Sermons on Faith And Failure:

Learning To Fail Forward

Contributed by Dennis Lee on Nov 9, 2016

This sermon deals with how we can move forward despite our failures and failings.

Learning To Fail Forward Last week in our Sunday Night movie, “Facing the Giants,” the main character felt like a complete failure. Some of the parents were talking about firing him as head coach, and even one of his assistant coaches was a part of it. And to make matters worse he had ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12

Denomination: Foursquare

Faithfulness Vs. Fruitfulness

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 9, 2015

Examinations for times of unfruitfulness (Material adapted from MATT PERMAN at: http://whatsbestnext.com/2011/08/does-god-require-faithfulness-or-fruitfulness/; and Jimmy Larche at: http://www.jimmylarche.com/fruitfulness-abiding-in-christ/)

HoHum: Struggling church- “God has not called us to be successful. He has just called us to be faithful.” This one is in the same vein: “God wants faithfulness, not fruitfulness.” WBTU: These statements are half true. There is a Yiddish proverb that says: “A ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Peter Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 7, 2016

Lessons from the life of Peter

Peter Acts 2:1-14a Prior to our Scripture today, the resurrected Jesus told the disciples to wait and pray in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. So they gathered in The Upper Room, behind locked doors still in fear of their lives and on the 50th day, a sound like a hurricane, a tornado ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-14

Denomination: Methodist

Remaining Confident When We Fail

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Mar 22, 2022

We all fail at times. When that happens, how do we pull ourselves out of the dugout and get our heads back into the game of life?

There was an important business executive who boarded the New Orleans to Washington train. He had a very important business meeting and he needed to be awakened in order to get off the train in Atlanta about five o'clock in the morning. Since he was a heavy sleeper, he found a porter and told ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-5, Genesis 17:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Sermon On A Bridge Too Far

Contributed by William Meakin on Nov 2, 2025

"A bridge too far" is an idiom for an ambitious plan that is considered too demanding to succeed.

George Herbert, a British poet and orator once remarked: “He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven.” Luke 14:28-30 reminds us: “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:2, James 4:13-15, Ecclesiastes 5:2-3, Mark 11:25

Who Disqualifies You

Contributed by Pablo Catala on Jun 2, 2019

You are worth it

Being much concerned about the rise of denominations in the church, John Wesley tells of a dream he had. In the dream, he was ushered to the gates of Hell. There he asked, "Are there any Presbyterians here?" "Yes!", came the answer. Then he asked, "Are there any Baptists? ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:15-26

Denomination: Pentecostal

God Wants To Trade Your Desert For His Oaisis

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Apr 25, 2017

Trade junk for real treasure

God Wants to Trade Your Desert for His Oasis (Isa.41: 8-20) Text-Isa.41: 8 "But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are my servant'; I ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:8-20

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Forgiver That Would Not Forgive

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Oct 18, 2022

What if God did to us what this man did to another? This passage of Scripture responds to Peter's inquiry concerning how often he ought to pardon a brother (or sister) who sins against him

What if God did to us what this man did to another? This passage of Scripture responds to Peter's inquiry concerning how often he ought to pardon a brother (or sister) who sins against him. Jesus explains with an illustration concerning the servant and a king. The king excuses the man's ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Bunch Of Losers! Series

Contributed by Ken Henson on Sep 23, 2017

We know almost nothing about Tychicus or Mark or Onesimus, except Mark and Onesimus failed horribly. Yet they figure prominently in Paul's final comments to the Colossian church. Losing isn't the end of their story, or yours.

fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.10 My ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:7-10

Denomination: *other

When We Fail Jesus Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on May 27, 2022

A look at Peter's betrayal and what we can learn from it concerning the times we fail Jesus.

OVERCONFIDENT FAITH: Peter fails Jesus three times. - John 18:15-18, 25-27. - Sometimes we have false confidence. - We think too highly of ourselves or too lightly of sin or Satan. - What was at the heart of Peter’s denials? a. Fear of death? b. There was a convenient way out (just lie)? c. ...read more

Scripture: John 18:15-27

Denomination: Baptist

How To Find The Bottom

Contributed by Dr. Zachary Sizemore on May 5, 2020

This sermon explores the life, calling, and failures of Simon Peter. The Lord doesn't throw the clay away, he just remolds it.

HOW TO FIND THE BOTTOM Matthew 26:69-75 Intro: It seems there was this wild duck, who with his mates was flying in the springtime northward across Europe. During the flight he came down in a Danish barnyard where there were tame ducks. He enjoyed some of their corn. He stayed for an hour, then for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:69-75

Denomination: Bible Church

Cast Your Nets

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Apr 30, 2019

Is anything holding us back? Let’s discuss putting the mistakes of the past behind us and moving forward. Let’s discuss how Jesus helped his disciples move forward after their failures in John 21:1-19.

Is anything holding us back? Let’s discuss putting the mistakes of the past behind us and moving forward. Let’s discuss how Jesus helped his disciples move forward after their failures in John 21:1-19.[1] John 21:1-5 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

Sermon On Perseverance

Contributed by William Meakin on Aug 18, 2023

Perseverance is defined as doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Denis Waitley, an American motivational speaker once remarked: “Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” Proverbs 24:16 ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:36, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 4:13, Isaiah 41:10

Learning From Peter

Contributed by Jon Mackinney on Aug 29, 2011

the failure of Peter at the trial of Jesus was predictable. Let's look at the decisions and non-decisions that brought about this event in his life. We can learn a lot.

Passage: Matthew 26:69-75 Intro: The more time we spend looking at this powerful event, the more contrast we see between spirit and flesh, God’s character and Satan’s. 1. we will look this morning at one of the really sad stories in the Passion week. 2. why is it here? Because it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:69-75

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Sep 11, 2011

This question haunts many of us, especially as Christians. We think that things should go well if we are blessed of the Lord. When bad things happen, even seemingly disconnected things like losing a job or getting into an accident, we wonder why? Paul won

Finally here in the latter half of Chapter 11, Paul defends himself to the super-apostles by listing his accomplishments. He does it very reluctantly as he should. Taking credit for what you’ve done was normative for the false teachers in Corinth but is “this age” thinking. God is ...read more

Denomination: Calvary Chapel