Sermons on Try Harder:

The Glory Of The Story - 1 Peter 1:10-12 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Nov 29, 2024

Why did the prophets search their own writings? Did they not understand what they wrote? If that's the case, what were they trying to communicate when they wrote it?

The prophets searched Scripture to find out what kind of era it would be when the Messiah would suffer and then be glorified. But they were told that it was not for them to know. We get to participate in this glorious kingdom in the Church (why would a Christian prefer the world to the Church?). ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-12

How Did I End Up Here? PRO Sermon

Contributed by Sermon Research Assistant on Sep 26, 2023

Explore the story of Jonah to understand how God intervenes in our lives with His love and grace, even when we try to run away from our calling.

Good morning, family of faith! Today we're diving into the ocean of God's infinite wisdom and mercy, using the story of Jonah as our guide. In the words of the late Christian author, Timothy Keller, "God always gives you what you would have asked for if you knew everything that He knows." Our ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:17

Topics: He Keeps Making A Way

What Makes Me Good Enough

Contributed by Lewis Martin on May 24, 2025

Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I good enough?” Good enough to be accepted. Good enough to belong. Good enough—for God.

"What Makes Me Good Enough?" Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I good enough?” Good enough to be accepted. Good enough to belong. Good enough—for God. Most of us try to answer that question by performing. We stay busy. We work hard. We try to do the right things, avoid the wrong ones, and ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:13-17, Galatians 2:11-21

Denomination: Nazarene

The Effects Of Sin And Forgiveness

Contributed by Fred Sigle on Sep 11, 2003

David’s sin and cover up of his sin devastated him, but God’s forgiveness brought amazing healing.

THE EFFECTS OF SIN AND FORGIVENESS (Inspired by a sermon by Jeff Walling of the Providence Road Church of Christ in Charlotte, NC) A. Psalm 32:1-2 (READ) ILLUSTRATION: Some years ago, two TEENAGERS with a long history of CRIME and DELINQUENCY robbed a YMCA on the lowest East Side of New York ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-7, Psalm 51:1-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where's Your Faith On Friday?

Contributed by Jeffrey Samelson on Apr 5, 2004

A Palm Sunday sermon that explores the difference between people’s words and actions on Sunday with their words and actions on Friday.

April 4, 2004 — Palm Sunday Christ Lutheran Church, Columbia, MD Pastor Jeff Samelson John 12:12-19 Where’s Your Faith on Friday? Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our glorious King and Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. The Word of God for our meditation this Palm Sunday is ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-19

Denomination: Lutheran

"How To Receive God's Blessings" - Iii

Contributed by Ray Scott on Jul 19, 2004

The third in the series. Everyone wants to be blessed by God. A search of the Psalms shows us instructions from God on how to receive His blessings.

“How To Receive God’s Blessings” – III INTRODUCTION: We CONTINUE in our series. Last time, we traveled through the Psalms and found 5 ways that God will “bless” you: 1.- If You TRUST Him - Psalm 2:12 – “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 84:5

Denomination: Baptist

Knowing God - #5 - God Is Gracious Series

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 5, 2001

Seventh in a series about the attributes of God and how to reflect them to others.

KNOWING GOD - #5 God is Gracious Various Scriptures Introduction Preacher Charles Swindoll recalled his last spanking when he turned thirteen years old. Chuck said, “Having just broken into the sophisticated ranks of the teen world, I thought I was something on a stick. My father wasn’t nearly ...read more

Scripture: John 1:16-17, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Denomination: Wesleyan

How Grace Changes Lives Series

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 27, 2010

God changes us more and more as we believe the gospel more and more deeply and personally.

Scripture Introduction One of my seminary professors illustrated the challenge of believing and living Biblical truth by saying that we work out our theology and practice on a razor’s edge. The faithful Christian does not walk the fine edge so much as she is always moves back toward ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27-28

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Grace For The Beginning Series

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012

Grace for Methodists is understood as a three-stage process: prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. That being said, we need to understand that grace is just that, grace. Prevenient grace, justifying grace and sanctifying grace are not

Grace for the Beginning of the Journey Ephesians 2:1-10 John Wesley started the Methodist movement after having an encounter with the Holy Spirit in his small group Bible study when his heart as he described it was “strangely warmed.” From that point on, Methodism made significant ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Denomination: Methodist

How Much Fruitfulness Does God Want To Have Through Your Life? Series

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Aug 9, 2014

A look at how God wants to bring thirty-fold, sixty-fold, or a hundred-fold harvest into our lives. It looks into what exactly that means for our lives.

HOW MUCH IMPACT DOES GOD WANT TO HAVE THROUGH YOUR LIFE? Does your life’s impact resemble an overflowing orchard basket or a Charlie Brown Christmas tree? - Matthew 13:8, 23; Mark 4:8, 20; Luke 8:8, 15; John 15:5, 8. - Let’s talk about these two images for a moment. - Image #1: the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:18-23

Denomination: Baptist

The Impossible Becomes Possible

Contributed by Rodney V Johnson on Jul 16, 2017

This message is about how our faith helps the impossible to become possible because with God all things are possible if we believe.

The Impossible Becomes Possible Scriptures: Hebrews 11:1; Joshua 2:15-19; 6:1-25 How many of you have ever heard of Chesley Sullenberger? How many of you have ever heard about the pilot that landed the Airbus A320 in the Hudson River after a flock of Canadian geese flew into the engines? How ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 6:1-25, Hebrews 11:1-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Spirit-Filled Life (Part 4) Series

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Jan 15, 2024

When the Holy Spirit fights against our sinful desires, when we follow the Spirit’s leading and let Him guide our lives, and when we start seeing the fruit of the Spirit ripening in and around us—that’s holiness. That’s God’s ultimate goal for our lives.

The Spirit-filled Life (4) Scott Bayles, pastor Blooming Grove Christian Church: 6/11/2017 For the past few weeks we’ve been exploring key passages of Scripture that teach us vital truths about who the Holy Spirit is and what He is anxious to do in our lives. In the first week, we learned about ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-25

Denomination: Christian Church

Jesus: Better Than Our Human Potential Series

Contributed by Ken Pell on Sep 27, 2012

For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

JESUS THE BETTER WAY: BETTER THAN OUR HUMAN POTENTIAL HEBREWS 2:5-2:18 BIG IDEA: For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. It ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 2:5-18

Denomination: Nazarene

Be Fully Alive In The Deadest Sense Of The Word

Contributed by Joel Pankow on May 3, 2012

God puts our hearts at rest through HIs commands to love and believe.

May 6, 2012 1 John 3:18-24 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:18-24

Denomination: Lutheran

A Better Way To Live, Part 1 Series

Contributed by Chris Anderson on Mar 11, 2023

Message 3 in an expositional series through Paul's "second" letter to the church in the ancient Greek city of Corinth where he defends his apostleship and corrects serious doctrinal errors within this young church.

Most of you know that I grew up as a pastor’s kid (for some of you, that explains everything). And my dad became an expert over the years at helping wounded churches become healthy…today we call that revitalization. And during the time that I lived at home, he pastored three different churches…and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:7-11

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational