Sermons on Lack Of Expectation:

Why Jesus Wants Us To Be Initiators Instead Of Remaining As Passive Recipients

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

The Lord expects us to initiate opportunities with the power of the Spirit to bring others to a saving and growing faith in our Lord Jesus. It is not enough to passively receive what He gives freely. "Freely we have received, therefore, freely give."

Illustration: We love because He first loved us. (I JOhn 4:10) Illustration:John Wesley traveled 250,000 miles on horseback, averaging twenty miles a day for forty years; preached 4,000 sermons; produced 400 books; knew ten languages. At eighty-three he was annoyed that he could not write more ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:23-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Office Of The Pastor

Contributed by Ed Warfield on Feb 29, 2008

Pastors are under attack today as never before. Many are overworked, underpaid, stressed-out & crumbling under the pressure of unrealistic expectations & constant crisis. Satan wants to destroy the church & he makes pastors special targets of his attack.

The Office of the Pastor Intro.: Pastors are under attack today as never before. Many are overworked, underpaid, stressed-out and crumbling under the pressure of unrealistic expectations and constant crisis of their flock. Many churches demand more of their pastors than any person could do. Many ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-12

Denomination: Charismatic

Living In A Fallen, Broken World

Contributed by Mark Roper on Mar 4, 2009

We live in a fallen and broken world. We should expect disappointments in all facets of life. We know also that Painted on the canvas of our lives is the tender touch of a Creator who has a special place for the bruised and weary of the world

Living in a fallen, broken world Luke 4:16-19 KJV Is there anything more frail than a bruised reed? We have all seen one at the water’s edge. A once slender and tall stalk of sturdy river grass, it is now bowed and bent. It’s bruised and broken. That’s a pretty accurate picture of what can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:16-19

Denomination: Church Of God

Gentleness & Goodness Series

Contributed by Patrick Nix on Jul 20, 2010

We live in a ‘dog-eat-dog’ world. There is not even much gentleness or goodness where you might expect to find it: nurses and doctors have become preoccupied with lawsuits and their paychecks, homes are toxic environments, and churches are full of bitter

Do gentleness and goodness seem like qualities on the top of many lists? What do these words mean to you? For some, it might mean being a push-over or a marshmallow… to others, it might be a coveted virtue. Needless to say, these character traits are as scarce as water in a summer Arizona ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Denomination: Baptist

Amazing Grace

Contributed by Bob Soulliere on Feb 17, 2007

Newton published a hymn in 1772 called Faith’s Review and Expectation The Hymn Amazing Grace first appeared in this hymnbook The Olney Hymns, published in 1779. The collection draws its name from the Buckinghamshire village of Olney, in England where

Amazing Grace Newton published a hymn in 1772 called Faith’s Review and Expectation The Hymn Amazing Grace first appeared in this hymnbook The Olney Hymns, published in 1779. The collection draws its name from the Buckinghamshire village of Olney, in England where Newton was curate. There are ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Wise Or Fool Series

Contributed by Rule Digal on Aug 11, 2008

Jesus consistently and continually preached that we need to be ready. Over and over again we hear him say, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Wise or Fool Matthew 25:1-13 NOte: Some materials of this sermon are taken from sermoncentral.com Now, let’s continue on in our series on the Parables of Jesus. Let’s open our Bible to the book of Matt.25: 1-13, and study the Parable of the Ten Virgins. The main emphasis of this parable is the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do It On God's Appointed Time

Contributed by Dr. Ade Oyeyemi on Feb 15, 2013

Often we run our program and expect God to comply with what we are doing, but the easiest way to get things done and right is to work with God's timetable. Christians are to learn patience and reliance on God, anytime we operate on the permissive will of

The Ultimate Substitute God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham’s precious son, to Him. Abraham did not ask any questions but obeyed because he trusted wholeheartedly in God and believed something was going to happen. God, in response to Abraham's faith and obedience, provided a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:11-26

Denomination: Pentecostal

Go In To Possess

Contributed by Bala Samson on Mar 12, 2013

Sometimes we expect God to spoon-feed us! We want the ‘blessings’ wrapped with colorful, glossy paper and given to us; it does not happen that way, there are times we got to just move forward and possess it.

Go in to possess! Nehemiah 9:15”You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them.” Observe the title once more, it is not 'go in and possess' but it ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 9:15

Denomination: Pentecostal

Surprised By Prayer Series

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 19, 2012

Even as I’m concerned about people who misunderstand the purpose of prayer, I’m also concerned about those who do understand, but who seem to pray with no expectation of God honoring prayers or acting on our behalf.

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK (In preparing this message as part of a sermon series on “Prayer” I have borrowed heavily, and adapted, from an outstanding sermon of the same title by Mike Hays of the Britton Christian ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dumb Dogs Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on May 14, 2013

Jesus is not impressed with the outward trappings of self-righteousness. He is impressed with a heart full of simple faith, which we find most often in the hearts of those we least expect. So like Jesus feed the "dogs" and touch the "dumb."

Dumb Dogs (Mark 7:24-37) I like this thought posted by Mike Atkinson in his daily email humor list some time ago. "If you can start the day without caffeine; if you can get going without pep pills; if you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains; if you can resist complaining and boring ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:24-37

Denomination: Evangelical Free

A Jealous God Series

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Mar 1, 2015

God is “jealous” in the sense that He expects complete, exclusive devotion; not merely a partial, lukewarm, half-hearted religious observance. Worship belongs to God. He is worthy of worship and has a right to be “jealous” of it.

The Bible clearly teaches that God is a jealous God. That doesn’t sit well with us; the very notion of the jealousy of God sounds offensive. We think of jealousy as an entirely negative quality--a sin. Yet God declares that He is jealous. God restricts allegiance to Himself alone: ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-6

Denomination: Congregational

Announcement Of The Birth Of Jesus To A Virgin Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jun 6, 2017

An unbeliever can say that he does not believe in the virgin birth, and that is ok. I do not expect them to. But for a believer, especially a preacher, to say that he does not believe in the virgin birth is a disgrace, and I would have to say that he...

-7 or 6 B.C.- Nazareth (2) Announcement of the Birth of Jesus to a Virgin Scriptures (Is. 7:14) Luke 1:26-38 Luke 1:26-38 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Baptist

Look Around And Hang On!

Contributed by Bala Samson on Oct 20, 2014

Don’t worry when nothing happens as expected! Don’t worry when you don’t get a royal welcome and you are given cold shoulder treatment, despite you being in the will of God!

Look around and hang on! Acts 16:9 “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Don’t worry when nothing happens as expected! Don’t worry when you don’t get a royal welcome ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:9-15

Denomination: Pentecostal

Judas Iscariot

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Mar 13, 2018

Why did Judas Iscariot betray Jesus - was there an ulterior motive? Did Judas Iscariot see something in Jesus that the other disciples missed? Was Judas Iscariot trying to kick-start Jesus into action as the real and promised Messiah, the expected Messiah

Judas Iscariot John 12: 1-8 Today’s gospel from John is set in holy week, the anointing of Jesus with precious ointment – a poignant scene; but Judas reacted that it was a terrible waste, the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor. John's comment is that Judas said this, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 26:47-50, John 12:1-8

Don't Strike The Rock - Speak To It!

Contributed by Vera Hughes on Oct 16, 2013

As a child of God, there is no longer any reason to wonder if God wants to bless you. The waters are flowing from the Rock (Jesus Christ). Because of this eternal truth, we can expect to be blessed, redeemed and healed in every area of our lives.

As a child of God, there is no longer any reason to wonder if God wants to bless you. It was forever settled that issue at the cross. The waters are flowing from the Rock (Jesus Christ). Because of this eternal truth, we can expect to be blessed, redeemed and healed in every area of our lives. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational