Sermon Competition Round #3

Originally posted by knightwest
Don't norwegians hunt whales?

Yes. :'( I have some missionary work to do here...

Back to topic, I am disappointed that the topic is so narrow and exclusive this time. Why not allow alternative approaches around the same theme, like it was done in the last round?

Originally posted by Nordlys
Yes. :'( I have some missionary work to do here...

looks like it, doesn't it.

Persevere, one day they will understand.

Are you against whaling in total? Ie some Inuit people in North America have announced a desire to pick up whaling again, but in their own traditional way.

Or are you just against large scale industrial whaling with powerful boats, sonar etc?

Originally posted by Nordlys
Back to topic, I am disappointed that the topic is so narrow and exclusive this time. Why not allow alternative approaches around the same theme, like it was done in the last round?

I've got a topic that you may find more inclusive for the next round*.

*assuming of course that people aren't getting tired of this and want another round after this one.

Anyway, the topic doesn't have to be as narrow as it might seem at first. Given your belief system, what would constitute salvation? What road should people (individuals or mankind) take to get there? Then write a sermon goading, bullying, scaring or guilting them onto that road.

Originally posted by Mimor
I've got a topic that you may find more inclusive for the next round*.

*assuming of course that people aren't getting tired of this and want another round after this one.

Anyway, the topic doesn't have to be as narrow as it might seem at first. Given your belief system, what would constitute salvation? What road should people (individuals or mankind) t ...[text shortened]... get there? Then write a sermon goading, bullying, scaring or guilting them onto that road.

It's the goading, bullying, scaring or guilting part that makes it rather narrow and exclusive (although "Fire and Brimstone" also adds to narrowness, that sounds quite specific).

Originally posted by Nordlys
It's the goading, bullying, scaring or guilting part that makes it rather narrow and exclusive (although "Fire and Brimstone" also adds to narrowness, that sounds quite specific).

I agree you promote a style of how the message must be given
as well as the content. The styles of delivery can the message no
matter what the message is, look at the sermon "Sinners in the hands
of an angry God" that was delivered without a lot of bullying and so
on, yet it is thought of as one of the more powerful sermons on the
subject if you familiar with that sermon. I’d recommend it for those
wanting to read about someone else’s work on the current topic it is
on the web, he was alive around in the 1700, there are other sites that
have the sermon, and a sermon that was written that long ago that
is still be published today should show you the staying power of
the message.

http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/sinners.htm
Kelly

Originally posted by kirksey957
The same rules apply to this round as the previous ones.

Again, just for convenience.

***

The BWA is going to sponsor a sermon competition to help meet the preaching needs of some in this forum. There are some rulz, so listen up.

1) You must stay on the topic or theme that I name. It's kind of like Iron Chef where you don't know the ingredient.

2) Limit your sermon to 5 minutes max. If your post is as long as a Nemesio post, I will disqualify you.

3) No copy/paste crap. All original and from your heart.

4) You can cite only ONE, I repeat ONE scripture passage to support your sermon.

5) The judges will offer helpful commentary so as to help your proclamation skills.

6) All religions are welcome to participate.

__________________________________________________________________

We [the judges] will evaluate 1) how you stay on topic, 2) how creatively you use your chosen Scripture passage, 3) keeping in integrity with the passage, 4) use of confessional (talking about yourself in relationship to your passage) preaching and 5) How persuasive you are in your writing.

Originally posted by wittywonka
Again, just for convenience.

***

The BWA is going to sponsor a sermon competition to help meet the preaching needs of some in this forum. There are some rulz, so listen up.

1) You must stay on the topic or theme that I name. It's kind of like Iron Chef where you don't know the ingredient.

2) Limit your sermon to 5 minutes max. If your post i ...[text shortened]... self in relationship to your passage) preaching and 5) How persuasive you are in your writing.

Could you stop with the long strings of dashes? It ruins the text wrapping, forcing the reader to scroll side-to-side just to read the posts.

Originally posted by Nordlys
Back to topic, I am disappointed that the topic is so narrow and exclusive this time. Why not allow alternative approaches around the same theme, like it was done in the last round?

Merciful Jesu in heaven! I never thought I would see the day when you sounded just like Josephw.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Could you stop with the long strings of dashes? It ruins the text wrapping, forcing the reader to scroll side-to-side just to read the posts.

Better now? 😞

Originally posted by wittywonka
Better now? 😞

Yes. Thank you.

Originally posted by kirksey957
Meine Gott! Here it is only Tuesday and it's like I've thrown blood upon the waters of a shark infested sea.

