Sermons on Surprised:

Remembering People (Memorial Day)

Contributed by Steve Shepherd on Oct 18, 2000

Memorial Day is about remembering people.

INTRO.- ILL.- A group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under the load of an 8-point buck which he was carrying. "Where’s Harry?" He was asked. "Harry had a stroke of some kind. He’s a couple of miles back up ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:3-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How To Find Victory In Life

Contributed by Bobby Gilstrap on Nov 10, 2000

An Easter message to give hope in the midst of unsettled times.

"HOW TO FIND VICTORY IN LIFE" Matthew 28:1-10 (NASB) by Bobby Gilstrap How can you find victory in life when things around you are falling apart? Yesterday morning (4/22/00), INS Agents stormed the house where Elian Gonzalas was staying. That little boy was taken from that house to be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Denomination: Baptist

Bearing For One Another Series

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Nov 16, 2000

An incomprehensive study on the ’one another’ verses. Part 3

I want to draw your attention to something most of us would never, otherwise, pause to consider very carefully...something that, in a way, we take for granted. Bearing another person’s burdens. Think about this. When a man sees a woman carrying something, it is considered gentlemanly for him ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2, Galatians 6:3

Denomination: Orthodox

Every Word Counts

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Nov 21, 2000

The words that come out of our mouth reveal what is in a person's heart, shows what that individual really is like.

There was an ad on the radio a while ago which proclaimed that "people judge you by the words you use." It was for a program that was intended to help you build-up your vocabulary. Now, it is probably true that many of us assume that someone who uses four- or five-syllable words in their ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:33-37

Denomination: Baptist

Born To A What Series

Contributed by Bruce Goettsche on Dec 16, 2000

A message on the Virgin Birth of Jesus

"Born of a What?" SERIES: Who is This Jesus? Advent 2000 ©December 17, 2000 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche It is not uncommon when you get a group of mothers together that they begin telling the stories about the birth of their children. There are horror stories of labor that lasted for days. There are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-35

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Inescapable Love

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 27, 2000

Lessons from the life of Hosea. God’s love is beyond reason, inescapable and tough.

As I thought about the messed-up life of Hosea this week, I logged onto the Jerry Springer web site to check out the kind of topics he had been wallowing in lately. Some of the program titles read like this one on August 28: “Surprise, I’m Cheating.” The caption describes the show this way: ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 1:1-10

Denomination: Methodist

God's Rx For Discouragement

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 1, 2001

Discouragement comes when we focus on the problem rather than God, on the wonders of God rather than the Word of God, on our inadequacies rather than God’s resources.

We find ourselves at an interesting time of history. Perhaps, more than any other time, we find ourselves polarized as a people. During the world wars the country seemed to come together in patriotic unity, but with the absence of war, and the influx of prosperity, we seemed to have lost ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-15

Denomination: Methodist

Finding Strength In Times Of Suffering

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Sep 10, 2002

How do you deal with suffering and traumas in life? The Apsotle Peter gives several helpful teachings for those going through times of crisis and suffering.

Finding Strength in Times of Suffering I Peter 4:12-16 A year ago on September 11th every American was in a state of shock when war came to America in the form of the Terrorist Attacks on the World Trade Center. Since then many individuals and families have suffered and grieved due to the loss ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-16

Denomination: Free Methodist

Get Out Of The Dark Series

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Oct 4, 2002

Is Judas alone in his betrayal of the Christ? Actions speak louder than words. Have we betrayed the Lord through how we relate with each other?

✎ Have you ever found yourself afraid of the dark? Perhaps it was when you were a child and you had to sleep with the hall light on; every child knows that the boogeyman can get you if you’re in the dark. Every sound takes on a new mysterious meaning in the dark; uncertainty and darkness ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:13, John 13:18-30

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Relationships Where Grace Is Not In Place Series

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Oct 7, 2002

Shaping the people around us into being the people we would like them to be is not our job - it’s God’s.

Grace Based Relationships Part 1 October 6, 2002 Relationships When Grace Is Not In Place Genesis 3 (16) Over the next few weeks I will be speaking through a series called Grace Based Relationships. The series is taken from a book by Jeff Van Vonderen called “Families Where Grace is in Place.” ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:16

Denomination: *other

The Place Of Emotion In Religion

Contributed by Alan Smith on Aug 9, 2002

What does it mean to love God with "all your heart"?

Introduction: I’m sure you’ve all heard the old story about the enthusiastic man who walked into a dignified worship service and sat down in a pew. The minister had just started his sermon when the visitor said fervently, “Amen!” A moment later the fellow said, “Praise the Lord!” The usher ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:37

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Two "Weddings" And A "Funeral" Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Aug 17, 2002

In the characters of III John, Gaius, Demetrius, and Diotrephes, we learn how to bond and we discover what kills relationships. Designed for "punctuation" by organ music between the sections.

We really need to connect. We are made for fellowship, and if we do not connect with one another, we will dry up and die. We need to connect with God; and we need to connect with one another. When I was the Baptist chaplain at Howard University, it seemed that my students only knew two ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:1-15

Denomination: Baptist

A Prevailing Church: Loosing Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on May 20, 2002

A prevailing church is one which lives like those persons others thought Jesus might be -- like John the Baptist, loosing himself from tradition; like Elijah, living out of grace; like Jeremiah, let loose in the world.

I walked into the Baptist Student Center at the University of Kentucky, about to take over as chaplain. My predecessor was still on the scene, filling up garbage cans with files. In those pre-Watergate days, nobody had thought of shredders, I guess. He was throwing away every record, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Powerful Old Covenant (Part 1)

Contributed by Neal Gray on Jun 19, 2002

God loves His people. We are His creation. And He desires that we live in right relationship with Him. God knows that He will have to make the "first moves," and He has done so.

"The Powerful Old Covenant (Part 1)" Author: Dr. Neal Gray Passage: Genesis 15:1-21, KJV Purpose: God loves His people. We are His creation. And He desires that we live in right relationship with Him. God knows that He will have to make the "first moves," and He has done so. In the powerful old ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-21

Denomination: Holiness

When You Think You're Going Under

Contributed by Keith Linkous on Jun 22, 2002

Don’t despair, Christ is there. And He desires to lift you up when you think you’re going under.

We have all had that “sinking feeling,” haven’t we? We’ve all had our share of storms. There are various types of storms in life. 1. Situational storms. This is when circumstances seem to plot against you and everything seems to go wrong. Murphy’s law is in full force. Everything seems to go ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Pentecostal