Sermons on Suffering:

Why God Is Not A “helicopter God” Series

Contributed by Pat Damiani on Mar 1, 2016

God loves me too much to save me from all of my struggles

Most of you are probably familiar with the term “helicopter parent”. But just in case you aren’t, this short video does a pretty good job of showing what that term means. [Show “Copter Mommy” video] Although helicopter parenting might seem harmless, it seems like we ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

When Life Hurts

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Aug 19, 2019

Sometimes life makes us feel like we're getting pummeled. We're get pounded with left hooks and uppercuts and we don't have a chance to cover up and defend ourselves. Is this an appropriate analogy of how some of your days go? What can we do when life hurts?

WHEN LIFE HURTS Does this picture depict how you feel sometimes? My Uncle Jeff passed away recently. He had three kids; one of whom used to attend here-Eric. Jeff's daughter, Chelsea, posted this picture on Facebook and I commented on it. What I shared is incorporated in the sermon. 1) When ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 69:29, John 16:33, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 2 Corinthians 7:5-7, 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, Romans 5:3-4  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unwrapping A Strange Gift

Contributed by David Welch on Aug 6, 2018

This series of messages addressed the "gift" of suffering. I have included the notes from several messages on the topic.

Chico Alliance Church UNWRAPPING A STRANGE GIFT REVIEW Paul is in prison simply for preaching the resurrected Christ in a pagan world and a religious world blinded to the truth of a transformed life. From a seemingly negative circumstance, he is able to continually live the joy of the Lord. I ask, ...read more

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Psalm 56 Title: Put My Tears In Thy Bottle Series

Contributed by John Lowe on Jan 23, 2021

This psalm was written when David found himself in the Philistine city of Gath, fleeing from King Saul, and up to his neck in very hot water. Achish, the king of Gath, had put David under arrest and was being pressured by his advisers to put him to death.

November 4, 2015 Tom Lowe PSALM 56 Title: PUT MY TEARS IN THY BOTTLE (To the chief Musician on Jonath-elem-rechokim[1], Michtam, a Psalm of David.) Theme: David’s Fear and Trust Psalm 56 (KJV) 1 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Life And Death

Contributed by Aneel Aranha on Feb 17, 2021

What’s the point of gaining the whole world but forfeiting our own self? What’s the point indeed? [Watch video: https://youtu.be/sTwCeYyes44]

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:22-25 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:22-25

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Life And Death Series

Contributed by Aneel Aranha on Feb 17, 2021

What’s the point of gaining the whole world but forfeiting our own self? What’s the point indeed? [Watch video: https://youtu.be/sTwCeYyes44]

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:22-25 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:22-25

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Patri-Passion Sunday Series

Contributed by Rev Kenneth Roach on Feb 23, 2021

Part of Lent series

This is an important day in the church calendar. It emphasises an aspect of God we tend to forget. We usually imagine God has been up there in high heaven, remote from pain in his divine glory. When in trouble we tend to ask:- “Where is God, why doesn’t he come to help us?” Well, Patri-Passion ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12

The Burden Of The Cross

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Feb 27, 2021

The cross of Christ is hard and difficult, but Jesus asks us to deny yourself, lose yourself, and take up our cross.

Mark 8:31-38 The Burden of the Cross • It used to be that we could carry our own suitcase and sometimes they were heavy • . Now, we have wheels on the suit cases even back packs have wheels to make it easier. • When I was at my last appointment we did a Cross walk from Gazebo to The ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:31-38

Denomination: Methodist

Why Tragedy? Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 12, 2021

Job is a comedy, for in spite of all the tragedy, it has a happy ending. So life is a comedy. No matter how tragic life becomes because of freedom, God will make sure that evil will be overcome.

Elie Wiesel, who survived Hitler's blood bath for the Jews, as devoted his life to telling the world of this tragedy that he feels surpasses hell in its horrors. His books have motivated others to write so that there now exists a holocaust literature. There are books, plays, articles, and ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:6

The Paradox Of Burdens Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 19, 2021

Paul's apparently conspicuous contradictions, and puzzling paradoxes are the result of his God-given ability to see the whole of life, and not just some of its parts in isolation.

In South Dakota a man by the name of August had a clothing store he was going to close up. His was not one of those perpetual year around closing sales. He was actually intending to go out of business by July. So he hung a sign in his window which read, The First Of July Is The Last Of August. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-10

How Can God Be Good? Series

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Mar 31, 2021

First in a series based on questions that we received from people in the Church. This message deals with the question of the morality suffering

Question to be asked: I’m a bit confused. Why does everyone just say that God is good and ignore some of things He seems to approve? He lets evil and suffering go on in the world. He ordered a lot of people to be killed. And then there’s the whole concept of hell. Why would a God who is good ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Appointed To Affliction Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 7, 2021

As far as possible the Christian is to live peaceably with all men. The ideal is progress without persecution, but the world will not tolerate the Christian conviction, and so there will be tribulation, and we must be prepared to face it if we stand for the truth as we ought.

One of our neighbors had a common but nerve wracking experience. Her little girl did not come home from school at noon. She got worried and went out to look for her, but she was no where around. The mother was just sick with worry as the worst possible thoughts went through her mind. She sought ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4

How To Undeceive A Desire James 1:15-17 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on May 13, 2021

The reason you sin is not desire. Jesus desired food but didn’t fall when tempted with food. The problem is not desire; it’s deceived desire. It’s a desire that is deceived about sin, about life and good days, and about God. This passage exposes those deceptions and the way to correct them.

How to Undeceive a Desire Suffering, Tests, and Temptation Part 9 James 1:15-17 12-7-2014 The reason you sin is not desire. Jesus desired food but didn’t fall when tempted with food. The problem is not desire; it’s deceived desire. It’s a desire that is deceived about sin, about life and good ...read more

Scripture: James 1:15-17

Week 2: Faith & Family Series

Contributed by Daniel Habben on May 23, 2021

God urges us to persevere in our faith, even as Job did.

Finish this sentence. “If you don’t succeed at first…try, try again.” Do you know who besides God best exemplifies that kind of perseverance? Satan. If there is one thing I admire about Satan, and I know that’s a shocking thing to say, but if there is something we can learn from him, it’s ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:1-10

Denomination: Lutheran

Week 4: Rethinking A Quid Pro Quo Kind Of Faith (Sermon Adapted From Pete Metzger) Series

Contributed by Daniel Habben on May 23, 2021

Do we think that goes owes us for what we do for him?

Quid pro quo. Do you know what that Latin phrase means? It translates literally as “this for that.” Conversationally, we might say, “I scratch your back, you scratch mine.” For example, if I head out on vacation and ask my neighbor to take my garbage to the curb while I’m away, it’s perfectly ...read more

Scripture: Job 21:7-9, Job 21:13-15, Job 21:17, Job 31:1-4, Job 31:7-8, Job 31:21-28, Job 13:19-25, Job 29:2-6  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran