calling, ...


At the core of the Christian work ethic is not what we do, but whom we serve.


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It's All in Your Head

Story behind the sermon (from Mark Buchanan)

When I first came to New Life Church, I established the practice that every January I would preach a month-long ...


Just as we have a kingdom responsibility to manage the material things that God gives us, so we have a kingdom responsibility to manage the immaterial things he gives.


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The Sermon That Inspired Murder
The Sermon That Inspired Murder

From the editor:

We feel that this featured sermon from regular contributor Kevin Miller can inspire ideas for two different sermons: a sermon on the divinity ...


God is on a rescue mission to deliver this world—a mission that was started in Christ and continues with us.


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Listen, Look, and Stop

From the editor

Doubts, a "dark night of the soul," a feeling of divine absence, isolation (either voluntary or involuntary), disappointment, disillusionment, ...


When you are in danger of drifting spiritually, you must listen to God's Word, look at the signs which confirm that message, and then stop to assess whether or not you're drifting.


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Wisdom for Work

From the editor:

One of the more popular shows on TV right now is NBC's The Office. Though its comedy is often over-the-top, the audience still feels ...


We need to let the wisdom of God's Word trump conventional wisdom.


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A Disciple's Approach to Drinking

From the editor:

Few topics are more controversial than alcohol. Should a follower of Christ imbibe or abstain? In this sermon from regular contributor ...


While we are free to enjoy God's blessings, including drink, this requires great responsibility—especially for leaders.


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What Is This Thing Called Love?

From the editor:

Over the next few months, PreachingToday.com is going to run an entire transcript series from Haddon Robinson on 1 Corinthians 13. The ...


The Christian life often boils down to being patient and kind with people—even impossible people.


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And Grace Will Lead Me Home

Introduction

What would you say if you knew you were going to die and had a chance to sum up everything that was most important to you? That's how the ...


Leaving a legacy of blessing


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Let's Get This Straight

Introduction

The first thing I noticed about our story today was the stories on either side of it. When we last saw Jacob, he finally had been reconciled ...


Experiencing God in the midst of great suffering


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The Blessed Limp

Introduction

A blessing is a mysterious thing. In her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Gilead, Marilynne Robinson's narrator is an elderly pastor named John ...


Learning to accept the blessings of God


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Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God

Introduction

Jacob was facing the biggest crisis of his life. Esau, the twin brother he had conned out of both birthright and blessing, was coming his ...


A look at life's hardest—but most important—battle


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Journey Mercies

Introduction

Unless you go to the theater regularly, you may not be used to thinking of stories in terms of acts. But most of the stories you read, or ...


Seeking God's mercy through prayer in the midst of crisis


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From Exclusion to Embrace
From Exclusion to Embrace

The Story Behind the Sermon

This year (2009) we have been preaching through the Gospel of Luke. As the preaching schedule was being put together, it just ...


Jesus wants us to move away from excluding others and toward embracing others.


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I Pray the Lord My Soul to Keep

From the editor:

Here's another great sermon from one of our featured preachers, Bryan Wilkerson—an in-depth look at the last few lines of the Lord's ...


Whatever may come, we must ask God to lead us in a way that honors him, blesses others, and advances his good purpose for our lives.


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Good Riddance

Introduction

"Isn't there somewhere else you're supposed to be?" Has God ever said that to you? God seems to be saying that a lot around here lately. He ...


Finding our way to God's place of blessing


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The Really Good Shepherd

Introduction

According to the United States Social Security Administration, Jacob was the number one male baby name for the year 2007. In the Bible the ...


Recognizing God as the architect of blessing


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The Messy Family of God

Introduction

"Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." So reads the first line of Leo Tolstoy's famous novel, Anna ...


Learning to choose the right way over the hard way


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A Fine Mess

Introduction

What a great promise from God: "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go." We talked about this great promise in the last sermon—a ...


Exploring the implications of God's presence


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The Voice from the Top of the Stairs

Introduction

There's a story oft-told on the Internet—true or not, I don't know—about Susan, a 34-year-old woman who lost her sight due to ...


