Sermons on Expect The Test:

Easter Expectations

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Mar 14, 2023

This is a message I preached along with our Easter program, I wanted to build the excitement of Easter, relating how the first Easter brought this expectation.

INTRODUCTION: Happy Easter to you! We are so glad you came to worship with us today. Please turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke. As we read about the disciples and what they expected on that first Easter morning, we should ask ourselves, “What are our Easter expectations?” Text: Luke ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Expecting Miracles

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Apr 8, 2023

We are not unsuspecting people who came to Jerusalem and walked into a miracle. We are already part of an ongoing miracle - and don’t want to miss a minute of it!

Three times a year, every Jewish man was supposed to come to Jerusalem to give thanks. Their Thanksgiving, like ours, was in the fall. They called it the Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths, though, because people built temporary shelters out in the fields to sleep in overnight, that is if they slept ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-21, Ezekiel 37:10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Expect The Unexpected Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on May 6, 2023

Life is unpredictable, so expect to be surprised.

A few years ago (2017), authorities apprehended a group of Minnesota teens for attempting to steal a cake from a local grocery store. The teens were embarrassed, but even more so when they discovered the cake was fake—it was a cardboard display cake. The grocery store owner decided not to press ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:11-18, Ecclesiastes 10:1-20, Romans 8:28

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Expect The Unexpected

Contributed by Paul Robinson on Sep 27, 2022

Life is full of unexpected moments—it would be boring without them. But what happens when that unexpected moment is huge? It affects you personally, and it’s something that seems unbearable. It causes you to doubt. That’s what we find in Luke 7 with John the Baptist.

Has something unexpected ever happened to you? —you find a 20 dollar bill in between the cushions on your couch —you bump into someone at the store that you haven’t seen in 5 years —the forecast says it’ll be sunny, but it pours —the dog decides to bring you a gift from the outside world, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:19-20

Denomination: Baptist

Expect Persecution Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Feb 2, 2022

God accomplishes His purposes through persecution.

Today we’ll discover how God accomplishes His purposes through persecution. When we think about persecution, we usually think of believers in closed countries or what happens to missionaries. Let me share with you a true story. In 1921, a missionary couple named David and Svea Flood went from ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:27-40

Denomination: Baptist

Expectation: It Is Well

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 17, 2022

In the crucible of your suffering you can find new powerful dreams. God has promised his people: IT SHALL BE WELL!

EXPECTING? IT SHALL BE WELL! IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL… WHAT AM I EXPECTING? By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com ACCIDENT? IT IS WELL? HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A MAN NAMED CLIFF BARROWS? Cliff Barrows was born in 1923 and lived to be 93 years old. Barrows was born in California, his ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1-26, Luke 18:27, Zechariah 9:12

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Asking With Expectation Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Mar 9, 2022

Prayer is the greatest tool the Christian has. It is through prayer that we make our petitions known unto God. We will never be any stronger spiritually than our prayer life allows.

Asking with Expectation Matthew 7: 7-11 We have come to a very familiar and favorite portion of the Sermon on the Mount. We have considered the importance of prayer in previous studies, and yet once again, Jesus emphasizes its importance in these verses. Our Lord understood the importance of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Denomination: Baptist

Great Expectations

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2023

John the Baptist's followers struggle with changing their allegiance to Jesus.

Zach was tired. He had been coming down to Tiberias every week for almost two months, bringing news and food to John in prison, and it looked like he’d probably be doing it for the rest of the year. Nothing had changed. After Herod arrested John for publicly accusing him of incest and adultery, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

An Exhortation Of Expectation Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Dec 16, 2020

Having shared his heart and burden for the church, Paul now shifts his focus to the lives expected of believers. They were no longer their own, and were expected to live in a way that honored and glorified the Lord.

An Exhortation of Expectation 1 Thessalonians 4: 1-8 In the previous chapter Paul devoted a substantial portion of this letter revealing his heart and desire for ministry. In case there was any doubt, Paul assured them of his love and devotion for the Lord and His church. He presented a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Christmas Expectations Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 8, 2021

There is no other holiday like Christmas, where expectation is so much a part of it's celebration. We look forward to Christmas, longer, and with greater anticipation, then all other holidays combined.

Henry McCushy, of the Texas Employment Commission, said they had a hard time getting men to be department store Santa Clauses, one year. The reason was, the high percentage of children who were kicking Santa in the shins for not coming through the year before. They expected Santa to live up to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-32

Your Expectation

Contributed by Mike Rickman on May 8, 2020

Your understanding of God's nature will influence your expectation of Him

May 9, 2020 Title: Your Expectation I have been retired for over two years now. This “Pandemic” that we have all fallen victim to is changing the landscape of our faith and our church experience. I saw a recent report on the Internet that said there is a “Pandemic” Revival taking place around the ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-17

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Great Expectations

Contributed by Bobby Brewer on Jun 27, 2021

Having warned the elders of the Ephesian church about false teachers Paul also provides some final words of encouragement not the least of which is our everlasting inheritance.

OLActs20-Great Expectations Series: Acts: We’re on a Mission from God Message: Great Expectations Text: Acts 20:32-38 Date: June 27, 2021 Big Idea: The Bible talks about there being an inheritance for believers but what exactly does that mean? It was Dr. Seuss who said, “Don’t cry because it’s ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:30-38, Ephesians 1:11, Matthew 25:14-30

Expect The Unexpected Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 25, 2021

There is no such thing as a hopeless case. The lease likely people in this world can become children of God, and can become leaders in the kingdom, as did this Samaritan sinner.

The unexpected is the source of so much of the joy of life. Our three year old granddaughter, Jennifer, was praying at the table a couple of weeks ago. I noticed she was going faster than usual, and she came to the end saying, "In Jesus name, amen." Then she shouted, "I win." ...read more

Reasonable Expectations

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 25, 2022

Life has become very frustrating for many professing Christians, primarily because their EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT REASONABLE.

Illus: Reaching the end of a job interview, the Technical Recruiter asked a young Engineer fresh out of college, "And what starting salary were you looking for?" The Engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The recruiter ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:19-20

Denomination: Baptist

Not What They Expected Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Dec 30, 2019

How much do you remember about John the Baptist? Camel hair clothing, locust diet, or loaner lifestyle? While those are memorable, John is arguably one of the most significant people in Jesus’ life and ministry. See how the unexpected surrounded John's birth.

While at the children’s hospital this summer in California, my wife Nikky and I were sitting in the atrium to the main entrance one day when I noticed a man in a black suit and an ear piece walking around. He was looking all over the place and talking to people. As I watched him I leaned over to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:39-45, Luke 1:57-66, Luke 1:67-80

Denomination: Lutheran