In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Corinthians 9:24-28" showing 1,561-1,580 of 5,872

Is He Real Or Pretend?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 15, 2011

IS HE REAL OR PRETEND? I think George Reeves was the first actor to be Superman on TV. Back in the 50's, TV actors were not quite as "elite" as some seem to be now. They would throw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles little league game. They would fire the starting pistol for a soap box derby ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 29:13

Tags: Hypocrisy, Sincerity

Denomination: Baptist

No Faith In The Future, No Power For The Present

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2012

NO FAITH IN THE FUTURE, NO POWER FOR THE PRESENT Years ago, a small town in Maine was proposed for the site of a great hydroelectric plant. Since the dam would be built across the river, the entire town would be submerged. When the project was announced, the people were given many months to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14, 1 John 3:3

Tags: Future

Standard Of Comparison  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

STANDARD OF COMPARISON Michael Green, in his book Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, shares a good lesson which I think is appropriate for beginning our message this evening. He states: All of us frequently compare ourselves favorably with someone else. We all think of someone whom we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16, Exodus 7:8-23

Tags: Holiness

Seared Conscience  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 27, 2013

Years ago a wise man wrote this, "In my heart is an arrowhead with sharp edges. If I do wrong, it turns and it cuts me. If I do wrong too much, I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:2, Nehemiah 1:4-10

Tags: Sin, Conscience, Temptation General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You Don't Know How To Get To The Post Office!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 13, 2014

Dr. Billy Graham tells the story of a time early in his ministry when he arrived in a small town to preach a sermon. Wanting to mail a letter in those days, he asked a young boy where the post office was. When the boy told him, Dr. Graham thanked him and said, "If you will come to church ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, 1 Timothy 4:16

Tags: Evangelism, Outreach, Heaven, Humor, Billy Graham, Great Commission  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Is Good. This Is Really Good!  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 8, 2017

HAVE YOU READ THE STORY ABOUT THE KING'S SERVANT THAT ALWAYS GAVE THANKS AND SAID: "THIS IS GOOD!" The King had a special servant that always traveled with him. The King loved being around this servant as he was always upbeat and positive. The man always said kind things and was quick to edify and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Psalm 106:1

Tags: Thankfulness, Positive Attitude, This Is Good

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Pure Love Brings Joy

Contributed by Christopher Sweeney on May 19, 2017

Many of you may have experienced this but I have from my two nephews and my time in youth ministry that there are times when you are having the worst days and then a child will run up to you and give you a hug or say I love you and everything goes away. Why, why is it that a hug can help erase the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Philippians 4:4

Tags: Love, Joy

Billy Graham's Conversion

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

In an interview on October 15, 2013 Billy Graham said, “There are two basic needs that all people have: the need for hope and the need for salvation. It should not be surprising if people believe easily in a God who makes no demands, but this is not the God of the Bible. Satan has cleverly misled ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:8-9, Matthew 5:17-18

Tags: Salvation, Repentance, Billy Graham, Easy Believism

Denomination: Charismatic

Stoyan's Father By Nik Ripken

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 14, 2019

When Stoyan was twelve, they imprisoned his protestant pastor father. His father remained in custody for ten years. “At first,” he said, “they held him in a secret police place in our city.” “Every morning one of the guards would take some of his own human waste and spread it on the piece of toast ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:13, 1 Peter 1:3

Tags: Faith, Persecution, Hope

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Take Me Home

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Take Me Home I've been everything that I want to be. I've seen everything that I want to see. All over this world I did roam. Now, I'm asking you, Jesus, please take me home. I can hear my spirit within me groan. I wan to be sitting at the foot of Your throne. I've had my fill ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:13-14, Philippians 1:23-24

Tags: Success, Failure, Loneliness, Sorrow, Despair, Homesick  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Not Enough Scriptures

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Sep 23, 2019

I and several other preaching students were permitted to visit Brother G. E. Steward, a masterful preacher of the gospel, who was holding a gospel meeting in Houston, TX, in the summer of 1972. We were permitted to bring lessons at that meeting. He was following Brother Keeble’s manner of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Faith, Disciples, Word Of God, Sound Doctrine, Scriptures, Power In The Word, Training Preachers, Sermon Delivery, Marshall Keeble, Power In Preaching, G E Steward, Masterful Preacher, Gospel Meeting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Love Or Achievement

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 9, 2019

I once heard a woman give a remarkable account of achievement. An early feminist, she gained renown in the male-dominated field of endocrinology. She brushes shoulders with Nobel laureates and world leaders, and has lived as full and rich a life as any I have known. At the end of her story she ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8

Tags: Love, Success, Meaning Of Life

Denomination: Pentecostal

The V-Formation (Geese)

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 31, 2020

V-SHAPED FORMATION… GEESE ARE STRONG AS A SKEIN. The V-formation is called a skein. Do we understand how wonderful God’s creation is? Study has revealed that GEESE fly in a V-shaped formation when they are migrating. This serves several purposes. The V-formation improves the ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3, 1 Samuel 30:8

Tags: Unity, Geese

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Satan's Three-Fold Attack

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 9, 2020

Satan tempts us in three separate ways according to I John 2:15-16: "The lust of the flesh is the desire to DO something apart from the will of God. The lust of the eyes is the desire to HAVE something apart from the will of God. The pride of life is the desire to BE something apart from ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, 1 John 2:15-16

Tags: Lust, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Little Thing Caused A Big Problem!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 7, 2020

My car was due for an oil change so I drove it to the same place where I had gone for several years. After all, they knew me and I trusted them and I’ve never had a problem. A few minutes later, the car was tasting some fresh oil and I was good to go for a while! Except—something happened in the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8, Hebrews 12:1

Tags: Alertness, Consequences, Sins

Denomination: Baptist

When Covid-19 Is Over.....

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 30, 2020

When this coronavirus Is over and life returns to normal, may we never, ever take for granted again..... * A handshake or a kind word from a stranger * A hug from a friend * Worshipping with other believers in a crowded church service * A boring night at home * Full shelves at the grocery ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Revival, Thankfulness, Gratitude, Blessings, Remembering, Coronavirus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hyperbole

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

I had to have a tooth removed last Thursday. It took me FOREVER to get an appointment. Once I got there and got back in the room where they were going to extract my tooth I felt like I was in an operating room not a dentist office. I remember back in the ‘80’s when I got two eye teeth removed they ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33, 1 John 4:7-9

Tags: Hyperbole, Stretching Truth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Not Loving The World

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Jul 30, 2021

It was very late Wed. Night of last week. I had only just finally gotten to relax after working on sermons all day and helping my friends a little with their move. So my plan was, while I was working some more on my sermons, to listen to a documentary about John Foxe, the author of Foxes Book of ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15, Romans 12:2

Tags: Obedience, Taking Up Your Cross, Not Loving The World

Denomination: Charismatic

Obadiah: He Feared The Lord During Ahab’s Days

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 22, 2021

Introduction: several men were named Obadiah in the Old Testament. This man, in this story, lived during the days of Ahab and Elijah. He was known for a few things, even though he is only mentioned in one passage of Scripture. Text, 1 Kings 18:1-5, KJV: 1 And it came to pass after many days, that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:1-5, Genesis 39:1-6

Tags: Ahab, Prophets, Unsung Heroes, Elijah, Obadiah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I Got You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Oct 2, 2021

I like to take my dogs places with me. They have their own seats in the back seat of my pickup. I have a small elderly dog named Bambi who has always had anxiety, I think from having to survive on her own when she lived in the streets as a tiny little thing with no one to feed or care for her. A ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:4, 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Adversity, Assurance, Anxious

Denomination: Charismatic