Sermons on Hard Soil:

Propagating A Family Like An Olive Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 26, 2014

Raising a family is like building an olive orchard, and it is hard work.

Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday after Christmas) Thirteen Days of Christmas Since the family is the basic unit of society, the Church, and her Scripture, has much to say about it. Our psalm today uses agricultural metaphors for the family: the husband will eat the fruit of his hands, the wife ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 128:1-5

Denomination: Catholic

Speaking With Boldness Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Nov 26, 2019

Be bold and don’t fold when hard times come.

Speaking with Boldness Acts 4:23-31 Rev. Brian Bill November 20, 2019 Last weekend we were encouraged to imitate the example of Peter and John in order to weather the waves of persecution that are headed our way. This was our main idea: We must keep speaking even when we’re told not to. We were ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:23-31

Denomination: Baptist

Blessings In The Desert Series

Contributed by John Gullick on Feb 8, 2018

A sermon that attempts to encourage folk that even in hard times there is blessing.

Blessing in the desert. If you were travelling from Egypt to Palestine and you wanted to get there guided by google maps you wouldn’t go through the wilderness of Sinai. Sinai is 200 miles out of the way and when you are travelling with a whole nation it would seem strange doing such a major ...read more

Scripture: John 6:3-14, Psalm 78:5-15

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Keep It Simple, Saint

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 12, 2020

Do not make hard what God made simple and sincere!

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. While the Greek word haplotes can be translated a few ways, I think it is perfect to be simplicity in this verse. Christ came ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:3

Denomination: Baptist

Thank You, In Spite Of Sufferings Series

Contributed by Gabriel Luigi Bautista on Nov 14, 2020

THE LIFE OF A PASTOR IN THE FAMILY THAT'S VERY HARD

FACTUAL DATA: SINULAT ITO NI PABLO KUNG SAAN SIYA AY NASA PANGIT NA SITWASYON. SIYA AY NASA ISANG SITWASYON NA KUNG SAAN PANGHIHINAAN KA TALAGA NG PANANAMPALATAYA AT PAGDUDUDAHAN MO ANG DIYOS DAHIL SA KANYANG PAGSUNOD SA DIYOS. SIYA AY IPINAKULONG NG MGA JUDIO SA HINDI MAKATARUNGANG DAHILAN. SI ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:3-14

Finding Hope In Our Uncertainties Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Dec 5, 2020

Hold on to hope when it's hard to cope.

Note: The idea for this series and the title for the sermon came from Outreach.com. How has 2020 been going for you? It’s been quite a year: a global pandemic, economic recession, unemployment, political division, cultural upheaval, racial tension, record wildfires, floods and Derecho. On top of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:22-38

Denomination: Baptist

Fear And Worry

Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Mar 25, 2022

This morning lets take a hard look at what scares us.

Fear and Worry Good morning everyone, welcome to online service- Let’s pray- Prayer- Father, thank you for Jesus- Thank you Father for your willingness to meet us where we are at and take us where we need to be. Thank you for your Holy Spirit that desires to guide and lead through life’s trials ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:5-8

Denomination: Nazarene

Grumble Or Grow Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 24, 2024

When life gets hard, don’t grumble; grow!

Several years ago (2009), Louis C.K. was on Conan O’Brien’s late-night talk show, where he described today’s entitlement culture. He said in our culture, “Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy.” Take a look (show Louis CK video). Louis talks about how he was on a plane that offered ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27, Exodus 16:1-30, Exodus 17:1-7, Romans 8:28-29, James 1:2-4  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical Free

A Pure Eye

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Sep 16, 2025

It is hard to see the good in the world when the bad gets the attention.

A Pure Eye Luke 11:33 - 36 Rabbi Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz 33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. 34 “Your eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:33-36

Denomination: United Methodist

Are You Ready To Listen? Series

Contributed by John Hamby on Jun 9, 2002

In each case the seed is the same, but the soil into which the seed falls is what makes the difference. In this story four different responses are given, along with four different causes and having four distinct results.

A Study of the Book of Luke Sermon # 19 Are You Ready To Listen? Luke 8:1-15 After over twenty years in the ministry there is one thing that I am absolutely convinced of and it is that there variety of listeners in every ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Redefining The Family Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Jul 24, 2006

What is God’s Family and how do you join it? Jesus redefines family, contrasts it with our earthly family and tells us how to join and what it’s like in his family.

The idea of family is always morphing in our society. Just in the past fifty years we’ve gone from June Cleaver to Uma Thurman. In the 1950’s the woman wore pearls and waited in high heels for her man to come home so she could greet him with a martini, a paper and dinner on the table. Today in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:1-25

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Pathway Ground Series

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Feb 19, 2003

A look at the Parable of the Sower

I believe that it is the work of the preacher to preach and teach things that will cause us to grow and stretch our belief and faith in God. I hope that in the time that God gives us to work together here in this community that I will be able to do just that. I want to challenge you, teach things ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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