Sermons on Hard Soil:

Something In Between

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Nov 12, 2015

A salute to Veterans. The kind of loyalty and unity and love and oneness that is hard to find. The meaning of Church membership.

“Something In Between” “And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ who fills everything everywhere with his presence.” Ephesians 1:22-23 ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

As I Loved You

Contributed by The Rev Deniray Mueller on May 16, 2022

Jesus gave us one commandment: to love one another, no matter how hard it is for us

John 13:34-35 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. (John 13:34-35) In this scripture, the command to love one another is like a candle in this dark and brutal world, in danger of being blown out by current events. We ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35, Luke 23:24, Hebrews 8:12, Romans 12:19, Romans 12:17  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Episcopal

Waiting For God To Answer Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Sep 1, 2022

Waiting patiently can be hard work, and this is especially true when we are waiting upon the Lord.

Waiting for God to answer My wife and I have just recovered from our second round of Covid-19. After each positive lateral flow test, we had to wait patiently for the day our tests would be negative. I am sure you would agree that waiting patiently can be hard work, and this is especially true ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 40:1-4

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Final Warning (Exodus 11)

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Aug 15, 2024

How hard is it to leave our addiction to sin? Let's look at Exodus 11.

Does Pharaoh picture how stubborn the devil is in letting us go free? How easy is it to enter a self-destructive lifestyle and how hard is it to escape? Like an addiction, does sin look like freedom but in reality brutally enslave us? Let’s look at Exodus 11. How did God have Israel get ready to ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Naughty Question.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on May 1, 2024

'For the hardness of your heart he wrote this precept' (Mark 10:5).

A NAUGHTY QUESTION. Mark 10:2-12. The Pharisees’ question about divorce was worse than mischievous in that it, like many of their questions addressed to Jesus, was asked with the intention of “tempting” Jesus into saying something that would cause offence (MARK 10:2). I assert this on two ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:2-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Do Part 1 - The First Date Series

Contributed by Spencer Homan on Jan 20, 2010

It is SO hard to find "the one" out in the dating world. Likewise... we try so hard to find "the one" thing in this world that will fill us. It's time to meet "the one" who can truly fill us!

John 1:45-49 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 47 When Jesus ...read more

Scripture: John 1:45-49

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Most Important Event In History: The Crucifixion Of Jesus Series

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Nov 13, 2023

We have a hard time seeing it’s significance. We have a hard time understanding why Jesus dying this day matters to us. I get that. I understand that we struggle to see why it matters to us.

Every human being on planet Earth longs for a truly great leader, someone who is upright, incorruptible, someone who speaks the truth boldly, who is authentic, who is kind but firm, deep down we all long for that perfect leader. Sometimes we get glimpses of greatness like this in certain leaders, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:16-17

Denomination: Salvation Army

Who Can Stand? The Church!, Part 2 (Revelation 7:9-17) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on May 21, 2023

A no-rapture, academically rigorous reading of Revelation. Life is hard now. It will be harder later, and Revelation prepares us to accept that, and to be faithful in tough times.

Last week, we worked our way through the first vision of Revelation 7, which describes the sealing of the 144,000, from the 12 tribes of Israel. I argued that this was a vision of the church. Israel, is the church. The church, is Israel. I gave a few arguments in support of this, but I left out ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 7:9-17

Does Your Heart Listen

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on Jul 2, 2001

This sermon is on the parable of the sower and deals with how well we listen to the word of God. My wife and I preached this together.

Does Your Heart Listen? 9:30 3/25/93 Text Matthew 13:1-22 Psalm 1 Hebrews 12:1-12 .ls2 RICK How is it that two people can come hear the same preacher, sit on the same pew, and listen to the same message each week, yet one of them grows by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-22, Matthew 13:1

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Stories Of The Kingdom Series

Contributed by Daniel Richter on Oct 10, 2006

Jesus begins to teach in parables.

The Stories of the Kingdom: The Parable of the Sower Beartown Road Alliance Church Sunday, July 30th, 2006 Intro: My wife and I just celebrated our 10 year anniversary this week. I love my wife and am amazed that she has been hanging around with me for as long as she has. Some of you may have ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Picture This: A Farmer Planting Seeds Series

Contributed by John Braland on Apr 3, 2007

A parable is a story that reveals a deeper meaning and Jesus was a master storyteller. He spoke in parables all the time because people like stories and we remember them. And when he applied spiritual truth to his parables they were easy for people to u

Max Lucado tells the story like this: The faces of the three men were solemn as the mayor informed them of the catastrophe. “The rains have washed away the bridge. During the night many cars drove over the edge and into the river.” “What can we do?” asked one. “You must stand on the side of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Which One.."Are You?"

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Jul 24, 2016

The question is, are we doing everything (having faith in Him and believing) we can to be good soil? You would think the answer to that would be a resounding yes! But the fact of the matter is, for far to many Christians the answer is no...

Which One, are you? Illus. by Wanye Major A church just had a change of ministers and was to be served by their first woman pastor. One of the parishioners was having a hard time accepting it, not because of any prejudice, but because his favorite pastime was fishing, and he had always enjoyed ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Have The Serenity To Accept The Things You Cannot Change

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 9, 2006

Although it may be hard to admit, there are many things that we cannot change. No matter how hard you try some people resist change; some organizations refuse to admit problems and some leaders refuse to listen to advice. Instead, of consistently beating

How To Have the Serenity To Accept the Things You Cannot Change (Phil. 4:6-9) Although it may be hard to admit, there are many things that we cannot change. No matter how hard you try some people resist change; some organizations refuse to admit problems and some leaders refuse to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-9, Philippians 4:6-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Heart Of A Servant Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 2, 2006

We as humans struggle with serving anyone but ourselves. Even as Christians we have a hard time having a true servant’s heart. Jesus shares some hard words, but they are also comforting and freeing when we realize the joys of being a servant.

Let’s face it. We don’t really like being servants. We don’t like to serve others and we don’t like to be under another’s authority. For us in the U.S. much of that stems from the 1960’s when everyone was told to question authority. We were told that anyone over 30 was the enemy. Now no one born ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

God Rewards

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Jul 20, 2012

I. EXORDIUM: Have you worked hard and yet via politics and envy of the leaders lost everything? II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Church leaders III. OBJECTIVES: To remind that GOD is the rewarder of our hard work not people. IV. TEXT: Isaiah 49

I. EXORDIUM: Have you worked hard and yet via politics and envy of the leaders lost everything? II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Church leaders III. OBJECTIVES: To remind that GOD is the rewarder of our hard work not people. IV. TEXT: Isaiah 49:4 (New Living Translation, Second Edition) I replied, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 49:4

Denomination: Pentecostal