Sermons on Constant Expectation:

Keeping Warm At The Enemy's Fire Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Aug 19, 2004

When we see an apparently strong Christian face a spiritual defeat, we tend to think, "I would have expected that to happen to anyone but him." Peter’s denial while keeping warm at the enemy’s fire creates a similar surprise.

Title: Keeping Warm at the Enemy’s Fire Text: "Peter followed at a distance. But when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them" (Luke 22:54-55 NIV). Scripture Reading: Luke 22:31-34, 54-62 Introduction When we see an apparently ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31-62

Denomination: Pentecostal

How To Be A Good Father

Contributed by Ron Callen on Mar 9, 2007

Whether or not you’ve had a good earthly father, all Christians have a heavenly Father that has set the perfect example for us. This message instructs a young man as to what is expected of him. It instructs fathers as to what they should be. It can ins

FATHERS Tonight I’m going to preach to myself. I’m going to invite you to listen. I’m going to talk about fathers. The responsibility of fathers. The responsibility of a child to his or her father. Ladies, you would do well to listen in. Someday, not that far from now you will pick ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 64:8

Denomination: Baptist

The Passion Of The Magi Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on Nov 3, 2008

Today, we look at the wise men. There is one thing which sets this God encounter apart from the others in the Nativity story. Mary, the shepherds and Joseph weren’t expecting or looking for anything special to happen in their lives. The Magi weren’t eithe

The Passion of the Magi Matthew 2:1-12 Jeff Vanderhoof writes, Earlier this month I was privileged to fly to England with the incoming class of ordinands, the Bishop, and others from our Conference. It was an outstanding experience, one that I will treasure for years to come. Part of me expected ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

First Things First

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Feb 18, 2009

Half our miseries are caused by fancying things that we think are coming upon us: half the things that we expect to come upon us never come at all. Where is our faith? “Do not be worried about tomorrow” that is the commandment of Christ, and it is the way

Opening illustration: A seminar leader wanted to make an important point, so he took a wide mouth jar and filled it with rocks. “Is the jar full?” he asked. “Yes,” came a reply. “Oh, really?” he said. Then poured smaller pebbles into the jar to fill the spaces between the rocks. “Is it full now?” ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Experience The Spirit In The Resurrection Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 11, 2011

Today is the greatest celebrated day of the Church of Jesus Christ. The validity and the message of Easter is what set’s Christianity apart from all the other religions in this world. It’s a day filled with joy, it’s a day filled with eternal expectations

Series: Experience the Spirit Theme: The Body of Christ needs to learn to experience the Spirit in their everyday lives so that they grow spiritually. We can learn to experience true spirituality as we see the Spirit at work in our daily lives and activities. As we learn to recognize the Spirit ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Grow A Church

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Nov 29, 2010

God wants His church to be fruitful. He wants and expects growth, both spiritual growth and numerical growth. If we are to be obedient to our commission from Christ we must grow. Let’s look at what it takes to grow a church.

toHow to Grow a Church Matthew 16:13-19 Introduction: God wants His church to be fruitful. He wants and expects growth, both spiritual growth and numerical growth. But the sad reality is that that according to one survey 81% of America’s churches reported stagnant or declining membership. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19

Denomination: Baptist

The Truth About Fruit Series

Contributed by Scott Kircher on Feb 13, 2011

All who are Christians may have heard the term “Fruit of the Spirit” before. But how is this fruit produced and does it look different from person to person and can we all, if we are Christians, expect the same type and quantity of Fruit? Today we will

The Fruit of the Spirit Truths about Spiritual Fruit Spiritual fruit will be produced in the lives of true Christians Matthew 7:16-20 Spiritual fruit may take time to produce in the lives of true Christians Luke 13:6-9 Spiritual fruit may be different in quantity in the lives of true ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:16-20

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christ Is Born!

