Sermons on Rough Roads:

Prepare The Way

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Dec 9, 2024

A sermon for the second Sunday of Advent, Year C

December 8, 2024 Rev. Mary Erickson Hope Lutheran Church Luke 3:1-18 Prepare the Way Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. The Romans were great road builders. They believed in roads. The picture here is a section of an ancient ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-18

Denomination: Lutheran

The Candle Of Preparation Series

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Dec 4, 2015

Are you spending more time preparing for Christmas than you are for Jesus?X

INTRODUCTION • VIDEO CLIP • SLIDE #1 • How are we preparing for Jesus? Are we spending more time preparing for Christmas than we have for Jesus? • The second candle in our Advent series is the candle of preparation. When Advent was first celebrated in the 3rd century, it ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:4-6

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Walk With Jesus

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Jan 14, 2007

Encouragement to walk with Jesus each day. He leads to "still waters" and "green pastures"

“A Walk With Jesus” Amos 3:2; Luke 24:13-35 9/8/04 It was a beautiful early fall day as I walked along. The trees had not yet turned color and I was anticipating that soon, in a few weeks, I would be enjoying a hillside filled with colors of gold and scarlet. But today, the trees and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Holiness

I Would Be True

Contributed by Victor Yap on Feb 4, 2017

John the Baptist

I WOULD BE TRUE (LUKE 3:1-22) In the first part of the 12th century, a French peasant maid by the name of Joan of Arc was called to save her country from the British. Then she fell into their hands. While the fires were being lighted around the stake at which this 19 year old young lady was to be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-20

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dinner To Go Series

Contributed by Marc Bertrand on Nov 5, 2004

A Narrative in five movements: Heavy Hearts, Broken Hearts, Passionate Heart, Burning Hearts, Peaceful Hearts

I. Heavy Heart – The Long Walk Home There’s a grief that can’t be spoken. There are wounds that will not heal. My eyes are blind; my heart, a stone. Somehow the sun has nerve to rise again. Somehow the clouds break to reveal a blue sky. Somehow the birds still sing. Somehow it is still ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Denomination: Baptist

Second Sunday Of Advent C, Advent 2-- Crying Out In The Desert

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Dec 2, 2021

Can we say to John the Baptist this Advent, “The Wind Brought Your Voice To Me?”

We don’t sing the Gloria in Advent until the angels sing the "Gloria in excelsis Deo" at Christmas but we do hear a prophetic voice, crying out in the desert, which are often windy places. The voice is from John the Baptist, carried on the whistling wind, that says, “Prepare the way of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

Sanding The Floors Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Sep 5, 2009

Developing leaders is like sanding floors -- acknowledging that flaws will be removed only by abrasion. But such weaknesses become a channel for strength and for God’s grace to work.

We could all have such perfect houses if people didn’t use them. The most beautiful and perfect rooms you will ever see are the ones in furniture displays at the store or maybe in a museum someplace, and the reason they are so perfect is that nobody uses them. But in the real world houses are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Precious In God's Sight

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Jul 1, 2019

Do you realize how much God loves you?

Sometimes when I’m wrestling to figure out what is on God’s heart for me to preach on, I’ll take a pictorial directory of our church family, look at the pictures one by one and pray, “Lord, what is on your heart for this person, for that family?” I did just that this week, thinking about this ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-7

Relatives!

Contributed by Thomas Bowen on Dec 30, 2005

John The Baptist - Jesus strange relitave

Relatives! Mark 1:1-8 We are quickly approaching the days when people will travel to be with family. Some houses will be packed. The Roads and airports will be full of people willing to spend time, energy and money to be with loved ones. It all sound great doesn’t it. Family getting together. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Denomination: Congregational

God's Limitations

Contributed by James Lowe on May 3, 2007

There are some things that God limits Himself to.

God’s Limitations To most of you this title may seem a little improper. How could an Almighty God have limitations? Do we not teach that God can do anything? After all, God is omnipresent (everywhere at once), omnipotent (all-powerful), and omniscient (all-knowing). So if God is all of that, ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Journey From Bethlehem To Nazareth

Contributed by Stephen Aram on Mar 24, 2020

We have our dreams for a perfect Christmas, but don't feel God has failed you if your dreams aren't met. Imagine how Mary's dreams for having a perfect birth for her baby were disrupted.

If we made a list of what it would take to make a perfect Christmas, it would be quite a list. Of course all the family needs to be together, all at the same time. Just that can be really complicated. For us, as near as we can tell, we’ll have one son coming in on the afternoon of the 25th and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-7

Breaking The Silence (Advent 2 2023)

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Dec 8, 2023

All four of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John speak of the ministry of the John the Baptizer who is the messenger who prepares the way for Jesus. A second reason that John’s arrival is such a big deal is because there had not been any prophets for 400 years.

BREAKING THE SILENCE Text: Mark 1:1 - 8 Mark 1:1-11 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (2) As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; (3) the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1-8

Denomination: United Methodist

Waiting For Jesus: Shepherds Series

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 3, 2011

Ordinary people, holy times and places

Zach and his flock were the last into the fold for the night. One hundred and thirteen sheep, just the same as last night and the night before. He pushed the last one into the enclosure and pulled the dried thornbush into the space between the two rough stone walls. On the way up to the heavy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Freedom Letter- Don't Go Back Series

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Feb 20, 2021

This is the 42nd sermon in the Action Series. This series began during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study in Acts will also include the letters written to the Churches. This is the 8th sermon from the Letter to the Galatians.

Series: Action [#42] FREEDOM LETTER- DON’T GO BACK Galatians 4:8-20 Introduction: Several years ago, Karen and I was up in the Ruidoso area; and I decided to try a short cut that I thought I knew about. The problem was, the road turned into a very rough dirt road; and the further we went, the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:8-20

Denomination: Baptist

Choosing The Narrow Way Series

Contributed by Rev. Samuel Arimoro on Jun 26, 2025

Choosing the narrow way is not a one-time event but a daily commitment. It is a path of self-denial, spiritual discipline, and obedience to God's will.

CHOOSING THE NARROW WAY By Rev. Samuel Arimoro Main Text: Matthew 7:13-14 Supporting Texts: Luke 13:24, Proverbs 14:12, Deuteronomy 30:19, John 14:6, Psalm 1:6 INTRODUCTION: Life offers us many paths, but only one leads to eternal life. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus spoke clearly about two ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Denomination: Assembly Of God