Sermons on Unexpected Journey:

Unexpected Jesus

Contributed by Theresa Ratliff on Mar 25, 2013

Do our expectations of who Jesus should be keep us from seeing who he really is?

Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something about this story that has always bothered me. How on earth could Mary Magdeline, who has been one of Jesus’s closest friends, look right at him and doesn’t recognize him? Isn’t that like…the president of the George ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: *other

Resurrection Unexpected

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Apr 1, 2013

No one really expected the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today we focus on the expectations of two of those who first saw Jesus: John and Mary. What they expected, and how Jesus actually met them, can help your relationship with Jesus too.

No one saw it coming. No one. On the Sunday following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ no one really expected what happened (or at least it they didn’t fully comprehend it). They should have. Shortly after confirming to His men that He was the Messiah, Jesus said: Mark 8:31 “The Son of ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-18

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

In A Way Unexpected

Contributed by William L. Vincent on Jan 5, 2013

God will often use things, people and circumstances that do not make sense to the human intellect. God will speak into our improbability and bring forth our destiny.

1 Sam 16:13 Now the LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons." 2 And Samuel said, "How can I go? If ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Denomination: Orthodox

Unexpected Defeat

Contributed by Ian Humphrey on Nov 6, 2015

Unexpected Defeat

Ecclesiastes 9 v 11 & 12 Unexpected Defeat v.11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

Denomination: Holiness

Unexpected Guests

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Jan 22, 2010

Jesus wants us to always be ready and unafraid of helping the lost come to Him.

INTRODUCTION • SLIDE #1 • Have you ever come home from a long day at work, just wanting to relax? Maybe you have put in many hours at the office or in the factory. • On your way home, you envision a scene where you come home and put up your feet turn on the television and read ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:30-44

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Unexpected Cross

Contributed by Ken Crow on Oct 2, 2010

Life circumstances may be so that not only do we not ask for a cross but also we may not have a choice in whether we bear it or not.

The Unexpected Cross Pastor Ken Crow Matthew 27:32 (King James Version) 32And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. In our Christian life there are many crosses. There is our cross that Jesus says we must bear if we are to be his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:32

Denomination: Church Of God

God Of The Unexpected

Contributed by John Gaston on Sep 27, 2012

Jesus reverses people's fortunes. We're shocked that God loves us, has wonderful plans for our insignificant lives,and isn't limited by the options that limit us. In one minute, everything in this man's life changed. God wants to do it for you!

GOD OF THE UNEXPECTED John 5:1-9, 14-15 INTRODUCTION A. HUMOR 1. David, a second-grader, was bumped while getting on the school bus & suffered a two-inch cut on his cheek. 2. At recess he collided with another boy and two of his teeth were knocked loose. At noon, while sliding on ice, he fell ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-15

Denomination: Assembly Of God

An Unexpected Hero

Contributed by Bret Bone on Sep 13, 2011

Ten years ago today I think we would all agree that the events that happened on Sept. 11 marked us as a nation and individuals for a lifetime.

An Unexpected Hero Slide Watch movie trailer…U-tube World Trade Towers (Nicholas Cage 2min…) Ten years ago today I think we would all agree that the events that happened on Sept. 11 marked us as a nation and individuals for a lifetime. Every American alive that day will forever ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-13

Expect The Unexpected Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on May 6, 2023

Life is unpredictable, so expect to be surprised.

A few years ago (2017), authorities apprehended a group of Minnesota teens for attempting to steal a cake from a local grocery store. The teens were embarrassed, but even more so when they discovered the cake was fake—it was a cardboard display cake. The grocery store owner decided not to press ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:11-18, Ecclesiastes 10:1-20, Romans 8:28

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Unexpected Gift

Contributed by Gerald Roberts on Dec 19, 2023

Israel was expecting a Messiah but not like the Messiah that came.

“Unexpected Gift” Luke 2:1-20 1. Today’s reading there was some expected things needed done • It was expected that all Israel be registered for tax purposes • It was expected that Joseph go to Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Denomination: Methodist

An Unexpected Honor Series

Contributed by Diana Tyler on Jul 8, 2023

No good deed goes unnoticed.

In Esther 6, King Xerxes was having trouble sleeping so he asked that the book of the records of the chronicles be read. During the reading, it was discovered that Mordecai was the one who had told of the plot to assassinate King Xerxes from Esther 2:21-23. King Xerxes asked what honor or dignity ...read more

Unexpected Grace Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Jan 17, 2020

Our response to those who are have false motives and who scoff at Jesus is to show unexpected grace so that the ungodly may still have an opportunity to experience God’s forgiveness and love.

Message Jude 17-25 Unexpected Grace The book of Jude takes many different and, sometimes, unexpected turns. Jude wanted to write about the wonders of salvation – instead a difficult and spiritually dangerous situation compelled him to urge the recipients to “contend for the faith”. They needed to ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:17-25

Denomination: Baptist

Responding To The Unexpected

Contributed by Barry O Johnson on May 10, 2018

Many Christians are not prepared spiritually for the attacks of the enemy. This message, taken from 2 Chronicles 20, gives six things we can do to prepare ourselves from the enemy's attacks.

Many of you are much too young to remember the 1965 title bout between the Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali and the man he defeated for the title, Sonny Liston a year earlier. Ali knocked Liston out in the first round with a right cross to his left temple that he never saw coming. Ali’s punch ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Expect The Unexpected Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Mar 25, 2021

There is no such thing as a hopeless case. The lease likely people in this world can become children of God, and can become leaders in the kingdom, as did this Samaritan sinner.

The unexpected is the source of so much of the joy of life. Our three year old granddaughter, Jennifer, was praying at the table a couple of weeks ago. I noticed she was going faster than usual, and she came to the end saying, "In Jesus name, amen." Then she shouted, "I win." ...read more

An Unexpected Funeral

Contributed by Steve Greene on Oct 19, 2020

This is a funeral for a man in his mid-fifties that passed away unexpectedly.

Michael Brown On behalf of the entire Brown family, I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for being here this afternoon. One week ago right now, none of us expected to be here today. But people have rearranged schedules, taken off work, and traveled many miles to be here for this ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:11-13, John 1:12, John 14:6, 1 John 1:9, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:13, James 4:8, Hebrews 9:27, Romans 10:9-10, Mark 2:1-12  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene