Login / Signup

Stephen M. Crotts

Hold down Ctrl (Windows) / Command (Mac) for multiple selections (scroll list to see all options)

Bible Study

Monologues

Sermon

SermonStudio

How To Treat Your Enemies -- Matthew 5:43-47 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to
Is Pacifism Biblical? -- Matthew 5:39 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Do not resist one who is evil.-- Matthew 5:39Love your enemies.
Confessions Of A Healed Perfectionist -- Matthew 5:48 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Fine Art Of Giving -- Matthew 6:1-4 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no
Prayer: Moving The Hands That Move The World -- Matthew 6:5-13 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the sy
It's Called Forgiveness ... And It's On Your Exam! -- Matthew 6:12, Matthew 6:14 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.-- Matthew 6:12
Are You Going To(o) Fast? -- Matthew 6:16-18 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that t
Is Your Reward Waiting? -- Matthew 6:2, 1 Corinthians 15:58 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
... they have received their reward.-- Matthew 6:2
What Does The Bible Say About Materialism? -- Matthew 6:19-33 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves
Television: The Plug-In Drug -- Matthew 6:22-23 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
The eye is the lamp of the body.
How To Worry Like A Christian! -- Matthew 6:25-34, Philippians 4:6-7 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or
You Guys Are Gonna Be Different! -- Matthew 5:1 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to
Poverty Of Spirit -- Matthew 5:3 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed Are Those Who... What? -- Matthew 5:4 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.-- Matthew 5:4
The Beautiful Attitude Of Humility -- Matthew 5:5 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.-- Matthew 5:5
Happy The Hungry Hearts -- Matthew 5:6 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
The Beautiful Attitude Of Mercy -- Matthew 5:7 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.-- Matthew 5:7
The Bliss Of A Clean Heart -- Matthew 5:8 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.-- Matthew 5:8
Peacemaking: The Seventh Beatitude -- Matthew 5:9 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.-- Matthew 5:9
The Bliss Of A Martyr's Way -- Matthew 5:10-12 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
No Salt In The City? -- Matthew 5:13 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restore
Light! More Light! -- Matthew 5:14-16 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- 2009
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
Go To Heaven? -- Matthew 25:31-46 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- Christ The King (Proper 29) - A -- 2004
Judgment day was the preacher's theme, and he thundered about God's wrath, sin and the day of judgme
Pentecost! Slow ... And Sure! -- John 20:19-23 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- Day of Pentecost - A -- 2004
Have you ever noticed how we preachers often promote the early church as if it were the ideal?
The Garden Is Doing Fine? -- Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 -- Stephen M. Crotts -- Proper 10 | Ordinary Time 15 - A -- 2004
Remember the nursery rhyme about little contrary Mary?
UPCOMING WEEKS
In addition to the lectionary resources there are thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...
Proper 7 | OT 12 | Pentecost 2
30 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
30 – Children's Sermons / Resources
29 – Worship Resources
34 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 8 | OT 13 | Pentecost 3
29 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
27 – Children's Sermons / Resources
20 – Worship Resources
29 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Proper 9 | OT 14 | Pentecost 4
34 – Sermons
160+ – Illustrations / Stories
32 – Children's Sermons / Resources
26 – Worship Resources
31 – Commentary / Exegesis
4 – Pastor's Devotions
and more...
Plus thousands of non-lectionary, scripture based resources...

New & Featured This Week

The Immediate Word

Thomas Willadsen
Nazish Naseem
Dean Feldmeyer
Mary Austin
Katy Stenta
George Reed
For July 6, 2025:

CSSPlus

John Jamison
Object: This is a role play activity for the children.

Note: You will need an older volunteer to help with this activity. One option would be to find a teenager with some physical ability. If a teen is not available, an adult could be used instead. For simplicity here, I will refer to my older volunteer as “TOM”. You will also need to select three of your younger children to serve as volunteers in the story.

* * *

Emphasis Preaching Journal

Mark Ellingsen
2 Kings 5:1-14
Bill Thomas
Frank Ramirez
Mark Ellingsen
Bonnie Bates
2 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 30
Naaman seeks healing. He travels hoping healing will come to him when he visits the king of Israel. Yet, healing does not come in that way. Rather healing comes through Elishah. Healing comes from believing and being cleansed in the River Jordan. Healing comes through Naaman’s faithfulness and through God’s grace. Psalm 30 also reminds us to seek healing; to seek God and God will heal and restore us. Do we believe that? Do we believe that God can bring healing?

StoryShare

John E. Sumwalt
But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’ (vv. 10-11)

When I visit your church for the first time, consider the possibility that I might be looking for a church home. I am a good-looking old guy, but I have gray hair and I dress down in the summer, so don’t be put off by my cargo shorts and tank top. Talk to me!

The Village Shepherd

Janice B. Scott
Damien and Ora grinned at each other in excitement. The time had come - at last! They'd been with the Leader for months and months, waiting for this moment. Not that it had felt much like training. They'd simply lived with the Leader, listening to his stories, hearing about the Kingdom, learning to get along really well with all the other people at Mission Headquarters. Now all seventy of them were ready, the spaceship had docked, and the Mission was about to begin. Ora was glad she'd been paired up with Damien again.

SermonStudio

James Evans
Stan Purdum
Carlos Wilton
(See Epiphany 6/Ordinary Time 6, Cycle B, and Easter 3, Cycle C, for alternative approaches.)

Anyone who has ever had the experience of losing a friend because of some conflict or dispute, and then has had the friendship restored because of love and forgiveness, has a unique insight into the meaning of this psalm. Although the poem begins and ends with praise, there is in the middle of the poem a brief moment of confession and contrition that puts the praise portions of the psalm in an entirely different light.

April Yamasaki
A word of encouragement came from an unlikely source the other day in a television interview with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The former football player, wrestler, and now actor was asked about a low time in his life when he was very discouraged about his career and future.

"How did you make your way back from that?" he was asked.

The Rock replied, "You have to put yourself out there. You have to get out there and fail, and learn from your failures."

Larry D. Powell
In the summer of 1983, I participated in a ministerial exchange program sponsored by my denomination. My assignment was to a circuit of churches on the Isle of Man, a tiny island located in the Irish Sea. The months preceding the exchange included considerable correspondence with the minister on the island with whom I would exchange pastoral duties for six weeks.
Richard E. Gribble, CSC
A wealthy businessman decided to take a walk and eat his lunch at the same time. He strolled by a park. There he purchased a hot dog and a soft drink. As he walked through the park two different "street people" approached him one by one. Each asked, "Can you help me? I am hungry." Each time the businessman looked straight ahead and kept walking. After finishing his lunch, he stopped and bought a chocolate eclair for dessert. As he was about to take the first bite, he was forced to jump out of the way as a young boy raced by on his skateboard. The eclair went flying and landed on the ground.

Special Occasion

Wildcard SSL