In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 13:21-24:24"

Blessed Are The Meek  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Meek As you study the character traits described in the Beatitudes, you can't help but realize one thing; these qualities are by no means natural to the human spirit. They are very foreign. Poverty of spirit, true mourning over personal sins against God and meekness does ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5, Matthew 26:36-46, Matthew 15:21-28

Tags: Giving, Truth, Character, Redemption, Words, Meek  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

True Believer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

TRUE BELIEVER There was a young seminarian who was taking an oral examination for his ordination process. During the questioning, one of the examiners asked him if he believed in a personal devil. "No," he replied, "I do not believe in the devil." Hearing this, the examiners began to discuss the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43

Tags: Church General

Let Me Share With You The Story Of A Lesser Known ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

Let me share with you the story of a lesser known man, Rev. John Perkins. According to Philip Yancey in his book "Soul Survivor", John Perkins, a black minister in the South "lived through the worst nightmares of the civil rights movement"(Philip Yancey, Soul Survivor, p 31). Perkins started a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43, Matthew 13:14-40

Tags: Hatred

What Are You Looking For?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? A certain man went to Church one Sunday. He frowned when the organist missed a note during the opening hymn. He gave a mean stare at two teenagers talking to each other when the congregation was at prayer. During the Scripture readings, he kept looking impatiently at his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:21-52

Tags: Weeds, Tares, Church General

Looking Through Clean Windows  PRO

Contributed by Charles Steiner on Nov 6, 2008

LOOKING THROUGH CLEAN WINDOWS A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside. 'That laundry is not very clean', she said. 'She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-24, Luke 19:28-40, Matthew 7:5, 1 Kings 4:20-34, John 4:1-15, Matthew 7:1-6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Happiness, Hosanna, Judgment, Rejoice, Homage, Bethany  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Right Perspective  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE A man was walking through an art gallery when he came upon a picture of the Lord Jesus dying upon the cross. He stopped and looked at the beautiful portrait of Calvary's love. As he stared into the face of Christ, so full of agony the gallery guard tapped him on the shoulder. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28

Tags: Worship, Humility, Cross, Submission, Surrender, Worship General  (view more)  (view less)

Because God Wanted It  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

BECAUSE GOD WANTED IT Near the Tower of London there stands an ancient parish church called "All Hallows". Just inside the wall enclosing the graveyard at All Hallows there is a large sign, placed so that tourists leaving the Tower may read it. The sign at "All Hallows" cites a bit of history and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: Church General

See You In The Morning.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

"SEE YOU IN THE MORNING." Dr. W. A Criswell, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, said on one occasion on an airplane flight he found himself seated beside a well-known theologian. He desperately wanted to start a conversation and they did get to talk. The man told Dr. Criswell ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: God In The Hardships

No Teeth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

NO TEETH Walking towards the United Nations Building in New York City, a street evangelist was observed who was trying to get the attention of passers-by. He urged those near him to flee from the wrath to come. "I warn you," he roared, "that there will be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:47-50

Tags: Hell

Henry Blackaby Said, "You Never Find God Asking ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 26, 2009

Henry Blackaby said, "You never find God asking persons to dream up what they want to do for Him...Without doubt, the most important factor in each (Biblical) situation was not what the individual wanted to do for God. The most important factor was what God was about to do." (Experiencing God, page ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:68-79, Matthew 21:1-6

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Treasure Of The Church  PRO

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Mar 5, 2009

THE TREASURE OF THE CHURCH St. Lawrence was martyred in 258 A.D., but we remember him not for his martyrdom. We remember him as the Archdeacon of Rome. His responsibilities included maintaining the sacred vessels of the small, struggling church and distributing alms to the poor. While he was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:13-16

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Those Who Doubt Most, And Yet Strive To ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Those who doubt most, and yet strive to overcome their doubts, turn out to be some of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-36, Matthew 21:18-22, John 20:24-31, James 1:2-8, 1 Thessalonians 5:21  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, Doubt, Apologetics, Worry

Salvation And Reprobation

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

SALVATION AND REPROBATION Someone may ask, "Of what use then is the doctrine of reprobation?" I am glad you asked! Let me suggest (from Dr. Boice) some useful aspects of the doctrine of reprobation. First, reprobation assures us that God’s purpose has not failed. God has determined the outcome ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:24-31

Tags: God's Judgment

God's Salvation ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

GOD’S SALVATION CHURCH In the 1990s, a cult from Taiwan relocated to San Dimas, California, and registered itself as God’s Salvation Church. In 1997, the Chen Tao cult, also known as the Flying Saucer cult, led by Hon-Ming Chen, headed to Garland (mistaken for "God Land"), Texas, where they expect ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:1-51

Tags: Rapture

What's Up With Jesus?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

WHAT’S UP WITH JESUS? Renowned theologian Karl Barth was lecturing to a group of students at Princeton when a student asked him, "Sir, don’t you think that God has revealed himself in other religions and not only in Christianity?" With a modest thunder he stunned the crowd, replying, "No, God has ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20

Tags: Jesus Christ

Jonah Jones - From Cocaine Trafficker To Christian Counselor

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Mar 27, 2009

*The closer we get to Jesus, the more we will see a change in our lives. *Jonah Jones had a terrible childhood. Jonah’s parents were drug traffickers who introduced him to cocaine when he was 8-years-old. Unbelievable! -- but true. Worse than that, Jonah’s stepfather raped him. His mother abused ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 16:20-25

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus, Testimonies, Changed By Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Protecting Our Children

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2009

PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN Studies show 25-33% of girls and 5-15% of boys will be sexually abused by the age of 18. The majority will be abused by family members or trusted family friends. Churches are urged to take steps in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:5-7

Tags: Children

Staring At The Gates Of Hell

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

STARING AT THE GATES OF HELL Auguste Rodin was a French impressionist sculptor. He created The Thinker. The Thinker was originally meant to sit on top of Rodin’s greatest masterpiece, the Gates of Hell. The Thinker is contemplating an eternity of judgment separated from God. Author Neil Cole ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Betty Crocker ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

BETTY CROCKER SALVATION In 1952, when the Betty Crocker company first began selling cake mixes, they offered a product which only needed water, and you would get a perfectly moist cake every time. But it bombed, and they couldn’t understand why! So they commissioned a study and found that people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:25

Tags: Salvation

Unaware Of The Treasure

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

UNAWARE OF THE TREASURE "The Mystery of the Missing Owner" read the headline on an unusual section of the Chicago Tribune on Sunday, February 6, 2005. The supplement was actually a legal notice published by the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office seeking to give money away to rightful owners--the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:52

Tags: Blessing