In Sermon Illustrations: showing 641-660 of 52,513

Distorted Christianity

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 7, 2023

Q: What does the Church think of God the Father? A: He is omnipotent and holy. He created the world and imposed on mankind conditions impossible to fulfill; he is very angry if these are not carried out. He sometimes interferes in an arbitrary way with judgments and miracles, distributed with a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-6, 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-6

Tags: Slander, Misconceptions, Ignorance, Distortion, Dorothy Sayers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

I Don't Believe In Hell

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jul 5, 2023

Illustration: “I don’t believe in Hell.” The fact that a lot of people have a tough time believing in a literal Hell was brought home to me in a very meaningful way. When I pastored in Chino, CA we lived in a parsonage right next to the Church. I soon noticed that a certain man was walking up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:43-45, Luke 16:23

Tags: Hell, Facing Death, Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

Whose Are You?

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 5, 2023

Do you remember, how once in the gospel, the Pharisees, trying to trap Jesus, came with that question about paying your tax? And how he asked them, “Show me the coin used for paying the tax." And how then he asked: "Whose portrait is it?" And how they answered, "It bears the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:21

Tags: Money, Joseph G Donders, Jesus The Stranger, Image, Debts, Caesar  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Mimic The Owner

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 5, 2023

I read of a wealthy woman that owned a very rare and expensive MACAW. It was so beautiful. It was so smart it could talk unbelievable. Over a period of time the MACAW developed an extremely irritating and terrible hacking cough. The lady called the local vet and they discussed the problem and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:19, Romans 8:28

Tags: Pretender, Wounded

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Apathy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 4, 2023

Is feeling nothing the inevitable result of believing in nothing? And then I got to feeling frightened—thinking that there might not actually be anything to believe in, in particular. I thought it would be such a sick joke to have to remain alive ...read more

Scripture: John 20:31

Tags: Skeptics, Truth, Doubt, Faith, God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

We Are Sinners. (The Ache In The Human Heart)

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 4, 2023

There is in each of us a dis-ease, a sense of unfulfillment of some high destiny unmet, of some lofty vow broken and shattered. We are sinners! We long for some word of forgiveness which will make us whole. We sense we have a homeland, but we are exiles. We perceive that we are of royal ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1

Tags: Disobedience, Depravity, Sin

Denomination: Pentecostal

Heaven, Not Earth Is My Home.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 4, 2023

In his book, "The Treasure Principle" Randy Alcorn says that the greatest deterrent to giving is the illusion that Earth is our home. He tells the following story. Suppose your home is in France and you're visiting America for three months, living in a hotel. You're told that you ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:13, 2 Corinthians 5:20, Luke 12:15, Revelation 19:7-9

Tags: Rewards, Treasures, Money, Heaven, Home  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seven Facts About False Teachers

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

FALSE TEACHERS... * Have always been in the Church since Acts (Acts 20). * More false teachers will show up near the Rapture of the Church, i.e. “the last days” (II Timothy 3). * False teachers contradict the truth of the Word of God (John 17:17). * False teachers have 3 key wrong doctrines: ...read more

Tags: False Teaching, False Teachers, Holy Spirit, Discernment, Satan, Righteous Judgment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You In The Secret Service?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

A friend was in front of me coming out of church one day, and the preacher was standing at the door as he always is to shake hands. He grabbed my friend by the hand and pulled him aside. The Pastor said to him, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” My friend replied, “I’m already in the Army ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:25

Tags: Service, Pastors, Church, Attendance, Faithfulness, Worship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He's A Liar!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

A missionary to the American Indians was in Los Angeles with an Indian friend who was a new Christian. As they walked down the street, they passed a man on the corner who was preaching with a Bible in his hand. The missionary knew the man represented a cult, but the Indian saw only the Bible. He ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-5, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Holy Spirit, False Teachers, False Teaching, Discernment, Satan, Spirits, Spirit Of Error, Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Hound Of Heaven

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

In his book The Call, author Os Guinness writes: We cannot find God without God. We cannot reach God without God. We cannot satisfy God without God—which is another way of saying that our seeking will always fall short unless God’s grace initiates the search and unless God’s call draws us to Him ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-9, Titus 3:5

Tags: Works, Sovereignty Of God, Salvation, Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seven Ways To Test The Spirits

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 2, 2023

The late A. W. Tozer had some wise counsel on how to test the spirits” from I John 4:1. He posed seven tests to apply to any teaching: (1) How does the teaching affect my relationship with God? Is He magnified and glorified, or diminished? (2) How does the teaching affect my attitude toward ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:1, John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: False Teachers, Holy Spirit, Satan, Teachers, Teaching, Spirit Of Error, Spirits, Truth, Will Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Men And A Donkey

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 2, 2023

One of Aesop’s fables tells of an old man and his son bringing a donkey to the market. Passing some people on the way, they hear one remark, “Look at that silly pair—walking when they could be riding comfortably.” The idea seemed sensible to the old man, so he and the boy mounted the donkey and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-8, Matthew 7:1-3

Tags: Fable, Finding Fault, Aesop, Criticism

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

We Weren’t Expecting That

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 1, 2023

Sometimes things happen that you never expected. When those unexpected things happen, if they are good, that is a blessing, if they are bad, that’s a different story. I learned this expectation of good from my good old Uncle Ted. He was a truck driver, and boy, did he have the stories to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:15

Tags: Free Lunch, Expectation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

When I Grow Up

Contributed by Kelvin Mckisic on Jun 26, 2023

A photographer was snapping pictures of first graders at an elementary school, making small talk to put his subjects at ease. “What are you going to be when you ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-3, Ecclesiastes 2:17, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Busyness, Stress, Responsibility, Rest, Work, Weariness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forgetting Times Three

Contributed by Kelvin Mckisic on Jun 26, 2023

Three sisters, ages ninety-two, ninety-four, and ninety-six, lived together. One night the ninety-six-year-old drew a bath. She put one foot in and then paused. “Was I getting in the tub or out?” she yelled. The ninety-four-year-old hollered back, “I don’t know; I’ll come and see.” She started up ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:31, Isaiah 46:4, Deuteronomy 6:10-12

Tags: Limitations, Aging, Forgetfulness, Human Condition

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Commitment Or Surrender What's The Difference

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jun 26, 2023

Adrian Rogers tells the story of his meeting with Josef T’son who had suffered greatly under communism. Adrian said: “Josef, tell me about American Christianity.” Josef responded: “Adrian, I had rather not.” “No, I want to know.” “Well, Adrian, since you have asked me, I’ll tell you. The key ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:9

Tags: Commitment, Serving Christ, Surrender

Denomination: Baptist

Proverbs Is Not A Book Of Promises

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

A broken parent came to me and said, "Pastor Larry, I raised my kids in church. I raised my kids to follow Christ, know His Word and put Him first in their lives. They all made decisions for Christ in our church and were baptized. But, now that they have all graduated from high school, not ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-10

Tags: Parenting, Proverbs, Promises, Prodigal Son, Failure, Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Introductory Story For A Sermon On Cain & Abel

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

Frank and Jesse James.....you have probably heard of these well-known brothers. The fraternal outlaws who helped to define America’s Wild West came of age as Confederate guerrillas in Missouri during the Civil War. After the war, the brothers joined a gang of ex-soldiers and thieves who ...read more

Tags: Abel, Adam, Blood Atonement, Blood Covenant, Blood Of Christ, Blood Sacrifice, Brothers, Cain, Eve, Hate, Sin, Offerings, Murder  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Cain Refused To Bring A Blood Offering

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

God's having made for man coats of skin presupposes the slaying of animals; and doubtless implies that Abel's sacrifice of an animal life was an act of faith which rested on God's command (though not expressly recorded) that such were the sacrifices He required. If it had not been ...read more

Tags: Offerings, Sacrifices, Cain, Blood Covenant, Blood Of Jesus, Blood Atonement, Abel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational