Sermons on Expectations:

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

Expecting God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 10, 2022

Many people have expectations of what God can do for them. But that's not how it works. We were saved to do things for Him. Why?

I’ve been told that when people come to God –– they have certain expectations. They have certain opinions of what they think God should DO for them. They visualize a God who is going to do what they want done. ILLUS: A woman named Donna had a conversation with her 4 year old niece. The little ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

Unexpectedly Expecting Series

Contributed by John Sears on Nov 30, 2011

God steps into history to break 400 years of silence by announcng unexpected news to two unsuspecting individuals. What does it look like when God is silent, and how do we know when he is speaking to us?

Series: When God Breaks His Silence Title: Unexpectedly expecting Theme: Christmas Introduction : There is a game my parents used to play when we were on road long road trips in the car. The rules of the game went something like this. “The first one to talk loses.” We called it the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-38

Denomination: Christian Church

Christmas Expectations

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Dec 1, 2018

An advent series focused on our expectations at the Christmas season.

Christmas Expectations! What Difference Does Christmas Make Luke 1:46-55 December 2, 2018 It feels so strange for me to think that the Christmas season has officially begun. Yes, according to stores that started on November 1st, the day after Halloween. To be honest, I’m not really into ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:46-55

Denomination: Baptist

Unexpected And Expecting Series

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Dec 26, 2018

The Holy Spirit works quietly within us, bringing new things into being

Unexpected and Expecting Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. I had the good fortune of attending a baby shower a week ago. Baby showers are joyous occasions. Everyone celebrates the advent of this little one soon to enter our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:39-45

Denomination: Lutheran

Realistic Expectations Series

Contributed by Perry Greene on Feb 6, 2019

The RYR approached Jesus with some expectations. Jesus also had expectations of him. The application for us is that we have expectations from God (some realistic and some unrealistic) and He has expectations of us which he will not alter.

1. Obsession There was a preacher who was an avid golfer. Every chance he got, he could be found on the golf course swinging away. It was his obsession. One Sunday was a picture-perfect day for golf. The preacher was in a quandary as to what to do. The urge to play golf overcame him. He called his ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:13-31

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

Expectation And Identity

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Mar 3, 2021

This sermon illustrates how those on the crowd of Jesus's triumphant entry misunderstood the significance of the way He entered riding on a donkey.

EXPECTATION AND IDENTITY (Palm Sunday 2012) Text: Mark 11:1 – 11 Mark 11:1-11  And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,  (2)  And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11

Denomination: United Methodist

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

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

Exceeding Expectations Series

Contributed by D. Dewaine Phillips on Jun 16, 2023

Jesus said that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. This means that He wants us to exceed the spiritual expectations prescribed by the Law; as we are to strive for excellence in our walk with God.

I have entitled our message, “Exceeding Expectations,” and I want to begin by sharing a true story. A contractor in Mexico was hired to build a Catholic Church, but he used cheap materials in order to make more money. He reasoned that the quality of the materials did not matter, so long as the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-22

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