In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Thessalonians 8:10-15"

Buying Your Way To The King

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 2, 2009

BUYING YOUR WAY TO THE KING A wealthy American made a trip to London. He was all taken up with Buckingham Palace, where the king lived. So one morning he went to the gates, expecting to go right in, but two soldiers stuck out their bayonets and stopped him. They said, "Where do you think you’re ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Wesleyan

A. The Story Is Told Of A Pig Farmer Down South ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A. The story is told of a pig farmer down south who called a local church and asked to speak to the Head Hog at the Trough. 1. The church secretary said, “If you are referring to our minister, you are welcome to call him Brother, or Reverend if you are so inclined, but it would be improper to refer ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Three Types Of Fruit

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 2, 2023

The fruit of the Spirit is singular. it is "fruit" and not "fruits". It is only one letter, but it matters deeply. When you walk in the Spirit, all of these things described in Galatians 5:19-23 will be present in your life. However, there is a three-fold outline in Galatians ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19-23

Tags: Holy Spirit, Flesh, Fruit Of The Spirit, Spiritual Maturity, Walking In The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Greatest Spiritual Challenges We Face

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2024

A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them: 1. Materialism. 2. Pride. 3. Self-centeredness. 4. Laziness. 5. Anger/Bitterness. 5. Sexual lust. 7. Envy. 8. Gluttony. 9. Lying. Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when they ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Lust, Discipleship, Temptation, Pride, Anger, Spiritual Battles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Lies Satan Uses To Trap You Into Addictions

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2024

What settings are you in when you fall? Avoid them. What props do you have that support your sin? Eliminate them. What people are you usually with? Avoid them. There are two equally damning lies Satan wants us to believe: 1) Just once won't hurt you at all. 2) Now that you have ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Defeat, Friends, Companions, Traps, Addiction, Deception, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Victory, Lies, Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2009

ON HUMILITY The moderator of a Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia, gave J. Hudson Taylor a flattering introduction. When the founder of the China Inland Mission stepped into the pulpit, he quietly said, "Dear friends, I am a little servant of an illustrious Master." The late A. W. Tozer ...read more

Scripture: Micah 6:8

Tags: Humility

A Church's Mission Drives Its ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2009

A CHURCH’S MISSION DRIVES ITS MORALE John Polak in his book, The Future in Past Tense, says: "A study of the history of the people of God reveals an interesting fact--the wellbeing of the believing community was directly proportional to their obedience to God’s mission for them. When the people of ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Divorce Accepted  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2009

DIVORCE ACCEPTED A record 70% of Americans believe divorce is morally acceptable (up 59% from ’00), finds Gallup’s ’08 Values and Beliefs Survey. Marriage Savers’ Mike McManus says, “Since 1970, that’s 42 million divorces, shattering the lives of 40 million children. We have the highest divorce ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 2:16

Tags: Divorce

Rich Landowner Learns That God Owns ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

Rich Landowner Learns that God Owns Everything The late Bishop Edwin Hughes once delivered a rousing sermon on "God’s Ownership" that put a rich parishioner’s nose out-of-joint. The wealthy man took the Bishop off for lunch, and then walked him through his elaborate gardens, woodlands, and farm. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 24:1-10

Tags: Property

Bill Hybels On Prayer As An Unnatural ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Bill Hybels on Prayer as an Unnatural Activity Bill Hybels begins his book Too Busy Not to Pray with these words: “Prayer is an unnatural activity. From birth we have been learning the rules of self reliance and self sufficiency. Prayer flies in the face of such deep seated values…. It is an ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Prayer General

Contentment In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

Contentment in the Workplace One of the keys to contentment in your work and finding fulfillment in every area of life is learning to be thankful for what you have been given. Wanting to move forward in your career is not a problem unless it means that you take where you are for granted. As one ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9

Tags: Workplace

Decline Of Christianity In America  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2010

DECLINE OF CHRISTIANITY IN AMERICA North America is the only continent on earth where Christianity is not growing. Only 17.5% of the population of the US attends church on a regular Sunday. During the 1990’s there was a 19.4% decline in church attendance. 85% of churches in America are ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Church Growth

The Word ‘love’ Conjures Up So Man ...

Contributed by Patrick Nix on Jul 9, 2010

The word ‘love’ conjures up so man different things today. A modern dictionary lists 28 various uses for the word: tender affection, warm attachment, intimate passion, strong predication, & amorous benevolence. Yet not of these are complete to define / describe what the Bible speaks of as a ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

A Gift Of The Word

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Oct 5, 2010

A GIFT OF THE WORD When I was a teenager, my pastor gave me a little pocket New Testament, bound in red leather. And inside, on the flyleaf, he had written a note. And with the note was a Scripture citation: Romans 12:1-2. I couldn’t wait to turn to that passage and read what it said. If you know ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Who Needs Your Help?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 17, 2011

WHO NEEDS YOUR HELP? Of the 2,000 passengers on the Titanic, 1517 were lost. At the time the Titanic went down, another ship, the California was only 30 miles away. The Titanic’s operator frantically sent out SOS repeatedly; but the wireless set on the California was closed because there was only ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Max Lucado: Beside, Under, With Christ?

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 23, 2013

MAX LUCADO: BESIDE, UNDER, WITH CHRIST? As Paul said, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20). The apostle sensed within himself not just the philosophy, ideals, or influence of Christ but the person of Jesus. Christ moved in. He still does. When grace happens, Christ ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Life Begins At Conception

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 20, 2014

Barry McCarty says, "In 1979 I debated Dr. Robert Thompson, the medical director of the largest abortion clinic in Pittsburg. My case in that debate had two major contentions: 1) That every human being has an unalienable right to life; and 2) that from the moment of conception an unborn child is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 11:5

Tags: Abortion, Pro-Choice

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

My Ears Heard You, But My Legs Didn't!!!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

One day a man's little granddaughter was playing with her toys. Her mother, who was folding laundry across the room, noticed the child's shirt was dirty and needed to be changed. After calling two times with no response her mother called out as loud as he could to her stubborn daughter, ...read more

Tags: Stubborness, Obedience, Word Of God, Rebellion, Hearing God, Hearers And Doers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Eight Lies About Hell

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 6, 2022

HERE ARE 8 LIES OF THE DEVIL CONCERNING HELL. Unfortunately, many of these lies are found in pulpits, churches, seminaries or college campuses. 1.Hell is not a place, it is a state of mind (16:22 – “he died”). 2. Hell is annhiliation. When you die, you no longer exist! 3. Hell is ...read more

Tags: Hell, False Teachers, Death, Eternity, Deception, Satan, Lake Of Fire, Judgment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Pharisees Have Taken His Sabbath And Loaded ...

Contributed by N A on Nov 22, 2009

“The Pharisees have taken His Sabbath and loaded it up with more than 1,500 nitpicky rules and regulations. They took a good gift from God and made it into an unbearable burden for the people to live under… Let’s keep the Sabbath as a good gift. Let’s not make up our own Pharisaical laws and ...read more

Tags: Sabbath

Denomination: *other