In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 1:1-24:30"

Too Much Like Hell

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

TOO MUCH LIKE HELL A young American lawyer boasted that he was going West to find some place where there were no churches, no Sunday schools, no Bibles. Before the year was over, he wrote to a classmate, a young minister, begging him to come out where he was and start a Sunday school and preach, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Tags: Christian Witness

We Don't Know Her Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

WE DON'T KNOW HER STORY They called her their troubled one, or their feisty one. She had wild flyaway hair much like that of a punk rocker, but jet-black. And she was only, at the oldest, a couple of weeks old. So small, she looked as if she could fit in one hand. The ICU nurses all took turns ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:13-15

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Margin Or Messiah?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2011

MARGIN OR MESSIAH? Richard Swenson wrote a book in the 1990's titled, "Margin" in which he describes modern society as so overcommitted and over scheduled that we have no space left for rest. A reviewer writes: Overload is not having time to finish the book you're reading on stress. Margin is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Stress

Buried Treasure

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

BURIED TREASURE In 1992 volunteers from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, excavating in Caesarea dug up 99 gold coins that had been stashed in a makeshift safe beneath the floor of what was once a private dwelling. Caesarea is considered one of Israel’s richest archaeological sites in that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Tags: Parable Treasure

The Value Of The Rock

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

THE VALUE OF THE ROCK There is an old story told of an occasion in 1799 when a twelve year old boy named Conrad Reed skipped church and went fishing in Little Meadow Creek on the family farm near Fayetteville, North Carolina. In an attempt to spear a fish young Conrad Reed missed but his spear ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Tags: Parable Treasure

A Peacemaking Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

A PEACEMAKING CHURCH I can tell this story because one neighbor has died and the other neighbor no longer lives across the street from our church. Our neighbors endured the disruption of their lives as we built on to our church. I'm sure that contributed to their lack of patience with us. We put ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9, Exodus 32:1-14, Isaiah 32:15-20

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Bread And Butter  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Aug 25, 2011

BREAD AND BUTTER A small-town baker bought his butter from a local farmer. After weighing his butter, he concluded the farmer had been reducing the amount in the packages but charging the same. Therefore, the baker accused the farmer of fraud. In court the judge asked the farmer, "Do you have ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 25:15, Proverbs 20:23, Matthew 7:1-2, Romans 2:1, Luke 6:37-38  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Judgment, Hypocrisy, Prejudice, Fairness, Judgmental  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Is Coming To Dinner

Contributed by Charles Jones on Sep 3, 2011

JESUS IS COMING TO DINNER One of the greatest compliments an individual can pay to another is to invite him/her home to dinner. The Church reminds the world today that Jesus is coming again and the world should get its house in order, for the master of the universe is coming to dine in the hearts ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-37

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Pentecostal

Capitalism Without Christianity  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Sep 5, 2011

CAPITALISM WITHOUT CHRISTIANITY Pure Capitalism--that exists without a Christian influence--can become an empty shell. When Christianity is taken out of the picture of Capitalism...greed and selfishness take over. Capitalism without Christianity can result in all kinds or evils. You can end up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Tags: Workplace

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Fire In The Hole

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

FIRE IN THE HOLE Centralia was a small mining town in the eastern part of Pennsylvania with about 1000 residents making their income off of the coal dug just underneath the crust. The town had existed the same way for over a century when pre-Civil War settlers moved out to dig up the anthracite ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-30

Tags: Hell

No Fear  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

NO FEAR Brian Simo is a race car driver, and most of you have probably never heard of him. However there is one thing about him with which you are probably familiar. In 1985 he created the "No Fear" clothing line and found an idea that appealed to many Americans. We have a lot of respect for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Tags: Fear And Worry

Honey All The Way Down  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

HONEY ALL THE WAY DOWN In one of his famous escapades, Winnie the Pooh, this lovable toy bear, tries to trap an elephant--or, as he pronounces it, a heffalump. So Pooh digs a hole to catch the heffalump, and decides to bait the trap with some of his own favorite food: honey. But of course, it is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-28

Tags: Hypocrisy, Prejudice

Reactions Can Be Worse Than Actions  PRO

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Sep 12, 2011

REACTIONS CAN BE WORSE THAN ACTIONS While in seminary, I worked at a local Christian radio station. Part of my duties was to take hourly meter readings from the transmitter and place them on a log sheet that was subject to FCC review. The building featured indoor/outdoor green carpet, and the day ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

Fasting Before The Great Awakening

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 22, 2011

FASTING BEFORE THE GREAT AWAKENING Jonathan Edwards was a man used by God in the First Great Awakening. I have read that he preached in a weak, squeaking, monotone voice and held his tiny manuscript so close to his face that people could not see his expressions. When he preached, "Sinners in the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:2-3, Matthew 9:14-15, Mark 2:18-20, Luke 5:33-35, Acts 14:23, Luke 2:37, Matthew 6:16-18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer, Fast

Denomination: Baptist

First Things First  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Nov 3, 2011

FIRST THINGS FIRST When Coach Bobby Bowden played baseball in college, he never hit a home run. His senior year at Howard College, he was the only player not to hit a home run. One day, he hit a line drive against Auburn. As he approached third, the coach was waving him on. As he made his turn, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:37-39, Matthew 6:6

Tags: Prayer, Prayer Closet, Secret Prayer, Private Prayer, Prayer General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Making Christmas Special  PRO

Contributed by Sam Higgs on Dec 1, 2011

MAKING CHRISTMAS SPECIAL In the months leading up to the Christmas season, Dan had lost his job. Well, in the city he lived in, most of the workers had to relocate with the company or face unemployment. Dan was one of the unlucky ones who had not been with the company long enough to be asked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-21, Galatians 4:4

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

The Treasure Of Christmas

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 19, 2011

I agree it is time Christmas “message” time folks! But firstly how about having a round of Quiz? Which is your favorite Tintin comic? Do I hear the answers…Tintin in Tibet, Crab with the Golden claws etc etc. Some would even confide, any comic with Captain Haddock (most spicy character) in it. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:21

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: *other

Where's The Baby?

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 24, 2011

WHERE'S THE BABY? Luis Palau tells of a wealthy European family that decided to have their newborn baby baptized in their enormous mansion. Many people were invited, it was an elegant and elaborate affair. They took off their coats and laid them on the bed in a designated room and soon the time ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:21-40, Matthew 2:2

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Marvin Vincent Comments On The Transfiguration Of ...

Contributed by David Tack on Jan 22, 2012

Marvin Vincent comments on the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ in Matthew 17:2: "...There was a fact and a power in that vision which mere radiance and the appearance of the dead patriarchs could not wholly convey: a revelation of Deity breaking out in that glorified face and form..." (Ref: ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:2

Tags: Transfiguration

Denomination: Baptist

Fruit Requires Effort And Dedication

Contributed by Robert Sickler on Jan 27, 2012

FRUIT REQUIRES EFFORT AND DEDICATION The young boy stood looking up at the naked ice-covered limbs of his favorite cherry tree. It was 4:30 in the morning and the full moon produced a silvery sheen in the ice, which almost seemed to originate within the branches themselves. The young man let out ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:33

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Christian Church