Sermons on Hard Soil:

Receiving The Infilling Of The Holy Spirit Series

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 1, 2011

The reason why many in the body of Christ are complacent and don’t pursue to seek to receive the Holy Spirit knowing that He is going to shake them up and even rattle them so hard ... they miss out on the unbelievable empowerment and joy of the Lord.

Opening illustration: The story is told of an elderly woman named Norena, who lived in southern Florida. When a hurricane hit that area, her home was one of many that was severely damaged. Norena received an insurance settlement, and the repair work began. However, when the money ran out, so did ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:14-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Guardrails Part 5 Guard Your Heart

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on Mar 26, 2018

This is part 5 in our series Guardrail adopted from Andy Stanley's series. The message is written from a Palm Sunday viewpoint and deals with why the Pharisees had hard hearts toward Jesus. We all need to protect our hearts.

Guardrails Part 5 Guard Your Heart Proverbs 4:23-27 Luke 19:28-40 How many of you have ever had a crush on somebody and thought they were the greatest, but when you finally got to know the person, you didn’t think they were all that after all. As a matter of fact, you were surprised that ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:23-27, Luke 19:28-40

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Agony In Gethsemane Series

Contributed by Christopher Benfield on Oct 31, 2018

It is hard for us to comprehend the dual nature of Christ - being fully God and fully man. As He endured the agonies of Gethsemane, His humanity cried out regarding the physical suffering, while His deity cried out regarding the sin and separation.

Agony in Gethsemane Mark 14: 32-42 As we continue to follow Jesus on this faithful night, His impending betrayal and crucifixion are drawing closer with each passing moment. Supper had ended, and along with the eleven, Jesus made His way from Jerusalem toward the Garden of Gethsemane. As they ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:32-42

Denomination: Baptist

Seven Steps To Forgiving Someone Who Really Hurt You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Feb 10, 2018

Forgiving someone who hurt you is hard work. It is easier to stay wounded and go around talking bad about them. It is easier to let bitterness put down roots and let our hearts get hardened, but Jesus said to forgive...

A preacher tells the story of inviting a guest lecturer to speak to a counseling class he was teaching and asked him to specifically discuss the topic forgiveness. He told a powerful story from his own life that day to illustrate his point that we should forgive. His brother had many struggles, ...read more

Denomination: Charismatic

Superlatives Of The Easter Story

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 20, 2014

It's hard not to use superlatives when discussing the Easter story. In this story we see...1) the darkest hour in all scripture; 2) the biggest discovery in all scripture; and 3) the loveliest word in all scripture (for one of it's characters).

Superlatives of the Easter Story Chuck Sligh April 20, 2014 (A PowerPoint presentation is available for this sermon upon request at chucksligh@hotmail.com). TEXT: Please turn in your Bibles to John 20. INTRODUCTION Illus. – A little boy had a tendency to exaggerate things in order to get ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Marijuana Use: Willingly Walking Into Bondage

Contributed by Terry Frazier on Feb 1, 2014

What's really behind the movement in America to legalize marijuana? Why do we want to sanction people being put into bondage to a substance and in a broader sense sin? This is very troubling as Christians seem to be having a hard time standing against sin

A couple of weeks ago I preached a message on the Christian views on legalizing marijuana in America. If you’ll recall, I wasn’t very supportive of the idea. The notion that we can legalize sin and somehow make state sanctioning of sin a good thing despite the fact that legalizing ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:9-11

Denomination: Baptist

Trans-Generational Value

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jun 26, 2014

Though necessary, I often find it hard to preach sermons to the women of our church in relation to their role as wives and mothers. Paul had a better idea. Much of such preaching could be done without the pastor. The aged women were to teach the younger!

Trans-Generational Values Mother’s Day Sermon 2014 May 11, 2014 Titus 2:3-5 Titus 2:3-5 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:3-5

Denomination: Baptist

The Christmas Blues, As Witnessed By Joseph

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Jan 3, 2014

When Christmas is all over and done with, life will return to normal; what ever normal is these days but if you think that is hard for us, look at Mary and Joseph, after the Nativity, the part we choose to ignore with Roman soldiers and dead babies.

