In Sermon Illustrations: "Thanks" showing 1,441-1,460 of 1,677

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

James Dobson's Faith-Full Parents  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

JAMES DOBSON'S FAITH-FULL PARENTS "Of all the values transmitted to me by my father, none made a more lasting impression than his attitude toward money. As an evangelist, he could never depend on the compensation he would be given. The local church would collect a freewill offering for my father, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5-6

Tags: Father's Day

Grace At Christmas

Contributed by Joel Arndt on Jan 9, 2020

Early on in my ministry, I was called to the home of one of the people in the congregation who said they had a Christmas gift for me. Shortly after getting out of my vehicle I heard shouting coming from the house that I was called to. I gently knocked on the door and the woman of the house opened ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23

Tags: Grace, Gift, Christmas, Forgiveness

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Drugs Are No Game

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 7, 2020

You’ve probably heard and seen it all when it comes to warnings about “don’t do drugs,” and so forth. Frankly, I’ve seen and heard a lot of them, and I’m sure glad someone told me about the dangers of drugs and drug abuse. Someone took a lot of time to get the information out and thanks to those ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Drug Abuse, Drugs, Temptations

Denomination: Baptist

Dying Was More Useful Than Living

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Mar 28, 2009

DYING WAS MORE USEFUL THAN LIVING In the 4th Century there was a Christian called Telemachus who decided that the only way to protect himself from the corruption of the world and to serve God was to become a hermit and live in the desert. One day as he rose from his knees, it dawned on him that ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Anglican

Brother Of John Wilkes Booth, Edwin Booth, Saves ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

Brother of John Wilkes Booth, Edwin Booth, Saves Abraham Lincoln’s Son The story is told of two brothers. One of them would carry a letter to the grave that could have set the record straight, but I will tell you about that later. There was a man whose name was Edwin Thomas, a master of the stage ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:11-12

Tags: Heroism

Church Cake Cover-Up  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

CHURCH CAKE COVER-UP It was time for the annual cake sale at a Presbyterian church not much different than our own. Ms. Billings always made the most beautiful cakes...she was expected to make another one this year. However, Ms. Billings was a very busy woman with the time she spent with her ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-15

Tags: Hypocrisy, Cake

Most Action Movies I Have Seen Have Some Aspect ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 8, 2010

Most action movies I have seen have some aspect of revenge in their storyline. And I must admit it, when the bad guy finally gets killed, I find myself agreeing with the hero as he says “The guy was a jerk and deserved everything he got!” Am I the only one? Some friends of mine were driving me ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Story: In March 2004, I Was In The Second ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 8, 2008

Story: In March 2004, I was in the second bookshop in Dymchurch rummaging through the books when I came across a second hand Jerusalem Bible. As I opened up the Bible, a number of loose leaf papers fell into my hand. And on one of them was written a story. It was obviously very meaningful to ...read more

Tags: War

Denomination: Anglican

Some Thoughts About Gifts

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 26, 2022

Text, 2 Corinthians 9:15, KJV: 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Thoughts: This is about the closest verse I can find to use as a text for this illustration. There may be others but please remember that God’s greatest gift ever was His Son, Jesus! Now I’ll share the illustration ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:15

Tags: Love, Gifts

Denomination: Baptist

The Baby's Smile

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Dec 28, 2022

The Baby’s Smile “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” John 16:21 We are in the last few days of the year. Most of our thoughts on Christmas is that it is ...read more

Scripture: John 16:21

Tags: Smile, Hope, After Christmas, Baby Jesus, Cross, Cradle To The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

For A Mother, A Child Is Never A Burden

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 27, 2024

Text, Exodus 19:4, KJV: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. When was the last time you found anything inspiring, let alone inspirational, when you renew your car's license plate/s? A few days before I wrote this, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:4

Tags: Mothers, Children, Eagle Wings

Denomination: Baptist

An Observation About Eternity

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 5, 2024

Text, Ecclesiastes 3:11, American Standard Version: He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. Every day we live takes us one day closer to the end of our ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11

Tags: Salvation, Eternity, Hell

Denomination: Baptist

A U.s. Volunteer Nurse Helps In Haiti After ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2010

A U.S. Volunteer Nurse Helps in Haiti After Earthquake Gene McCoy is the Sr. Minister of the Memorial Christian Church in Mt. Home, AR. His oldest daughter, Heidi, is a nurse and has gone to Haiti to serve with a medical team. She was written her folks several times, which I have shared via email. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:14

Tags: Compassion

When It Comes To Life's Circumstances And What ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Burkey on May 25, 2005

When it comes to life’s circumstances and what goes on each day, how do you respond with gratitude, grit, or grouch? And is your response determined by your circumstance or by your character? I have come up with a quiz to assess your response. Let’s start with question 1: You are in the 10 item, ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Lutheran

Game . . . Set . . . Match? (06.15.05--The Tie ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 13, 2005

Game . . . Set . . . Match? (06.15.05--The Tie That Binds--1 John 4:16) “What more can I do? I’ve given you the best that I have, everything that is mine to give is yours. I simply don’t know what more I can do?” If you’ve never uttered these words yet in your life, it is likely that someday you ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:16, Isaiah 40:28-29

Tags: God's Love, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

Thin Slices! (07.15.05--Tomorrow--Deuteronomy ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 13, 2005

Thin Slices! (07.15.05--Tomorrow--Deuteronomy 29:29) Did you ever notice how at least having just a taste of something, a little hint or just a brief encounter with what we were anticipating, can be so much fun? I know a lot about anticipation. Being a bird watcher for many years, I am familiar ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 29:29

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Unexpected Grace  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2002

UNEXPECTED GRACE I left work early so I could have some uninterrupted study time right before the final in my Youth Issues class. When I got to class, everybody was doing their last minute studying. The teacher came in and said he would review with us for just a little bit before the test. We went ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:4-10

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

Lake Moses Washington, Friday, May 24, 1985. 1:oo ...  PRO

Contributed by Kent Lenard on Nov 4, 2002

LAKE MOSES WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1985. 1:OO AM I rolled and tossed in bed, feeling uneasy about our son John and his family who are missionaries in South Africa. PRAY! the command I sensed was urgent. Now I am wide awake sending passionate pleas to heaven. Please Lord, help John and ...read more

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Baptist

It Was May 7, And Roger Simms Was Hitchhiking His ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 28, 2004

It was May 7, and Roger Simms was hitchhiking his way home, having been discharged from the Army. He flashed his hitchhiking sign at a car, but almost lost hope for a ride when he noticed it was a black, sleek, new Cadillac. To his amazement the car stopped. As Roger entered the car from the ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist