Sermons on Hard Hearts:

Stubbornness Is As Iniquity And Idolatry

Contributed by Steve Klein on May 18, 2015

While no serious Christian would overtly condone idolatry, we do something just as bad by allowing stubbornness to rule our hearts or the hearts of others.

Intro: Would you condone idolatry? Have you ever known anyone to casually admit to idolatry? What if you were talking to a friend who is a Christian one day about character flaws and he said something like, “Well, I know I’ve got a problem with idolatry” or “I’ve ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:1-26

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Fear Brings Callousness

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 16, 2019

We have been studying fear. This lesson exposes a great danger of callousness. Doubt will always bring a hard heart or it will cause us to lose heart. Fear crushes dreams. We gradually build layer upon layer until we hinder our potential.

FEAR BRINGS CALLOUSNESS By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com TEXT: Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:23-24, Proverbs 4:23, Hebrews 3:12, Luke 6:45

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Hard Work Of Trust

Contributed by Reuben Bredenhof on Mar 16, 2021

God teaches us to trust in him and in his Son our Saviour. God tells us that anxious care and bitter sighing won’t help. Discontentment will get us nowhere, but only humble trust and steadfast faith.

Have you ever felt like complaining against the LORD? Maybe you’ve prayed and prayed, but the answer that you wanted hasn’t come. Or you don’t like what God has brought into your life: lots of disappointment, lots of frustration. Or maybe you look at all the wickedness in the world, and you fear ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:26-39, Habakkuk 2:2-4

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hearts Of Stone Series

Contributed by Gordon Pike on Mar 13, 2022

There are several places in the Bible where God has promised to give us new hearts … hearts for Him alone … but in order for Him to give us new hearts, hearts of flesh, hearts for Him alone, He has to break our hearts of stone.

[Note: The theme for this Lenten series is "stone." I have stones at the church and each week the people are asked to pick up a stone and hold it during the service and then place it at the foot of a wooden cross placed at the front of the sanctuary. Each stone has a meaning. On the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-20, Exodus 15:26, Exodus 16:4, Exodus 16:12, Exodus 19:8-11, Exodus 24:5-7, Matthew 15:18-19, Jeremiah 17:9, Psalm 81:11-16, Jeremiah 31:31-34  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: United Methodist

It's Time To Face Hard Reality, Not Fantasy PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 25, 2023

God desires genuine worship from our hearts, not just rituals, and we must align ourselves with His divine will and justice.

Good morning, beloved family. Today, we're going to dive deep into a passage from the book of Amos that's as challenging as it is enlightening. We're going to take a good, hard look at the hard reality of God's justice, the fantasy of false worship, and the mighty hand of God. Now, before we read ...read more

Scripture: Amos 5:18-27

Topics: Justice, Supreme

Sermon # 20 - A Repentant Heart Series

Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Oct 25, 2024

Jonah was brought to the depths and after being battered in the belly of a big fish, Jonah repented and turned back to God. Rebellion is detrimental to us and only those who repent and get back to God can fulfill His purposes for their lives.

For this study and meditation we will read, Jonah 1:17, “When Jonah fell into the sea, the LORD chose a very big fish to swallow Jonah. He was in the stomach of the fish for three days and three nights.” (ERV) When Jonah disobeyed God, and voyaged in the opposite direction to the place God bid him ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:17, Jonah 2:1, Psalm 119:144, Judges 16:21, Judges 16:27, Luke 15:15-17, Luke 15:13, Proverbs 20:20-21, Judges 16:28  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

It's Hard To Be Humble

Contributed by Eric Ledermann on Jul 23, 2002

Know the gifts which God has given you, these being three (purpose, prayer, and love) from a list of thousands, and go, do the work of God in your life, whatever God is calling you to do, always remaining humble in the presence of such extravagence.

HUMILITY: A pastor was asked to speak for a certain charitable organization. After the meeting the program chairperson handed the pastor a check. “Oh, I couldn’t take this,” the pastor said with some embarrassment. “I appreciate the honor of being asked to speak. You have better use for this ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:1-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

"Hard To Learn Lessons"

Contributed by Dennis Deese on Aug 10, 2002

There are many hard to learn lessons in the Christian life.

"HARD TO LEARN LESSONS" Dr. Dennis Deese - Fan The Flame Ministries, Inc. EZEKIEL 24:15-27 ETS: Ezekiel and the Jews had to learn some hard to learn lessons ESS: There are many hard to learn lessons in the Christian life. Introduction: The August 1992 Hurricane Andrew left more than 50,000 ...read more

Fasting The Hard Way

Contributed by Cameron Horsburgh on Nov 5, 2001

God isn’t as impressed with our pious religiosity as he is about the way we live our lives.

Now the Israelites had a problem. They practiced their religion faithfully, and they did everything that was expected, but God didn’t seem to be listening to them. What was the problem? This is a good question. And it’s an important question to ask ourselves as well. God, through his prophet, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9, Isaiah 58:9-14

Denomination: Holiness

The Rock Is The Hard Place

Contributed by Brett Thomasson on Feb 13, 2007

Our decision to share our faith can be built on shifting sands, or solid rock.

I’ve met folks who think that if Jesus walked among us today like he did back in Galilee, we’d be so much better off in our Christianity. How could we ignore him, they ask, if he was right here in front of us? Judging from the people who were right in front of him a couple thousand years ago, it ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:39-49

Denomination: Methodist

The University Of Hard Knocks

Contributed by Ed Wood on May 26, 2007

Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel and other great teachers of that day. But he learned far more from the UNIVERSITY OF HARD KNOCKS, for there he sat under God’s great teaching.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HARD KNOCKS 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 INTRO: There are many great universities in our land. Everyone knows about Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. In England there is Oxford University. But I want to tell you about another school. It has had more students and more graduates than any ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Denomination: Baptist

Hard-Knock Life

Contributed by Todd Leupold on Jun 4, 2007

Surviving and thriving amidst the difficulties and injustices of life.

THRIVING AMIDST THE HARD-KNOCK LIFE Sunday AM Service, January 6, 2008 Rev. Todd G. Leupold Perth Bible Church INTRODUCTION Life can be so very hard can’t it? It can be wonderful and it can be outright unfair. Around my 10th or 11th B-day, I received one of my most memorable Birthday ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Consistency Is Hard Work

Contributed by Matthew Morine on Oct 30, 2007

Want to make the congregation grow? Here is the solution to the problem. It is not talent, effort, or programs, it is a lack of consistency.

CONSISTENCY IS HARD WORK TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 THEME: CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY FOR GROWTH Every morning I try to get up at 6:00am to go to the gym to work out. I have been doing this in Waynesboro for the last 3.5 years. The key in working out is consistency. You have to get up every day ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:58

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Rock And A Hard Place

Contributed by J. Curtis Goforth, O.s.l. on Sep 30, 2006

This sermon is for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost and addresses the need we all have to cut off from our lives the things which keep us from a deeper relationship with Christ.

“A Rock and a Hard Place” Sermon on Mark 9:38-50 Pentecost +17-B October 1, 2006 Rev. J. Curtis Goforth, O.S.L. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:38-50

Denomination: United Methodist

Adam- Falling Hard Series

Contributed by Craig Cramblet on Aug 21, 2006

From perfection to corruption, the temptation and fall of mankind changes everything.

Adam: Falling Hard Genesis 3 “I hate sin when I see what it does to human beings. I hate sin most when I see what it did to Christ! It turned His fair face into a bruised and bloody thing. When sin did that to the Son of God...how can you ever play with it again?” -Ian MacPherson Sad but ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational