Sermons on Surprise:

Your Easter Story

Contributed by Scott Nichols on Jul 18, 2014

The original ending of Mark's Gospel a first glance seems to inspire little hope; but a closer look reveals how the Risen Lord meets us in the ordinary circumstances of life and invites us to finish the story of His resurrection.

The little boy was not exactly happy about going to church on Easter Sunday morning. His new shoes were to tight, his tie pinched his neck and the weather outside was just too beautiful to be cooped up inside...so as he sulked in the pew his parents heard him mutter to no one in particular. "I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-8

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lifestyle Principles Sermon V: Prioritize The Main Thing Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jul 22, 2020

When facing crisis situations, God's people accept the challenge to prioritize the main thing we pray for by doing the main thing Christ died for.

PRIORITIZE THE MAIN THING WE PRAY FOR BY DOING THE MAIN THING WE WOULD DIE FOR At a recent “note burning ceremony” the church’s pastor commended the parishioners, then commented on the meaning of the special occasion, reminding people that, whereas the burning of a note of ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 6:1-3, Nehemiah 6:15-16, Nehemiah 8:1-8

Mold Me And Make Me Sermon Ii: . . . By Helping Me Face My Fears Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jul 25, 2020

In striving to do God's Will on earth as it is done in Heaven, mature Christians realize that if it is to be according to His Will we must have help to face our fears.

MOLD ME AND MAKE ME AFTER THY WILL . . . BY HELPING ME FACE MY FEARS My Brother-in-law, who lived in Africa for ten years, tells about his wild life experiences – some of which, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:11-12, Exodus 4:10-17

Never-Ending Adventure Sermon V: Jesus Corrects Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jul 29, 2020

Folks who choose to follow Jesus and then go on to mature discipleship constantly seek to get it right when it comes to interpretation and application of God's Word and therefore look to Jesus as their final authority.

THE CHRISTIAN’S NEVER-ENDING ADVENTURE Jesus Corrects Errors of Interpretation By Informing the Misinformed ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:5-15

Blessings At Bethesda Series

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 1, 2020

He had waited 38 years for something to happen. Then he met Jesus, and he was instantly healed!

Text: John 5:2-15 KJV: 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep (market) a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a ...read more

Scripture: John 5:2-15

Denomination: Baptist

Spread The Word Despite The Odds Sermon V: Any Culture, Any Era, Any Place Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jan 15, 2020

Despite multiple attacks against Christianity today, mature Christians will not be deterred by those who hate us as we go about our God-given task of spreading Good News of God's love.

ANY CULTURE, ANY PLACE ON EARTH, ANY ERA - GOD IS AND CAN BE KNOWN! The man’s name I cannot tell you but his story I cannot forget. He burst into the Waffle House with unbridled enthusiasm praising God and telling anyone who would listen how thankful he was to be alive. I ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:16-31

Religion Vs. Relationship

Contributed by John Oquinn on Sep 15, 2018

Religion vs. Relationship

I will start by reading a book excerpt from the June 3,1989 issue of Today in the Word, published by the Moody Bible Institute. As I read, see if you can guess whom is being spoke of. He made free use of Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessing of the Almighty and the Christian ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:19-24, Romans 3:9-12

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"Mary's Christmas"

Contributed by David Henderson on Dec 29, 2014

When we look back at the life of Mary I see 2 extreme points of view that have surfaced. 1. Many believers have chosen to worship Mary. 2. Others have chosen to completely ignore Mary. The scripture does not support either approach.

Mary’s Christmas Luke 1:26-38 Most of us recognize that Christmas can actually be one of the most stressful times of the year. For pastors and their families things do not usually slow down—instead things just get busier. For many in the church and community there are those feeling ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Baptist

Love Is Blind

Contributed by David Roth on Jan 13, 2015

Proper 29 (A). Last Sunday of the Church Year. Christ judges the sheep as good and righteous because the sheep live in the Lamb, and His love covers their sin.

J. J. May the words of my mouth, and the meditations of our hearts, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. “Love is blind” Today we are observing the Last Sunday of the Church year, also called Christ the King Sunday. And so, the readings are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Denomination: Lutheran

One Flock, One Shepherd

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Apr 26, 2021

A sermon for the fourth Sunday of Easter, Year B

April 25, 2021 Hope Lutheran Church John 10:11-18; 1 John 3:16-24 One Flock, One Shepherd Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. Once every year we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday. We hear a passage from John chapter 10 where Jesus ...read more

Scripture: John 10:11-18, 1 John 3:16-24

Denomination: Lutheran

The Eyes Of The Lord Is Upon Us

Contributed by Gbemisola Fafowora on Jun 14, 2021

God sits on His throne watching us His children.

I was asking the Holy Spirit what was in the heart of God that He wanted to share with the body of Christ, every time that I write I ask Him this question first, knowing fully well that He is our teacher and helper and knows exactly what He wants to share with His body. When I heard in my spirit ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:3

Denomination: Pentecostal

Encountering Jesus In The Most Unexpected Places And At The Most Unexpected Times. Series

Contributed by Mark Van Cuylenburg on May 11, 2020

Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus we to can encounter Jesus when we least expect to and where we least expect to find Him.

If you had asked my parents what religion they were and how they had bought up their children they would have said, without hesitation, that they were Christians, and that we, my brothers Gary and Paul, and my sister Carol, and I, had been brought up in the Christian faith, except of course that my ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35, Revelation 20:11-15

Denomination: Baptist

Overcomers Sermon Ii: Overcoming The Negative Effects Of Yielding To Temptation Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on May 20, 2020

To overcome as did Joseph and Jesus, learn the principles that empower children of God not only to recognize but to withstand the temptations of life.

Overcome the Negative Effects of Yielding to Temptation When teaching Christians of your caliber and high level of maturity, my assumption is that yielding to temptation is for the most part a thing of the past, and that you have become a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-12

Naming The New

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Jan 3, 2023

A sermon for New Year's Day, The Name of Our Lord

January 1, 2023 Hope Lutheran Church Rev. Mary Erickson Luke 2:15-21 Naming the New Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. How did you get your name? Some families follow a pattern when they select names for their babies. My ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:15-21

Denomination: Lutheran

Under His Tree

Contributed by Sean Dees on Mar 1, 2022

We go through great lengths to buy and purchase Christmas gifts for loved ones. We will break the bank in order to get the perfect gift. We wouldn't dare give someone a used or broken gift or put those items under our Christmas tree, but those items could be found under the Cross.

Christmas time is one of my favorite times of the year. Since I was a child I could not wait for Christmas to come, I would begin making my list in September and update it as the Sears, JC Penney, and Toys r us catalogs begin to arrive in the mail. Christmas was a big deal for us we didn’t have a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:24