In Sermon Illustrations: "Mark 12"

Or Would You Be More Like The Woman Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Dec 11, 2000

Or would you be more like the woman who was bitten by a rabid dog, and it looked like she was going to die from rabies. The doctor told her to put her final affairs in order. So the woman took pen and paper, and began writing furiously. In fact she wrote and wrote and wrote. Finally the doctor ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:1-19, Mark 12:28-34

Tags: Love, Christian Love, Anger, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: United Methodist

The Late Dr. Boice Had Some Interesting Thoughts ...  PRO

Contributed by Nathan Robertson, Jr. on Nov 3, 2000

The late Dr. Boice had some interesting thoughts as to why God’s justice is offensive. In human affairs we rightly value justice and the "wrath" of the judicial system, for they protect us. If by chance we ourselves run afoul of the law, there is always the chance that we can cop a plea, escape on ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:1-12

Tags: Forgiveness General, God's Forgiveness, God's Judgment

Denomination: Baptist

In His Book Enjoying Intimacy With God, J. Oswald ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 31, 2001

In his book Enjoying Intimacy with God, J. Oswald Sanders makes a piercing observation: "We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be. True, there are times when we would like to know a deeper intimacy, but ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:29-30

Tags: Discipleship, Disciplines General

Leadership Magazine Carried A Story About 4 Young ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 14, 2001

Leadership Magazine carried a story about 4 young men, Bible College students, who were renting a house together. One Saturday morning someone knocked on their door. And when they opened it, there stood this bedraggled-looking old man. His eyes were kind of marbleized, & he had a silvery stub of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34, Mark 12:1-17

Tags: Generosity, Giving General, Giving, Christian Love, Christian Disciplines, Good  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

David Augsburger Said "An Open Ear Is The Only ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

David Augsburger said "An open ear is the only believable ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:18, Mark 12:18-32

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Faith General

Really Giving  PRO

Contributed by Clyde Grimes on Dec 28, 2002

REALLY GIVING The great Alliance preacher and renowned Christian author, A. W. Tozer, makes this observation: “Before the judgment seat of Christ my service will be judged not by how much I have done but by how much I could have done!... In God’s sight, my giving is measured not by how much I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Giving General

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Conference After Conference Is Held To Discuss ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Apr 20, 2003

Conference after conference is held to discuss the destruction of the Earth’s environment and to solve the poverty of two thirds of the world’s population but very little gets done when the talking is over. Isn’t it essentially a problem of selfishness, greed and exploitation? Desmond Tutu, the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:40

Tags: God Brings Hope, Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Baptist

2. Gary Thomas, A Friend Of Rick Warren, Noticed ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jan 6, 2004

2. Gary Thomas, a friend of Rick Warren, noticed that many Christians were stuck in a worship rut. He raised the question, “Since God has intentionally made us all different, why should everyone be expected to love (worship) God the same way?”(1) Gary has discovered that for 2,000 years Christians ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:29-30

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Blistering Hot Day When They Had Guests For ...

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Nov 8, 2004

One blistering hot day when they had guests for dinner, Mother asked 4-year old Johnny to return thanks. “But I don’t know what to say!” the boy complained. “Oh, just say what you hear me say” his mother replied. Obediently the boy bowed his head and mumbled, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:35-44

Tags: Prayer Confession

Denomination: Baptist

That Poor Young Boy!", Thought The Older ...  PRO

Contributed by Joshua Moran on Jan 31, 2005

"That poor young boy!", thought the older gentleman. The sanctuary was somewhat inactive as music was playing quietly, and the building seemed to be sheltering the people from the bitter cold of a New England winter. A young boy had just walked in with only a tattered sweatshirt, dirty jeans, and ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Giving General, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Pentecostal

But I Just Have To Give!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 22, 2005

BUT I JUST HAVE TO GIVE! Eric Hulstrand writes in Leadership magazine: "While I was preaching one Sunday, an elderly woman, Mary, fainted and struck her head on the end of the pew. Immediately, an EMT in the congregation called an ambulance. As they strapped her to a stretcher and got ready to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-43

Tags: Parable General

Really Giving  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 22, 2005

REALLY GIVING The great Alliance preacher and renowned Christian author, A. W. Tozer, makes this observation: “Before the judgment seat of Christ my service will be judged not by how much I have done but by how much I could have done!... In God’s sight, my giving is measured not by how much I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-43, Matthew 9:1, Mark 9:14-35

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Half A Cloak  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 22, 2005

HALF A CLOAK There is a legend about Martin of Tours who is said to be the first military chaplain. He followed the Roman Army from place to place ministering to the soldiers, and to people in the places they conquered. One cold winter day he was following the Roman Army into a city. There was a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-43

Tags: Jesus Teachings

I Wanted To Buy A Dust Mop Head For Our New ...  PRO

Contributed by Vinnie Cappetta on Mar 12, 2006

I wanted to buy a dust mop head for our new church facility, but I didn’t have a measuring tool to figure out what size I needed. So, I used my shoes and hand to measure. The dust mop head was two of my shoes and four fingers. When I went to the world wide web to order, I couldn’t find a dust ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:30

Tags: Love For God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hans Christian Andersen's Tale Of "The Ugly ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006

Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of “The Ugly Duckling” illustrates the truth that what you know and believe to be truth determines your behavior. Although hatched in the same nest as the other eggs, this “duckling” looked different. He was big and ugly, not soft and yellow like the other ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-3, Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27, Mark 7:1-23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, Storm, Trial, Trust

Denomination: Baptist

As David Jeremiah Says: "Imagine A Chef Who ...

Contributed by Ray Mckendry on Apr 9, 2007

As David Jeremiah says: “Imagine a chef who collected cookbooks, took cooking classes, studied recipes, and developed menus—but never cooked.” (Today’s Turning Point Daily ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-30, Mark 12:30

Denomination: Baptist

A $100 Bill, A $20 Bill And A $1 Bill Meet Up At ...

Contributed by Timothy Craver on Nov 9, 2009

A $100 bill, a $20 bill and a $1 bill meet up at the shredder at the end of their lives. The 100 says, “I’ve seen the whole world during my lifetime. Why, I’ve been on cruises in the Caribbean, safaris in Africa and vacations in Europe.” The 20 says, “Well, I haven’t done quite as well, but I have ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Money, Giving

Denomination: Brethren

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

Cirrhosis Of The Giver  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 23, 2011

CIRRHOSIS OF THE GIVER Many in our day seem to be afflicted with that terrible disease known as Cirrhosis of the Giver. This terrible malady renders the afflicted person’s hand incapable of moving from the wallet to the offering plate. The only known cure is to remove the sufferer from the Lord’s ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Tithes

Attitude Not Aptitude  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

ATTITUDE NOT APTITUDE Jesus' message here is that everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. Dave Stone says that "service is the language of grace." One day a couple of church members were out distributing loaves of bread in a low-income housing complex. They came to an apartment ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 2:9-11, Mark 12:30-31, 1 Peter 4:10, Mark 12:1-27  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Love, Servanthood