Sermons on Beyond Expectations:

Nonviolence In Early Christian Thought Through The Fourth Century

Contributed by Daniel Keeran on Apr 3, 2019

If nonviolence is indeed the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament, we would expect to find it in the earliest writings of Christians including and after the apostles and prophets of the Lord. What do we find?

If nonviolence is indeed the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament, we would expect to find it in the earliest writings of Christians including and after the apostles and prophets of the Lord. What do we find? First Century There is no example or teaching in the New Testament that Christians can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-28

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Good News In An Unexpected Place Series

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Jul 17, 2021

In this message, we will see how the birth announcement of the King of Kings wasn’t delivered to the rich or royal, but it was instead delivered in the least expected place. It was delivered to some lowly shepherds.

When people send out baby shower invitations, they primarily mail them to family and friends. I once saw a really funny movie, a comedy, where a couple sent out fake shower announcements when they weren’t really going to have a baby. They were in debt and needed some money to pay off their bills, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Baptist

Praying Through A Pandemic

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on Feb 2, 2021

The church ought to pray with great expectation because (1) God sees our trials, (2) God hears our prayers (3) and God will take care of our enemies.

Acts 12:5 “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” The graphic scene of Acts 12 is not strange to the Church. The church has always faced opposition. Since its inception, the devil has been trying to stop the church and even to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:5-25, Luke 18:1, Luke 21:36, Mark 11:17

Denomination: Methodist

Interracial Marriage Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 17, 2021

Only the believer can see race from within the kingdom of God, and through the mind of Christ. We cannot expect that non-Christians will share this view. It is an exclusive Christian view.

A boy in Harvard College, many years back, got his father in Maine to come to Cambridge and see the football game between Yale and Harvard. As they sat down, the boy slapped his father on the back and said, "Dad, for three dollars you are going to see more fight than you ever ...read more

Joy Of Palm Sunday

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Apr 22, 2022

Don’t allow your way of thinking or your expectations to distance you from God. Lift your heart to Him right now and surrender your life to Him.

As we all know, today is Palm Sunday. Today is the day that Jesus Christ made His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem. And today marks the beginning of the last week our Lord was on the earth. At this point in time, Jesus was very well known. Many people spoke of His popularity and fame. In other ...read more

Scripture: John 12:13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Recommissioned By A Merciful God Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Mar 6, 2020

In God’s economy failure is never a defining outcome because God never gives up on anybody – therefore we should always expect the miracle of transformation to take place.

Message Jonah 3:1-10 Recommissioned By A Merciful God. Do you remember the first time you tried to ride a bike? It’s such a tranquil and joyful occasion isn’t it. But that is only after a lot of other things have happened. Eventually your bike riding efforts look like this. But usually ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Invitation

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Oct 4, 2020

What is our response to God’s invitation? What does God expect us to wear? Let’s look at the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14.

What is our response to God’s invitation? What does God expect us to wear? Let’s look at the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. Matthew 22:1-2 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

Tempering Our Understanding Of Miracles

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Mar 21, 2023

Miracles do happen. However, not all the time. Faith can be shattered by the expectations of miracles occurring. Not all prayers can be answered. Tough lesson I learned early on.

Tempering our Understanding of Miracles John 11:1-45 Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-45

Denomination: United Methodist

Administration And Spirituality Series

Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on Oct 12, 2020

The newly accepted believers made a complaint in the early Church, and they expected Apostles would visit them and care for them. There was a cultural clash based on ethnicity, and language, and background of their previous identity.

Acts 6:1-7 Administration and Spirituality 6:1 Complaints of Believers 6:2-4 Concentrations of Apostles 6:5-6 Contributions of Deacons 6:7 Contours of the Church Acts 6:1 Complaints of Believers The newly accepted believers made a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

Denomination: Methodist

Disciples Of Jesus Are Devoted To Jesus Series

Contributed by David Owens on Nov 30, 2020

Disciples of Jesus are all about following Jesus and helping others follow Jesus. Therefore it is important for disciples to know and teach the truth about who Jesus is and what Jesus expects.

Introduction: A. One Sunday after coming home from worship, a mother asked her young son, “So, who was your Bible class teacher today?” 1. The little boy replied, “I don’t know her name but she must have been Jesus’ grandmother - all she did was talk about Jesus.” 2. I love that – don’t you? And ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:10-13, John 1:1-5, Hebrews 1:1-3, Hebrews 2:14-18, 1 Corinthians 8:5-6, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Ephesians 2:4-10, 1 John 2:22-23  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why Are We To Teach Our Children To Obey God?

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Sep 27, 2023

To enable every age to learn how to obey God and to set their expectations in him, God directed that his laws and acts be instructed to children and that they ought to be passed from age to age.

Monotheism is the faith in only one God. It was an unmistakable component of the Hebrew religion. Numerous old religions trusted in a large number of divine beings. However, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of the entire earth, the only genuine God. This was a significant knowledge ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-25

Denomination: Independent/Bible

After Easter: On The Road To Emmaus

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 8, 2021

A pair of discouraged disciples left Jerusalem for their home in Emmaus. While going there, they met a Stranger Who walked with them and gave them something they weren't expecting!

Introduction: On Resurrection Day, the first day of the week, the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Mary Magdalene had seen and spoken with the Lord, and had shared this news with the other believers (John 20). As the day went on, a pair of disciples decided they would go back to their home at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Baptist

When God Crosses His Hands

Contributed by Wayne Lawson on Jan 17, 2024

One commentator writes about God’s crossed hands of blessing -- sometimes God chooses to bless that which we don’t expect Him to bless in our lives.

TITLE: WHEN GOD CROSSES HIS HANDS SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 48:14 As we look at our text we read here where Joseph is presenting his two sons Ephraim and Manessah before his father JACOB/ISRAEL who by now can hardly see because of his advanced age. He is presented these two boys in whom he is going to ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 48:14

Denomination: Baptist

"A Simple Matter”

Contributed by Larry Grant on Jan 15, 2023

As God gives freely to the unworthy, so he gives richly, like himself, more than we are able to ask or think. His gifts outdo our requests and expectations.

2 Kings 3:9-18 “A Simple Matter” January 15, 2023 The Division King Jehoram of Israel was not an honorable man. “He did evil in the sight of the Lord” Though he was not like his father Ahab or his mother Jezebel because he put away the sacred things of the false god Baal, we are told that he still ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 3:9-18

Denomination: Baptist

Weary Of Waiting On The Lord?

Contributed by Bruce Hadley on May 13, 2021

Have you ever asked or trusted the Lord for something; and you fully expected He would give it to you. But instead, what response you receive from the Lord is to be patient?

Have you ever asked or trusted the Lord for something; and you fully expected He would give it to you. But instead, what response you receive from the Lord is to be patient? Truth is, you don’t want to patient for the Lord to bless or deliver you, or at least not patient for long duration of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8-9, Jeremiah 1:11-12, Habakkuk 2:3

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational