In Sermon Illustrations: "Luke 2:41-4:52"

Bring A Bigger Basket!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Mar 12, 2022

"A missionary in Africa had a farm some miles from the mission station. The season had been very favorable, and he had a large crop of corn on the mission farm. When the crop was ready to harvest, he made a public appeal to the Africans, asking them to help him carry his corn from the farm to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38

Tags: Harvest, Giving, Basket, Receiving

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Of The Most Powerful Prayers In The Midst Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 29, 2001

One of the most powerful prayers in the midst of suffering I have read was uncovered from the horrors of Ravensbruck concentration camp. Ravensbruck was a concentration camp built in 1939 for women. Over 90,000 women and children perished in Ravensbruck, murdered by the Nazis. Corrie Ten Boom, who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:46, Luke 23:34, Matthew 12:31-32

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness General, Forgiveness, Suffering, Prayer, Humility, God's Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Story Is Told (By Ernest Hemingway) Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Feb 1, 2001

The story is told (by Ernest Hemingway) of a father and his teenage son who had a relationship that had become strained to the point of breaking. Finally the son ran away from home. His father, however, began a journey in search of his rebellious son. Finally, in Madrid, in a last desperate ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32, Luke 15:1, Nehemiah 4:1-23

Tags: Descriptions Of God, Forgiveness, Forgiveness For Others, Fatherhood, Father, Family, Found, Love, Lost, God's Provision, Prodigal, Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan

This Week, I Read A Beautiful Legend About A King ...  PRO

Contributed by Chad Ballard on Apr 9, 2002

This week, I read a beautiful legend about a king who decided to set aside a special day to honor his greatest subject. When the big day arrived, there was a large gathering in the palace courtyard. Four finalists were brought forward, and from these four, the king would select the winner. The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13, Luke 24:13-35, John 15:2

Denomination: Baptist

Bill Hybels Tells About An Interesting ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on May 1, 2005

Bill Hybels tells about an interesting experience after a baptism service in their church. He writes: “I bumped into a woman in the stairwell who was crying. I thought this was a little odd, since the service was so joyful. I asked her if she was all right. She said, ‘No, I’m struggling.’ She ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8, Luke 17:1-8, Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Methodist

How Do We Know God Is Here With Us?  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Dec 15, 2005

*Christmas is a time when God came near. And God comes near today. *Joe McKeever told the story of a little girl named Rachel. Like many preschoolers, Rachel had a problem waking up in the middle of the night, scared and crying. The only thing that would sooth her fears was crawling into bed with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Emmanuel, Nearness Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Look Back  PRO

Contributed by Tylor Cates on Jan 24, 2004

DON'T LOOK BACK And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. - Luke 9:62 Text: Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:32,33 Summary: Once we start to follow Jesus we must never look back. We must give up our old way of life to find new life ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:26, Luke 17:32-33, Luke 9:62

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Desire

Denomination: Baptist

At First I Saw God As My Observer, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 2, 2004

Illustration: At first I saw God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like the president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn’t really know Him. But later on when I ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:45-51, Ephesians 1:19-20, Luke 7:1-10

Tags: Great, Benefactor, Servant

A Newspaper Held A Competition To Find Out How ...  PRO

Contributed by W F on Sep 27, 2004

A newspaper held a competition to find out how people would describe friendship. The winning answer was, “A friend is someone who’s walking in when everyone else is walking out.” You and I have a friend that will do that, a friend who will stick closer than a brother. Jesus said, “Surely I am ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42, Proverbs 18:24, Luke 24:13-35

Tags: Friendship New Friends, Friendship General

Denomination: *other

16,743 Yards Of Persistence  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2004

16,743 YARDS OF PERSISTENCE God has always honored persistence. I have always appreciated Emmitt Smith. I was glad to see him set the NFL rushing record last Sunday. He isn’t as flashy as Walter Payton or Barry Sanders, and he never possessed true break-away speed. But his strength lies in his ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1, Luke 20:27-38, Luke 18:1-8

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Persistence, Parable Widow

Thankfulness/Contentment  PRO

Contributed by Steve Miller on Jan 25, 2005

THANKFULNESS/CONTENTMENT: One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:22, Revelation 2:9, Luke 18:22

Tags: Poverty, Perspective

Denomination: *other

One Sunday A Visitor Showed Up In A More Formal, ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Greene on Dec 30, 2007

One Sunday a visitor showed up in a more formal, liturgical church than he was used to attending. The church was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. That made it all the more obvious when this visitor got excited about something the minister said and he shouted out “Praise the Lord!” What was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38, Luke 12:49-53, John 2:13-22

Denomination: Nazarene

Eileen's Story  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

EILEEN'S STORY "In an article in Campus Life a young nurse writes of her pilgrimage in learning to see in a patient the image of God beneath a very 'distressing disguise.' "Eileen was one of her first patients, a person who was totally helpless. 'A cerebral aneurysm (broken blood vessels in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:10-17, Luke 18:18-30, Mark 12:38-44

Tags: Compassion, Sanctification, Impossible

Have You Stopped Listening To God?

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Dec 14, 2020

Speaking of Jesus the Christ: "What is uncertain is not the “coming” of Christ but our own reception of him, our own response to him, our own readiness and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9, Luke 2:8, Luke 2:14

Tags: Coming Of Christ, Go Forth Meeting Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Cheap Crosses

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 22, 2024

At a religious festival in a South American country, a series of booths lined the midway. One booth sold trinkets and necklaces. Printed on the front of the booth was a sign that said, “Cheap crosses here!” Many Christians today are looking for cheap ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23, Romans 12:1-2, Luke 6:46

Tags: Works, Lordship Of Christ, Obedience, Cheap, Crosses, Discipleship, Following Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[009]. A Message From A Poem - A Tree Climber

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 6, 2024

[009]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A TREE CLIMBER Some people have a burning desire to go to see someone or some event important. Look how many turn out to a Trump rally, or a football final, or who go to see some vain film star. However, some people have a real need and want to meet someone to see ...read more

Scripture: John 1:3, Luke 19:1-6, Luke 19:8-9

Tags: Salvation, Repentance, Sycamore Tree, Zaccheus, Tax Gatherer, Tree Climber  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[022] A Message From A Poem - At His Feet

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 3, 2024

[022] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - AT HIS FEET This poem looks at certain events focussed on being at the Lord’s feet. Those feet that today bear the scars of Calvary, walked this earth in ministry and teaching as God among us. The best known story about the feet of Jesus is this one – {{Luke ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:9-11, Luke 10:39-42, Luke 7:37-38

Tags: Worship, Feet, Devotion, Mary And Martha, At His Feet, Bow At His Feet, Wiping Jesus Feet  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Wisdom: Acquired Not Instinctive

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

Keil and Delitzsch comment, “Wisdom is inborn in no one. A true Arabic proverb says, ‘The wise knows how the fool feels, for he himself was also once a fool;’… The second part of the saying is, ‘But a ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7, Luke 2:52, Luke 7:35

Tags: Wisdom, Understanding, Sense

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Beginning Of Lee  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

THE BEGINNING OF LEE Lee, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune and a self-professed atheist was sitting at his desk on Christmas Eve. A slow news day he found himself reminiscing about the Delgado family that he had featured while writing a series of articles about Chicago’s neediest people a few ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-22, Luke 23:43, Luke 24:13-35

Tags: Christmas, Evangelism How To

Did You Hear About The Baptist Who Got Together ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2003

Did you hear about the Baptist Who got together and purchased their Pastor some rubber wadders so he wouldn’t get wet in the baptism pool so the Methodist heard ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40, Luke 12:32-45, Luke 14:25-33, Luke 16:19-31, Luke 17:11-19, Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 3:1-20, Acts 8:1-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptism, Readiness