In Sermon Illustrations: "Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9"

Max Lucado: Interlock Our Understandings  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Aug 6, 2013

In his book, “Imagine Your Life Without Fear” Max Lucado gives some significant insight when he says, "Questions can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-17, Hebrews 10:25, John 1:29-42, Luke 19:1-10

Tags: Fellowship, Discipleship

Denomination: Nazarene

Don't Quit

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous pianist, was scheduled to perform at a great concert hall in America. It was a high-society extravaganza. Present in the audience that evening was a mother and her fidgety nine-year old. She had brought him in the hopes that when he heard the great composer play, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:9-15, 1 Peter 4:12, Hebrews 11:11

Tags: Discouragement, Disappointment, Perseverance

Denomination: Charismatic

The Sound Of Silence

Contributed by Matt Neace on Sep 23, 2018

In their song The Sound of Silence, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel sing the words, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and the tenement halls and whispered in the sounds of silence." But their friendship has come to replicate the sound of silence. Paul Simon gave his final ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:26-27, Ephesians 4:32, Proverbs 24:17, Hebrews 12:14

Tags: Resentment, Bitterness, Unforgiveness, Grudges

Denomination: Baptist

Baseball - The Curious Case Of Scooter Gennett

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 31, 2018

Baseball And The Curious Case Of Scooter Gennett Baseball is known for its surprises. It's a beautiful game that lets grown men play a kids game. For more than a century of baseball and thousands of games, only 16 men have homered four times in one game. The last was Josh Hamilton, five years ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Romans 5:1-4

Tags: Perseverance, Hope, Good News

Denomination: Pentecostal

Kill The Spider!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

A man continually "rededicated" his life and always prayed the same prayer, "Lord, take the cobwebs out of my life. Oh, Lord.....take the cobwebs out of my life!" His pastor had heard this prayer more times than he cared to remember and was tired of hearing it. Finally, when ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Hebrews 12:1-2, 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Confession, Repentance, Mourning Over Sin

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Searching For A Sunday School Teacher

Contributed by Doug Fannon on Mar 2, 2020

When I was the Sunday School director for the church I belonged to in New Mexico over 30 years ago, I remember asking one gentleman, an older, and supposedly a mature Christian, if he would teach a Sunday School class. I received the standard "churchy" answer I have heard time and time ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:12, Matthew 9:35-38, John 4:34-38, Luke 10:2

Tags: Outreach, Sunday School, Witnessing, Serving, Teachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Are You A Chicken Or An Eagle?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

John McNeil tells the story of a young eagle he had raised with a flock of chickens. The out-of-place bird had never learned to fly. One day McNeil thought he would teach this bird how, so he tried throwing it up in the air. But each time the bird would look down and fall to the ground. Then he had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, Colossians 3:1-4, Hebrews 12:1-2, Isaiah 40:31

Tags: Holy Spirit, Vision, Spiritual Growth, Eagles, Things Of Earth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Small Decisions, Huge Consequences

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 3, 2022

1. We make small decisions all the time, and they can affect the direction of our lives. Take this true story: “When I was a kid, my mom, my cousin, my sister, and I were all about to go to my great grandma's house from my grandma's house. It was not a far drive so my mom allowed my sister ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 14:20-25, Hebrews 6:4-6, Acts 16:31, John 3:16

Tags: Providence, Choice, Consequences, Decisions, Important Choices  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Death And Vanity

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 29, 2022

A middle-aged, wealthy woman has a heart attack. While on the operating table she has a near death experience. She sees the angel at the gates and asks if this is it. The angel says no, she has another 30-40 years to live. She recovers, and decides to stay in the hospital and have a face lift, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Proverbs 31:30, Mark 8:36, Matthew 16:26

Tags: Death, Beauty, Vanity

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Marathon

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Oct 17, 2022

On Sunday, October 16, 2022 my daughter, aged 25, ran her first marathon – the Toronto Waterfront marathon. Though I’m currently living 3000 kms away in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada – I was there at the race to cheer her on. I was not prepared for the emotional intensity of the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Philippians 3:14

Tags: Salvation, Perseverance, Gospel, Discipleship, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Redemption Through His Blood - Yellow Fever Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