Title: The Christmas Blues, as witnessed by Joseph Keywords: Joseph, Holy Innocents, “Christmas 1 Year A RCL” Word Count: 2723 This sermon was delivered to St John's in Girvan and St Oswald’s in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 29th December 2013: (both are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:13-18

Denomination: Episcopal

No Whiners

Contributed by Robert Butler on Oct 3, 2019

Hard times come to Christians because our reactions in bad times, may be inspire others to turn to the Lord and seek forgiveness. Just as Jesus was a witness to the world through his suffering, we can be a witness and draw closer to him in ours.

There is a popular TV show called “Survivor.” It’s been on TV now for over 20 seasons. It’s syndicated all over the world. The show thrives on showing how individuals adapt to group dynamics and societal rules changes through horrendous conditions in the hope of receiving the big prize at the end. ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 12:1-16, Romans 11:23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness In Sorrow Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 11, 2021

Blessed are those who mourn is just too clear, and Luke makes it even more clear when he writes, "Blessed are you who weep now for you shall laugh." This is so clear and obvious that it is hard to understand.

The soloist asked the visiting preacher what his subject was. She wanted to follow up with an appropriate message in song. When he hesitated she told him to never mind, she would listen and select something appropriate. When he concluded his sermon she sang, "Sometime, Somewhere, We'll ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:4

What Kind Of Spirit Do You Have

Contributed by Melvin Maughmer, Jr. on Feb 2, 2021

One of the greatest hindrances you will encounter in your Christian walk is that of the religious spirit. Religious spirits endeavor to interfere with the free flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. They can be hard to discern simply because they are religious; they are pious, even hyper-spiritual.

What Kind of Spirit Do you Have? By Bishop Melvin Maughmer OPENING: - One of the greatest hindrances you will encounter in your Christian walk is that of the religious spirit. Religious spirits endeavor to interfere with the free flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives. They can be hard to discern ...read more

Denomination: Apostolic

God Is Our Help In Sorrow

Contributed by Thomas Andrufski on Feb 3, 2021

We all go through difficult times in this world. Quite often it is hard to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. But trust me, or should I say trust the Lord. He will be there with you all the way through the journey of your trial.

Isaiah 35:10 (KJV) And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. We all go through difficult times in this world. Quite often it is hard to see the proverbial ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:10, John 16:20, Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 51:11, John 14:27, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, Revelation 21:4  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Church Of God

Labouring In The Lord

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Sep 5, 2020

Be steadfast and allow God and His work to be the number one priority in your life. There will be times when we may feel discouraged after working hard for God, but the Lord says, “labor is not in vain.” All your work is written in the eyes of the Lord.

Laboring in the Lord “Therefore, my brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” - I Corinthians 15:58 Sometimes in life, we have a hard time getting others to understand our message! A group of clergies were ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Are The Living Word

Contributed by David Cramer on Nov 26, 2022

A message about the calling we may have not answered on our lives. Sharing the Word as we have been called to do by the One who loves us and wants us to show His love in the hard times we live in.

You are the living word Good Morning Stand with me and lift your bible and repeat after me. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I can do what it says I can do. I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be. Today I will learn more of the word of God. The ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:4

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Money Talks Series

Contributed by David Owens on Sep 13, 2021

In James 5, James comes down very hard on the rich and the sins that often accompany materialism. What we do with our money declares what we value and love. So, what is your use of money saying about you?

Introduction: A. One evening a husband was balancing the checkbook and said to his wife, “You know the old saying, ‘money talks’? Well, ours just said, ’So long!’” 1. I know that we all feel that way sometimes, don’t we? 2. The world we live in runs on money, and it seems that we never have enough ...read more

Scripture: James 5:1-6, Luke 6:24-25, Luke 18:24, Matthew 6:19-20, 1 Timothy 6:9-10  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