Contributed by Daniel Haas on Dec 24, 2008

Why did they have to lay this poor child in a manger? It’s not said that they were too poor to afford a decent place, but there simply was no place in the inn. Come on: They knew she was pregnant. Traveling with an expecting woman you make reservations, d

Sermon on Christmas Eve 2008: Christ is born Birth: Luke 2:1-7 * Down-to-earth story * Political context * Not a cute family scene, but privacy issues * The powers of the time: Roman Emperor and Governor, Oppressors * Joseph and Mary humbled themselves and followed the order to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Congregational

It's Time For A Holy Ghost Revolution

Contributed by Donna Kazenske on Jun 22, 2007

It’s time for the church to come out of her slumber and position herself before the Lord for Holy Ghost instruction and kingdom purpose. It’s time for the prayerless church to arise and become a church who prays with Holy Ghost fervency and expectancy.

By: Donna Kazenske It’s time for the church to come out of her slumber and position herself before the Lord for Holy Ghost instruction and kingdom purpose. It’s time for the prayerless church to arise and become a church who prays with Holy Ghost fervency and expectancy. It’s time for the watered ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:19

Denomination: *other

Hardening Of The Hearteries

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 8, 2010

October 1986: We are like Pharaoh; we become stubborn when our plans do not go as we expected, and we attempt to force our way. But the difference between being merely good and being great is to be radically obedient to God's will.

The physicists used to speak of the hypothetical question: what happens when an irresistible force meets an immoveable object? What happens when a force defined as beyond the capacity of anything to resist it comes into collision with an object so firmly fixed, so deeply rooted, that it can, by ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

One Way We Accidentally Trip Up New Believers Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 14, 2018

The Christian life is challenging and one way we trip up new believers is by giving them false expectations about what the journey will be like. This passage details the difficulties Paul encountered and serves as a good summary of the struggles any believer may encounter.

HOW WOULD THEIR MINISTRY BE DISCREDITED? If their children in the faith didn’t continue the race. - 2 Corinthians 6:3b – “. . . so that our ministry will not be discredited.” - Paul talks elsewhere about his children in the faith being his joy. And certainly they were. Here we see another truth ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:3-10

Denomination: Baptist

Hold Him Up

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Feb 7, 2015

Like Moses, your pastor cannot and is not expected by God to do the work by himself. Like Moses pastors need others who will hold his arms high that they may be steadied and that he may be able to lead as God would have him do.

Hold Him Up Exodus 17:8-13 Under the leadership of Moses, God delivered Israel from Egypt and was led into the wilderness in route to the Promised Land. In their journeying, Israel came to Rephidim. There at Rephidim, the Amalekites, nomadic descendants of Esau, began to conduct assaults against ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13

Denomination: Baptist

God’s Grace Toward People You Can’t Stand

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 18, 2013

We want God's grace given to us but we're not as happy when God's grace is extended to the person who hurt us. This message looks at Jonah's anger and what God expects of us toward those who've hurt us.

WHAT GOD BELIEVES: We want God’s actions to line up with our pre-existing beliefs. - We want God to work within the confines of our pre-existing beliefs and values. We don’t want to have to go through the hard work of changing what we think and believe. - We want to love God and be a ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 4:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Profitable For The Ministry

Contributed by John Gaston on Aug 5, 2018

All God’s servants are entrusted with gifts and talents by God. God expects us to produce a spiritual profit. At His return He will reward those who increase His investment and punish those who fail to. John Mark was profitable.

PROFITABLE FOR THE MINISTRY 2 Tim. 4:11 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR (Pastor’s humor about inconsistent members) 1. In Minnesota three pastors got together. They discovered that all three of their churches had infestations of bats. They decided to compare notes of how they had dealt with the problem. ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Spiritual Leadership In The Church And In The Home Series

Contributed by David Owens on Jul 15, 2019

God has created men and women with equal status and value, but with different roles. God has given the primary role of spiritual leadership in the church and in the home to men. God has very high expectations for the kind of leadership men employ in the home and in the church.

Introduction: A. The story is told of two police officers who responded to a call from the dispatcher concerning a bad traffic accident. 1. When they arrived on the scene, they found a father, mother and two children who were all unconscious inside the wrecked car. 2. After the ambulances arrived ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:25-28, Matthew 23:1-7, 1 Peter 5:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15, Ephesians 5:25-31, Colossians 3:19, 1 Peter 3:7, Hebrews 13:4, Deuteronomy 6:6-9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