In Sermons: showing 46-60 of 965

Words: Consider The Source Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 31, 2021

Seriously, though, there is a difference. God’s Word has power to propel us through life in Godliness, the word of man has some power, and the word of agitators can have a good dose of negative power. When it comes to words, we need to consider the source.

Words: Consider the Source (Proverbs 29:18, 19, 21, 22) 1. None of us doubt the power of words. This story illustrates it. 2. A group of Frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other Frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18-19, Proverbs 29:21-22

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Wise Perspectives Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 23, 2021

Wise perspectives incubate wise actions. This Sunday's sermon will look at wise perspectives about leadership, our shared humanity, and discipling children.

Wise Perspectives (Proverbs 29:12-17, 26) 1. A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter Amanda to answer the phone. And kids view the world differently sometimes. Literally. She answered the phone obediently, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:12-17, Proverbs 29:26

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Navigating The Human Seas Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 16, 2021

Just as there are storms, shoals, and sea creatures that trouble sailors asea, so others trouble us or our community upon the sea of life.

Navigating the Human Seas (Proverbs 29:8-11) 1. You can’t always trust your GPS. Three young women escaped the sinking Mercedes-Benz SUV after the vehicle's GPS directed them down a boat launch and into the Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington. The driver thought she was on a road while ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:8-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Evil On All Sides Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 10, 2021

Evil is like a series of bombs scattered around our lives. If we are to diffuse them, it helps to understand them.

Evil On All Sides! (Proverbs 29:5-7) 1. Do you ever feel like you are surrounded by idiots? One web site collected stories… I was signing the receipt for my credit card purchase when the clerk noticed that I had never signed my name on the back of the credit card. She informed me ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:5-7

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Jewish Roots Of The Lord’s Supper

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 2, 2021

The Lord’s Supper is rich with meaning, but best understood in its original context. We can move in that direction by looking at the Jewish Roots of this meaningful ritual.

The Jewish Roots of the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 10:1-5 and chapter 11:23, 26, passim) 1. A minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon. Four worms were placed into four separate jars: The first worm was put into a container of alcohol. The second worm ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:1-5, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Proud, The Powerful, And The Squandering Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 26, 2021

Wisdom helps us recognize corruption, avoid corruption, and work around corruption.

The Proud, the Powerful, and the Squandering (Proverbs 29:1-4) 1, A little girl asks her father: "Daddy, what is corruption?" -- Go bring me a beer and I'll tell you. -- But mommy said you should stop drinking! -- Get yourself an ice-cream too while you bring me that beer. -- Oh, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:1-4

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Amazing Prisoner Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 6, 2021

When God gets a hold on us and we are serious about growing in the Lord, we have the potential to make a good impression for the Kingdom of God. We can bloom where we are planted.

The Amazing Prisoner (Acts 27:1-28:31) [Note: When I preached this sermon, after reading Ben Witherington's commentary on Acts, I filled in a number of details, particularly why ships were sailing at a somewhat dangerous time of year. Adding these details, I only got through the first point ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Insidious And The Godly Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 28, 2021

God’s providence can take us down winding paths, paths that involve dealing with insidious people, yet still accomplishing His will.

The Insidious and the Godly (Acts 25:1-26:32) 1. Have you ever gotten a call from someone claiming to be from windows? Or how about a call saying it was the IRS and you faced going to jail if you didn’t make a payment? These scams, along with Ponzi schemes and other cons, can be described as ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:9

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dodging Decisions Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 21, 2021

What is often passed off as indecisiveness or propriety or procrastination is a dishonest attempt to keep from honoring what is right and fair. We can see Felix’s motives as an example. We can also see how God can use such red tape.

Dodging Decisions (Acts 24:1-27) 1. So today we honor our graduates, and we honor our fathers. 2. I will honor our graduates with a joke: Why did Mary want to work at a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet even though she'd received her B.A. degree? Because it had been on her bucket list for a long ...read more

Scripture: Acts 24:1-27

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Long Road Rome Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 7, 2021

Paul used personal ingenuity and shrewd strategy to accomplish God’s ultimate will. We, too, can better serve God if we embrace the unlikely combination of being innocent but yet shrewd.

The Long Road Rome (Acts 23:1-35) 1. Over the next few chapters, we are going to meet some interesting characters. 2. Today, we will be introduced to Felix (show photo 1). 3. In a few weeks, we will meet Festus (show photo 2). 4. Last of all, we will meet Agrippa (show photo 3). 5. Paul was in ...read more

Scripture: Acts 23:1-25, Luke 16:1-13, Matthew 10:16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Tectonic Collision: Truth Confronts Hatred Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 1, 2021

Sometimes lost people reject the Gospel because they do not understand, sometimes because they do. We must be faithful and recognize the results are in God’s hands, not ours.

A Tectonic Collision: Truth Confronts Hatred (Acts 22:1-29) 1. We have had our embarrassing social situations. 2. One woman writes, “This is my favorite story… and it’s a true one. I’ve made my mother tell this story so many times she’s got to be sick of it. “My mom, Rhonda Willeford, has a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 22:1-29

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Good Plan That Went Awry – Or Did It? Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 24, 2021

A unanimous apostolic plan that went awry, Jewish rumors, gentile riots, and an apostle getting a ride on Roman soldiers. The purpose of the Christian life is not to avoid problems; indeed, God can sometimes use our problems to further His plans.

A Good Plan That Went Awry – Or Did It? (Acts 21:17-40) 1. The invention of Post-it notes is interesting. What seemed like a failure was turned to a great success: In 1968, scientist Spencer Silver at the 3M company created a very weak adhesive that would peel off when removed from any surface. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:17-40

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Self-Centered Hothead Meets God’s Providence Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 17, 2021

Today’s sermon is about a childless couple unexpectedly blessed with a grape-less son who ends up being a womanizing hothead hippie, marries the enemy, has a hobby of setting fox’ tails on fire, gets put in prison just because he gets a haircut, and dies of fallen arches. This is how it happened.

A Self-centered Hothead Meets God’s Providence (Judges 13-16) Some people think that God using someone means God endorsing someone. God uses two types of people: 1. Those He uses because of their close walk with Him. 2 Timothy 2:21, “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is ...read more

Scripture: Judges 13:1-25, Judges 14:1-20, Judges 15:1-20, Judges 16:1-13

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Serious Parenting

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 10, 2021

Every parent is different and every situation is different; but successful parents are proactive, hands-on parents.

Serious Parenting (topical) 1. Happy Mother’s Day to all our moms. 2. Most moms are amazing and wonderful, some are not. 3. Mother’s Day celebrates the ideals of motherhood, a time to honor our moms. 4. It also provides pastors an excuse to speak about the family and rearing children. 5. If you ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4, 1 Corinthians 15:53, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 2 Timothy 1:5

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Social Outcast Who Saved Society Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 3, 2021

Today’s sermon is about snobby brothers, a son rejected by his family and community but ironically asked to lead those who rejected him, a nation on the brink of war, fake news, and a foolish father who messes up his daughter’s life. Here is how it happened.

The Social Outcast Who Saved Society (Judges 10¬:6-11:40) 1. One definition of the word irony is, “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.” • It is ironic, for example, that the most shop-lifted book is the ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible