Sermons on Hard:

The Heart Of Followership

Contributed by Robert Garrett on Apr 11, 2005

God’s people encounter things that are indeed very hard to handle. We come upon situations daily that we struggle especially in regard to our relationships. Jesus looks for five main qualities in the hearts of his disciples as he called them to followe

INTRO. Many times in life we encounter things that are indeed very hard to handle. We come upon situations daily that we struggle especially in regard to our relationships at work, school in our homes and even here in God’s church family. Often we are placed in situations where we are not in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

In The Sinew That Shrank..." By Dr. E. Winson Butler

Contributed by Winson Butler on Aug 4, 2004

The strength of a man consists in finding out the way God is going and going that way! Jacob learned the hard way. Had he followed God without reservation, he may not of walked with a limp for the rest of his life. Let’s examine the story together!

Introduction Going God’s way is not only the best way but the only way! It’s when we look back we say, "I wish I had followed God..." Jacob knew the feeling too well. A person is never what he ought to be until he is doing what he ought to be doing. Jacob was neither. In other words it took a bit ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:31-32

Denomination: Baptist

Good As Dead - Advent

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Dec 8, 2006

Advent. It is hard to do an orignial John the Baptist advent sermon isn’t it? I give it a go. Our life circumstances do not determine the validty of who Jesus is. Also, John 1:6-9, 15-16,19-23.

There are starting to be more movies with biblical themes coming out – the Nativity is the latest. I was thinking…Disney Studios might jump on the bandwagon and produce a biblically oriented film. I think there are many stories they could choose from….but you know Disney has a habit of changing the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:1-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trusting God

Contributed by Jeffrey Cox on Sep 15, 2003

Jesus states in Matthew that even though you worked miracles, if you do not “know” God, you will be sent away on the day of judgement. If you know Him, you will know that trusting him is the best thing for you to do, and it won’t be hard to do

Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” He only knows those who trust in him. Knowing him is quite important: see below. Matthew 7:21,22,23 (21)“Not everyone that says ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but ...read more

Scripture: Nahum 1:7, Matthew 7:21-23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How To Stop Strife Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on May 21, 2003

Nehemiah has to put down his hard hat and turn his attention from the construction of the wall to the walls that were being put up between his workers. While their external enemies helped to rally the people, internal conflict threatened to divide and de

How to Stop Strife As we continue in our series through the Book of Nehemiah, we’ve learned that Nehemiah confronted a different challenge in each chapter: • In chapter one, he was faced with a personal challenge. When he heard about what was happening in Jerusalem, he sat down and wept and then ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 5:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

Grace We Struggle To Accept: The Embrace Of Grace Series

Contributed by David Flowers on Apr 27, 2005

Grace is not only hard to understand, it is difficult to accept. While every human being has a deep need for acceptance, security, and significance, we tend to seek the meeting of those needs in other human beings, who can never really meet those needs.

Grace We Struggle to Accept: The Embrace of Grace Grace, prt. 2 Wildwind Community Church David K. Flowers 3/20/05 I want to start today’s message on an uncharacteristically heavy note. I have a few questions for you, and they’re the kind of questions that may not be easy for you to answer. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: Free Methodist

Finding Peace In The Midst Of The Storm Series

Contributed by Richard Goble on Mar 20, 2008

It’s hard to know what to do when the storms of life come our way. In Peter’s attempt to walk on the water we discover some valuable principles that will help us face those storms while giving glory to our Lord.

Title: Finding Peace In The Midst Of The Storm Series: God Uses Broken Vessels Text: Matthew 14:22-32 Introduction Tom Dooley was a young doctor who organized hospitals, raised money, and literally poured out his life in the service of the afflicted peoples of Southeast Asia. Here was a man ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-32

Denomination: Baptist

Whatever Happened To Sin?

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Sep 12, 2010

Preachers once preached against sin and God’s people felt the weight of guilt and shame for their sin. In our world today we have a hard time finding someone willing to admit to sinning. The question must be asked “Whatever has happened to sin?”

