Sermons on Try Harder:

"I Am Reconciled" Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Feb 11, 2014

The reconciliation we see today due to Christ's death has both a horizontal and vertical aspect to it. Vertically God has reconciled all mankind to himself, and horizontally he has reconciled all mankind to each other through the blood of Christ.

“I Am Reconciled” (Eph 2:11-22) Here’s the attitude of the first century Jewish religious man: “Thank you God for not making me a Gentile, and thank you God for not making me a female”. The pious Jew was ever aware of the privilege they had inherited, and frankly they ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Whining In The Wilderness Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 28, 2013

We need to stop complaining and cry out to God, depending on him to meet our most important needs of this journey. That we don’t just rely on leaders to connect us with God but rather we are all responsible for having our own relationship with Him.

(Exodus 15:22-27) So Moses/God led them into the desert for three days without water. Experts say that in a warm dry environment like that, 3 days would be the upper limit of survival without water. So these people would be very near death when they came upon this watering hole. And imagine their ...read more

Like Father Like Son

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 17, 2014

Let's honor our Father in heaven by being like Him

That’s a common saying isn’t it? A lot of the time it’s true to some extent, many of us have traits of our parents whether we want them or not, but we’re rarely exactly them. In the case of Jesus, it’s true that the Son is exactly like the Father. Colossians 1:15, ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

“jesus Came To Overcome Blindness”

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 11, 2013

We heard last week that Jesus says he came so that no one should remain in darkness, and just before that he says that anyone who sees me sees the Father. What does this mean? It means that the truth that is the most imperative for all people, is to believe that Jesus is God in the flesh.

“Jesus Came to Overcome Blindness” (2 Cor 4:1-7) English author H. G. Wells—famous for science fiction novels like The Time Machine, and The War of the Worlds—once wrote a short story called “The Country of the Blind.” It’s about an inaccessible, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

Seeds, Weeds, And Growth

Contributed by Sean Harder on Nov 19, 2008

To be a strong church we must include the "weeds" of society

Matt 13:24-43 – “Seeds, Weeds, and Growth” It is a pleasure to be here with you in person this morning. I hear you had to sit through a rather long audio sermon of mine a couple of weeks ago. Don’t worry though lunch is very important to me as well so I promise not to keep you here too ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43

A Time For Testimony Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Nov 23, 2010

When we realize that we need nothing anymore, that God has provided everything we really need, we can show our thanksgiving to God by living for Him and helping other people find the giver of life. Like the 24 elders who get off their throne and fall down

Today we again have a little interlude from all the horror of the judgments. Thankfully God gives us these little breathers throughout Revelation because it is so intense. This is Thanksgiving weekend, and of course we should be the most thankful people of all knowing that we have a saviour that ...read more

Happy Are The Humble Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Mar 16, 2011

Meekness is not laziness or lack of desire or passion, weakness, niceness, or being easy going. Restrained might be another good word for it. Humility or biblical meekness has incredible power because it allows God to work. Pride gets in the way and it be

Have you ever heard of the "Dependent Order of Really Meek and Timid Souls"? When you make an acrostic of the first letters of its name, you have the word "Doormats." The Doormats have an official insignia—a yellow caution light. Their official motto is: "The meek shall inherit the earth, if ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5

Happy Are The Clean Minded Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Mar 16, 2011

As Paul was well aware, the Christian life is an unrelenting conflict between our sinful nature and this spirit or heart that God puts in us at our conversion. So the questions are not which church should I attend, am I doing the right religious things? B

If you have read the Gospels you have heard Jesus rebuke the Pharisees, the upstanding religious leaders and lawmakers in Ancient Israel. Well, we don’t know the half of it. They weren’t just talking about the 10 Commandments when they spoke of the laws. Here are some of the over 600 man made rules ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:8

The Building Materials Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Aug 5, 2011

Ok, the property was prepared, the blueprints are laid out on the table in the construction trailer to be followed every step of the way, the foundation of the Holy Spirit, prayer and worship has been poured and is firmly in place, and now we need some bu

Ok, the property was prepared, the blueprints are laid out on the table in the construction trailer to be followed every step of the way, the foundation of the Holy Spirit, prayer and worship has been poured and is firmly in place, and now we need some building materials and tools to actually put ...read more

Scripture: Acts 14:23

Pass The Baton Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 28, 2012

Why does God allow horrible things happen to innocent people? How often do people ask why would God do that or allow that to happen if He’s a loving God? I am going to do my best to answer those questions today, but I want to work through more of the stor

A three year old gets shot and killed in a gang crossfire. A six year old gets Leukemia and dies after a couple years of awful treatment. A loving mother of five gets hit and killed by a drunk driver. In the Bible Ananias and Sapphira get struck dead for lying in the book of Acts. Uzzah gets struck ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:19-25

The Source Of Fruit Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

In order to bear real spiritual fruit we must abide in the vine, Christ.

This summer I want to take you through the “Fruit of the Spirit” as found in Galatians 5:22-23. We will memorize these two verses, and each Sunday we’re going to discuss a different fruit, but before we do that I think it’s important to look at the source of that fruit and what Jesus says is ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-17

"I Am Blessed" Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jan 22, 2014

The blessings we have in Christ help make up our spiritual identity.

“I Am Blessed” (Eph 1:3-14) We can read our passage today and it reads like any good section of the New Testament, very nice introduction to the letter he writes to the Ephesian church. But what you can’t get from just reading the English written word here is how absolutely giddy ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

"I Am Appreciated" Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Feb 4, 2014

Living in our identity as appreciated saints.

“I Am Appreciated” (Ephesians 1:15-23) In a series called “I Am” when we’re talking about ourselves, I realize there’s a danger of our egos getting involved, especially when the title is “I Am Appreciated”. But remember Paul is talking to people that ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

The First Passover Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 7, 2013

9 chances to believe the Lord and let the people of Israel go. Continuous stubbornness on the part of Pharaoh, and eventually God passes judgment and here it finally comes in verse 4 of chapter 11…

When we look at that passage it’s hard to not to be taken a back by the apparent cruelty of God’s judgement here, but I think it reflects the original curse that came through Adam, that the consequence of disobedience – rejecting God, is death. It is also justice, and everyone ...read more

"The Church Goes Viral" Series

Contributed by Sean Harder on Nov 29, 2013

I want to make the illustration of what it means to go viral on the internet. This happens all the time because people of our generation practically live on the web. As we continue in Acts chapter 11 we see that the church had already grown very rapidly.

There’s a saying online when something gets really popular, that it goes “viral”. Not too long ago there a was 4 minute video posted on Youtube by a fellow named Jefferson Bethke. It was poem entitled, “Why I hate religion but Love Jesus”. In less than two years it was ...read more