Sermons on counterintuitive: showing 106-120 of 350

The Intimidated Christian Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 25, 2006

Our three enemies -- the world, the flesh, and the devil – work together to intimidate us, often successfully.

The Intimidated Christian (I Peter 3:13-17) 1. By ANICK JESDANUN, AP Internet Writer Fri Jul 7, 2006 6:28 PM ET NEW YORK - Some questions even stump Stephen Hawking. The famed British astrophysicist and best-selling author has turned to Yahoo Answers, a new feature in which anyone can pose a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-17

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Creation Of Humility Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Aug 5, 2007

God strips away from Gideon everything he had confidence in so that Gideon will have confidence in God. Learn the basis of humility and how God works it in us.

Last time we saw timid, but stubborn Gideon. He thought he was incapable of obeying God in rescuing Israel from the Midianites. He asked God for several signs - including two different signs with the fleece as a way of proving that God was really going to do what He said. So now it’s almost as if ...read more

Scripture: Judges 7:1-25

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Jesus Loves To Work In Your World

Contributed by Dennis Lawrence on Nov 16, 2005

Jesus is not ’out there’ but he’s right where you are, in your world.

Jesus Loves to Work in Your Life and World Cornwall September 18, 2005 Do you live expecting Jesus to work in your life and in the world in which you live? Or do you believe that Jesus has stopped that kind of work, and leaves things pretty much to you to figure out, with just a promise for future ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-39

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Much Grace Was Upon Them All

Contributed by Chris Tiller on Dec 14, 2005

First, Jesus is alive. Really alive. Abundantly alive. Second, because Jesus is alive, a new community of people is formed-—people who demonstrate the reality and power of the risen Christ in their life together. Real life. Abundant life.

When Jesus walked the earth—teaching, and preaching, and healing—-strange things happened. Not strange as in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. More like strange as in counter-intuitive. Strange as in turning upside-down what everyone knew to be true about how the world worked—what was important and ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

With His Coming

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 30, 2015

Jesus became vulnerable so that we might become victorious. He put himself in harm's way to drive all harm away from us.

THERE’S A STORY in the Bible about King Jehoshaphat and how, one day, he was given some distressing news. Messengers came, and they told him that the massive armies of three – not one or two, but three – nations were coming against him. “A great multitude,” they ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Are You Sick? Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 2, 2009

Jesus tweaks the argument of who is in control just a little bit to introduce the real sickness in mankind - sin. He is in control of that too. Are you willing to give Him control over your total cleansing from evil?

We’ve spent a couple of weeks in Matthew chapter 8 talking about control and authority. Matthew shows us that Jesus has it—over the seen and unseen universe—but that we as humans are loathe to give up control over our own lives and give it to Him. We saw a couple of notable examples in a Gentile ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-17

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Power And The Shame Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jan 11, 2009

Paul lays out the entire book of Romans in just two verses and gives his reason for excitement about the gospel, an attitude that can infect us as well.

How ‘bout them Blazers! They beat Golden State 113-100 before a sellout crowd of over twenty thousand in the Rose Garden. The Portland Trailblazers are now 22-14 for the season, inching up on first place Denver in their division. Portland is a basketball town once again. The team is winning and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

It Is Pruning Time

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on May 4, 2012

Pruning does not simply mean spiritual surgery It is not just the removal of what is dead. It can also mean cutting away the good and the better so that we might enjoy the best.

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service; there are four Scripture Readings before the Sermon. The Scripture Readings for this day were: Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 22:24-30; 1 John 4:7-21 and John 15:1-8. A missionary in Africa ....lived in his central mission ....which had a small generator ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Denomination: Anglican

Attitude, Altitude, And Acting On It Series

Contributed by Chris Heimsoth on Aug 2, 2011

9th Sermon in the Action in Acts Series, this deals with making decisions in a way that thrusts us into the action of God, which is not only a bigger life, but also where we are called to be

Into Action in Acts: Attitude, Altitude and Acting on it Do you ever feel that God is unreasonable in what he asks or decides or even a little crazy sometimes... Or let me put it a different way Good Decisions can be a bit of work, but they aren’t terribly hard. You look at the long term ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Inside Out And Upside Down

Contributed by Clair Sauer on Aug 24, 2011

When it comes to following Jesus, we have to learn to think "inside out." His way is not the way of the world, but it is the way of life!

Just over a week ago, Ken and I rafted down the Ocoee. This is something that I have done a few time in my years in East Tennessee, but Ken had never had the experience. Now, before rafting down the Ocoee, whether a newbie or a veteran, you always get the same instructions. Among other things, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28

Denomination: United Methodist

What Do I Do When God’s Leading Doesn’t Add Up? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Mar 20, 2013

A look at the fact that the Magi did not come to Bethlehem but to Nazareth. The sermon uses that truth to talk about following God's direction instead of the man's leading.

STAR OF BETHLEHEM MYTH: The star led the Magi to Bethlehem. - We’ve all seen this in a hundred Christmas plays. - Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen to be the way that the Bible actually says the story happened. - This morning I want to talk about the way the Bible says the story ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

Facing Our Emotions Series

Contributed by Clair Sauer on Mar 17, 2016

A Palm Sunday message about the importance of dealing with our sorrows in order to more fully experience the peace and joy of Christ.

Jesus has set his face toward Jerusalem. For three years he has been calling disciples, teaching crowds, healing the lame, welcoming outcasts, and dining with sinners. He has been teaching about God’s new covenant and the reality of God’s kingdom, even as he embodied it. Now, it is time ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:28-42

Denomination: United Methodist

Can You Thread A Needle With Your Camel? Series

Contributed by Kendall Hicks on Apr 11, 2016

In this message we discover that Jesus is not against us having money; but when money has us it's a whole different issue. Greed costs us more than we'll ever get from being greedy.

Intro: The African hunters have an interesting strategy when it comes to catching monkeys. The hunter will take a hollow gourd, cut a hole in it just large enough for the monkey to fit its hand through, but too small for the monkey to pull its closed fist out, bait the trap with peanuts, rice, or ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Break Me O God Series

Contributed by Derek Geldart on Apr 17, 2021

In the following sermon we are going to look at the second of Groeschel’s dangerous prayers, “Break Me” that is based on Jesus’ breaking of the bread in 1 Corinthians 11:24.

Dangerous Prayers – Break me O Lord! 1 Corinthians 11:24 Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567 Last sermon we focused on the first of three dangerous prayers taken from Psalms 139 entitled “Search Me.” From this prayer we learned that the cure for safe, lukewarm prayers ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:24, James 1:2-4, Mark 14:22-24

Denomination: Baptist

The Sabbath's Gift

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Jun 3, 2024

A sermon for Pentecost B, Lectionary 9

June 2, 2024 Rev. Mary Erickson Hope Lutheran Church 2 Corinthians 4:5-12; Mark 2:23-3:6 The Sabbath’s Gift Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. One Sunday morning a mother called up the stairs to her son. “Son, it’s time to get ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Denomination: Lutheran