Sermons on Expectation Vs Reality:

Dealing With Doubt

Contributed by Troy Borst on Mar 1, 2012

No matter the doubt you are dealing with, God understands the doubts. You cannot leave it alone. I challenge you today to expect doubt. I challenge you today to attack doubt at the source. I challenge you to look at the evidence. All three of these v

DEALING WITH DOUBT LUKE 7:18-35 INTRODUCTION… Story of Doubt The little boy cried out over and over, “Mom where are you?!” He was walking back and forth in the front of the store. People with shopping carts full of milk, bread, fruit, and other household items rattled past the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:18-35

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Keeping Focused In Ordinary Days

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on Jan 10, 2019

What do you expect to accomplish in your ministry now? What will capture your attention as you begin this new year? How will you carry out what has God called you to do? How will you maintain your focus in the face of discouragement?

Subject: "Keeping Focused in Ordinary Days" Text: John 21:1-23 Introduction: What do you expect to accomplish in your ministry now? What will capture your attention as you begin this new year? How will you carry out what has God called you to do? How will you maintain your focus in the ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-23

Denomination: Methodist

Don't Walk Away From An Answered Prayer

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Jul 12, 2022

We tend to pray for the salvation of someone we know, or for a job, or for the return of the LORD, or some other issue, and He answers it in a way that either we don't expect or like. Let's not forget that God is in charge. His will overrides our ideals.

I want to share with you an insight that the LORD impressed upon me pertaining to prayer and how the LORD graciously answers our petitions and requests presented before Him. You are probably familiar with the saying that He answers our prayers three ways: Either "Yes", "No", ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:4, Psalm 91:15, Isaiah 65:24, Jeremiah 33:3, Luke 11:9, John 14:14, 1 John 3:22  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Living A Questionable Life - Part 1 Series

Contributed by Jeffrey Dillinger on Jan 22, 2024

When people look at me, do they see what they expect, or someone that is "odd?" When I am so close to Jesus that my life reflects his actions and attitudes it causes people to ask, "Why are you like this?"

Living Questionable Lives – Pt 1 (Acts 16:29-34) Intro: A. I grew up with some great tools like the Jule Miller filmstrips, Open Bible Study, and teachings about Friendship Evangelism. All them had a great place in the ministry of reconciliation, but they didn’t all work for me. Maybe it was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Get Right Or Get Left: A Modern Take On John The Baptist's Message Series

Contributed by Jessie Manuel on Dec 1, 2025

You ever notice how God doesn't always send what we expect? When Israel was looking for deliverance, God didn't send a politician in a suit. He didn't send a smooth-talking preacher with a megachurch

INTRODUCTION You ever notice how God doesn't always send what we expect? When Israel was looking for deliverance, God didn't send a politician in a suit. He didn't send a smooth-talking preacher with a megachurch. He sent a wild man from the wilderness wearing camel hair and eating ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

Be Grateful For This Year

Contributed by Joseph Ondu on Dec 8, 2025

The children of Israel complained in the wilderness, yet God had rescued them from Egypt. Their lack of gratitude kept them stuck where gratitude could have accelerated them.Do not enter the next year with the spirit of complaint. Enter with thanksgiving. Gratitude is the seed of expectation.

BE GRATEFUL FOR THIS YEAR Gratitude is one of the most powerful spiritual disciplines in the life of a believer. It is not just a polite response to good things; it is a posture of the heart, a way of seeing, a way of thinking, and a way of walking with God. As this year moves toward its end, the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 124:1

Denomination: Pentecostal

Peace, Hope And Glory

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Aug 30, 2021

Well in our scripture text today there is both good news and bad news. The good news is that we have hope no matter what happens. The bad news is that we can expect tribulation. But again the good news is that even then, we can have hope.

Alba 8-29-2021 PEACE, HOPE AND GLORY Romans 5:1-5 A large, two-engine train was making its way across Colorado. While crossing the mountains, one of the engines broke down. “No problem, we can make it to Denver and get a replacement engine there,” the engineer thought, and carried on at half ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Security Of The Believers

Contributed by Patrick Agbonkpolor on Dec 5, 2020

The world has become so dangerous and unsafe. There are waves of crimes, insecurity, and threat to human existence. But God had assured the faithful believers of His complete security over us. However, we must live up to God's expectation of a godly life.

