In Sermon Illustrations: "James 1:1-5:20"

Tim Bowden, In His Book One Crowded Hour About ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 22, 2004

Tim Bowden, in his book One Crowded Hour about cameraman Neil Davis, tells about an incident that happened in Borneo during the confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia in 1964. A group of Gurkhas from Nepal were asked if they would be willing to jump from transport planes into combat against ...read more

Scripture: James 2:17

Tags: Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Oxymorons  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2004

OXYMORONS (contradictory words) Act naturally Advanced basic Airline food Almost exactly Alone together Artificial intelligence Awful good Campaign promise Civil war Clearly misunderstood Computer jock Definite maybe Diet ice ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-12

Tags: Communication General

From Jeff Faull- Recently, A Colleague Told Me ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 7, 2004

From Jeff Faull- Recently, a colleague told me about an early ministry experience he had near the end of his seminary training. The senior minister at the church where he served as a part time youth minister placed his hand on the youth minister’s shoulder and gave him this advice: "Never invite ...read more

Scripture: James 4:6

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Church Practices

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Power Of A Praying Mother  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

POWER OF A PRAYING MOTHER The year was 1820 and Peter Richley was a grateful man. He had survived one of the strangest and most harrowing events known to mankind. The ship which he had been traveling on sank. He was rescued. By some strange twist of circumstance, however, this ship sank. He was ...read more

Scripture: James 5:1-10, James 5:1-10

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Answered, Mother's Day

Let's Play ‘let's Pretend'. Let's Pretend That ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 13, 2004

Let’s play ‘Let’s Pretend’. Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 17:1-13, James 1:22, John 19:30-31, John 11:1-45, John 11:45-57  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

As Disciples Of Jesus, We Are To Become By The ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Nov 27, 2004

As disciples of Jesus, we are to become by the Holy Spirit like our Master as He Himself tells us in Matthew 10:25, “It is enough for the student to be like His Teacher, and the servant like His master.” By the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, may we this Advent become more like Jesus who ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-10

Tags: Evangelism How To, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

The Shock Of Sin  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 6, 2004

THE SHOCK OF SIN In a book called All Thumbs Guide to VCR’s which is a repair guide for amateurs, author Gene Williams begins with a warning. He writes: “Getting a jolt form the incoming 120 volts ac (120 Vac) is more that just unpleasant; it can be fatal. Studies have shown that it takes very ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-16, James 1:14-15

Tags: Sin Deceptive

A Newly Appointed Young Preacher Was Contacted By ...

Contributed by Craig West on Dec 10, 2004

A newly appointed young preacher was contacted by the local funeral director to hold a graveside committal service at a small country cemetery in Iowa. There was to be no funeral, just the committal, because sadly, the deceased had no family or friends left in Iowa. The young pastor started ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1

Tags: Leadership General, Funerals Non-Christian

Denomination: Baptist

An Old Scotsman Operated A Little Rowboat For ...  PRO

Contributed by Craig West on Dec 10, 2004

An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day one of the passengers noticed that the good old man had carved on one oar the word "Faith," and on the other oar "Works." Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this. The old man being a well-balanced Christian and glad ...read more

Scripture: James 2:17

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Is About A Man By The Name Of Larry ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Prater on Jan 5, 2001

The story is about a man by the name of Larry Walters, a 33-year-old man who decided he wanted to see his neighborhood from a new perspective. So, he went down to the local army surplus store and bought forty-five used weather balloons. That afternoon he strapped himself into a lawn chair, to ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:1-5, Numbers 22:1-22, James 4:1-10, Numbers 13:1-20, Matthew 22:15-23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Leadership General, Purpose, Motivation, Fear And Worry, Workplace Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Os Guiness Gives A Very Helpful Definition Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Nov 21, 2000

Os Guiness gives a very helpful definition of doubt in his book In Two Minds. He says, "When you believe, you are in one mind and accept something as true. Unbelief is to be of one mind and reject that something is true. To doubt is to waver between the two, to believe and disbelieve at the same ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 13:1, James 1:6-8

Tags: Doubt, Emotions, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

It Was Related That Once When The Duke Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 25, 2001

It was related that once when the Duke of Wellington remained to take communion at his parish church, a very poor old man went up to the opposite aisle, and reaching the Communion table, knelt down close by the side of the Duke. (Immediately, tension and commotion interrupted the silence of the ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-4

Tags: Descriptions Of God, Lord's Supper, Promises Of God

Denomination: Independent/Bible

F.b. Meyer Wrote About Two Germans Who Wanted To ...  PRO

Contributed by William Jewett on Nov 2, 2000

F.B. Meyer wrote about two Germans who wanted to climb the Matterhorn. They hired three guides and began their ascent at the steepest and most slippery part. The men roped themselves together in this order: guide, traveler, guide, traveler, guide. They had gone only a little way up the side when ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: God's Provision, Lordship Of Christ, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: *other

Warren Wiersbe Writes, "Our Values Determine Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 31, 2001

Warren Wiersbe writes, "Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy! If we live only ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-11, James 1:2-12, James 1:19-27

Tags: Endurance, Joy, Human Body, Prayer

James Uses Paradoxes To Convey Stabilizing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

James uses paradoxes to convey stabilizing wisdom. Paradoxes are like literary oxymorons. Top Ten List of Oxymorons. 10. Computer security 9. Political science 8. Tight slacks 7. Definite maybe 6. Pretty ugly 5. Twelve-ounce pound ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-18

Tags: Descriptions Of God, God's Omniscience, Workplace

I Saw A Peanuts Cartoon. Charlie Brown And Linus ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

I saw a Peanuts cartoon. Charlie Brown and Linus are inside all bundled up and Snoopy’s out in the cold shivering in front of his empty dog dish. Charlie and Linus are having a discussion on how sad it is that Snoopy is hungry and cold. "He’s cold and hungry. We ought to do something about it." ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-17

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Giving General, Poverty

The Purpose Of Testing Your Faith Is To Help You ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim George on Feb 5, 2001

The purpose of testing your faith is to help you to see whether or not your faith is real and how strong that faith is. A jeweler gives as one of the surest tests for a true diamond what is called the water test. An imitation stone is never ever so brilliant as a genuine stone. A genuine diamond ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-3

Tags: Growth In Christ, Doubt

Denomination: Baptist

In 1899 Four Newspaper Reporters From Denver, ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Feb 11, 2001

In 1899 four newspaper reporters from Denver, CO, set out to tear down the Great Wall of China. They almost succeeded. Literally. The four met by chance one Saturday night, in a Denver railway depot. Al Stevens, Jack Tournay, John Lewis, Hal Wilshire. They represented the four Denver papers: the ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-18

Tags: Faith, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

One Of The Strongest Cases Of A Man Using His ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Feb 11, 2001

One of the strongest cases of a man using his tongue to bless God and curse man relates to Augustus M. Toplady. He blessed God with the beautiful hymn of adoration that he penned, “Rock of Ages.” It is a moving, biblical tribute to Christ and His finished work of redemption. Yet the same mouth ...read more

Scripture: James 3:9-10

Tags: Holiness, Communication General, Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

Intelligence Is Not The Same As Wisdom.  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Feb 19, 2001

Intelligence is not the same as wisdom. A minister, a Boy Scout, and a computer expert were the only passengers on a small plane. The pilot came back to the cabin and said that the plane was going down but there were only three parachutes and four people. The pilot added, “I should have one of he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:47-52, James 3:13-18

Tags: Parable General

Denomination: Baptist