In Sermon Illustrations: "2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18"

Getting To Know Man

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 18, 2011

GETTING TO KNOW MAN Julie and I have the wonderful privilege to raise Bryce and Chase. But that is a privilege given to us by God. God created our children and is allowing Julie and I to raise them. We get to keep them in our home for a time and then they are off into the world. But God created ...read more

Tags: Worldliness

Understanding The Spiritual Gifts By Dr. Dale A. ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 13, 2011

Understanding The Spiritual Gifts By Dr. Dale A. Robbins 1. The ministry of Spiritual Gifts originates in the New Testament, commissioned by our Lord Jesus Christ. After He established His church on the earth and ascended to Heaven, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to equip His church with power and ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Market Survey  PRO

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Mar 20, 2012

THE MARKET SURVEY Before coming to the Biblical text of my message, I would like to recite the tale of 2 footwear salesmen sent on a "market survey" errand by their employers to explore the possibility of opening a shop in a certain village of their country. As opening a shop entails sizeable ...read more

Tags: Opportunity

Denomination: *other

Now She Understands  PRO

Contributed by Ken Henson on Jul 5, 2012

NOW SHE UNDERSTANDS A lady had two children. The older son was 7 years old and the little girl about 2½ years old. She heard this terrible scream upstairs and as she ran upstairs she found out that the little girl was pulling the hair of her brother. He was crying out in pain. The mother ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: *other

Faith In Tragedy: Luther Bridges  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2012

FAITH IN TRAGEDY: LUTHER BRIDGES A Methodist preacher by the name of Luther Bridges was born in 1884. He married and had 3 sons. Pastor Bridges accepted an invitation to minister at a conference in Kentucky in the year 1910, so he left his family in the care of his father-in-law & made the trip to ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:20-21

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Sorry You're Too Late

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012

A young man, after a revival service, came up to the visiting evangelist and they were getting ready to put up everything for the night. The young man had left after the invitation, under conviction, he had returned at the conclusion of the service and went up to the evangelist and he said, "Sir, ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

Blackaby: What Does A Calling Look Like?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 3, 2013

BLACKABY: WHAT DOES A CALLING LOOK LIKE? Henry Blackaby shares from his book "The Power of the Call" pages 10-14 a clear picture of what one looks like who is called by God into pastoral ministry: 1. The pastor is chosen 2. He is chosen by God 3. He is chosen by God to be His servant 4. He is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4, 1 John 4:7-10

Tags: Pastor, Leadership General, Elder, Shepherd

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Takes Two To Reconcile

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 26, 2013

IT TAKES TWO TO RECONCILE "Be reconciled to God" 2 Corinthians 5:20 is necessary part of the process. Let's say that we have had a quarrel between us and a friend. We forsake our pride and do whatever needs to be done to break down the barrier, to make it right. But, when we eat this humble ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Overloaded

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

OVERLOADED In the book, Overload, by Dr. Richard Swenson, he discusses one of the main reasons our lives have too much anxiety and stress. He says that most of us are just plain overloaded. Think about it. (1) We are overloaded with commitments. We don’t know how to say no. And as a result we meet ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Tags: Stress, Time Management

Successful People Get Up Early!  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 14, 2014

Forbes Magazine states that early risers are the most successful people. The discipline of getting up early produces many positive results, such as: 1. More proactive approach to life 2. The ability to anticipate problems better 3. Better goal-setting 4. Time for exercise 5. Sleep is much better ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-21, Genesis 22:1-19

Tags: Sacrifice, Abraham, Temptation, Trusting God, Success, Successful, Getting Up Early  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Inner Life - To Few Who Love The Cross

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 22, 2019

Thomas a Kempis wrote: Jesus today has many who love his heavenly kingdom, but few who carry his cross; many who yearn for comfort, few who long for distress. Plenty of people he finds to share his banquet, few to share his fast. Everyone desires to take part in his rejoicing, but few are ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38

Tags: Submission, Carry Your Cross

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What Kind Of Worker Are You?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

WHAT KIND OF WORKER ARE YOU? The way you work in your business is one of the greatest ways you witness either for the Lord or against Him. Don't be a half-hearted worker like these: 1. The Vanisher - The vanisher seems to go invisible at odd times without explanation.  2. The Victim - ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:28

Tags: Work, Testimony, Business

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prepared

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Nov 5, 2020

Almost every Sunday morning I begin my sermon with a cute or funny story. This morning I start with a sad story. Bob and Betty were 2 of my dearest friends in Indiana. A strong, loving example of what a married couple should be. However, this couple was always at least 15 minutes late for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Faithfulness, Preparedness, Prepared

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

World Evangelism Statistics

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 5, 2022

If you say that Jesus is waiting on the Church to get the Gospel out before His return, let me give you a few statistics on the challenge the Church faces. We have almost 8 billion people on our planet right now. There are almost 2.4 Christians in the world today. If 500,000 people were ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Missions, Witnessing, Lost, Great Commission, Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Things That Mom Would Never Say!!!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 5, 2022

THINGS THAT MOM WOULD NEVER SAY.... 1) “How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?” 2) “Yeah, I used to skip school a lot myself when I was your age!” 3) “Just leave all the lights on … it makes the house look more cheery.” 4) “Let me smell that shirt — Yeah, it’s good for another ...read more

Tags: Humor, Mothers, Mother's Day, Sermon Introductions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Incredible Power Of Aspen Tree Seeds (Facing Trials)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 21, 2023

Last winter while visiting a natural history museum in Colorado, I learned some remarkable facts about the aspen tree. An entire grove of slender, white-trunked aspens can grow from a single seed and share the same root system. These root systems can exist for thousands of years whether or not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-4, 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 16:33

Tags: Perserverance, Trials, Problems, Tests Of Faith, Faith, Joy, Temptation, Tribulation, Difficulties, Spiritual Growth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Achilles' Heel

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2024

The ancient Greeks told a story of a warrior named Achilles. His mother had been warned that he would die of a wound, so she dipped him as an infant in the river Styx. That was supposed to make him invincible. THERE WAS ONE PROBLEM -- she held him by one heel which the protective waters did not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-15

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Trials, Lust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Balaam's Error,

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Oct 25, 2024

And this from the Revelation to John at Patmos: Jesus words to the angel of the church at Pergamum give us the view of God as to what happened in Numbers chapters 22-25, and why God was angry with Balaam. Balaam was a deceiver. “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:1-41, Revelation 2:14, Numbers 25:1-3

Tags: Deception, Teaching, Israelites, Pergamum, Stumbling Block, Sexual Immorality, Idols  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Journey Of A Black Artist

Contributed by Jessie Manuel on Dec 30, 2024

Consider the journey of a fictional Afro American artist named Maya, who grew up in a neighborhood plagued by inequity. Her early life was fraught with challenges—families losing homes, schools underfunded, and dreams foiled by systemic barriers. However, Maya found solace in art, a channel ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:25

Tags: Hope, Faithfulness, Restoration

Denomination: Methodist

In My Studies This Week I Came Across These Words ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Apr 5, 2004

In my studies this week I came across these words from a book in my office called, The Jesus I Never Knew, by Philip Yancey. As my class in Chicago read the Gospels and watched movies about Jesus’ life, we noticed a striking pattern: the more unsavory the characters, the more at ease they seemed ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