In Sermon Illustrations: "Revelation 2:8-11:8" showing 21-40 of 63

Christians Still Persecuted

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

CHRISTIANS STILL PERSECUTED * Last year (July 2009), Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo, a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City was told that she would help a doctor perform an abortion or be fired. Even though the hospital knew it was against her Christian values. * In September of 2009 at Pace ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:9-11

Tags: Persecution

Why Don't They Let Him In?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 20, 2011

WHY DON'T THEY LET HIM IN? A picture of the Lord Jesus knocking at the door of a heart was taken one day by a parish visitor to a house where a father and mother lived with their small son. Some impulse made the mother pin the picture up in their little kitchen, and when the small boy came in from ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Commitment To Christ

The Church Without Outreach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE CHURCH WITHOUT OUTREACH Fred Craddock tells the story of his first church. It was a beautiful little white church on a hill in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The church was beautifully maintained. The pews had been hand-hewn from giant poplar trees that had grown nearby. Little kerosene lamps on the walls ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

A Dying Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2011

A DYING CHURCH An artist was once asked to put on canvas what he considered to be the picture best symbolizing a decaying and dying church. After several months, he returned and reported that he had finished the task. The hour finally arrived when the painting was to be unveiled. Several people ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Church Growth

Prayer Of The Persecuted

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 25, 2011

PRAYER OF THE PERSECUTED Author Eugene Peterson says in Reversed Thunder, "While conflicts raged between good and evil, prayers went up from devout bands of 1st c. Christians all over the Roman empire. Massive engines of persecution and scorn were ranged against them. They had neither weapons ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 8:1-13

Tags: Warning, Prayer General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Watered-Down Social Gospel

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 25, 2011

WATERED-DOWN SOCIAL GOSPEL Richard Niebuhr rightly challenged the liberal social gospel movement of watering down the offense of the cross with the scathing words, "A God without wrath brought me without sin into a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 8:1-13

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Ant, The Prayer, And The Contact Lens  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

THE ANT, THE PRAYER, AND THE CONTACT LENS A true story: Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was scared to death, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 32:17, Matthew 7:7, Revelation 2:8

Tags: Prayer Answered

The Lukewarm Sheep  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 29, 2011

THE LUKEWARM SHEEP Now, for the sake of my illustration, I want to break a flock of sheep down into 3 groups. 1. The first group of sheep had DECIDED to look to Shepherd & follow Him wherever He leads. These are the "Good sheep" who follow the "Good Shepherd. Jesus said: "My sheep hear my voice, ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22, John 10:4, John 15:1-11

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It Costs Something To Be Christian

Contributed by Chris Jordan on Feb 21, 2012

IT COSTS SOMETHING TO BE CHRISTIAN "It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a (lukewarm) Christian, and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ’s voice, follow Christ, believe in Christ, and confess Christ, requires much self-denial. It will ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22, Matthew 10:37-39

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: *other

Pastoral Search Committee Of The First Lukewarm ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 30, 2012

PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE OF THE FIRST LUKEWARM CHURCH I was recently contacted by a pulpit committee that was interested in my ministry. I met with Chairman of the Disenchanted, Bro Tepid. He described his church; First Lukewarm Church of the Apathetic. “Nothing too boring, nothing too exciting. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Lukewarm

$3 Worth Of God

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Jul 23, 2012

$3 WORTH OF GOD I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of God to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant, I want ecstasy, not ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:16

Tags: Lukewarm, Apathy, Commit

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

No Runs, No Hits, No Errors  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 17, 2012

NO RUNS, NO HITS, NO ERRORS In one little Midwestern town, Miss Jones had the distinction of being the oldest resident in town. So when she died, the editor of the local paper wanted to print a little article remembering this dear old lady, except he couldn't think of anything to say when he sat ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14, Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Race, Run, Lukewarm, Car

The Crown Of Life

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Oct 7, 2014

Finally, for those who are willing to lay their life at the altar, the reward by way of a Crown promised is not one of incorruptibility (I Cor 9:25) or rejoicing (I Thess 2:19) or glory (I Peter 5:4) or righteousness (2 Tim 4:8) but paradoxically the one of Life (Rev 2:10). Hallelujah!!! No wonder ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:10

Tags: Commandments, Cross, Character, Comforter

Denomination: *other

Mission

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

Or what about the missionaries preaching in Africa from Revelation 3:20 (ESV), “Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” without knowing that in this African context only thieves knock on doors to see if anyone is home. Friends, on the other hand, announce their presence by calling out. So these ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Evangelism, Contextual, Effective Evangelism

Denomination: Baptist

Let Our Faith Be In God And Not In The Things Of This World.

Contributed by Greg Burcham on Sep 2, 2016

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 NKJV What a beautiful verse! Jesus declares His desire to be your Savior and friend. This verse comes at the end of Christ’s rebuke of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Laodicea, Open Door, God Cares For You

Denomination: Baptist

Are We Forever Trapped?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 17, 2017

METAL BARS OR MENTAL BARS... There is a story that comes from Russia of the BEAR THAT WAS FOREVER TRAPPED. There had been a great fire that burned miles of forest in Russia. Much of the wild life had been destroyed. There was a truck traveling along the edges of the destruction and a ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:7

Tags: Opportunity, Open Door

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Dying Church

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 13, 2019

John MacArthur tells this awesome story: There once was an old church in England. A sign on the front of the building read, ''We preach Christ crucified.'' After a time, ivy grew up and obscured the last word and it read, 'We preach Christ.'' The ivy grew some ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-10

Tags: Church, Mission, Repentance, Revival

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cycles Of Dying Churches

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 16, 2022

Almost all churches go through “lifecycles” - they start with a MAN, a visionary leader has a passion to to accomplish a God-given Vision -- then they become a MOVEMENT. At this stage the people are nearly 100% committed. They spend time together at each other’s homes and in Bible studies. Then ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Church, Dying Churches, Revival, Seven Churches

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Putting God First

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Mar 18, 2022

I woke up this one morning recently around 7am which is fairly late for me, still very tired, and about 10 minutes into reading the Word trying to drink my coffee to wake up, I knew I would not be able to stay awake through all my prayers at that level of fatigue. But I was trying to make sure in ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:16, Psalm 63:1

Tags: God First, Seek God Early, Priorities, Word Of God

Denomination: Charismatic

One Time I Went To A My Favorite Mexican ...

Contributed by Dj Castilleja on Jun 11, 2007

One time I went to a my favorite Mexican restaurant. I just couldn’t wait to get there. My stomach was growling and my mouth was salivating. I sat down in my favorite booth and ordered my favorite Mexican dish. Minutes later they brought it out. Cheese enchiladas with sides of beans and rice. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:15-16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational