Sermons on Hard Challenges:

This Is A Hard Saying

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Aug 20, 2009

The Word of God can be understood when we let the Holy Spirit speak to us through faith.

Text: “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’” (John 6:60). Has anyone ever told you something that was really hard to believe? When we were very young, we usually believed whatever people told us because we didn’t think they ...read more

Scripture: John 6:56-69

Denomination: Christian Church

A Hard Teaching

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Aug 21, 2009

The words of Jesus are not always easy to understand; but, to live successfully in this world as God’s child we must listen and follow.

John 6: 60 – 69 / A Hard Teaching Intro: A young man from the city was visiting a dude ranch and wanted to appear as if he was used to the surroundings. So he went out walking with one of the hired hands. Walking through the barnyard, the visitor tried starting a conversation: “Say, look at ...read more

Scripture: John 6:60-69

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hard Hearts Series

Contributed by Aneel Aranha on Feb 15, 2021

A hard heart prevents us from understanding spiritual truths. What causes it, and what’s the antidote? [Watch video: https://youtu.be/xfdCdhRhS3I]

Scripture Reading: Mark 8:14-21 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:14-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Hard Heart

Contributed by Julia Cramer on Nov 21, 2021

The story of deliverance from Pharaoh's point of view. The Egyptian perspective opens our eyes to a deeper meaning as to why Ramses II had a hard heart and God had a purpose for every plague.

(Brief Introduction is given by Moses dressed up): We’ve all heard the story of how God delivered His people through my hand, Moses. He used me and my brother Aaron to bring ten plagues upon Egypt. But what would the story sound like from Pharaoh’s point of view? This morning, Pharaoh is here to ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

The Hard Way Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Feb 27, 2020

Choose love and so choose life!

The Hard Way (Matthew 7:12-14) Lee Strobel asks us to imagine a daughter and her boyfriend going out for a Coke on a school night. The father says to her, “You must be home before eleven.” It gets to be 10:45 p.m. and the two of them are still having a great time. They don't want the evening ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12-13

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Work Hard

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Jun 9, 2019

This is the 22nd sermon in the "Accounting" series from the Book of Ephesians.

Series: Accounting [#22] WORK HARD Ephesians 6:5-9 Introduction: Over the last several weeks, we have looked at several types of relationships. We have looked at the wife, the husband, the parents, and the children. Today, we are going to look at the employee and employer relationship. As I ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9

Denomination: Baptist

Hard Of Hearing

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 9, 2023

How much of what God wants us to hear have we actually heard? And does it matter how much we hear if we don’t do what we’re told?

Have any of you visited the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City? That’s what I kept thinking of as I meditated on this parable. Because just as I was leaving Presbytery last Tuesday evening, I ran into Bob Higgs, who is Executive Director of the Atlantic City Mission Council. He was carrying several ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Hard Question

Contributed by Grant Adams on Feb 19, 2024

Have you ever asked a hard question? Have you ever been asked a hard question? Hard questions have to be answered sometimes. The question I ask today must be answered.

I have often said, “Questions are healthy.” Usually when we ask a question it is out of concern. We desire to know. We desire to be informed. We desire to learn. At times, we question in the midst of confusion. In the midst of trials and misunderstandings we cry out to God for answers, for help. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:3, Mark 8:36, Romans 5:12, Acts 4:12

Denomination: Baptist

A Hard Calling

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 12, 2018

It is hard preaching to hard heads and hard hearts.

A HARD CALLING. Ezekiel 2:1-5. In times gone by, and in certain places and professions still, it was taken for granted that children would follow in the trade of their fathers. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, would have known from an early age that they were going to be fishermen. ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 2:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hard Hearts!

Contributed by Bala Samson on Nov 2, 2014

The disciples were confused by the somber assessment of the number of loaves in their hands; I encourage you today to look at His Hands rather than your own! Listen carefully to what I have to say today!

Dalmanutha! Mark 8:10”And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.” Now watch, Jesus had already performed a breath-taking miracle where He multiplied 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes that fed an enormous crowd of more than five ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:1-10

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Hard Saying

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 20, 2025

Jesus’ hardest saying reveals revival’s secret: life begins when we feed daily on His presence instead of our pride.

The Shocking Sentence Every follower of Jesus eventually stumbles over a sentence He spoke. Some verses cradle you. Some feed you. And then there’s the one that stops you cold: > “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” It’s not embroidered ...read more

Scripture: John 6:53-69, John 21:9-13, John 19:34, Psalm 34:8, Galatians 2:20  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Hard Times PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Jan 6, 2024

This sermon explores how trials shape us, teaching us to persevere, find promises in problems, and progress through pain, deepening our dependence on Christ.

Good morning, dear friends. I am so glad to see each one of you here today. We are gathered together in the presence of our Lord, standing on the common ground of grace. We are a family, bound not by blood, but by the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. You know, life has a way of throwing curve ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Topics: Hard Times

The Challenge Of The Cults

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Mar 10, 2002

We are called to earnestly stand against false doctrines.

THE CHALLENGE OF THE CULTS The world of apologetics and the confrontation with the false teachers of our times is not a popular theme in the church today. It was just as unpopular in the early days of the church. The twisting around of God’s Word by man has been going on about as long as man ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:3

Denomination: Baptist

The Prayer Challenge Series

Contributed by Carl Willis on Jun 27, 2003

A challenge to 30 days of prayer based upon the Prayer of Jabez.

Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Religious Challenge

Contributed by John Knight on Apr 14, 2003

Overcoming religiosity and legalism. (a piecing together of three sermons from sermoncentral)

The Religious Challenge Mark 7:1-13 Introduction: Christmas phonies My experience with religious phonies Christian legalists made them that way I. Pharisees As Imitations Respected religious leaders Keepers (guardians) of the Law Became a members only club Jesus defines them by 7 ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-13, Mark 7:8-13

Denomination: Holiness