Christian Sermons from Calvary Chapel Greenmeadow, North Kingstown, RI

We all want free stuff, but because we are prideful, we also want to take credit for getting it. This leads some to think they can earn salvation. But the work of God is only to believe in the one whom He has sent. Free salvation must be accepted humbly.

The human race is prone to neglecting noble things while pursuing that which brings immediate gratification. Christians are not immune to this. We need to follow Jesus not for temporal rewards, but for eternal love. Follow Him for who He is.

Even when we do not see or sense Jesus, He is near, watching over us. When we listen to Him and read His word, it will dispel our fear, and following His voice will allow us to do the impossible. Until we do, we will not truly know His power.

Through the miracle of the loaves and fishes, we learn to not despair in the face of seemingly impossible odds, to offer all we have even when we think that it is not enough, and to remember that Jesus can multiply even that which is dead.

We have testimony of Christ's deity from John the Baptist, who pointed to Jesus by testifying to the truth, the works of Jesus, which show that the Father sent Him, God the Father who called Jesus His son, and the writings of Moses. Now choose Him!

We all start our lives in a state of spiritual death, which is separation from God. It is by trusting and believing (putting our full trust in) Jesus that we cross over from death to life. The evidence of that life is expressed in the way we live.

In order to understand who Jesus is, we should know what He said about Himself: that He is the Lord of the Sabbath and is equal with God, yet independent. He holds power over life and death, passes judgment, and is worthy of worship and honor.

Although Jesus asks us to do things we cannot do ourselves, He gives us the strength. Stop wallowing in self-created misery. Follow His calling and get up, leave no provision for failure, and live for Him. Then tell others what He has done for you!

When we are facing difficulties, we must bring them to Jesus and trust in Him even before seeing any results. Jesus gives us His word and we are to believe it. By practicing this, we can grow from a crisis faith to a confirmed faith that is contagious.

We all have shortcomings that may make us think we are not able to share Christ such as our upbringing, a poor reputation, or a lack of knowledge. But Jesus has always used flawed people to share the truth. It is not what we know, but who: Jesus.

Jesus' food was doing His Father's will. We too are sustained by having a heart to do the will of God. His will for us includes reaching others for the kingdom. We must work while we are able because we only have so much time.

Some forms of worship follow religious tradition, but Christians are called to have a relationship, not religion. While religion works from the outside in, relationship works from the inside out. The Holy Spirit makes our worship pleasing to God.

Sometimes the intent of our prayers is for God to make our lives more convenient. Really, Jesus came to fulfill the deepest need we have--to wash us and give us eternal life. Jesus gets to the heart of what we need to be right before Him.

Everyone needs water: physical water for biological life, and living water for spiritual life. Those who have Jesus have an everlasting spring within them to satisfy their thirst. Explaining this need to an unsaved person is the beginning of evangelism.

Some would say Jesus was from Nazareth, others would say from Bethlehem, but both answers are wrong. Jesus is from heaven and He was sent down to be with you and me. For this reason, those who believe should be joyfully experiencing abundant life.

Envy hurts our walk with Christ. Since we only possess what has been given to us from above, when we complain about what we have or don't have, we are really complaining against God. Let your joy come from helping others, not from your stuff.

Although much of our trouble is our own doing, God often allows trouble to bring us to the end of ourselves. When we realize that we are powerless to calm the storm, He is ready to answer our desperate prayer, which should be made with a thankful heart.

In terms of time and position, the Lord cannot get any closer to us. Our God is here now and cares deeply for us in our despair. He knows us perfectly and binds up our wounds. Jesus died of a broken heart; no one understands our pain better than He.

God will sometimes put us in situations where we are all too aware of our helplessness. Recognize that we can do nothing on our own, but can do all through His strength. This requires that we possess a hearing heart and a trusting spirit.

Man tends to give thanks only when he is saved from calamity, or to pray sincerely only when he is in severe distress. Yet God responds swiftly and abundantly even when our motivations are rooted in our own self-interest.

When we remember God's past blessings, deliverance, and faithfulness, we have no reason to grumble or lose heart. As we serve Him in difficult times and as we wait for Him, we may rejoice in the knowledge that He meets us in our situation.

We are not supposed to remain spiritual infants, but are to become more Christ-like through His Spirit. It is God who does the work within us, but we can resist Him and stunt our growth. Allowing Him to refine us makes us useful to Him and to others.

In some ways, we are all stuck in quicksand. The harder we try to get out, the deeper we get. But Jesus was sent to save us. Those who believe love the light and the light helps them to recognize their situation and their need for a savior.

John 3:16 is the most well known verse in the Bible, yet millions do not know it. It is so powerful because it encapsulates the entire gospel in one verse. It tells of the source, the extent, the sacrifice, and the results of God's love for us.

Regardless of how man treats the cross of Christ, it rises above all, reflecting His sovereign power over mankind and His strength to heal sinners. The idea of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying in their sin, but we must look to it to live.