Sermons on Make Sense:

El Roi: Making Sense Of God Seeing Us

Contributed by Jessica Linde on Jul 21, 2025

By looking at the story of Hagar and how she gives God the name El Roi ("God who sees"), this sermon’s ultimate goal is to highlight that God being able to see us is not an indication of Him wanting to surveil us; rather, it's an indication of His boundless compassion and mercy on us.

Who here has ever read George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984? Or maybe seen the movie version of it with John Hurt…? Right, so for those of you who may not know (or need a refresher), Orwell published his work 1984 in the year 1949, and it’s really a speculation (perhaps a warning) of what the year ...read more

Before He Walked On Water He Walked Into Water

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Jan 8, 2012

Making Sense of Jesus' Baptism

Of all the miracles Jesus performed, one I’d really love to see replayed is his walking on water over a windswept sea. You’d click on that video if it came up on YouTube wouldn’t you? And what do you suppose you would see? Jesus clearing white-capped waves like an Olympian ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:4-11

Denomination: Lutheran

Why God, Why?

Contributed by Francis Camacho on Jul 3, 2002

Making sense of our sufferings and pains

Why God? Why? Making sense of our sufferings Romans 5:3-10 Romans 5:3-10 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance, character, and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-10

Denomination: Baptist

But I Don't Know About You I'm Not Crying Anymore

Contributed by Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid on Aug 28, 2013

Making sense of bereavement in God's love.

But I Don't Know About You I'm Not Crying Anymore! By Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (8/28/2013) “This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah” (Psalms 24:6, King James Version, KJV [The confidence in God's grace])...”When thou saidst, ...read more

Denomination: Friends

Now, That Makes No Sense At All!

Contributed by Michael Stark on Oct 11, 2019

It makes no sense to be part of the same family and be mad when the father chooses to do for one what he hasn’t chosen to do for the other. Yet, this is precisely what happened in the parable Jesus told of two sons, either of whom were prodigal.

“Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.” And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Denomination: Baptist

When Humans Don’t Make Sense To God

Contributed by Timothy Cooley, Sr. on Sep 9, 2010

"When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" We talk about our disappointment with God, but is God ever puzzled by our lack of faith?

The parable of the widow and the unjust judge relates to our disappointment with God. Like the mistreated widow, we often wonder why God allows so much pain and injustice to go on. We pray and pray and yet no answer comes. The righteous perish and the wicked flourish. Sometimes we even wonder, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Denomination: Holiness

Lesson 7: Why Doesn't The Bible Make Sense?

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Oct 1, 2014

What is revelation, Inspiration and Illumination?

Pastors Bible Class Thomas Road Baptist Church Series: When God Is Silent Lesson 7: Why Doesn’t the Bible Make Sense? A. WHAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO US? 1. A subject in school we hate. 2. Computer instructions too complicated. 3. A foreign language we flunked in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:14

Denomination: Baptist

Why Doesn't The Bible Make Sense" Lesson 7 Series

Contributed by Elmer Towns on Apr 24, 2017

Why people have difficulty with scripture

A. WHAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO US? 1. A subject in school we hate. 2. Computer instructions too complicated. 3. A foreign language we flunked in school. 4. A sport we’ve never played. 5. GPS instructions that go against our knowledge. 6. A love letter not written to you. B. WHY SOME MISS THE ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:14

Denomination: Baptist

How To Respond To God When Things Don’t Make Sense Series

Contributed by Pat Damiani on Jan 4, 2010

Habakkuk’s psalm helps us to know how to respond to God even when things don’t make sense.

This morning we’re going to return to our journey through the Old Testament prophets in preparation for our study of the Book of Revelation. So go ahead and turn in your Bibles to the Book of Habakkuk. If you’re not familiar with that small book, you can find it by going to the first book in the ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 3:1-19

Denomination: Baptist

Worship: Sense And The Senses

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Dec 3, 2008

Too often it is true that those who pray do not work and those who work do not pray. Real worship will engage our entire beings and will empower us for action.

I’m sure you know the statement which Jesus made, "God is a spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." We want to think today about both spirit and truth. Worshipping in both modes. Over the door of the monastery hung a sign. It read, "To pray is to work; to work ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

How Meeting God Is Possible Without Going To Tibet

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Aug 15, 2001

Making sense of this text in light of today’s spirituality.

HOW MEETING GOD IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT GOING TO TIBET by Andrew Chan, PBC August 22, 2001. Ex. 25:1-9 (NLT) The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel that everyone who wants to may bring me an offering. 3 Here is a list of items you may accept on my behalf: gold, silver, and bronze; 4 ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 25:1-9

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Our God Is "i Am" Series

Contributed by Jonathan Kruschel on Mar 28, 2019

Do you ever struggle to make sense of the things going in life? Why would God allow certain things to happen. The name "I AM" is one that helps us in the way we look at the things that we and others are going through in this life that might not make sense to us.

Do you ever struggle to understand why God would allow certain things to happen? You turn on the TV, read the latest headlines, look at the world around you, or what is personally going on in your own life, and we struggle to make sense of things. A natural disaster claims the lives of hundreds ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 13:1-8, Exodus 13:10-15

Denomination: Lutheran

When God’s Ways Don’t Make Sense, Then What?

Contributed by Douglas Phillips on Jun 23, 2019

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE THINK WE KNOW BETTER THAN GOD WHAT HIS PLAN SHOULD BE. IF A LOVED ONE IS SICK AND IN PAIN, WE WANT TO TREAT THE PAIN RIGHT AWAY, WHEN THE PAIN COULD BE NECESSARY TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM

WHEN GOD’S WAYS DON’T MAKE SENSE, THEN WHAT? JONAH 1:1-16 WE’VE JUST STARTED A SERIES DEALING WITH THINGS IN LIFE THAT DO NOT GO AS WE WOULD WANT THEM TO. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS AS IF THERE IS TRIAL AFTER TRIAL PUT ON OUR PLATE AND WE WANT TO ASK GOD WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WHEN IT WILL STOP. ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Doesn't It Make Sense To Live Together Before Getting Married?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Jan 7, 2002

An examination of some of the major problems that arise when couples ignore God’s guidance and choose to live together before marriage.

Two Preliminaries: 1. Sex was God’s idea - it is a wonderful gift from Him. 2. God gave us guidance on how to best enjoy this gift. - Genesis 2:24. What Are The Problems With Living Together? 1. Living together doesn’t “divorce-proof” your marriage. - “. . . a recent research summary ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:24

Denomination: Baptist

Faith Obeys Even When God Doesn't Make Sense Series

Contributed by Scott Chambers on Oct 23, 2007

Message on the example of faith seen in Joshua at the battle of Jericho.

There are times when what God tells us to do just doesn’t make sense. It has been this way ever since man first walked on the face of the earth. For example, Adam and Eve were told not to eat the fruit from the tree in the center of the garden. This just seemed unreasonable to them. Not only did ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:30

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