Sermons on Unexpected Places:

Expect The Unexpected

Contributed by Nathan Bounds on Dec 15, 2005

Learn to expect God to do that which is extraordinary. The Unexpected!

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED John 11:1-8; 14-17; 20-46 Expect - To look forward to, to anticipate, to look forward to the occurance of. Unexpected - That which is not expected What do you expect to happen when you come to God’s house? When was the last time you came to God’s ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-46

Denomination: Pentecostal

The God Of The Unexpected Series

Contributed by David Ward on Oct 3, 2009

An expository message from Acts 12 on how God "shows up" in response to his people’s faith, and lack of faith.

INTRODUCTION: Arthur Burns was chair of the Federal Reserve in the 1970s, and a Jewish economist of great influence in Washington during the tenure of several Presidents. Burns was once asked to pray at a gathering of evangelical politicians. Stunning his hosts, he prayed thus: "Lord, I pray that ...read more

Scripture: Acts 12:1-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unexpected Guests

Contributed by Eric Keller on Nov 24, 2010

Are you prepared for Christ when he returns?

UNEXPECTED GUESTS Matthew 24:36-44 I. VIDEO A. Video of people disappearing in the rapture. B. Not required for sermon II. INTRODUCTION: UNEXPECTED GUESTS A. Ever have an unexpected guest? B. You’re sitting down to dinner and you hear a doorbell (ring the office doorbell) C. What do you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-44

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

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

The Unexpected Jesus

Contributed by Tom Fuller on Mar 25, 2013

What do you expect from Jesus? The people, disciples, and the religious leaders had some very specific expectations of Jesus on Palm Sunday. He shattered all of them, just as He shatters our expectations as well. And that's a good thing!

John 12:1-2, 9-19 Jesus performed an incredible miracle in raising Lazarus. It made huge waves. It wasn’t the first person Jesus raised, but it was the first who had been raised after the Jewish belief that the soul had left the body. According to the Talmud (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-44

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

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

The Unexpected Visitor

Contributed by Mary Erickson on Jan 30, 2023

A Sermon for the 4th Sunday of Epiphany, Year A

January 29, 2023 Hope Lutheran Church Rev. Mary Erickson 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12 The Unexpected Visitor Friends, may grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus opens up his Sermon on the Mount with a real show-stopper. The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, 1 Corinthians 1:18-21

Denomination: Lutheran

Expect The Unexpected

Contributed by Paul Robinson on Sep 27, 2022

Life is full of unexpected moments—it would be boring without them. But what happens when that unexpected moment is huge? It affects you personally, and it’s something that seems unbearable. It causes you to doubt. That’s what we find in Luke 7 with John the Baptist.

Has something unexpected ever happened to you? —you find a 20 dollar bill in between the cushions on your couch —you bump into someone at the store that you haven’t seen in 5 years —the forecast says it’ll be sunny, but it pours —the dog decides to bring you a gift from the outside world, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:19-20

Denomination: Baptist

Unexpected Hero Series

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Apr 3, 2025

We are in dire need of integrity in our society, and it begins and ends with Jesus Christ and the foundation of Scripture.

Paul the Ringleader Text: Acts 24:1-9 Introduction 1. “Integrity, the choice between what is convenient and what is right” (Tony Dungy). 2. “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching” (C.S. Lewis). 3. “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will ...read more

Scripture: Acts 24:1-9

Denomination: Methodist

Unexpected Advice

Contributed by Rich O' Toole on Jun 2, 2025

A Pharisee offers sound advice to the council

Unexpected Advice Acts 5:29-42 Does the LORD ever use non-believers or pagan people to speak truth or accomplish His will? In the Old Testament prophecy of Habakkuk, the LORD said He would use Babylon, which was a “ruthless” and “dreaded” nation, to achieve His purposes and correct Israel. The ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:29-42

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Help - Pt. 2 - The Help Place Series

Contributed by Steve Ely on Sep 28, 2010

It is only a simple word, but it speaks to our deepest needs and longings. Do you need help?

HELP! Pt. 2 – The Help Place I. Introduction – VIDEO ROLLIN Help, I need somebody, Help, not just anybody, Help, you know I need someone, help. When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody’s help in any way. But now these days are gone, I’m not so self assured, Now I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:9

Denomination: Pentecostal

Redeemed By Hope: The Story Of Ruth And The Light Of Advent Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Dec 9, 2024

The Advent season is a time of anticipation, reflection, and renewal. Often, we immerse ourselves in the familiar story of Christ’s birth. But today, let us journey to an unexpected place—the story of Ruth.

Redeemed by Hope: The Story of Ruth and the Light of Advent Introduction: Rediscovering Advent through Ruth The Advent season is a time of anticipation, reflection, and renewal. Often, we immerse ourselves in the familiar story of Christ’s birth. But today, let us journey to an unexpected ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:11, Ruth 1:13, Ruth 1:16, Ruth 1:20, Ruth 2:12, Ruth 4:9-10, Ruth 4:17, Romans 8:28, Romans 15:13, Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 26:3, Ephesians 1:7, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 John 3:18, Psalm 91:4  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Finding God In The Future Series

Contributed by Billy Ricks on Jun 1, 2017

This series was designed to help people find God in unexpected places. Also that advent isn't a season that comes and goes. If you linger over the birth of the Savior Jesus it should create and attitude of celebration.

Intro: For the past six weeks we have discovered some amazing truths about finding God in Unexpected places. I hope that you have discovered that advent isn’t simply a season that comes and goes. As we linger over the memory of the birth of our savior it produces in us an attitude of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:32, Acts 1:7

Denomination: Baptist

The Stone Is Rolled Away Series

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Apr 13, 2020

God is the God of the Unexpected

John 20 (New Living Translation): 20 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Prince Caspian: Calling For Help, And The Unexpected Answer Series

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jan 21, 2009

God answers our calls, but not always in ways that are expected, and yet, they are wonderful beyond knowing.

Prince Caspian: Calling for help, and the unexpected answer Jeremiah 32:42-33:3 Faith is called faith because we have no proof. We believe in God and we accept His presence in our lives, not because we can say what He looks like and how tall He is, but because we rely on the evidence of our ...read more

Denomination: Mennonite