In Sermon Illustrations: "1 John 5:1-6:5"

Surprise Gift

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

SURPRISE GIFT When Gabriel Hurles turned six a couple of years ago (January 2009), he was so focused on eating his birthday cake, that he hardly noticed the giant package in the corner of the room. When another child pointed out the large gift, Gabriel ran over and began to tear off the wrapping. ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Christmas

God's Only 'forgotten' Son

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 24, 2011

GOD'S ONLY 'FORGOTTEN' SON There's a true story told about a revival that was held in a small town. The crowd had dispersed, when a woman came down front and asked to speak with the preacher. She cried uncontrollably as she explained to the minister that she wanted to become a Christian, but she ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: God's Love

The Power Of Silence

Contributed by Michael Deutsch on Jun 4, 2016

They say silence is golden – but is it possible that too much silence is not such a good thing? There’s a room in the United States that’s so quiet it becomes unbearable after a short time. The longest anyone has survived in the ‘anechoic chamber’ at Orfield Laboratories in South Minneapolis is ...read more

Scripture: John 10:4-5

Tags: Silence, Listening To God

Denomination: Baptist

Not Afraid To Offend God

Contributed by Jw Worcester on Feb 8, 2021

The true “Lord’s Prayer” is John 17, also sometimes called the High Priestly Prayer. In verses 1 – 20 Jesus had already prayed for Himself and His mission. He also prayed for His disciples. Jesus prayed this prayer before Jesus and the disciples left for the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was ...read more

Scripture: John 17:22, John 17:24

Tags: Grieve, Knowing Jesus

Americans First  PRO

Contributed by B. D. B Moses on Mar 21, 2002

AMERICANS FIRST During the time of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, Greg Livingstone was asked to give a "missions minute" at a large evangelical church on the East Coast. Since he had only one minute to speak, he decided to ask them only two questions. The first one was, "How many of you are praying ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, World Religions, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Baptist

Mike Breaux, When He Was The Sr. Pastor At ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jan 14, 2006

Mike Breaux, when he was the Sr. Pastor at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, KY, made this point in a dramatic fashion. On the day he was to preach on the very text we’re studying, from James 2, Mike dressed up as a destitute bag lady and entered the Church service just as it began. He was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Christian Church

Is He Welcome

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Feb 21, 2025

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Sadly, there are many buildings with church on the sign that Jesus is knocking on the door to get in. Some He has never been in and others He had been in but they turned Him by denying the Scriptures. Many people in those buildings ...read more

Scripture: John 1:11

Tags: Service, Wash, Salvation, Confession, Presence, Apostasy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Saint Arnold Janssen

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Jan 10, 2025

Saint Arnold Janssen: A Prophetic Vision of Divine Encounter in a Transformative Century Intro: In a world often fragmented by ideological, cultural, and religious divisions, Janssen's vision offers a hopeful alternative—a spirituality of connection, respect, and mutual ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Tags: Leader, Mission, Founder, Saint Arnold Janssen, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

The Goal Of Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

Spiritual Gifts were documented in Class Meetings within the Wesleyan tradition. It was there that members shared their lives – the successes and the struggles. They would search the Scriptures for answers, and they would pray for each other. Those prayers included listening for a Word from the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Tags: Small Groups, Class Meeting, Love, Spiritual Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

[258]. A Message From A Poem – The Christian’s Life The Christian’s Hope

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 8, 2026

[258]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE THE CHRISTIAN’S HOPE Nothing is more meaningful than being a Christian who knows he/she has passed from death into life. It is a precious position that those in the world do not know; nor do they care. {{1 John 3:14 “We know that we have ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Revelation 4:1, 1 John 3:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Tags: Expectation, Life In Jesus, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, World, Hope, Difficult, Church Members  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Whoever Takes The Son Receives Everything - Good Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 25, 2026

The story is told ... Years ago, ... there was a very wealthy man who, ... with his devoted young son, ... shared a passion ... for collecting fine art. Together ... they traveled around the world, ... adding only the finest art treasures ... to their collection. Priceless works ... by Picasso, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:11-12, Colossians 1:15-16, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, 1 Corinthians 13:12

Tags: Treasures, Auction, Son, Life, Eternal  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Abundant Life  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2009

ABUNDANT LIFE In December 1990, the threat of war with Iraq was looming. Many reserves and National Guard troops were mobilized. There were some homes where father and mother were both deployed. Recognizing this situation (that both father and mother would be gone overseas), a civic organization ...read more

Scripture: John 10:10

Tags: Joy

Just A Scrap Can Change A Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2009

JUST A SCRAP CAN CHANGE A LIFE Back in the 1500s, people didn't have a Bible they could read. The Catholic Church controlled the translating of Scripture and only offered it in Latin. But when Martin Luther rebelled against the abuses of the Church of his day he worked hard to make a translation ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Bible Influence

Spurgeon On Experiencing Fullness In Heaven

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2013

SPURGEON ON EXPERIENCING FULLNESS IN HEAVEN The renowned 19th-century English preacher C. H. Spurgeon told this story about King Cyrus, the man who conquered Babylon and freed the Jews from captivity: A visitor who was admiring Cyrus' gardens said it gave him much pleasure. "Ah," said Cyrus, ...read more

Scripture: John 4:34-38

Tags: Husbands Love, Evangelism Urgency

Doctrinal Differences

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 27, 2017

I began my Christian journey, like most I suppose, with a narrow doctrinal point of view. But, I was curious and did not stay within denominational boundaries. The graduate school of theology that I chose had professors who were from a wide variety of Protestant backgrounds. Professors there tried ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-11

Tags: Unity, Ecumenism, Denominationalism

Denomination: Baptist

Christ Was Love  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

CHRIST WAS LOVE I read a story that I thought was a perfect illustration as to what the perfect gift looks like at Christmas. It centered on a school Christmas pageant. Of course there was nothing there to make it religious. Only snowmen, reindeer and the like. And so the kindergarten class was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Christmas

A New ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A New Commandment In the Book of John 13:34-35, Jesus makes a powerful statement, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (emphasis ours) Often people have ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus, The Only Way To Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Jesus, the Only Way to Heaven Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Newsman Clarence W. Hall Sees The Impact Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 29, 2009

Newsman Clarence W. Hall Sees the Impact of Missions on Okinawa in 1945 A newsman, named Clarence W. Hall, followed American troops through Okinawa in 1945. He and his jeep driver came upon an Okinawan village that stood out as a beautiful example of a Christian community! The entire village had ...read more

Scripture: John 12:44-46

Tags: Missions

Crying In The Wilderness -Billy Graham Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 3, 2025

In 1948, ...a remarkable religious phenomenon occurred... in the United States. It began in a tent ... near Hollywood California, ...under the preaching ... of a young evangelist. The crowds were sparse at first ... but as the preaching continued, ... the crowds began to grow. At first, ... ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-7, John 1:19-21, Malachi 4:5, John 3:30, John 1:25, Deuteronomy 18:15-19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptizing, Evangelism, Witness, Wilderness, Baptize, Crying  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican