Sermons on Make Sense:

Learnings From Peter: Rewards And Suffering

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Jun 2, 2021

The issue of pain and suffering is much known. Yet, we struggle to make sense of it or react to it the right way. Let us learn from Peter on how not to, and how to, address this issue.

Learnings from Peter : Rewards and Suffering Past 15 or so months have been a series of struggles for many of us. It all started with the Wuhan virus and then it went through the cycle of restrictions to complete lockdowns to partial opening up to elections to the second wave to the complete ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20, Matthew 16:21-22, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 1 Peter 2:20-22, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Peter 4:12-14, 1 Peter 5:9, 1 Peter 5:10-11  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Step Of Faith Youth Sermon

Contributed by Youth Sermons on Oct 6, 2023

Faith is about trusting in God even when things don't make sense. Overcoming fear can lead to great rewards and our faith can have a positive impact on others.

Today we're going to talk about faith. You know, that thing that makes us believe in God even when things don't make sense. It's like trusting your best friend with your deepest secrets. You can't see what they'll do with it, but you trust them anyway. That's faith. That's faith. Let's look at a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Topics: Spiritual Growth, Divine Courage, Fearless Living, Trust In God

Wake Up And Come To Your Sense

Contributed by Nolan Albert on Aug 9, 2005

This semon is generally addressing the notion that we as Christians do not always act and react as a child of God should.

Many people do not look at things realistically. They often act before they think and therefore their actions are often irrational. When we act without God’s guidance and the Holy Spirit, we often regret our actions. It is often said, "When one does something or says something that does not make ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:9-10, Job 2:1

Denomination: Baptist

The Source Of My Hope

Contributed by Mike Hays on Sep 30, 2001

In confusing times of tragedy and loss like many Americans are facing at the present time, it is hard to make sense of it all. The Psalmist gives us encouragement to seek understanding and confidence in the "sanctuary" of God’s presence.

The Source of My Hope Psalm 73 I heard on the news this past week that one of the outcomes of what has happened since the September 11th attack on America has been a rush on bookstores around the country. The sale of Bibles is up and that is good news. Alongside of this good news is the report that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 73:1-28

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Wind In The Sails

Contributed by Ken Alford on Nov 29, 2002

Just as we cannot fly a kite without the wind, our lives cannot be truly spiritual without the Holy Spirit. It makes sense therefore that we apply the following four directives to our lives.

INTRODUCTION: 1. A sundial was given to a group of people who lived in a jungle. To them it was a fetish. They built a house over it to keep it safe and holy. This kept the sun away from it and made it useless. They beautified it but made it without purpose. It reminds us of a powerless ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Denomination: Baptist

Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Contributed by Troy Borst on Mar 17, 2016

As we think about this event, it makes sense to me that there are four groups of people present at the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem and each of them have a different motivation for being there and sheds light on their hearts.

WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? JOHN 12:12-19 [Palm Sunday 2016] INTRODUCTION… cnn.com/2016/03/13/politics/thomas-dimassimo-donald-trump-protester-interview/ It is election season so there is much going on in the news about the candidates and the rallies that they hold. I heard about a rally that ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Theology Of Justice

Contributed by Gregory Johnston on Mar 13, 2019

The justice of God sometimes seems foreign to humanity. Exploring God's justice we understand not only His holiness, but we also understand how to make sense of the injustice that surrounds us.

Theology of Justice I. How do you define Justice? A. It is important to know what true justice is before we can know what injustice is B. Many different views of justice 1. Gloria Steinem – atheistic feminist justice 2. Nelson Mandela (had both injustice done to him and committed acts of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-27, Genesis 2:8-9, Leviticus 10:1-3, Luke 19:8, Matthew 25:34-40  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Vineyard

Would You Have Gone? Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Oct 29, 2023

God leads Paul to Jerusalem. It doesn't seem to make sense. It will be costly. Friends advise against. Would you have gone? We see God's priority is mission.