There is a story...that may help Illustrate redemption...what Christ ...has done for us. In 1927, ...in West Africa... a blood specimen was taken from a native man named Asibi, ...who was sick ...with yellow fever. A vaccine ...was made ...from this original strain of the virus... obtained from ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18, Hebrews 9:22

Tags: Blood, Salvation, Redemption

Denomination: Anglican

Rest In Peace Until I Come

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Aug 7, 2023

The wife ... of a man who had recently died ... assumed ... they were well off financially, ... so she gave him a very nice funeral ... and a fancy tombstone that read, ... Rest in Peace. However, ... when the estate was settled ... she was informed by their attorney ... that he had wasted all ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9-10, Mark 2:23-28, Exodus 34:21, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Peace, Sabbath, Rest

Denomination: Anglican

The Devil Never Takes A Day Off

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Aug 7, 2023

Not long ago, ... a minister shared... a conversation ...he had ... with one of his ...parishioners. He said that one day ... a church member ... called him up on the telephone, ... and angrily said ... I phoned you Saturday, ... but I could not get you. The pastor explained that it was his day ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9-10, Mark 2:23-28, Exodus 34:21, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Sabbath, Rest

Denomination: Anglican

Never Alone With Jesus

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Aug 21, 2023

Never Alone With Jesus We are never alone with Jesus, We have no reason to ever fear. We are never alone with Jesus, For He promised He’d always be near. No matter where He may lead us, No matter what problem we face, No matter how daring the mission- He provides His marvelous grace. He’s ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:8, Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5, Matthew 28:20

Tags: Fear, Jesus, Friendship, Loneliness, Companionship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[014] A Message From A Poem - Against The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2024

[014] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN The origin of this poem goes right back to a time of considerable difficulty when I was going through tough times and some people were very nasty. Christians do face real difficulties and you will have persecution and unfairness just because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Hebrews 2:17, John 14:16-17

Tags: Persecution, Comfort, Difficulties, Trials, Suffer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Days After Christmas

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Dec 19, 2024

It’s two days after Christmas. The celebrations are over. The presents have been put up. Another Christmas in the books. Christmas 2024 will now take its place among all the Christmases passed. I wonder what Mary was thinking two days after the first Christmas. It’s been quite a ride. How could she ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 1:18-24, Hebrews 4:14-16, Philippians 2:1-16

Tags: Mary, Christmas, Bethlehem, Manger, Birth, Joseph, Census, Catteau  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[055]. A Message From A Poem – Death For The Christian

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 12, 2025

[055]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DEATH FOR THE CHRISTIAN We deal with a subject today we often like to forget about. When we are young we give it little thought but when we are old, it tends to preoccupy our minds a lot more. This poem is not so much about the subject of death itself, as it is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:18, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Death, Fear, Egypt, Poetry, Poem, Christian Death, Absent From The Body, Keys Of Death And Hades  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[064]. A Message From A Poem – Dull The Sight - Life’s Not Right

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 22, 2025

[064]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DULL THE SIGHT - LIFE’S NOT RIGHT This short poem is a bit like a person trying to read with glasses that are smeared and hazy. What is read will be distorted and the wrong message will be gained. If he/she tries to walk around then an accident is a ...read more

Scripture: James 5:19-20, Hebrews 10:25, 1 John 1:7

Tags: Light, Vision, Prayer, Sight, Poetry, Poem, Dull, The Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Used The Famous Gene Kelly Scene From Singing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 24, 2001

I used the famous Gene Kelly scene from Singing in the Rain as an illustration of Romans 5:17. The Sermon title was Singing in the Reign. Kelly’s dance was full of the child-like love we can feel and experience in knowing that God has freely given us His abundance of grace and the free gift of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-8, Romans 5:17, Psalm 51:1-21, Galatians 2:15-21, Psalm 51:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Grace

Barna Research On Divorce  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Monroe on Feb 18, 2002

Barna research shows: That divorce in the church is just as commonas outside the church. In the church 33%, outside the church 34%. Also, the south is second in the nation in divorce. The south has a divorce rate of 35%, just behind the west (38%), and leading the Midwest (32%) and ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 2:13-16, Hebrews 13:4, Mark 10:2-12, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:7-8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Marriage, Commitment, Divorce, Faithfulness

Denomination: Baptist