In Sermon Illustrations: "1 Timothy 4:16-18"

Training In Godliness

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Sep 10, 2010

TRAINING IN GODLINESS Our daughter-in-law has participated at times in triathlon competitions. The triathlon is an endurance event in which you swim a certain distance, ride your bike a certain distance, and finally, and without resting, run a certain distance. It is a very demanding test of your ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Tony Campolo Says That His Wife Is A Brilliant ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 21, 2001

Tony Campolo says that his wife is a brilliant woman. She has a PHD & is capable of pursuing a very profitable career. But she elected to stay home with her children when they were young. Her decision didn’t bother her at all except when other women would ask, “What do you do?” She would ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-16, Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Conviction, Children, Mothers, Mother's Day, Motherhood, Parenting, Temptation, Sacrifice, Tithes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Possums And The Grave  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Apr 13, 2001

POSSUMS AND THE GRAVE I have heard that possums are smart animals. You wouldn’t think so because you hardly ever see one except when it’s dead on the road. There’s a joke that goes, “why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the possum that it could be done!” But possums, it turns out, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 8:10-15, Luke 24:13-24

Tags: Volunteer, Victory, Resurrection, Service, Servant, Missions, Go, Easter, Easter Resurrection, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

A Year Or So Ago Time Magazine Published A Review ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 16, 2001

A year or so ago Time Magazine published a review of the movie, “The Birdcage.” The review said that while the movie is based on the plot of Robin Williams & Nathan Lane playing a homosexual couple, & Gene Hackman playing a conservative politician who messes up their gay lifestyle, that the movie ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:18-32

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Holiness, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Vicar Was Retiring After 25 Years In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 8, 2001

A vicar was retiring after 25 years in the parish. As he came to clear out his bedroom he found a small bowl with 5 eggs and £1,000 pounds in. Baffled he called his wife and said: Darling, what is this little basket under the bed with five eggs and £1,000 in. "Oh " she said " I must confess that ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-7, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Tags: Leadership General, Gifts Encouragement, Gifts Prophecy, Love

Denomination: Anglican

The Indescribable Gift—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 6, 2001

THE INDESCRIBABLE GIFT--COMMUNION MEDITATION A few years ago, on "Good Morning, America," Joan Lunden featured some extraordinary gifts you might want to include on your Christmas gift list. One of them was a Jaguar automobile, the Jaguar 220. If you care to order one of these, go to your ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 133:1, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: God's Provision, Heaven, Communion

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Devil Has A Plan For Your Life: Doubt - To ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Nov 30, 2001

The devil has a plan for your life: Doubt - To make you question God’s word and His goodness; Discouragement - To make you look at your problems rather than at God; Diversion - To make the wrong things seems attractive so that you will want them more than the right things; Defeat - To make you feel ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8-9, Luke 7:18-35

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Humble Memorial  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

A HUMBLE MEMORIAL In 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple into his office and asked what he could do. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, Genesis 1:1

Tags: Emotions, Parable Great Banquet, Humility

On A Rather Insignificant Sphere  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 28, 2002

ON A RATHER INSIGNIFICANT SPHERE A senior angel is showing a very young angel around the splendors of the universe. They view whirling galaxies and blazing suns, and then flit across the infinite distances of space until at last they enter one particular galaxy of 500 billion stars. As the two ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-8, 1 Peter 1:12

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Baptist

Communion In Your ‘civvies'  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2002

COMMUNION IN YOUR ‘CIVVIES’ Janet Daley writes in the UK Telegraph about a “movement among Church of England clergy in favour of going into civvies.” One of the things that the Church of England Synod is debating is the agitation some are having for dress-down Sundays, which would allow the vicar ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:6-7, Hebrews 13:1-16

Tags: Christmas, Hope, Humanity Of Christ, Lord's Supper

For Everyone—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Troy Mason on Aug 23, 2002

FOR EVERYONE-COMMUNION MEDITATION James W. Moore of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Houston tells a story about one of his minister friends. His name is Tom and he does a fascinating thing each month. Even though he has an extremely busy schedule he still makes the time each month to go down ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:24-25, Luke 22:19

Tags: Lord's Supper, Reverence, Worth, Communion, Church Practices  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I've Been In Long Caravans Before Where Anywhere ...

Contributed by Rick Thiessen on Oct 1, 2002

I’ve been in long caravans before where anywhere from 5 to 25 vehicles are making the same trek together - as a tree planting and a youth pastor. You know what my rule always was for the drivers? Keep up with the guy ahead of you. That was my rule. It seemed natural because you’re always ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9, 1 Corinthians 11:1

Tags: Following, Guidance, Apprenticeship, Discipleship, Leading, Leadership, Mentoring  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sodium Is An Extremely Active Element Found ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Platt on Nov 1, 2002

Sodium is an extremely active element found naturally only in combined form; it always links itself to another element. Chlorine, on the other hand, is the poisonous gas that gives bleach its offensive odor. When sodium and chlorine are combined, the result is sodium chloride - common table salt ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15, Ephesians 4:15

Tags: Apologetics General, Christian Values, Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Love From A Kid's Point Of View, Citation: "What ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 27, 2003

[Love from a Kid’s Point of View, Citation: "What Is Love—From a Kid’s Point of View," LightSinger, (accessed 3-14-02)] What is love, from a kid’s point of view? "When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Slow And Steady  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 28, 2003

SLOW AND STEADY The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but transformation, a process that might be slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:4-8, 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Teenage Boy Was Seriously Injured An Automobile ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wilkerson on Oct 21, 2003

A teenage boy was seriously injured an automobile accident. The doctors did all they could to repair the damages to the boy’s body but despite their fast medical knowledge they were unable to completely restore his legs. He was informed that he would eventually walk, but only with the aid of ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:4-5, John 16:33

Tags: Healing, God's Forgiveness, Christian Liberty, Determination, Overcome, Trial, Struggles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Paul And The Philippians Remembered And ...  PRO

Contributed by Garth Wehrfritz- Hanson on Dec 1, 2003

Paul and the Philippians remembered and supported one another in prayer. A joyful, loving, and caring church is one which keeps each other in prayer. Oftentimes, we fail to be a joyful, loving, caring Christian community because we fail to remember and support each other in prayer. There are many ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13, 1 John 5:13-15

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Unity

Denomination: Lutheran

Red Devil Tool Company Of Union, N.j. Has As ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Dec 7, 2003

Red Devil Tool Company of Union, N.J. has as their slogan, “It’s easy with the devil.” Of course, they are boasting that their tools transform difficult tasks into simple ones. Those knowing God’s word understand the desire and ambition of Satan, how he seeks to destroy mankind. He makes sin ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:3, Matthew 13:1

Tags: Sin Punishment Of, Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

What's God Got To Do With It?  PRO

Contributed by John Harvey on Feb 12, 2004

WHAT'S GOD GOT TO DO WITH IT? If you “Google” the word love, and you have to be very careful doing this, you will find all sorts of websites,120,000,000 to be exact. Here are some examples that you will find: I love Dogs.com I love Cats.com (Although this one is a plea to spay or ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Galatians 5:20-22

Tags: Love, Romantic Love

Denomination: Baptist

The Lost Sheep—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 25, 2004

THE LOST SHEEP- COMMUNION MEDITATION Have you heard the story of Shrek, the merino sheep that had evaded capture and shearing for 6 years? When he was finally discovered in his high mountain cave of New Zealand by musterer Ann Scanlan, he was almost unrecognizable as a sheep. The first thing his ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10, 1 Peter 2:24-25

Tags: Lord's Supper, Parable Lost Sheep