TOPICAL (A-Z) - Seed Archive

Culture

About 15 years ago, I wrote a quick note to myself in the form of a sermon seed for use sometime in the future. I don't recall what prompted it but it was out of my prophetic voice, I'm sure! At the time I wrote it, 9/11 and all of its baggage was still future.

TOPIC: Cultural decay; Sin, Worldviews

TITLE: A DYSFUNCTIONAL KINGDOM - Three Deadly Diseases

A kingdom without a king is just a land filled with people in search of a leader.

[VET] An acronym with many ties ... here it stands for Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, and Terrorism

TEXT: 1 John 2:15-16

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

TRUTH: Three contemporary social diseases which find their roots in "self" are having a horrible impact on Western Civilization.

I. VOYEURISM - "the lust of the eyes"

1. A person who derives sexual gratification from observing the naked bodies or sexual acts of others, especially from a secret vantage point
2. An obsessive observer of sordid or sensational subjects

The modern addiction to the visual is symtomatic; TV, porn, entertainment, etc.

II. EXHIBITIONISM - "the lust of the flesh"

1. Extravagant and conspicuous behavior intended to attract attention to yourself
2. The perverse act of exposing and attracting attention to your own genitals

Britany Spears, Paris Hilton, rock musicians, politicians, even the mega-church and emergent movements are part of it.

III. TERRORISM - "the boastful pride of life"

1. The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes
2. The state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization
3. A method of governing or of resisting a government
   

Here our need to dominate rather than serve others is seen.

Easter

TITLE: FROM THE WOMB TO THE TOMB - An Empty Message!
TEXT: Various

FOUNDATION INQUIRY: Various

I. An Empty World! [John 3:16,17] ... a world without light!
II. An Empty Womb! [Luke 2:6,7] ... a Savior born!
III. An Empty Manger! [Mark 1:14,15] ... a child now a man!
IV. An Empty Colt! [Zechariah 9:9; John 12:14,15] ... a triumphal entry!
V. An Empty Cross! [John 19:31-38] ... a ransom paid! *
VI. An Empty Tomb! [John 20:1-10] ... a forerunner leaves!
VII. An Empty Church! [2 Thes. 2:1-3a; see also 1 Thes. 4:13-17 and also Rev.4-22] ... a raptured body!

[*CROSS] One significant difference between the Roman church and the protesting church is Jesus on the Cross! While there is nothing inherently wrong with the use of the Christ on the Cross as a symbol of one's faith (it's no worse than Jesus in the manger at Christmas time), yet it smacks of an incomplete view of the works of Jesus and diminishes His Second Coming!

Fear

TITLE: Redemption - How It Dispels Fear!*

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: From what fears are the redeemed freed?

I. We are Freed from the Fear of God - since He is reconciled! [Romans 5:10]
II. We are Freed from the Fear of Law - since it is satisfied! [Romans 3:21,22]
III. We are Freed from the Fear of Judgment - since it is past! [John 5:24]
IV. We are Freed from the Fear of Death - since it is vanquished! [1 Cor. 15:55-57]
V. We are Freed from the Fear of Hell - since it is conquered! [Hebrews 2:3]

[* From a message by Keith L Brooks; The King's Business (January 1922) p.40]


Wordless Book, The

[Editor's note: for those who aren't familiar with this book - it is a very old witnessing tool, used to share the gospel for well over two hundred years; each page is a different color, each color represents a different element of the Good News, some use more colors, some less, some use different colors, and some use different biblical text; it can be preached as one message with four or more points or a series, one message for each point.]

TITLE: The Whole Gospel and Nothing But the Gospel, So Help Me God!

[Editor's note: paraphrase of the vow made when a witness is sworn in by an American court]

I. Black: Sin [Romans 3:23]
II. Red: Blood of Christ/Cleansing [1 John 1:7b]
III. White: New Life [Ps. 51:7b]
III. Baptism [Acts 2:41]
IV. Green: Growth in Christ [2 Pet. 3:13]
V. Gold: Heaven [John 14:2]

Homiletics, Preaching, Sermons