Sermons on Hope Of Gladness:

Deceptive Looks

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Apr 17, 2018

Jesus enters Jerusalem as the Messiah—King of the Jews. Kings hate other kings coming onto their turf. The king is crucified—a messenger of love and a victim of hate. In the process, what looks good turns out bad and what appears to be bad becomes good.

INTRODUCTION There is a Chinese story of a farmer who used an old horse to till his fields. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and when the farmer's neighbors sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, "Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?" A week later, the horse ...read more

Scripture: John 19

Denomination: Lutheran

Stuck Series

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Jul 14, 2016

Job is in so much pain that we wishes he had never been born. His suffering continues and is not lessened by the words of a friend.

Job 3:1-10, 4:1-9, 7:11-21 “Stuck” INTRODUCTION Jay Wilson and Phillip Clay are heroes. Jay was half way home after finals at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. On I-65 a Jeep Cherokee suddenly veered and hit the median guard rail. At first he thought the driver was drunk. ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

Your Easter Story

Contributed by Scott Nichols on Jul 18, 2014

The original ending of Mark's Gospel a first glance seems to inspire little hope; but a closer look reveals how the Risen Lord meets us in the ordinary circumstances of life and invites us to finish the story of His resurrection.

The little boy was not exactly happy about going to church on Easter Sunday morning. His new shoes were to tight, his tie pinched his neck and the weather outside was just too beautiful to be cooped up inside...so as he sulked in the pew his parents heard him mutter to no one in particular. "I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Coming Of Immanuel Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Dec 24, 2015

If we want to see God turn our disappointments into dreams come true, like Joseph, we must trust and obey Him.

Show video: Mary and Joseph (Skit Guys) “…Joseph, I’m pregnant.” Imagine Joseph’s disappointment when he heard those words. According to the custom of the day, the engagement period was a time to prove the purity of the bride-to-be. They were engaged for a year. And ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: Evangelical Free

God's Undeniable Leadership-2 Series

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Jan 26, 2016

2 of ? God began to make His leadership thru Joshua undeniable among His people. *God makes His leadership undeniable among His people. But How? God’s leadership is Undeniable in...

GOD's UNDENIABLE LEADERSHIP-II—Joshua 3:7-17 Attention: We are faced with a lack of integrity in the world today. We shouldn’t tolerate it in Christian circles. Need: Exaltation/Magnification God began to magnify Joshua’s ministry among Israel. God magnified Joshua’s ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 3:7-17

Denomination: Baptist

Prepare The Way Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 7, 2016

Though none can see it, God is working behind the scenes and through the course of history to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, setting the earthly stage for the entry of His only begotten Son into the world.

Preparing the Way Isaiah 40:3-5, 9-11 When God called the Jewish people, he gave them everything necessary to follow Him and for salvation, principally, the Law. When they entered the Holy Land, God warned the Jewish people not to intermarry with the Gentile and to always keep God first. They did ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:3-11

Denomination: Methodist

"Apologize" For Jesus

Contributed by Daniel Habben on May 25, 2014

Apologize for Jesus 1) Describe his help. 2) Declare your hope.

Has anyone ever had to apologize for you? Maybe it was the time when you put a frog in your teacher’s desk at school. The prank got a few laughs when the frog jumped out causing your teacher to scream, but it also earned you a trip to the principal’s office. That was followed by a call ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-22

Denomination: Lutheran

You Are Allmost There Series

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 17, 2017

We are almost there - to experiencing the heart of Christmas – to experiencing a miracle laying in a manger, to being touched by the Spirit of Christmas so don’t give up, don’t try to speed it up the miracle, instead cherish the moments that lead up to th

Opening Video Illustration: Christmas gifts Series: Simply Christmas Our goal in this series is to challenge all of us to simplify Christmas and get back to what makes Christmas a matter of the heart – which simply is experiencing Jesus the one born in a stable, laid in a manger, and wrapped in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 2:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

After The Party

Contributed by Jeff Poor on Jan 3, 2018

The party will end, the question is will your hope survive.

Intro Good morning Real Life… Happy New Year! My name is Curtis and I’m the Connections Director and it’s great to be here with you all this morning. So here we are… It’s almost the new year. You probably have one more party before the new year begins. Not sure how you guys are but I love this ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Remember The Empty Grave

Contributed by Pat Damiani on Jan 30, 2018

Sermon for Easter Sunrise Service

ENGAGE As I’m sure Ryan could attest, I think most pastors get more stressed out about their messages at Christmas and Easter than any other Sunday all year. Perhaps much of that added stress is self-induced since we feel the need to come up with some new approach or some innovative way to share ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-9

Denomination: Baptist

Elijah And Elisha

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Feb 8, 2018

The message shares what it takes to stay the course of a prophet walk on, and stay the course no matter what.

1. Elijah was a simple man who did some not so simple stuff ordinary man who did some extraordinary things • Elijah was a Tishmite meaning he was from Tishbe which was an insignificant place it was kind of like what Nathaniel asked Phillip. "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:1-12

Denomination: Methodist

Borrowed Swords Or Proven Slings

Contributed by J Richison on Aug 10, 2017

A sermon to encourage people to believe in and use what they have.

Borrowed Swords and Proven Slings 1 Samuel 17:17-51 (32-40) Of all Bible classics, this particular story would fall near the top of the list. This story comprised of a boy killing a giant is here forever canonized in scripture. David is only a small insignificant Shepard boy on meals on ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:17

Denomination: Pentecostal

These Three Remain

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Sep 10, 2017

At the end of our Stories there is only three things what will matter, our Faith, our Hope and God's love

Summer of Love: These Three remain People died, children were conceived, hearts were broken lives were changed and history was made. But now the summer of love was over. By October of 1967 the movement known as the Summer of Love, when over 100,000 hippies and flower children had descended on ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Trust -

Contributed by John Gullick on Sep 11, 2017

A sermon that looks at how we can trust in God

Proverbs 3:5-6New International Version (NIV) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.[a] Ever had a bad hair day Winston Churchill primeminister of England during world war 2 ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Way Of Life

Contributed by Kevin Ruffcorn on Nov 29, 2018

Observing and grieved by injustice and suffering, the prophet realizes that faith is a way of life and not an answer.

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:2-4; 3:17-19 “A Way of Life” INTRODUCTION Today we enter the season of Advent. It is a time of preparation—for two arrivals. We first are preparing for the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child. This first arrival happened over two thousand years ago. The second ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 1:1-4, Habakkuk 2:2-4, Habakkuk 3:17-19

Denomination: Lutheran