In Sermon Illustrations: "Just As I Am"

War Horse: Perseverence

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Apr 8, 2012

WAR HORSE: PERSEVERENCE Last week, I watched "War Horse." It's a Steven Spielberg film about a young English boy and his horse. The family is about to lose their farm because dad bought a horse for his son. The father bears a war injury and cannot tend the farm. He spends his last money ...read more

Tags: Tenacity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Cup On Its Side  PRO

Contributed by Tim White on Apr 16, 2012

THE CUP ON ITS SIDE A teacher set a cup on the table in front of his two disciples. He took a flask that had a little water in it and poured the water into the cups, evenly dividing all that was left. Trying to teach the students to be hungry for more knowledge, he said, "Your cup has water, but ...read more

Tags: Religion

Denomination: Baptist

Dream Big: Google's Founders

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2012

DREAM BIG: GOOGLE'S FOUNDERS In 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin picked the number one followed by 100 zeroes while they were still graduate students at Stanford University. That number in mathematical terms is called a googol, and that became the name of their new enterprise. Today, Google ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21

Tags: Business And Marketplace

So What?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 26, 2012

"SO WHAT?" SOCIETY When I talk about this it might seem rather funny to you or odd, because people don’t worry or care about such things today. Recent surveys in 2011 sum it up pretty well. • 44% told the 2011 Baylor University Religion Survey they spend no time seeking "eternal wisdom," and 19% ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-13

Tags: Culture

Charles Dickens And Reviving Christmas  PRO

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 24, 2012

Two hundred years ago, in the early 19th Century, as astonishing as it may seem, Christmas in Great Britain had become almost extinct. The Times newspaper did not mention Christmas once between 1790 and 1835. Not once! However, Charles Dickens was instrumental in reviving Christmas during the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Tags: Christmas, Losing Christmas

Denomination: Anglican

No Green Bananas

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jan 29, 2013

NO GREEN BANANAS Approaching 85 years of age, Mrs. Wells finally decided it was time to give up her home in North Carolina and move to Miami. She was given the name of a Florida realtor, who enthusiastically drove her all over Miami, extolling the virtues of every apartment they looked at. ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Friend Of Mine

Contributed by Spencer Miller on Jun 3, 2013

A FRIEND OF MINE Branch Rickey, whose name was recently placed back into our memories in the wonderful movie '42' a story about the baseball great Jackie Robinson, was a devout Christian. Once while head of the old Brooklyn Dodgers, he attended negotiations involving a certain ballplayer's ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Knowledge Vs Wisdom

Contributed by Pastor Randall Timblin on Aug 20, 2018

There is a big difference between knowledge and wisdom. First, let us understand that there is no such thing as wisdom unless it pertains to wisdom from God. All other earthly wisdom is foolishness, according to God. Now that we have that straight, what exactly is the difference. Well, my ...read more

Tags: Wisdom, Knowledge, Foolishness

Denomination: *other

It's Got Hold On Me !

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 13, 2019

Can you see him running, he is running with all his might. Look at the beads of sweat popping out on his forehead. Each step that he takes is labored; he is exhausted from the struggle. Can you see the fear in his eyes as he looks back over his shoulder? Something’s got a hold on him and won’t let ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:1-21

Tags: Deception, Temptation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Temptation

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

TEMPTATION Can you see him running, he is running with all his might? Look at the beads of sweat popping out on his forehead. Each step that he takes is labored; he is exhausted from the struggle. Can you see the fear in his eyes as he looks back over his shoulder? Something’s got a hold on him and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Tags: Sin, Temptation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Strength Through Interconnectedness

Contributed by Richard Tow on Oct 5, 2020

Years ago, Jeanie and I visited the Redwood National Park in northern California. We stood in awe as we looked up to trees reaching over 350 feet. These trees have endured storms for over 1,000 years. The surprising thing is that their roots are very shallow—only about 10 to 12 feet deep. How does ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3

Tags: Community, Church, Perseverance, Unity, Cooperation, Difficulties, Storms  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

There Is The Enemy!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Stedman illustrates this point noting that "As the Battle of Trafalgar was about to begin, Admiral Nelson came across two officers of his own flagship who were arguing hotly and about to take sword to each other. Nelson stepped between them and said, "Stop." Then, pointing to the ...read more

Tags: Unity, Body Of Christ, Working Together, Division, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Are Not Saved By Being A Good Samaritan.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 2, 2022

"Recall that the Jewish lawyer asked Jesus, "What shall I DO?. So, here Jesus tosses the "DO" back to him! Don't misunderstand -- Jesus is not teaching a works based way to inherit eternal life, but He is saying in essence if you do this perfectly, without ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5

Tags: Legalism, Pharisees, Good Samaritan, Works, Grace, Law, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Think God Knows What He Is Doing?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 4, 2022

A young woman prepared for missionary service on foreign fields. She had been appointed by the mission board and was ready to sail when she received a telegram saying that her sister had died in a western state. She cancelled her reservation and went home. The sister left four little children ...read more

Tags: Providence, Missions, Missionaries, Trusting God, Sovereignty Of God, Evangelism, Will Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

5 Weeks Or Five Years?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 9, 2022

5 WEEKS OR FIVE YEARS? IN THE FAR EAST THERE IS THE CHINESE BAMBOO TREE? The farmer has to plant a seed in soft ground, water and nurture the ground every day for five years. The farmer can’t see anything. The neighbors might say: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? How long have you been working the ground? ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 42:5, Genesis 14:14

Tags: Patience, Time, Wait

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Sting Of Death Is Gone For Every Believer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 13, 2022

A little boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon. Suddenly out of nowhere a bumblebee flew in the car window. Since the little boy was deathly allergic to bee stings he became petrified. His father quickly reached out, grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:55-56

Tags: Resurrection, Fear, Funerals, Heaven, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Inspect Versus Expect

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

There was a young boy who was notorious for cleaning according to what his parents would inspect, but not necessarily what they would expect. In other words, he would do things like fold and put away the dirty laundry, and put away the dirty dishes thinking they were clean. Things looked tidy on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Expectations, Cover Up

Denomination: Baptist

Seek Spiritual Advice From Spiritually Mature Christians

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Aug 7, 2023

Seek Spiritual Advice from Spiritually mature Christians. Albert Einstein ... had difficulty speaking until he was four years old ... and did not read ... until he was seven. Beethovens music teacher said: .... As a composer, ... he is hopeless. When Thomas Edison was a young boy, ... his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52

Tags: Spiritual, Advice

Denomination: Anglican

The Incredible Power Of Aspen Tree Seeds (Facing Trials)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 21, 2023

Last winter while visiting a natural history museum in Colorado, I learned some remarkable facts about the aspen tree. An entire grove of slender, white-trunked aspens can grow from a single seed and share the same root system. These root systems can exist for thousands of years whether or not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-4, 1 Corinthians 10:13, John 16:33

Tags: Difficulties, Faith, Spiritual Growth, Temptation, Tests Of Faith, Trials, Tribulation, Joy, Problems, Perserverance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Balaam's Error,

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Oct 25, 2024

And this from the Revelation to John at Patmos: Jesus words to the angel of the church at Pergamum give us the view of God as to what happened in Numbers chapters 22-25, and why God was angry with Balaam. Balaam was a deceiver. “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 22:1-41, Revelation 2:14, Numbers 25:1-3

Tags: Deception, Teaching, Israelites, Pergamum, Stumbling Block, Sexual Immorality, Idols  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army