Sermons on Surprise Ending:

How To Follow Jesus--Though Persecuted Series

Contributed by James Wallace on Jun 8, 2021

How we regard difficulties and persecutions will have everything to do with whether we respond positively or negatively to them. Surprising to us, the very things designed by men to destroy faith cause it to thrive, when we have a godly attitude.

Jeanie and I recently read a book with a provocative name—The Insanity of God—by the pseudonymous author Nip Ripken. Of course, the title elicits the question, what is insane about God—a question the author never directly answers, but only becomes evident upon contemplation of his message. It ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-11

Denomination: Bible Church

Are You In Or Out?

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Nov 11, 2002

In the end we will not be able to say "I don’t want to play this religion game." It won’t be about religion, but about relationship with God. As Jesus prepares to go to the cross, He shares His very last teaching, about our lives, and about the end times.

A professor of a graduate-school class of gifted students included a HUGE amount of material on the midterm exam. Tension in the room built, people were sighing and gasping aloud as they realized how much material they had covered and were expected to recall. The following week, the professor ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-46

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Story Of Jephthah And His Daughter - Pride And Prejudice

Contributed by Sinisa Horvat on Apr 15, 2020

Did Jephthah sacrifice his daughter and how did he end up in the Hebrew 11 as a pillar of faith?

Pride and Prejudice- The story of Jephthah and his tragic wow Pray before you start The judges 11 is one of the most difficult stories to comprehend. The story is a confusing, seemingly inconsistent theological nightmare. purpose: Today, I would like us to study the text and to understand the ...read more

Scripture: Judges 11:30-32

Life Is A Beach

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 23, 2025

Jesus calls every disciple to daily self-denial and Spirit-empowered cross-bearing that ends not in loss but in resurrection life.

(Losing to Gain) Part 1 – The Comfortable Illusion It sounds so inviting: Life is a beach. The phrase promises calm tides, soft sand, a life where the hardest choice is whether to nap or swim. We crave that ease. Sometimes we even remake God in that image—faith as a sunny getaway where problems ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:18-27, Philippians 3:10-11, Mark 8:34-36, 1 Peter 2:21-24, John 12:24  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

In The Fire! Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Jul 30, 2011

WHEN the fire comes, don’t let it burn you; instead, let it refine you. How? Don’t be surprised or ashamed by the fire. Instead, be glad in the fire, glory in the fire, and give yourself to God in the fire.

A man went to see his doctor in a state of high anxiety. “Doctor,” he said, “you have to help me. I'm dying. Everywhere I touch it hurts. I touch my head and it hurts. I touch my leg and it hurts. I touch my stomach and it hurts. I touch my chest and it hurts. You have to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Who Is Your Enemy?

Contributed by Ryan Akers on May 2, 2006

We’ve all heard the question, Who is my neighbor? But no one ask the question, ’Who is my enemy?’ Inside you will find out the answer to this question and may be surprised just who our real enemy is.

WHO IS YOUR ENEMY? ROMANS 12:14-21 Pastor Ryan Akers Warrenton Wesleyan Church Romans 12:14-21: 14Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. 15When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. 16Be friendly with everyone. Don’t ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:14-21

Denomination: Wesleyan

State Of The Nation And Signs Of The Times

Contributed by Johnny Small on Jul 5, 2003

We just celebrated the birthday of our Nation, but is it the same nation that our forefathers founded and are we living in the end times?

State of the Nation and Signs of the Times We just celebrated the birthday of our nation. A lot has happen over the last 227 years. A group of people left England to start a new colony at Cape Cod, Virginia. They left England because of the King was endorsing a state church. These people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:6-8, 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Denomination: Baptist

Your Place Of Stress Or Rest

Contributed by Dr. Jerry N. Watts on May 20, 2014

The Garden of Gethsemane began as a place of stress and ended as a place of rest. We can learn much from our Master.

Your Place of Stress or Rest Mark 14:32-52 • Do you know what stress is? Everybody in this room understands this term because it is seems to be so evident today. Little kids have stomach problems, teenagers have relational problems (peers), and everybody seems to have emotional problems if ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:32-52

Denomination: Baptist

Dangerous Deceiver Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Oct 1, 2015

Don’t be deceived by false teachers. Don’t be fooled by their words. Don’t be fooled by their works, and don’t let them dominate your life.

Harold Urey, a nuclear physicist from the University of Chicago, played a key role in researching the potential of the atom. As a result, he was invited to speak all over the world. He had a chauffeur who took him to his various banquets and engagements, but before long he got tired of giving the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 13:11-18

Denomination: Evangelical Free

The Character Of A Servant

Contributed by Jon Mackinney on Jun 7, 2007

Here at the end of the book of Acts, we find Paul under house arrest, but still acting as a servant. What are the characteristics of such a servant?

Passage: Acts 28:17-31 Intro: I heard on the radio the other day that Acts is not a book of theology, but rather a book of history. 1. I agree to a point. It is the record of the early church and what they did. 2. but at the same time, it is a record of the works of God, and so we can ...read more

Scripture: Acts 28:17-31

Denomination: Evangelical Free

A Wee Little Man Meets A Great Big God Series

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Mar 18, 2018

Zacchaeus was rich, greedy, corrupt…and short. And he knew something was missing from his life. What happened when Jesus passed by surprised him and deeply disturbed the great throng of people following Jesus to Jerusalem.

A Wee Little Man Meets a Great Big God Easter Series: On the Way to the Cross, #2 Chuck Sligh March 18, 2018 NOTE: A PowerPoint presentation is available for this sermon by request at chucksligh@hotmail.com. This is a shorter adaptation of a sermon from an Easter series by Brian Bill found on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

I Need You Series

Contributed by Alan Tison on Feb 21, 2008

EVERY RELATIONSHIP ENDS UP SOMEWHERE, FEW RELATIONSHIPS END UP SOMEWHERE ON PURPOSE The desire of our church is to build purposeful relationships with one another. The kind relationships, which will enrich our fellowship with others and deepen our relatio

Introduction: Play Video Clip #1 You and I were meant to live in community. God has designed us to be together in community. Go back to the creation account in Genesis In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. Over the course of the next 48 verses in the Bible, God completes his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-3

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Returning From Hurrication: Returning From Exile!

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 17, 2009

As the Exile of Israel ends in God’s Glorious Triumph over Assyria & Babylon and the Continuation of His Purpose in His ELECT so the Exile of Humanity Ends in God’s Glorious Triumph of the Cross and the Return of the Presence of God to the Heart of Mankin

Today’s message is entitled “Returning form Hurrication: Returning from Exile.” It is time to go home; it is always good to be home! The last three years has left it tracks on us. We are discovering this more and more as times go on. On a human sense, it’s very clear that we are ready to be ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:7-8

Denomination: *other

Three Kinds Of Peace

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Feb 8, 2022

A Christian man got very involved in collegiate football. He had one team in particular that he pulled for each week. When they won, he had a wonderful week-end, but if they lost he had a terrible week-end.

His joy and peace within his heart each week was determined by the football team that he supported. He was allowing a couple dozen college boys that he did not know personally decide on what kind of week end he was going to have. The fact is, many folks allow THINGS and PEOPLE to decide what kind ...read more

Scripture: John 14:27

Denomination: Baptist

On A Morning Like This

Contributed by Vic Folkert on Mar 18, 2019

Mark's ending, unique among the gospels, connects the empty tomb to real-life struggles, as it ends with the women "bewildered and afraid." As we join the women there, we grasp the life-changing impact of the resurrection.

ON A MORNING LIKE THIS—Mark 16:1-8 “In the sky the song of the skylark greets the dawn in the fields wet with dew The scent of the violets fills the air on such a lovely morning as this Surely on such a lovely morning as this Lord Jesus came forth from the tomb.” John Carden, A Procession of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8, 1 Corinthians 15:14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed