Sermons on Difficult Passages:

A Rebuke To Forgiveness-Only Salvation

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Sep 30, 2025

This is a challenging passage. Surely Paul doesn't mean that we have to actually live like that?! What it all points us to is a false gospel that is too often preached today - "forgiveness-only" belief. What does this passage tell us about what real salvation looks like?

A COMMON BELIEF TODAY: I am “saved” and unchanged. - Matthew 7:15-20; Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:8. - This passage makes us uncomfortable. It sounds harsh and unrealistic. We will delve into how we are to understand it as we move forward. - A good place to start is a major reason why ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus, Teach Us How To Pray Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Mar 7, 2025

We all want to be stronger in our prayer life. The people who have the strongest prayer life will confess that prayer is still difficult at times.

JESUS, TEACH US HOW TO PRAY!   Luke 11:1-13 Introduction Leonard Ravenhill wrote, “The disciples never said, ‘Lord, teach us to preach.’ They never said, ‘Lord, teach us to do miracles.’ They said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Because they saw that Jesus’ power was in His prayer life.” We ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Grounded In Provision Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 5, 2004

The passage that we will look at this morning is a passage that gives us a wonderful picture about God’s provision in our lives. 1 Kings 17 describes for us several events in the life of a man named Elijah. Elijah is a prophet of God and some might even

Grounded in Provision 1 Kings 17:1-24 INTRODUCTION... The Clock that had a Nervous Breakdown, C. Swindoll This new clock was ticking away on the shelf two ticks to the second as any good, self-respecting clock should tick when it began to think about how many times it was going to have to tick. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:1-24

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"Finding Balance"

Contributed by David Henderson on Sep 9, 2013

What does this passage say to us as his disciples now living 2000 years later? This is what this passage tells us.  Spiritual growth was not only a priority in the life of Jesus, it was everything.  Jesus taught us how to live a balanced life

“Finding Balance” Luke 2:41-52 When we look at the life of Jesus and what the Bible tells us about Him we quickly notice that the majority of what we know is from his adult life…those 3.5 years He spent in ministry. There is of course the story of his birth. Also in the gospel ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-52

Denomination: Baptist

Listen…and…obey! James 1:22-24

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jul 1, 2021

This passage says something that seems obvious—don’t just listen the Word; do what it says. We all know we should do that, but how? This passage teaches the keys to getting what you hear into regular practice in your life.

James 1:22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But the one ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-24

Can These Bones Live? Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jan 25, 2023

In this passage in Ezekiel we see the powerful and life-giving truth that God can bring hope to any hopeless situation.

Can These Bones Live? Good morning Maple Grove and welcome to week 13 of our series, ‘Such Things Were Written’ ‘Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises. – Romans 15:4 MAN – this has been an ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 15:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Omnipotence Of God Series

Contributed by L Lee on Sep 17, 2010

Learn more about the character and attributes of God. It is difficult to please God or respond to Him appropriately if we do not know what He is like.

Omnipotence of God The doctrine that God is all powerful. Job 42:2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. Mat 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." What do we mean when we say that God can do all ...read more

Scripture: Job 42:2

Denomination: Christian Church

Got Contentment? PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Nov 11, 2023

This sermon explores trusting God in difficult times, understanding His love, responding to persecution, and learning contentment in all circumstances through Christ's strength.

Good morning, beloved. It is indeed a joy to gather with you today, in this sacred space where we come to meet with our Lord, to seek His face, to hear His voice. We are here to lean in, to listen and to learn from His holy Word. Today, we are going to turn our hearts and minds to the letter of the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-13

Topics: Contentment, Today's World

Rules And Relationship Series

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Jan 12, 2009

A couple of passages from "The Shack" have sparked the question, "How do rules and relationship interact in our relationship with God?"

Galatians 3:1-14 January 11, 2009 Rules and Relationship How many of you have read “The Shack?” The Shack is a novel about a man who had suffered great tragedy in his life, and is invited to spend a weekend with God. I read it this summer, on holiday. For the most part, I liked it, I’m not ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:1-14

Denomination: *other

Mother's Day - A Mother's Love

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 22, 2001

I know that many mothers pray. Sometimes they pray out of necessity. Sometimes they pray because motherhood is not easy, but extremely difficult.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGECHAPEL, KANSAS, OK (Revised: 2018) TEXT: Matthew 20:20?23 ILL. Someone wrote, "Mother's Day is traditionally the day when children give something back to their mothers for all the spit they produce to wash dirty faces, all the old gum they held in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Two Witnesses

Contributed by Larry Cockerham on Jul 2, 2002

According to William Barclay, the eleventh chapter of Revelation "is at one and the same time the most difficult and the most important chapter in the Revelation."

According to William Barclay, the eleventh chapter of Revelation “is at one and the same time the most difficult and the most important chapter in the Revelation” (2:65). This chapter is part of that second interval or parenthesis (10:1-11:13) which concludes with the sounding of the seventh ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 11:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

The Buzzard, The Bat, And The Bumble Bee

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Feb 1, 2006

Scripture: 1 John 5: 1-5 Purpose: To share how we can overcome difficult times by focusing on Jesus.

Scripture: 1 John 5: 1-5 Purpose: To share how we can overcome difficult times by focusing on Jesus. Introduction: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-5

Denomination: Other

Ok. We've Started Our Trip.

Contributed by David Haun on Jan 7, 2004

Setting a vision, setting goals, dreaming dreams can be difficult for a church. This sermon was preached for a congregation planning how to develop their vision.

OK. WE’VE STARTED OUR TRIP. NOW, WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE WE GOING? (The discovery of our Church’s Vision) Hope Christian Church Tamarac, Florida January , 2004 Dr. David L. Haun It has been almost ten months since we started our worship services here at Hope Christian. It has been a good ten ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:28-33, Proverbs 29:18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Grace Is Sufficent

Contributed by Craig Hale on May 14, 2003

In times of difficult trials or storms,how are you going to maintain your walk with Him? Job is a good example for us to look at

Job Chapter 1 God’s Grace Is Sufficient Introduction: The book describes Job as being a blameless and up right man, and one who feared God, he consumed a Considerable fortune. Job had a big family lots of children as well as live stock Job’s reputation was very much respected. One might ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:1-22

Denomination: Baptist

Hanna - A Woman Of Prayer Series

Contributed by Ben Thomas on Feb 2, 2007

This is a mother’s day message . Hannah who did not giveup in the difficult situaion and continue pray until she receiced the delivernce.

Hannah – Grace, abundance grace society had become a cesspool, a pit of depravity and corruption, when Samuel was born. His day was a time when people had slipped into an immoral, lawless, abusive, violent, compromising, and permissive lifestyle. The depth of their moral decay was seen in cases ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-20

Denomination: Church Of God