Sermons on Bad Things Happen:

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Altar Series

Contributed by Mary Lewis on May 29, 2001

Zechariah’s experience in the Temple: Religion can turn us away from God. (Preached during Advent, but not really seasonal)

Introduction In the musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” Tevye, a man devoted to tradition, finds his thinking challenged when his oldest daughter wants to marry for love, instead of having her marriage arranged by her parents. It had never occurred to him that one would marry for love, and one night he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-20

Denomination: Baptist

The Worst Thing That Can Happen To You!

Contributed by Bobby Ready on Jun 26, 2007

This was an evangelistic outline that I based on a message preached by my late friend Evangelist Bruce Gill. God really blessed it when he preached it at our church.

THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU! JOHN 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your ...read more

Scripture: John 8:23

Denomination: Baptist

It's All So Simple Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 19, 2009

To the issue of why bad things happen to good people, Eliphaz’s answer is spiritually lazy and assumes that we can earn God’s favor. Job’s response is to have faith in a God who will ultimately accept responsibility for sin.

You and I are about to enter the realm of mystery together. I know of nothing which challenges the mind and the imagination quite so much as the mystery of human suffering. Why men and women should have to suffer physically or emotionally – that has never been answered completely. In recent weeks ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Holiness: The Hollow Inheritance Series

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jan 21, 2007

The God who we find in the Bible, is the God of real life, not the God of our imagined Disneyfied Happy Ending Life. Nasty, bad things happen in life. Being holy is not looking good, its dealing with life God’s way.

What you believe will determine how you behave and your behavior reveals your true beliefs. We who have been involved in the church for many years read this Scripture about holiness and we say to ourselves…I know all about that holiness stuff, we say…Holiness is literally God separating us from ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-25

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Finishing Well

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Aug 15, 2016

Bad things happen even to Christians. Yet, we are not alone. God places us in the family of faith. And as we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can endure anything, for his sake, knowing our faith will be rewarded, if not in this life, then in the next.

Hebrews 11:32-12:3 Finishing Well Today’s passage is one of the most beautiful and most moving passages of the Bible. It brings us to the end of our two-week walk through the Bible’s “Hall of Faith.” Hebrews chapter 11 lists many of the great faith heroes of the Bible, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Are We Bearing Fruit?

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Mar 19, 2022

Where is God when bad things happen? Purpose: Let’s discuss time and chance, and God giving us one last chance to repent. Plan: Let’s look at what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-9.

Where is God when bad things happen? Purpose: Let’s discuss time and chance, and God giving us one last chance to repent. Plan: Let’s look at what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-9. Martyrs “There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Where Bad Things Come From Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Aug 2, 2016

The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.

Where Bad Stuff Comes From Mark 7:14-23 Rev. Brian Bill July 30-31, 2016 Haddon Robinson, who arguably has written the best book on preaching called, Biblical Preaching, once told a group of young preachers, “When you stand up to preach, people are bored…and they expect you to make it ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:14-23

Denomination: Baptist

If You Think Things Are Bad Now

Contributed by Ian Humphrey on Nov 9, 2015

IF YOU THINK THINGS ARE BAD NOW

Jeremiah 12:1 - 17 IF YOU THINK THINGS ARE BAD NOW Jeremiah 12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 12:1-17

Denomination: Holiness

Is It Good, Or Is It Bad?

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 28, 2001

Here is the promise: "All things, both good & bad things, can work together for good to those who love God..." The question is, "How?"

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK A. Have you ever had anything good happen to you, & then, perhaps years later, as you looked back on the event, realized that what seemed so good at the time had bad results? Or have you ever had anything ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14, Romans 8:28

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Life Happens Series

Contributed by Michael Stark on Mar 23, 2009

James is encouraging his readers to pray. In fact, James’ concluding remarks consistently take the reader back to the need to pray. The first thing we should do is frequently the last thing done.

JAMES 5:13, 14 LIFE HAPPENS “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” James is drawing his brief, ...read more

Scripture: James 5:13-14

Denomination: Baptist

Part 7 - Why Does Bad Stuff Happen To Good People? Series

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Feb 26, 2010

We all ask it....why? And "why me"? Is there an answer?

Job was a man who lived in Uz. He was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion. Job 1:1 (TMSG) --- No rest for me, ever—death has invaded life. Job 3:26b (TMSG) Why does bad stuff happen to good people? This question is such a ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

Why

Contributed by Frank Lay on Mar 4, 2005

Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, WHY then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of...?" As we reflect upon why bad things happen, I want to make some observations.

WHY? "Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of...?" Judges 6:13 "WHY?" Have you ever asked that question? Of course you have. In fact many of us have been asking that question during the past few days. ...read more

Scripture: Judges 6:13

Denomination: Baptist

Stuff Happens!

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Jul 17, 2010

Lent is the season when we stir up the trash pile of life.

STUFF happens! Luke 13:1-5 We are starting the third week of the season of Lent. Lint is a season of life review where we ask the Spirit to lead us toward personal repentance for some of our choices, words and actions. It is a time when we examine the Good the Bad and the Ugly in our daily ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-5

Denomination: Congregational

Storms Happen

Contributed by Mark Atherton on Sep 20, 2001

This is a message I preached after the WTC and Pentagon attack

This was the message I preached after the WTC and Pentagon attack. I spoke of the fierceness of the storm. These were fishermen and were not going to be afraid of any ordinary storm. It’s interesting to not that in the passages before this story we don’t see the disciples being rebuked for ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-40

Denomination: Holiness

The Thing Behind The Things Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Oct 4, 2023

The terrible things of this life will happen. Jesus Christ directs our hearts to repentance in all cases and for that to be our heart’s default setting. Repent.

JUST JESUS: CHAPTER BY CHAPTER THRU LUKE The Thing Behind the Things LUKE 13:1-5 #justJesus STORY 1 Mr. Deer was just like all the other deers in the forest. He liked making lots of bucks at his job in the leaf jerky factory. He liked to go stag to the dances in the forest without a date. He ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