Trusting in the God who is near


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Odd Man Out

Introduction

Some wedding requests pose a dilemma for pastors. Most of us will not officiate at a wedding between a believer and an unbeliever, believing ...


Recognizing the immense value of God's blessing


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The Strange Blessing of God

Introduction

Do you live a blessed life? I did a Google search on the phrase, "I live a blessed life." I stumbled upon one guy who wrote, "I live a blessed ...


Making sure you don't manhandle the blessing of God


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The Stew Is Divine

Introduction

Jacob, at 130 years of age, stood before Pharaoh, the great ruler of Egypt. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. He was ...


Having the faith and foresight to treasure the life God blesses


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Here Is the Love

Introductory remarks from Bryan Wilkerson:

Each year we choose a ministry focus for the church year, which we introduce in September and address from the ...


Building community through agape love


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Facing North When the Market Goes South

Text: 1 Kings 17:7–16
Topic: Claiming God's promises in the midst of hard times

From the editor:

Though many experts believe we've entered an economic ...


With the right attitude toward money and God, we can face financial uncertainty with confidence.


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Living with Jesus

From the editor:

Just below, you'll find a few introductory remarks from Francis Chan about his sermon. We want to encourage you to go ahead and watch ...


The surpassing greatness of Christ is worth our everything.


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Regime Change
Regime Change

From the editor:

Here's a sermon by Kevin Miller that might inspire a few ideas for your own Palm Sunday sermon (April 5, 2009). As you read the sermon, ...


When Jesus comes to town, he often challenges the things that are most dear to us.


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United

Introductory remarks from Mark Buchanan:

This sermon fell mid-way through a seven-part series on Ephesians, entitled "A Church for the World: Paul's Letter ...


A failure of unity among God's people is a refusal to be part of the mission that God is doing in the world.


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What Would Jesus Say When the Dow Drops 700 Points?
What Would Jesus Say When the Dow Drops 700 Points?

From the editor

What would Jesus have us do in the midst of economic crisis? Mike Woodruff offers answers to that question that push us to gain new perspectives ...


In the midst of any kind of crisis, do not be anxious; nothing of ultimate importance has changed.


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Jesus and John—Together to Trust

Text: Assorted texts from the Gospel of John
Topic: A probing question for Christ-followers

From the editor:

John is one of the more intriguing people ...


You trust Jesus, but can Jesus trust you?


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The House of Prayer

Introduction

"My temple should be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." That stands as one of the harshest indictments ever uttered ...


When we pray believing and pray forgiving, we give our hearts to God and his kingdom.


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Strong Grace, Hard Work, Good Memories

Text: 2 Timothy 2:1–9
Topic: A sobering look at what the Christian life entails

From the editor:

Every once in a while a sermon comes along that is ...


Sacrifice and hard work are part and parcel of the Christian life.


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Balcony People
Balcony People

From the editor

John Ortberg points out that we are surrounded by basement people—folks who drain the life from us. This reality makes it all the ...


That the least will be the greatest is the deepest reality in the kingdom.


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To Live Is Christ

From the editor

In this sermon Ed Rowell looks to tackle the tricky issue of joy and happiness. Most would agree that the two words have become synonymous, ...


You must give your life to the purpose God has for you, no matter the cost.


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Gone Fishin'

From the editor

John 21 is a powerful story of a fallen disciple, Peter, being restored by Christ. Many a sermon has been preached on the varying uses ...


If we love Christ, we will care about what he cares about.


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John the Baptist's Story

From the editor

Very early in his sermon, Kevin Miller says, "I have the hard job of telling you a hard truth." Indeed he does. The hard truth is that ...


God is a God who sorts things out, and not every life pleases him.


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Ready or Not, Here I Come!
Ready or Not, Here I Come!

From the editor

Simply put: it's easy to mess up a difficult passage like Luke 21. You may find yourself applying something regarding Jerusalem's ...


If we know what to look for and act accordingly in faith, we'll be ready for the Second Coming.


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