Whatever Happened to Sin? 1 JOHN 3:1-4 Introduction: President Calvin Coolidge was well-known for being a man of few words, reticent, and straight to the point. There’s a story that after attending church one day, someone apparently asked him what the preacher had preached about. “Sin,” Mr. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Will Anything Really Change?

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 2, 2010

Revised from an earlier message for a church making a major turn in direction and leadership. Change is hard for us, for some of us fear change, some of us do not think change is real. But God is able and willing to complete what He begins among us.

Bethesda First Baptist Church, Bethesda, MD, September 19, 2004 Will anything really change? I mean, really?! So often change is only apparent, and not real. So often we tinker with things, but we do not really change them. We lack the will to change things, really. We lack the imagination ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:1-21

Denomination: Baptist

Come Out Of Your Cave

Contributed by James May on Aug 10, 2011

Like Elijah, we often find ourselves in a cave of hardness, coldness and perhaps even spiritual and emotional depression. We listen for the voice of the Lord, but he often speaks in ways that we aren't expecting. God wants us to come out of that cave an

Come Out of the Cave August 10, 2011 By Pastor James May The Prophet Elijah was a man of God like none other described in the Bible. He did mighty exploits for the Lord, and saw the hand of God move to perform great miracles at Elijah’s word. At his word alone, God stopped the rain for 3 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:11-13

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Three Simple Rules (Part Three) First, "Do No Harm" (Conclusion) Series

Contributed by Carl Greene on Jul 4, 2008

Based upon the book "Three Simple Rules" "A Wesley Way of Living" by Rueben P. Job. This third in a multi part series continues and concludes our examination of the first of the three rules. "Do No Harm." Sounds simple, easy to understand, hard to prac

Three Simple Rules A Wesleyan Way of Living Based on the book of the same name by Ruben P. Job REVIEW OF LAST WEEK We are exploring John Wesley’s “Three Simple Rules” Do no harm, Do Good and Stay in love with God. Last week we began with “Do no Harm.” We remembered the response of Jesus when ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-15

Denomination: Methodist

Laziness Vs Diligence Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 5, 2012

Thesis: The writers of this ancient wisdom literature inspired by God try to convey the message to us of “Don’t be lazy be diligent!” In other words “Make a commitment to work hard at being all God wants you to be!”

Series: Practical Proverbs Thesis: The primary message of Proverbs is “Get wisdom or act and look like a fool!” Sermon 1 & 2: Wise vs foolish We learned that wisdom is God given not manmade but foolishness is manmade not God given. We learned that wisdom is given by God to us so that we ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 6:6-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Godly Dads

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Jun 13, 2012

Being a good father or mother is one of life’s most important privileges. But being a father or mother is also one of life’s most difficult responsibilities. It is easy to become a biological father, but hard to become a really good father. Some of you we

Opening illustration: Play a video on imitation. Introduction: Now in this text of Scripture Paul compares himself to a father of the Corinthian believers. He was not their biological father, but he was a spiritual father to them. He was instrumental in bringing them to faith in Christ. Through ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Change Management Series

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Mar 30, 2009

Many of us have a hard time managing change. But God is the change management expert of all time. He uses a special secret to help bring about change that is just awesome and answers some basic problems we have with living life here.

Chapter 8 of Romans is all about how to live a life dedicated to loving and serving God while living in a fleshly body in a world opposed to Him and facing an enemy bound and determined to thwart your efforts and God’s to change you from your image into His. Seems like the cards are stacked ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-30

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Family Comes From The Heart Of God

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Aug 31, 2019

It can be hard to understand what God is like, but Genesis tells us that we are created in God's image and we know that God is love. When we love our families and others, we experience something important of what God is like.

Open your bulletins and look at the two Bible verses at the top of our worship liturgy for today, in the box that says, “Words to Ponder.” We have all heard those two verses many times before, but I want to be sure you understand some amazing things in them this morning. Could we read them ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19, Genesis 1:26-27