Would'nt it be funny if these were the only two sermons given. 😛

Originally posted by whodey
Would'nt it be funny if these were the only two sermons given. 😛

I'm not into the style requested so I'm going to pass.
Kelly

My friend had been missing for more than three days when I got down on my knees and prayed that he might be returned to me safe, and in good health. Not a particularly noteworthy event, I suppose, but made marginally more so by the fact that I was praying to a God I no longer believed in…I am an atheist.

I have only been an atheist for a few months although the groundwork had been being laid for years, and as I knelt there, before a God I did not believe existed, it occurred to me that I’m no better at being an atheist than I was at being a Christian.

I am reminded of 2nd Timothy, Chapter 2, and Verse 14:
"Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers."

Friends, do not be as I am; do not do as I have done. I have made for myself a hell on earth unable to convince myself of anything, forced to think critically of every Biblical truth, and of every humanist creed. There is no home for me, I have become ruined. If there truly is an afterlife (for I have been unable to convince myself even of that), then surely the reward for my skepticism (for my “wrangling of words&rdquo😉 is hell for all eternity.

If I, the unknowing, could offer you some small piece of advice it is simply this: Find for yourself a Church, and bury your head in it as if it were sand. Do not question, do not “wrangle about words”, and secure for yourself a place in heaven. Experience the true bliss of ignorance. Do not even engage in Christian apologetics, but simply know you are right and they are wrong. If they abuse you, call you dumb, attempt to cast doubt on your beliefs, know in your heart that to see them burn in hell while you are singing in heaven is the entire apology you will ever need.

It is too late for me; I have missed the chance, my head no longer fits inside the church much less through the door. I will continue on in this little hell of my own creation being critical of everyone, thinking critically of everything, and when it is over, when my ruined life finally comes to a merciful end I hope end is all it does. For if the God I have been so critical of truly exists then I do not relish the time when it is his turn to be critical of me.

My friend was eventually found, safe and in good health. An answer to prayer you say? I don’t know…I kind of doubt it.

Be well, friends.

Originally posted by kirksey957
The same rules apply to this round as the previous ones. The theme of this round is "Fire and Brimstone." The judges will be looking for how you use fear, guilt, and shame to scare people into heaven.

The deadline will be Saturday night.

I was not inspired by the Homosexual round #2, however, I'm all about Fire and Brimstone. With no further ado, here is your winning entry as delivered by The Reverend Billy Bob Blackhand, Tulsa, OK, under the tent lights at a wrap up of last Sunday's Summer Fair Revival
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gather round and listen to my words... I stand here saddened.. my friends... saddened.. deeply concerned and beset by a host of enemies. My foes are Legion as I do battle with the servants of Satan for your immortal souls. The doubt that emanates from your tortured spirits is almost palpable. I hear whispers of uncertainty, the moans of faith lost and I hear men say unto each other “Our woes are endless and God has abandoned us.”

I say this is the way of The Devil and the surest path into Hell! Satan will drag at your hearts and lead you from the path of the righteous. I say unto you that you are letting his Evil infest your souls and become as willing servants to the Devil. Satan will exploit every weakness, every wavering doubt and seize onto it as if a rabid dog.

You’ll burn my friends... Burn as surely as I stand here before you. Life on God’s Earth is but a blink of an eye as compared to an eternity spent in The Lake of Fire! Your Earthly laments are nothing in the face of Satan’s Hellish torments. You will... most assuredly.. be set upon by ungodly, flesh rending demons.. buggered and burned by all manner of terrifying Hell spawn. You will be flayed alive and stretched on a rack of hot iron until your soul is purged of every happy memory, every wisp of hope and your Earthly life is but a fleeting dream that only serves to deepen your torment. There is no end, no relief, no holiday in Hell, just, unending despair without God’s grace to comfort you.

You must give your life to God my friends. He is your only hope for salvation. Your only path from eternal torment to eternal bliss. Have hope my friends for God is your shield, your armor against those that would oppress you and drag you down. His firm hand grasps a sword of righteousness to cut down those that would feast upon His servants. All you need to do is call His name and ask for His salvation.

Believe. Believe, my Brothers and Sisters, and you will be saved. He will protect you when you are hardest pressed. He will sustain you in your time of greatest need. He will take your fear and fill your soul with peace and love. Take comfort in the Word of God my Brothers and Sisters. Read His Word and feel the Truth of God’s love fill you. Feel the glory of the Lord as it flows from the pages of the Bible. Take solace in the wisdom of Psalm 3:

“6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.
7 Rise up, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the cheek and breakth the teeth of the wicked.
8 Deliverance belongs to the LORD; may your blessing be on your people!”

Woe be unto those that would oppose the will of God as He will surely break their teeth and grind them under His heel.

But, never despair, my Brother’s and Sister’s, for God is with you. He walks the Path beside you, He Loves you and He is your Father. Go now in peace, be good to each other and pray for God’s guidance and understanding.
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Peace out, Be-atch-ez.

The Hand.

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