In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 1:1-28:5"

One Little Problem  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2004

ONE LITTLE PROBLEM In 1174 the Italian architect Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: A separately standing eight-story bell tower for the Cathedral of the city of Pisa. The tower was to be eight-stories and 185-foot tall. There was just one "little" problem: ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, Matthew 7:24-29

Some Time Ago I Read About An Instant Cake Mix ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 4, 2004

Some time ago I read about an instant cake mix that was a big flop. The instructions said that all you had to do was add water and bake and you had your cake. The company couldn’t understand why it didn’t sell -- until their research discovered that the buying public felt uneasy about a mix that ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Work, Surrender, Commitment To Christ, Faith, Salvation, Righteousness, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

To Touch A Scorpion!" Matthew 5: 43-48 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 9, 2004

“To Touch a Scorpion!” Matthew 5: 43-48 Key verse(s): 44 “‘But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” Is it in our nature to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us? Getting even or, in the very least, shunning confrontation with those who would ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Lutheran

And He Was Changed  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 11, 2004

AND HE WAS CHANGED In 1918, a notorious criminal named Tokichi Ichii was sentenced to hang. While in prison in Tokyo, he was sent a New Testament by two missionaries, Miss West and Miss McDonald. After a visit from Miss West, he began to read the story of Jesus’ and crucifixion. When he reached ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

What Kind Of Soil Will The Word Find?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

WHAT KIND OF SOIL WILL THE WORD FIND? The following story speaks about the kind of soil the Word of God might find. Which woman would you be? Two women were hired by a man to make custom-tailored dresses for his clothing store. They were told that not only would they be paid a flat hourly wage ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

The Strangle-Hold Of Wealth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

THE STRANGLE-HOLD OF WEALTH There was an article in the Wednesday, June 26, 2002 issue of the Colorado Springs Gazette by Michelle Singletary titled “How Much is Enough in the Pursuit of Money?” She began by writing about Karen Hughes, counselor to President Bush, who decided to leave the White ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

A Little More  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

A LITTLE MORE An interesting article appeared in the Wall Street Journal. It was an interview of six top executives, all of them making six-figure salaries. That means that they made somewhere between $100,000 and $1 million a year. Now you are probably thinking , “If I made even $100,000 a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

Just A Little Silver  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

JUST A LITTLE SILVER There’s an old fable about a miserable rich man who went to visit a rabbi. The rabbi took the rich man by the hand and led him to a window. "Look out there," he said. The rich man looked into the street. "What do you see?" asked the rabbi. "I see men, women, and children," ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

Planting A Donut  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 12, 2004

PLANTING A DONUT When Watching the Krispy Kreme Donut machine, or as I like to call it the “Dream Machine,” I noticed something that made me very upset. At the end of the conveyer they were throwing away a bunch of the donuts. Let me describe the machine. First there is the dough plopper that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23, Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

Kathy Bates Was In The Movie "Fried Green ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Sep 27, 2004

Kathy Bates was in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”, but is probably best remembered for her role as an obsessed fan in Misery that won her an Oscar. In Misery Bates plays a nurse who encounters her favorite author at an accident scene in a remote location in Colorado during a fierce snowstorm. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

Most Of Us Have Experienced What Happens To ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 27, 2004

Most of us have experienced what happens to motorists when one of those huge graders goes to work on a highway repair job. when the machine is operating on a busy road, traffic is halted and the cars lined up in opposite directions are allowed to proceed alternately. A veteran operator of one of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3-10

Tags: Frankincense, Epiphany, Human Body, Gold, Wise Men  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cnidius, A Skillful Architect, Building A ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 27, 2004

Cnidius, a skillful architect, building a watchtower for the King of Egypt, caused his own name to be engraved upon a stone in the wall in great letters, and afterwards covered it, with lime and mortar, and upon the outside of that wrote the name of the King of Egypt in golden letters. This was all ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Contest  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

NO CONTEST When we get to heaven, there will be no contest to see who was the most deserving of God’s grace because no one deserves it. There will only be one contest in heaven. When we look back and see what we were before, when we see the pit from which he rescued us, when we recall how ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16, Galatians 2:20-21, Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Promises Of God, Parable Vineyard, Grace

Wanted: Movers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

WANTED: MOVERS Suppose that one of the local businessmen had purchased a new building and was planning to move all of his stock into the new store. He placed an ad in the paper offering $100.00 per day to anyone who would come to help him make the move. The first workers were there early on the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Grace, Parable Vineyard, Promises Of God

The Real Deal?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 28, 2004

THE REAL DEAL? Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Person asked a young accountant who was fresh out of school, "What starting salary were you thinking about?" The Accountant said, "In the neighborhood of 100,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The interviewer ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16, Romans 3:20-26

Tags: Parable Vineyard, Grace, Labor Day, Workplace

Treasure In The Mud  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 4, 2004

TREASURE IN THE MUD A number of years ago, there was a geologist by the name of Dr. Williamson who was doing some work in the country of Tanzania. One day, he found himself driving in a deserted area, slipping and sliding along a rain-soaked road. Suddenly his four-wheel drive vehicle sank up to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Tags: Parable Treasure

The Value Of A Pearl  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 4, 2004

THE VALUE OF A PEARL Pearls were perceived in the first century in much the same way we view diamonds today. They were the most valuable gem in the world at that time. If you owned a pearl, you owned a fortune. And there was a good reason for it. Pearl hunting involved immense danger. The fine ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:45-46, Matthew 13:44-46

Tags: Parable General, Kingdom Of God

How Much Would You Pay?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 4, 2004

HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY? Several years ago, USA Today reported the results of a Roper Starch Worldwide survey of the wealthiest 1 percent of U.S. households or the 1 million households that have an annual income of at least $250,000 or a net worth at least $2.5 million. They were asked what they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Tags: Parable General, Parable Treasure

Eric Liddell--Olympic Hero In The 1924 Games Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Oct 7, 2004

ERIC LIDDELL--Olympic hero in the 1924 games who refused to run in heats because they were held on Sunday. Lost the chance to win the gold in twso events but went on to win the 400. Arms thrashing, head bobbing and tilted, legs dancing, Liddell ran to victory, five meters ahead of the silver ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Athletics, Priorities, Sabbath, Sacrifice, Missionary, Surrender  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan

The If/Then Of Easter  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 7, 2004

THE IF/THEN OF EASTER It’s Easter time. Time to eat all the candy and marshmallow eggs. Time to pig out. There’s gotta be a nicer word for pig out. A euphemism, as it were. Hey, try to think up a nicer word for euphemism. And while you’re at it, think up a shorter word for abbreviation. And a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-20, Matthew 28:1-20

Tags: Easter Resurrection, Go Quickly, Tell