Sermons on Difficult Passages:

The Gospel In Distressing Times Series

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Jun 20, 2019

Isaiah gives us an opportunity to observe faithfulness in difficult times. The first verse of the Book of Isaiah gives the setting for his amazing ministry. He is a prophet for our times as well.

The Gospel According To Isaiah: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World, Part 1: The Gospel in an Unsettled World Isaiah 1:1 February 26, 2012 Rev Stephen Aram It was about the year 1980. Kathy and I lived in Holland, on staff in a discipleship school run by the same mission that we had ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:1

An Understanding Of The Will Of God

Contributed by Douglas Phillips on Apr 22, 2017

IT’S DIFFICULT TO KNOW THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD BECAUSE GOD'S WILL IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS OF IT THAT WE MAY NOT KNOW RIGHT AWAY, AND MAY NOT KNOW COMPLETELY THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN.

AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE WILL OF GOD PSALM 121 I WANT TO BEGIN TODAY BY SAYING THAT THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT MESSAGE TO DELIVER TODAY. MESSAGES ON THE WILL OF GOD HAVE MANY DIFFERENT ROADS THAT THEY CAN TAKE, AND I WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL AS TO WHICH ROADS WE GO DOWN TODAY. IT’S ALSO DIFFICULT IN ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 121:1-12

Denomination: Baptist

Who Do You Serve?

Contributed by Colin Thornby on Nov 6, 2010

Making a choice to serve Jesus (Luke 16:1-13)

This is one of the more difficult passages of Luke’s Gospel, and the interpretation of it divides commentators and preachers. What are we to make of it? I think the key to it is, once again, to look at it in the context of the central theme of Luke’s Gospel – what does it mean to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-13

Denomination: *other

Our Precious Faith Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Apr 28, 2014

To face & overcome the problems within & without the Christian needs to grow spiritually. Peter would have believers learn the lesson of faithful living in difficult times through his insightful letter.

2 PETER 1: 1-2 [Our Precious Faith Series] OUR PRECIOUS FAITH [Matthew 16:13-19] The apostle opens and closes 2 Peter with the theme of victory. It opens with how to gain the victory of grace and peace and then closes with the victory of the ages for those who have grown in the grace and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

Promises You Can Count On

Contributed by Richard Crow on Sep 15, 2001

Even in the midst of trials and difficult circumstances, God keeps His promises. His promise of assurance, experiences of life, and a wonderful plan for believers is important to all of us in our Christian growth.

Promises You Can Count On Romans 8:28-31 Sept 17, 2001 (After World Trade Center Collapsed) God uses trials and sufferings in our lives to help us grow and mature as Christians If we can grasp that truth, we will face the trials of our life with a whole new outlook Romans 8:28-31 meets us ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:10-17, Romans 8:28-31, Romans 8:32

Denomination: Baptist

One Dies For All Series

Contributed by Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan on Apr 2, 2022

This passage which we have taken for our contemplation has many life values to learn. But let me share with you three practical life lessons.

Theme: One Dies for all Text: John 11:45-57 Greetings; The Lord is Good and his love endures forever. Joke: “A frog had fallen in love with human girls. No human girl touched him. So, he went to a Prophet. Prophet said: Soon you are going to meet a beautiful young girl who wants to know all ...read more

Scripture: John 11:45-57

Denomination: Methodist

Serving God In Less Than Ideal Places Series

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Oct 1, 2015

Sometimes by the hand of God's guidance we are put in places that seem less than the best for us at the time but God knows best how to get glory out of a difficult place.

ELIJAH—A MAN OF LIKE PASSIONS 05 Serving God In Less Than Ideal Places TEXT: 1 Kings 18:1-16 1 Kings 18:1-16 KJV And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. [2] ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:1-16

Denomination: Pentecostal

Jesus' Sermon

Contributed by Lindsey Mann on Jun 26, 2006

What did Jesus mean when He spoke the words of the Sermon on the Mount? He obviously had something in mind because His words show us that it is simply impossible to live the life He commanded us to live!

One of the hardest things for us to do is to reconcile some of the more difficult passages of the bible. Anybody who reads this great sermon will be bemused as they seek to establish a doctrine of salvation by faith alone when they see so much instruction concerning right living. If Paul could ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Series Of Providential Events Series

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Apr 24, 2009

Is the hand of God with you during good times, or maybe, God has brought you to terrible times as well. Why would the hand of God leave us in difficult times?

The right place at the right time. Coincidence? Happenstance? Good fortune? The wrong place at the wrong time. Bad luck? Fate? Accidental? When an amazing and wonderful thing happens in our life we say that the hand of God was certainly with us….does that mean that when something bad happens in ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 2:1-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Power Of The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Dennis Lawrence on Nov 16, 2005

We live with the promise of success through the Holy Spirit, given by Jesus.

Power of the Holy Spirit Cornwall/Montreal April 23, 2005 How does Jesus do His work today? Since He’s in heaven, how does He go about accomplishing what He wants to accomplish in our lives and around the lives of His people? The NT shows, plainly, that Jesus had a plan for the continuation of ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unveiling The Scriptures: Navigating Ancient Interpretations In A Modern World Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Oct 8, 2024

With our modern expectations, sometimes we find it difficult to understand the Bible. By adjusting our expectations we can correctly understand God's Word and apply His truth to our lives.

Unveiling the Scriptures: Navigating Ancient Interpretations in a Modern World Today, we’ll explore a fascinating and often overlooked aspect of Scripture: how the authors of the Bible interpret earlier portions of the Bible, and how we, with our modern expectations, sometimes find these ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Matthew 2:15, Hosea 11:1, Revelation 13:1-2, Jeremiah 29:11, John 16:13  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Magnificence Of Grace

Contributed by Ken Mowery on Dec 22, 2006

Explores what accrues to the believer as the result of God’s grace.

The Magnificence Of Grace Paul describes the human condition in Titus 3:3. In verse four of chapter 3 Paul gives us a crash course in salvation. Titus 3:4-8 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:4-8

Denomination: Baptist

Sustaining Grace: What Christ's Suffering And Glory Secures For Us Series

Contributed by David Taylor on Feb 6, 2014

Living on Mission in a Foreign Land Sustaining Grace: What Christ's Suffering and Glory Secures for Us

Living on Mission in a Foreign Land Sustaining Grace: What Christ's Suffering and Glory Secures for Us 1 Peter 3:18-22 David Taylor We are close to finishing our second mini-series in 1 Peter, “Living on Mission in a Foreign Land,” based on 1 Peter 2.11-4.11, where Peter connects ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-22

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Forgivable & Unforgivable Sin? Series

Contributed by James Wallace on Aug 13, 2018

Jesus talked about a sin that was unforgivable, or unpardonable. What is the unpardonable sin? Is it possible that a believer can commit it? Let's do some hard thinking about what Jesus said in Matthew 12:30-32 and what the book of Hebrews says.

The Paradoxical Sayings of Jesus: Forgivable & Unforgivable Sin? Matthew 12:30-32 This morning we consider another of Jesus' paradoxical statements: "Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 Whoever speaks ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:30-32, Hebrews 6:1-7, Hebrews 3:12-15

Denomination: Bible Church

God Wants Us To Be Sure

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 7, 2001

In this day & age it is sometimes difficult to know what is true. But surely, there are some things we can count on, some things we can know for sure.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER CENTRAL CHRISTIAN, BROWNSVILLE, TX A. What do we know for sure? In this age of contemporary uncertainty it is difficult to know what is true, because what was considered true yesterday may not be considered true today. ILL. For example, for a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:15-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