Sermons on Hard Place:

Three Feet Away.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Dec 5, 2020

When things start to get hard, try to persevere through the adversity.

Second Sunday of Advent. Sermon Title: Three feet away. Scripture Text: Mark 1:1-8 ILLUSTRATION: During the gold rush, a man from Ohio traveled to California. It had taken him months to get there. He had to get a claim and register it and buy tools before he could start mining. The Ohioan ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Looking For The Honey Or "Sweetness In Bitter Times”

Contributed by Luther Sexton on Feb 26, 2019

You and I know that honey is perhaps the sweetest thing that nature can produce; and a rock is one of the hardest things in nature. So, here we have sweetness coming out of hardness. This is one of God’s promises, and you should claim it for yourself.

LOOKING FOR THE HONEY “Sweetness in Bitter Times” Psalm 81:16 “He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.” Most travelers who have visited Palestine in summer have had their attention directed to the abundance of honey, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 81:16, Psalm 34:8, Matthew 6:11

Denomination: Pentecostal

Bitter Bones And Angry Eyebrows

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 5, 2003

A hard look at bitterness and how to get rid of it God’s way.

BITTER BONES AND ANGRY EYEBROWS EPHESIANS 4:30-32 INTRODUCTION… E. Stanley Jones, Reader’s Digest, December 1981 A rattlesnake, if cornered, will sometimes become so angry it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is—a biting of oneself. We think ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:30-32

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"come Be Crucified! We've Got A Cross For Your Back Too!"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Oct 11, 2023

Following Christ isn't glamorous. It is hard, but it is worth it.

“Come! Be Crucified! We’ve Got a Cross for Your Back Too” Mark 10:35-45 Have you ever seen a church sign that read, “Come! Be Crucified! We’ve got a Cross for Your Back Too!” And yet Jesus was this up-front. You can’t accuse Jesus of false advertising. When James and John come up to Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

Denomination: United Methodist

The Holy Trinity - Father, Son, And Holy Spirit

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on Jun 14, 2019

No matter how hard we try, understanding the concept of the Trinity is uncomprehendible

I speak to you in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen One of the first sermons I delivered here at Saint John’s, without realizing when I agreed to preach, was Trinity Sunday in 2011. I have to tell you, of all the Sundays in the year, this is the one that makes ...read more

Scripture: John 16:12-15, John 4:34

Denomination: Episcopal

The Vineyard Series

Contributed by Timothy Riggs on Sep 12, 2006

God has strategically placed you in a place of service.

A DAY IN THE WORKPLACE THE VINEYARD Matthew 21:33-46 INTRODUCTION Parable Identification 1. Landowner God 2. Wicked tenants Israel’s Leaders 3. Servants Prophets 4. Landowner’s Son Jesus Jesus makes it clear in verse 42 that the builders rejected the stone that was to be the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

Denomination: Holiness

Slim Pickens Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 16, 2009

Real Christian disciples and real love are hard to find even in the church.

“Slim Pickens” Philippians 2:19-30 I had a best friend from Junior high through high school. We did everything together except play hockey. We shared everything with each other, I don’t think I had a great experience as a teenager that he didn’t have with me. Have you ever had a friend like that? ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:19-30

Pardon Me Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 18, 2011

Forgiveness is hard, but God shows us how and makes us able.

Do any of you remember the movie Love Story? From at least 30 years ago, starring Ryan O’Neill and Ali McGraw? It was a real tear-jerker. Spoiled rich young man at Harvard meets gifted beauty from the wrong side of the tracks... she dies, eventually, of some unspecified wasting disease that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Our Eternal Home Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Oct 6, 2014

What knowledge do you possess concerning life after death? What are you certain of? The Spirit-filled Christian longs to be clothed in a body fit for all eternity.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-5 [GAINING PERSPECTIVE Series] OUR ETERNAL HOME [John 14:1-6 / 1 Corinthians 15:34-54] What knowledge do you possess concerning [life and] life after death? What are you certain of? Man can be described as dwelling in a body during this time, but how does he live in the next ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Impatience With God Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 4, 2008

At times it is hard not to get impatient with God. It’s hard to wait for Him to move. But such impatience can cause us to act rashly and our rashness can cost us dearly.

OPEN: Caitlin was a 4 year old and an only child. She really wanted to have a baby sister and kept pestering her mother asking when she could have one. One morning Caitlin told her mother, "Maybe if we both prayed out loud, God would hear us." So they prayed together. As soon as they finished, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 7:18-34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Don’t Be Luke Warm

Contributed by John Ong on Aug 19, 2015

How hard is it to make a decision? How hard is it to accept challenges for the sake of pleasing our Lord God? Are there challenges you can’t simply put your 100% into?

How hard is it to make a decision? How hard is it to accept challenges for the sake of pleasing our Lord God? Are there challenges you can’t simply put your 100% into? The Bible speaks about lukewarm Christians in Revelations 3: 15-19 which say; ‘I know your deeds, that you are ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:15-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Foolishness Of Preaching

Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Jun 25, 2018

Some things are hard to hear within the volume of God’s word. Some things are hard to understand and comprehend. Something may even sound foolish to folks but I assure that is not the case.

The Foolishness of Preaching 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 Message: The idea of preaching as a method to reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is viewed by many in our day and time as foolishness. Strangely this was the very same attitude of the people who heard St. Paul ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

If We Only Knew... Series

Contributed by Patrick Nix on Jan 5, 2012

Hard to believe a little cardboard and packing tape could accomplish so much, isn't it? Actually, it's the packing peanuts. Styrofoam is like kryptonite! You take God off His throne, out of His rightful place, and neatly pack Him into a box.

This is the 1st in a series: God Unboxed Hard to believe a little cardboard and packing tape could accomplish so much, isn't it? Actually, it's the packing peanuts. Styrofoam is like kryptonite! You take God off His throne, out of His rightful place, and neatly pack Him into a box. Of course, ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-25

Denomination: Baptist

Without God's Fire, It's Only A Bush

Contributed by Ernie Arnold on Jun 24, 2015

Using Exodus three we see that his blackberry bush - 1. Becomes God's Dwelling Place. 2. Becomes God's mouthpiece 3. Becomes God's place of purity and transformation and 4. Becomes God's Everlasting Witness

Without the Fire it is just a bush Scripture: Exodus 3:1-12 Title Without God's Fire, It's only a Bush INTRO: Good morning and welcome in the name of Jesus, Our Savior and LORD. This morning, I would like for us to ponder on a very simple, yet very powerful thought that has to do with ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-12

Denomination: Nazarene

The Three Communities

Contributed by Stephen Funderburk on Jul 22, 2007

Egypt-the place of slavery, Desert-place of indecision, Promise land--place of abundance the decision is up to you

Intro: in this church we have people who live in different communities. As a matter of fact, some of you in this room today are rivals of each other in high school sports. This fall you might even sit on opposite sides of a field screaming for your team to beat the tar out of the other team. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:23-25

Denomination: Assembly Of God