TOPIC: THE SECURITY OF BELIEVERS. TEXT :PSALMS 91:1-16 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (11). For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee, in all thy ways." (Psalms 91:1,11) We live in a world that has ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Denomination: Pentecostal

Boundless Love (February 23, 2013).

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Aug 14, 2020

God’s love knows no bounds. The audience in the synagogue was ok hearing about God’s love so long as it met with their expectations. When Jesus talked about how God’s love reaches out to even the Gentiles, people in the synagogue got upset.

BOUNDLESS LOVE Text: Luke 4:21 – 30 There is the story of a preacher whose preaching met with comments of affirmation praise when he spoke about certain sins, like gossip, drinking, lying, cheating, stealing. With the mention of each and every sin, there were people who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:21-30

Denomination: United Methodist

Say It Again

Contributed by Larry Grant on Oct 23, 2022

Paul calls on Titus to “put them in mind” remind them about these things. He wants Titus to remind them who they are in Jesus; what they have in Jesus; what God has done in them through Jesus; and what God expects of them because of Jesus.

Titus 3:1-8 (NKJV) SAY IT AGAIN October 23, 2022 Paul is writing to Titus, his son in the ministry, a young Pastor on the island of Crete. We last hear of Titus as Paul tells Timothy in the last chapter of his second letter (verse 10), that he is heading for Dalmatia, which is ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Truth - A Bargain At Twice The Price Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 14, 2023

Proverbs 23 says we should "buy truth." But you'd think "truth" was highly valued enough in society that you wouldn't have to be told to pay for it. Why would God advise us buy it?

(I spent a couple years as a student at Purdue University, and this is one of the jokes I heard there) There were a couple of students - one from IU and one from Notre Dame - standing beside a flagpole discussing something. About that time, a student from Purdue walked over and asked “What ya ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 23:23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Predict You’re Going To Die Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 9, 2011

God doesn’t want us to know WHEN we’re going to die, but He stresses the fact that one day we shall (if Jesus doesn’t return first). Why does God want us to face the reality of our own mortality? Why stress that we will all die?

OPEN: A woman once told of driving with her two young boys to a funeral. She said: “I tried to prepare them by talking about burial and what we believe happens after death. The boys behaved well during the service. But at the gravesite, I discovered my explanations weren’t as thorough as I’d ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 49:1-20

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Am

Contributed by Bishop Johnny Causey on Jul 13, 2021

To often in life, we as a people know everything, not realizing that if we truly took notice to what’s going on around us we would come to the shocking reality that we really don’t know as much as we thought. To put it bluntly, in reference to GOD and the WORD, we don’t know a thing!!

1. I KNOW: If we reflect on the Old Testament, we see that in Jeremiah 1:5 GOD said I knew you before you came from the womb, and that he will know us when we reach the tomb. GOD said that HE knows our thoughts from afar off before we even think them. Psalm 139:2 You see, GOD has known and yet ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3, Jeremiah 29:11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Good News In A Bad News World Series

Contributed by Kevin Broyhill on Sep 26, 2024

The news bombards us with stories of moral decline and societal turmoil. Yet, amid the chaos, Psalm 36 invites us to shift our focus from the troubling realities to the unwavering truths found in God’s character. Join us as we explore the blessings that come from keeping our eyes fixed on the Lord.

Good News in A Bad News World! Psalm 36 Introduction: Cf. we live in a world in which we are constantly being bombarded with bad news: Christians = can become consumed with 24-hour news cycle 365 days a year that is inundated with bad news. Natural disaster, war, crime out of control, drug ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Basic Training For Families

Contributed by Chris Smith on Jun 17, 2003

The Word of God ought to be on display in your homes, in every area of your life. It ought to be hung up in your living room, your kitchen, your laundry room, and if you really expect your children to follow the Lord, the Word of God had better be hung u

Note to readers: Although I have re-written this text extenstively, most of the main points, illustrations, and quotes of this sermon are from a sermon originally preached by Dr. James Merritt at the Pastor’s Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention held at Orlando Florida in June of 2000. ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:1-25

Denomination: Baptist