INTRODUCTION Have you ever been in a situation where you felt that God was asking you to do… Something that DIDN’T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE to you? Something that was COSTLY? Something that all your friends URGE YOU NOT TO DO? That was the situation the apostle Paul was in. Many years previously ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Making A Stand For God

Contributed by Wayde Wilson on Jan 12, 2002

We can sense in the strength of this one famous statement that Joshua was a man who knew who he was, who knew what he believed, and who was willing to live in such a way as to back up his words with his actions.

INTRO: Why do we admire Joshua? Why has this moment in time been immortalized, serving as an inspiration to so many people down through the years? Why does it still touch some place deep inside our hearts when we hear those famous words, "As for me & my house…?" The reason this phrase is so well ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:1-15, Joshua 23:1-13

Denomination: Pentecostal

Have You Heard His Call?

Contributed by Mark Haines on Jan 20, 2001

An exploration of possible reasons why Jesus’ disciples must leave everything and follow Him – eliminating all but the fact that His call makes sense when we realize that He gave up everything for us.

Text: Luke 5:1-11, 27-31 Title: Have you heard his call? Topic: Christian Living Theme: Committed Christian Living Purpose: to be the Holy Spirit’s second witness challenging God’s people in my care to commit everything to Jesus as they follow him. Response: Individuals will receive Communion and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11, Luke 5:27-31

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Devil Goes To Church!

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 27, 2004

I believe the devil spends more time in church than many Christians. It makes sense for him to do so. If he can hang around Christians & create confusion, doubt, division, or discouragement....

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK (REVISED: 2022) NOTE: I borrowed the title and gleaned much of the content of this sermon from an excellent book, “The Devil Goes To Church” (Covenant Publishers, Webb City, MO), by David L. Butts, founder and President of Harvest Prayer ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-5, Ephesians 6:12, John 17:20-21, James 1:22, Genesis 3:4-5, Hebrews 10:25, 1 Kings 19:4, Matthew 26:39, 1 Peter 5:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Closer Look At Faith Series

Contributed by Jason Cole on Feb 23, 2004

We always need to be advancing and growing in our faith, but we cannot do anything without faith. Today all things have to make sense and it is not easy to trust God, but faith can move mountains.

“A Closer Look: Faith” Introduction: We live in a world in which it is hard to have faith. People expect everything to make sense logically and faith very rarely fits into people’s equations. We as the church are supposed to be based and founded on faith. Faith is what keeps us going and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Relevance Of Jesus In Modern Times

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Mar 1, 2008

The bok of Hebrews was written to Judaic Christians who were not too sure of His superiority over the Juwish religion. How does the book of Hebrews make sense to us today, especially in societies like India?

Relevance of Jesus in our times How is Christianity relevant to us today? How is Jesus relevant to this nation that we live in? How do we handle people who believe that “all religions lead to God”. A nation where spirituality is equated with “Doing Good” where any religious organisation is ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Must Be Crazy

Contributed by Wann Fanwar on Jan 19, 2005

People understand "crazy" in different ways. We label others as "crazy" for being eccentric or mean or insane or different. God is "crazy" because he loves humanity too much, something that does not make sense.

God Must Be Crazy! Hosea 11:1-11 At this stage in my life I believe that God is crazy. Some of you reading this will say to me, “You are crazy for saying such things about God.” I will answer you by saying that if you do not think so after reading this sermon then you are the one who is crazy. In ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 11:1-11

Denomination: Adventist

Life After Easter: Bewildered Or Bewondered?

Contributed by Ryan Sato on Apr 2, 2005

After the resurrection, the followers of Jesus were in a harried state. Some of them were on the run, others were simply trying to make sense of what had happened. In the midst of our life circumstances, how does the Resurrected Christ make himself real

Opener: I hope you had a bad Easter….I know you think I should be saying “I hope you had a good Easter”…but for today’s sermon, it might be better for you if you had a bad Easter. Because when you think back to the first Easter, the disciples weren’t gathering together early on Sunday, excited ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Baptist