Sermons on Hostile Environments:

Unleashing The Power Of Encouragement

Contributed by Daniel Harman on Aug 28, 2006

An inspiration to both individuals & congregations to cultivate a CULTURE of ENCOURAGEMENT – enabling it to become part of your DNA, woven into your values & day to day lifestyle. This sermon will encourage you to be generous, lavish, extravagant with

Title: UNLEASHING THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT Pastor Dan Harman (Victory Church Portsmouth, ENGLAND) Definition: Encouragement = the act of giving hope or support that inspires confidence & a will to keep on keeping on. Aim: to INSPIRE you as individuals & as a congregation to cultivate a CULTURE ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Determined Devotion Series

Contributed by Dean O'bryan on Aug 25, 2008

First of a series of three messages on Romans 12. This message deals with the call to offer ourselves wholly to Christ.

Trinity Baptist Church August 10, 2008 Combating Complacency Determined Devotion Romans 12:1, 2 Did you hear about the college students who wanted to form a new organization on their campus? They called it the “Apathy Club”? Their “Apathy Club” wasn’t going to be like any other ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Baptist

The Grace Of Giving Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Feb 13, 2025

By God’s grace, give generously, give eagerly, and give responsibly.

June Spivey in Christian Reader writes about how the elementary school in her town collects lunch money from the new kindergartners at the beginning of each year. This solves the problem of lost money during the year, but for nervous 5-year-olds, it can take a few days to understand the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1-24, Philippians 2:7, Matthew 8:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21

Denomination: Evangelical Free

How To Pass, When You Feel That You Are A Failure

Contributed by Dwayne Williams on Sep 11, 2006

how a person handles failure can mean the difference between living a victorious life or living a life filled with bitterness, hostility, solitary, and anger.

How to pass even though you feel like you are failing 2 Corinthians 4: 6 – 12 Main Focus is 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9 I know this title of this sermon doesn’t really make sense to a lot of people on this morning, I know that they will have questions that will pop up in people head like, what do you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6-12

Denomination: Baptist

From Pit To Place

Contributed by James Harrington on Feb 18, 2003

The story of Joseph helps us to choose to overlook unfair offenses, overcome enormous obstacles and model a virtue that is fast becoming lost in or hostile age.

From Pit to Palace Genesis 32:22-32 In David Aikman’s book Great Souls: Six Who Changed the Century, he profiles six leaders of the 20th century who he argues triumphed over criticism, adversity and opposition. Aikman writes, “I’ve always personally been inspired by the lives of great people. It ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Rejoice In The Sufferings Of Christ

Contributed by William Mouser on May 17, 2005

Days before His crucifixion, Jesus exposed the hostility of the unbelieving world to Himself, and (by implication) to all those who are loyal to His mission.

Fifth Sunday in Lent Deuteronomy 18:15-22, 1 Peter 4:12-19, Luke 20:9-18 Rejoice in the Sufferings of Christ Jesus’ encounters with the Pharisees were always occasions for high drama. I can’t think of one of them, with the single exception of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, where Jesus and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:9-18

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

The Jealousy Of The Leaders Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Mar 14, 2017

But not everyone was happy with the success of the Church. The religious establishment that had opposed the ministry of Jesus, and then crucified Him, took the same hostile approach toward the Apostles.

November 21, 2013 Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles By: Tom Lowe Topic #II: The Church in Jerusalem, Acts 2.1-8.3 Subtopic D: Struggle from Within and Without (Acts 5.1-6.7) Subtopic 2: The Sanhedrin and the Apostles (5:12-42) Lesson II.D.2.b: ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:17-42

Denomination: Baptist

Lord Of The Sabbath ( Matthew 12:1-14)

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Mar 23, 2025

In this chapter, Jesus teaches the true meaning of the “Sabbath” and how it is to bring glory to God, not to be used as a religious weapon. The hostility towards Jesus was starting to grow.

Before we undergo any further study of this chapter, it would be helpful to understand the concept of the “Sabbath”. According to the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8), the Sabbath was set aside as one day in seven to cease from labor and take a rest from all unnecessary activity. Exodus 31:15 ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 31:15, Colossians 1:16-17, Hosea 6:6, Matthew 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Hide And Seek. Series

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Sep 14, 2007

This message is all about running outside of the will of God for our lives it looks at the symptoms to be found within the individual the consequnces that take place around us and the remedy to be administered.

Jonah Chapter 1: 1 17. Hide and seek Do you remember the children’s game hide and seek..... did you ever get such a good hiding place nobody ever caught you maybe you did? This opening chapter of Jonah is all about the Christian game of hide and seek - Jonah tries to get into such a good ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

How Christians Ought To Behave

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on Feb 18, 2022

God knows best. He gave Jesus Christ to be the Savior for everyone who believes in Him. To receive the full benefits of his salvation, you should fully surrender to God. Decide not to do your will, but God’s will. Then you will be close to God and experience his power.

Sermon – How Christians ought to Behave (Walk Upright in a Fallen World) Romans 12:1-10 “And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-12, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Ephesians 4:16, John 13:34-35

Denomination: Methodist

Hero Makers, Pathway To Greatness Series

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on Sep 14, 2023

Hero makers are kingdom builders who lived sincerely, travel lightly, practice hospitality radically, and take risks for kingdom advancement. I choose to be a hero maker, how about you?

Sermon – Hero Makers, Pathway to Greatness Key Scriptures - Acts 18:1-4 (Paul Meets Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth) “Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-4, Acts 18:24-28, Romans 16:3, Luke 22:35-37, Matthew 10:16  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Radical Love!

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 14, 2001

Your faith, what you have been taught, what you believe about God & His will for your life, makes all the difference in the way you act, in the values you hold dear, & in the standards that guide your life.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK (REVISED: 2019) TEXT: Matthew 5:38-41; Luke 23:34 A. Fifty-two years ago Ethel & I became acquainted with Dr. Vijai & Pushpa Lall of India. The story of their family’s introduction to Christianity & their ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-41, Matthew 27:54, Luke 23:34

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Instructions For Life Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on May 2, 2005

When do we run and when do we stand firm and fight, Paul offers some insight to Timothy.

If you had to write to a young pastor giving him instructions for pastoring his church and for keeping his spiritual life intact what would you say to him? What spiritual and theological truths would you try to impart in order that he would be able to do his job effectively. Would your ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:11-16

Denomination: Wesleyan

I Need A Real Friend

Contributed by Bishop William Bryant Wilmore, Jr. on Jul 31, 2003

There are times in each person’s life when real friends are needed.

Luke records a conversation that took place between Jesus and a lawyer concerning the question "What makes a real neighbor, or what makes a real friend?" The lawyer, apparently, was not a good neighbor and was looking for a way to justify himself. And so Jesus, as he oft times did, taught a lesson ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-37, 2 Samuel 21:15-17

Denomination: Baptist

Avoiding Dead-End Shortcuts Series

Contributed by David Asch on Nov 21, 2005

In our text today we see a family that took a shortcut, and it led to a dead-end - literally. Looking at their story, we discover how we can keep from taking shortcuts that lead to dead-ends.

AVOIDING DEAD-END SHORTCUTS Ruth 1:1-5 INTRO: Shortcuts that don’t turn out so well: The shortcut to Lake Success Some shortcuts aren’t just inconvenient, they are deadly. Shortcuts that lead to dead-ends: Jim Madsen on Yosemite’s El Capitan in 1968. A veteran and skilled climber, he rappelled ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:1-5

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational