Sermons on Struggle:

Great Expectations

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2023

John the Baptist's followers struggle with changing their allegiance to Jesus.

Zach was tired. He had been coming down to Tiberias every week for almost two months, bringing news and food to John in prison, and it looked like he’d probably be doing it for the rest of the year. Nothing had changed. After Herod arrested John for publicly accusing him of incest and adultery, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Jesus Is The One

Contributed by Gregg Bitter on Dec 13, 2010

John the Baptist struggled. Was Jesus the One? Jesus leads us into God’s Word to heal our struggling hearts, just as he did for John. A) He fulfills the prophecies, so we find healing in the Scriptures B) He blesses us in his Word, so we take it to heart

Text: Matthew 11:2-11 Theme: Jesus Is the One A. He fulfills the prophecies, so that we find healing in the Scriptures. B. He blesses us in his Word, so that we take it to heart. Season: Advent 3a Date: December 12, 2010 Web page: ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11

Denomination: Lutheran

The Troubles Of A Godly Teenager Series

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Apr 6, 2013

Joseph was only seventeen when his brothers sold him into slavery. He faced many struggles that are common for young people today. We can learn from his struggles and victories.

Sermon Notes April 7, 2013 FBCam The Troubles of a Teenager Genesis 37:1-11 What were you up to when you were seventeen? For me, it was my first year at Bible College. I was a year younger than Kim who attended when she was 18. At 17 Kim was enjoying her senior year of High school, like most ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 37:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Josh's Journey Through Silence: Spirituality In The Making

Contributed by Jack Perkins, D.min., Ladc, Csac, Cclc on Jan 4, 2021

This is a narrative sermon that illustrates how people often struggle with spirituality due to life's situation. It follows this narrative for developing a sensitivity to those who struggle to find meaning on their spiritual journey.

Following the pastoral prayer, the minister of music prepared to lead the people in a hymn of praise. As the pastor reflected upon the worship service and the sermon he was to preach his mind drifted to the text for his sermon. It was the first passage of scripture he had heard read from the ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bitter Root Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jun 22, 2008

Churches should be a place filled with gentle and loving people who wouldn’t be a place of anger and conflict. But too often, churches are known as places of conflict and pain. How should a Christian leader deal with this issue?

OPEN: In Winchester, Ohio there’s a church called the Bethlehem Church of Christ. It’s been in existence for over 150 years, and over the years different events have been recorded in their “history” book. One of their recent ministers was reading back over the different entries in this book when he ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 16:1-40

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hope Deferred Makes The Heart Sick

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on Apr 25, 2021

How many of you struggled with hopelessness during the last year? How many of you felt burnt out over the last year? How many of you struggled with anxiety or depression in the last year?

“I am not a connoisseur of great art, but from time to time a painting or picture will really speak a clear, strong message to me. Some time ago I saw a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family's sole ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23, Psalm 31:24, Lamentations 3:24, Psalm 119:114, Proverbs 23:18, Proverbs 13:12  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Hope Deferred Makes The Heart Sick

Contributed by Justin Steckbauer on May 3, 2021

How many of you struggled with hopelessness during the last year? How many of you felt burnt out over the last year? How many of you struggled with anxiety or depression in the last year?

“I am not a connoisseur of great art, but from time to time a painting or picture will really speak a clear, strong message to me. Some time ago I saw a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family's sole ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Proverbs 23:18

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Promise And The Problem Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 26, 2023

Abraham was a great man of faith... but not always. Sometimes his struggles with believing God's promises undermined his life and his family. But what did God do when Abraham struggled?

A preacher who was new to town and had dropped off his suit at the dry-cleaners. Later that week, he came back to pick up his suit, and the woman behind the counter said. “That will be $10.50.” “Oh my,” said the preacher. “I only have $9. Would it be alright if I came back later with the rest?” ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 21:1-21

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Peace Where There Is No Peace Series

Contributed by John Dobbs on Dec 6, 2024

Life is interrupted in many different ways … death, disease, unhappy events, struggles within and with others. These anxiety producing events leave us struggling to find peace in a world that offers very little peace.

PEACE WHERE THERE IS NO PEACE LUKE 1:26–56 Introduction Last week we began our series through the gospel of Luke by studying about the birth and life of John the Baptist - the Forerunner of Hope. Today we continue through Luke 1 and search out the theme of Peace. Which is strange - ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-56

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Being Under The Influence I

Contributed by Monty Newton on Jul 12, 2008

There are two ways to be controlled: Our minds are either under the influence of our sinful nature or the Holy Spirit.

Title: Being Under the Influence Text: Romans 8:1-11 The Big Idea: There are two ways to be controlled: Our minds are either under the influence of our own sinful nature or the Holy Spirit. Introduction The conflict between good and evil is as old as time… the earliest was a cosmic battle ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When God Wrestles With Family Tensions

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jan 16, 2009

We use avoidance, anger, anxiety, and aloneness to manage family tensions. We even use self-centered prayer. But when we let God wrestle with us, we are changed and we accept vulnerability in family life.

The most critical issue in family life is not anger or argument. It is avoidance. What plagues most families is not that they are embroiled in fighting or torn by argument. What destroys families is that people drift apart from one another; they avoid one another. You see, if you fight with ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Fove Ways To Help Your Marriage

Contributed by Gary Osteen on Dec 11, 2009

There are many ways to improve your marriage. Here are five simple things everyone can do. Many times these things are forgotten or we get so busy that we don’t think about doing something to help our mate. Here are five.

Five Things To help you Marriage Although there are many ways to improve your marriage, this list of five things you can do to improve your marriage is centered around major red flag issues that can tear your marriage apart: Lack of respect for one another Lack of time with each other Lack of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:24

Denomination: Pentecostal

This Thing Called Marriage

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Apr 4, 2011

A sermon that can also be used as a marriage or relationship seminar. Ephesians 5:22-30

Have you noticed that, as much as couples seem to ’get along’, they also spend just as much time ’not’ getting along? Statistics show that in the late 1800’s, only one out of every 34 marriages ended in divorce. By the mid 1900’s, one out of every 7 marriages ended in divorce, and through ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-30

Denomination: *other

Wrestling With God

Contributed by Carl Greene on Jul 18, 2009

Jacob wrestles with God and names the place "Peniel," meaning "face of God". Each of us needs our own "Peniel," a place to meet God. God gives us such a place, the Holy Bible.

OPENING Talk about the courage to suffer: A first-grade teacher seated her students in a circle. She asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. One by one, each child got up and announced, "I’d like to be a nurse like my mother," or "I want to be a banker like my father," or "I want to ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31

Denomination: Methodist

Help, I Married The Wrong Sister!

Contributed by Brian Buriff on Feb 2, 2010

When you feel like Jacob - "Help, I married the wrong person." Within every man and woman there lies 2 dimensions - the lovable Rachel side and the difficult Leah side. Successful marriages recognize both sides and learns to embrace both sides.

HELP, I MARRIED THE WRONG SISTER! Read: Gen 29:15-31 I. HOW COULD JACOB POSSIBLY MARRY THE WRONG SISTER? A. Raises Lots Of Questions 1. Was it really that dark at night? / Did she have a bag over her head? 2. Was Jacob simply drunk at the wedding? B. Custom Practiced During Some ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 29:15-31

Denomination: Church Of God