In Sermon Illustrations:

Position Versus Discipleship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

POSITION VERSUS DISCIPLESHIP C. Gene Wilkes, in his book Jesus on Leadership, says, "Confusion arises when you equate higher 'positions' with leadership . . . As long as 'position' is honored above discipleship -- being a follower -- church leaders will honor the ambitious over the obedient." We ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Just In Case

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

JUST IN CASE A Louisiana game warden had been tracking Boudreaux, the infamous Cajun poacher, Late one night he stumbled upon the criminal’s cabin. Climbing upon the roof, the game warden waited for the dawn, hoping to jump the poacher as he emerged. The game warden after a fitful night of trying ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-51

Tags: Second Coming

The Final Play Of The Game  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

THE FINAL PLAY OF THE GAME It's never too late to trust Jesus. Oops, I need to qualify that. There IS a time when it's too late to trust Jesus. If you die without putting your faith in Jesus, then it's too late. Someone observed about the thief on the cross that there is one deathbed conversion in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:39-43

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Salvation

I Think It's Jesus In The Liimo

Contributed by Joe Tilton on Jun 4, 2013

I THINK IT'S JESUS IN THE LIMO The Oklahoma Conference Leader Bishop Hayes is returning home after a speaking engagement. When his plane arrives, there is a limousine there to transport him to his home in Oklahoma City. As he prepares to get into the limo, he stops and speaks to the driver. "You ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: *other

How To Find Your Mom In A Supermarket

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

HOW TO FIND YOUR MOM IN A SUPERMARKET I read a story about a six-year-old boy who was separated from his mother in a supermarket. So he frantically called, "Martha! Martha! Martha!" That was his mother's name and she came running to him quickly. "But, honey," she admonished, "you shouldn't call ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-3

Tags: Mother's Day

Ministry Meltdown

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

MINISTRY MELTDOWN My dear friends, when life seems overwhelming, don't get busy; get help! Otherwise, you'll just wear yourself out and those around you. That's what Bob Merritt, pastor of the Eagle Brook Church in Minnesota, was doing. In a recent issue of Leadership Journal he writes about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Stress

Busyness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

BUSYNESS Busyness is no sign of spirituality or any kind of a full life. In fact, it’s more likely the sign of an empty life. Tim Kreider, in an article he wrote for The New York Times called The Busy Trap put it this way: “If you live in America in the 21st century, you’ve probably had to listen ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Complaining

The Unreligion

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

THE UNRELIGION When Jesus hung on the cross, He cried out, “It is finished!” Jesus did all the work. All that remains for us to do is depend on Him. You see, not only our salvation, but our success in this life is all up to Him. I like the way Dane Ortlund put it in his book, Defiant Grace. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: World Religions

A Friend Of Mine

Contributed by Spencer Miller on Jun 3, 2013

A FRIEND OF MINE Branch Rickey, whose name was recently placed back into our memories in the wonderful movie '42' a story about the baseball great Jackie Robinson, was a devout Christian. Once while head of the old Brooklyn Dodgers, he attended negotiations involving a certain ballplayer's ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Entry-Level Faith

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 3, 2013

ENTRY-LEVEL FAITH During World War II, a young teenager tried to enlist in the navy. Only fifteen but large for his years, he told the recruiting officer in Richmond, Virginia, that he was sixteen. The officer looked at him and shook his head. "Sorry, son, you're not old enough." Two months ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:1

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

A Woman Sees A Father Shopping With A Fussy ...  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 3, 2013

A woman sees a father shopping with a fussy two-year-old in his grocery cart. “Be patient, Billy,” he whispers. “You can handle this, Billy. It’s okay, Billy.” The woman said to him, “I don’t mean to interrupt your shopping, but I just had to tell you how wonderfully loving and patient you are ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-33, Genesis 15:1-6

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

He Told Me So

Contributed by C. Scott Ghan on Jun 3, 2013

"HE TOLD ME SO" If you have ever clung to a child near death you know the dramatic fork in the road. You either give in almost totally to despair, fear, hopelessness, knowing death is eminent, realizing no miracle cure is coming, you are fighting a losing battle. --Or...you believe there is a ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:11

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The "Group-Think" Impulse  PRO

Contributed by Robert Joseph on Jun 1, 2013

THE "GROUP-THINK" IMPULSE Stand up for the truth. Romans 12:2 says, "...Do not be conformed to this world..." [NKJV] People today show a stong tendency to adjust their opinions to match those of the group. This goes a long way towards explaining why only a fraction of the educated population ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:2

Tags: Homosexuality, Peer Pressure, Truth Absolute

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Lawyer's Invitation

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 1, 2013

THE LAWYER'S INVITATION A pastor told the true story of one of his church members, an attorney, who after meditating on several scriptures, decided to cancel the debts of all his clients that had owed him money for more than six months. He drafted a letter explaining his decision and its biblical ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Nazarene

Hoarders And The New Birth

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 1, 2013

The New Birth (John 3 & 2 Cor. 5:17) "Hoarders" Have you ever watched the show, "Hoarders?" It's about people who have a hard time throwing things away. They simply collect and, eventually, the clutter overwhelms them. The thing about a hoarder is that, unless there is a change within, the ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Nazarene

Spiritual Gambling

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on May 30, 2013

SPIRITUAL GAMBLING The problem of compulsive gambling may seem foreign to most of us. Yet experts believe that millions of Americans are psychologically addicted to gambling. It gives them the excitement of hope and risk, but it usually ends in defeat. It is indeed a temporary pleasure. For those ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Praying To People

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 28, 2013

PRAYING TO PEOPLE Two young boys were spending the night at their grandparents. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers when the youngest one began praying at the top of his lungs. "I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE... I PRAY FOR A NEW PLAYSTATION... I PRAY FOR A NEW VCR..." ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

During Super Bowl Xxxvii, Fedex Ran A Commercial ...  PRO

Contributed by Raymond L. Johnson on May 27, 2013

During Super Bowl XXXVII, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Castaway, in which Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker, whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like Tom Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee in the commercial goes up to the door of a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:8-10

Tags: Fulfillment, Discovery, Doing God's Will, God's Sovereign Will, Knowing God's Will  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of Bertha Smith

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 27, 2013

Bertha Smith is a name that we are not familiar with. Bertha Smith was a missionary many years ago in China. There was an uprising throughout China at that time and the Christian missionaries were forced to leave their congregations and flee to coastal cities for safety. Many of them, while ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Secret To Michael Jordan's Success

Contributed by Spencer Miller on May 26, 2013

Michael Jordan is probably the greatest basketball player in the history of the game, and at one time he was asked about the so-called secret of his success. And Mr. Jordan answered by saying; "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Baptist