In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Peter 3:13-18:22"

Hope For A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

HOPE FOR A CHANGE In the Peanuts comic strip, we find Snoopy thinking to himself: "Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Ohh...there’s so little hope for advancement." Well, there is hope for those who have a dog’s life, but the change will require them ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Change

Hope Brings Survival

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

HOPE BRINGS SURVIVAL Viktor Frankl, Austrian psychologist, survived death camps of Nazi Germany. Frankl was determined to know why some survived and some did not. He looked at several factors: health, vitality, family, survival skills, intelligence. He concluded that none of these factors was ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

The Conductor's Job

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

THE CONDUCTOR’S JOB In a symphony orchestra, a violinist will not go around checking what a trombonist is playing, nor will an oboist worry about whether a trumpeter will come in on time. That is the business of the conductor. These people play their parts and the conductor puts it all together. ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Weird Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

WEIRD CHRISTIANS Unchurched Americans think Christians are weird, but it’s not for the reason you might think. Fifty-seven percent of the unchurched wonder why Christian friends and neighbors never talk with them about spiritual matters. To the majority of those outside the church, believers are ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Catholic Schools ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS CLOSING 1,267 Catholic schools have closed since 2000, and enrollment nationwide has dropped by 382,125 students, or 14% percent, according to the National Catholic Education Association. The problem is most apparent in inner cities. Catholic schools have been closing since their ...read more

Tags: School

Online Fraud ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

ONLINE FRAUD STATS Americans reported $240 million in online fraud losses in ’07 to the FBI (an increase of $40 million from ’06). Median dollar loss in ’07 per complaint was $680. Men lost on average $1.67 to every dollar women lost. Men accounted for 75.2% of reported perpetrators and 57.6% of ...read more

Tags: Technology

Tenth Hours

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

TENTH HOURS Napoleon said that in every battle there [is] a period of ten or fifteen minutes which decides the issue of the conflict. Certainly in the battle of life there are moments and hours which, so far as we can tell, determine our history: hours when the spirit in which we lived, the step ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Meliorism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

MELIORISM Have you ever heard of Meliorism? Here is what one person said about it. "I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. I am a Meliorist. Meliorism cancels out optimism as being too bright, too airy; and rejects pessimism as being too dull, too heavy. Take life as it is, says the meliorist, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Author, God Brings Purpose

Song Above The Noise

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

SONG ABOVE THE NOISE A man said: While walking along a busy street one day, I heard someone singing. His sweet voice was distinguishable even above the noise of the traffic. When I located him, I noticed that he had no legs and was pushing himself through the crowd in a wheelchair. Catching up ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:2

Tags: Joy

Four Levels Of Spiritual Maturity

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

There are 4 levels of spiritual maturity for believers in Christ. I have created the names of each phase to add to this great quote from John Maxwell: #1 - REBELLION: I'm going to do what I want regardless of what God says. #2 - CONDITIONAL LOVE: If God gives me what I want, I will give Him ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Maturity, Growing In Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Need Revival When.....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 30, 2020

1. You are entertained by things that once grieved you. 2. You are silent where you once spoke. 3. Your prayer closet has cobwebs and your Bible is dusty. 4. You have ceased to grieve over your own sin. 5. You have stopped sharing your faith. 6. You are more excited about your personal agenda ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Revival, Beatitudes, Thirsting For God, Hungering For God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Flu

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Feb 21, 2020

After one of our members came down with the flu, was in intensive care for 10 days, we became very aware of how easily it is passed, especially to our elderly members. Which brought about these thoughts. 1) You are 70% Less likely to get the flu (or pass it) if you wash your hands properly. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 40:30-32, Leviticus 14:8-9, Matthew 15:17-20

Tags: Wash, Avoiding Sin, Coronavirus, Covid19, Influenza A, Spreading The Gospel, Wash Hands  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Monkey Reading The Bible

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

One day the zoo-keeper noticed that the monkey was reading two books - the Bible and Darwin's The Origin of Species. In surprise he asked the ape, "Why are you reading both those books"? "Well," said the monkey, "I just wanted to know if I was my brother's keeper ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:25

Tags: Evolution, Darwin

Denomination: Methodist

He Is Our Strength

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Oct 12, 2021

My beautiful mama was always so strong, a tower of strength, courage and faith that stood like a beacon for our family. Psalm 46:1 says God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. As I meditated on this, I remembered a time when I was about 3 years old or so. I saw myself ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1, Psalm 28:8, Psalm 37:39, Exodus 15:2

Tags: Fear, Protection, Strength, God Is Our Strength

Denomination: Charismatic

1800 Languages Have Never Heard The Gospel

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2022

n 1917, was William Cameron Townsend was passing out Spanish Bibles and speaking about God in a Guatemalan village. A Cakchiquel Indian (they had their own dialect) came up to Townsend and said, “If your God is so smart, why doesn’t he speak Cakchiquel?” It is said that was a life-defining moment ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Tongues, Languages, Interpreting The Word, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Gospel, Missions, Preaching, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Captain Of The Lord's Hosts

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 17, 2023

The “Captain of the Lord’s Hosts” is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. We call this a CHRISTOPHANY. The word translated as, “Angel”, is another word for “Messenger” and does not limit the Divinity of Christ or make him a mere angel. What does Scripture say about the ...read more

Tags: Joshua, Jesus, Christophanies, Worship, Angels, Captain, Sovereignty Of God, Types, Christ In The Old Testament  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

3 Types Of People In The Wilderness

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 17, 2023

THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THE WILDERNESS (Joshua 1, I Corinth. 2:13-3:3) * THOSE LIVING IN EGYPT (NATURAL MAN) - unbelievers in bondage to sin. Christ is on the outside of their life. Those in Egypt were freed from slavery by the blood of a sacrificial Lamb, a picture of Christ on the Cross, ...read more

Tags: Promised Land, Wilderness, Carnal, Canaan, Natural Man, Spiritual Man, Backsliding, Spiritual Victory, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Appetite Killers

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 27, 2023

If we want our appetite for righteousness to grow, we must avoid appetite killers. This is true in the natural. Every parent knows that kids who eat too much candy will not have an appetite for the healthy food at dinner time. The same is true with our spiritual appetite. If we snack on the things ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6, Colossians 3:2, Ephesians 4:24, Psalm 81:10, Psalm 42:1-2, Luke 6:21  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Worldliness, Entertainment, Seek, Hunger, Desire, Righteousness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Have A Heart

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 28, 2023

HEARTBEAT? DO WE EVER SAY: THANK YOU? DO WE EVER GET TIRED AND WEARY? DO WE EVER LISTEN TO HEAR THE HEART BEAT OF GOD? John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. On the average your heart beats around 70 times a minute, 100,800 TIMES A DAY. ...read more

Scripture: John 13:23

Tags: Heart, Faithful

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Characteristics Of People In The Last Days

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 6, 2024

CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE IN THE LAST DAYS (II Timothy 3:1-4) Self-Centeredness: People will love only themselves and their money. Pride and Disobedience: They will be boastful, proud, scoff at God, and disobedient to their parents. Lack of Gratitude: Ungratefulness will prevail. Lack of Love ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-4

Tags: Rapture, False Teachers, Tribulation, Signs, False Prophets, Return Of Christ, Deception, Antichrist, Last Days  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational