In Sermon Illustrations: "11 15 16 18"

The Big Question

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

THE BIG QUESTION “What things are important and what things are trivial?” Christmas night 2002, Jack Whittaker had five out of five numbers in the West Virginia Power ball drawing. Jack Whittaker had just won $314 million, the largest undivided lottery jackpot in history. He took the one lump ...read more

Tags: Materialism

Despised Because Of His Behavior

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

DESPISED BECAUSE OF HIS BEHAVIOR (Vv. 8-11) Joseph was despised not for doing evil but for doing good. Joseph typifies the Lord in many ways. Sidlow Baxter observes that he was the beloved son, that he was the rejected servant, and also the exalted Savior. The way that he was despised for doing ...read more

Tags: Jealousy

There Are Many Things I Don't Enjoy. One Of Them ...  PRO

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Apr 20, 2008

There are many things I don’t enjoy. One of them is taking my vehicle to the dealership to have it serviced. Then there’s the wait for a ride back to the office (or sit in the waiting room drinking terrible coffee). I lose the rhythm in my day. This past week was an absolute nightmare on ...read more

Tags: Encouragement, Church Growth, Finish, Start

Denomination: Salvation Army

In One Of The Churches I Served After Seminary, ...

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on May 12, 2008

In one of the churches I served after seminary, Granny Parker summed up what I sense is God’s way of helping us along in the church. Granny is home with Jesus now. In this world she wasn’t very impressive; she only completed about 5th grade in school. But she had a heart for God and a PhD when ...read more

Tags: Pastors

Denomination: United Methodist

The Ministry Of Spiritual Gifts Originates In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 15, 2008

The ministry of Spiritual Gifts originates in the New Testament, commissioned by our Lord Jesus Christ. After He established His church on the earth and ascended to Heaven, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to equip His church with power and spiritual gifts (Greek -- charismata) so that His disciples ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Big Question "What Things Are Important And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

The BIG question “What things are important and what things are trivial?” Illus. Christmas night 2002, Jack Whittaker had five out of five numbers in the West Virginia Power ball drawing. Jack Whittaker had just won $314 million, the largest undivided lottery jackpot in history. He took the one ...read more

Tags: Money

Multi-Tasking ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

MULTI-TASKING YOUTH About 64% of U.S. teens go online while watching TV, and 49% do so from three times a week to several times a day, reports researcher Grunewald Associates LLC. 73% of TV-online multitasking kids are engaged in “active multitasking,” defined as content in one medium influencing ...read more

Tags: Youth

All Part Of God's Plan  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

ALL PART OF GOD’S PLAN In the opening pages of his autobiography, "An American Life," Ronald Reagan writes, I was raised to believe that God had a plan for everyone and that seemingly random twists of fate are all a part of His plan. My mother - a small woman with auburn hair and a sense of ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: God In The Hardships

Igoogle Widget: ‘things To ...

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jun 24, 2009

iGoogle Widget: ‘Things to Ponder’ Have you ever asked a dumb question? I have to admit that I have. On my last trip out of town, I had to make a bank deposit in Virginia. For some reason, out of my mouth came, “Can I deposit here in Virginia even though I live in Florida?” I bank with a ...read more

Tags: Quotes

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Reasoning ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

A REASONING FAITH Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion says that Christian Faith is non-thinking. He believes religion was responsible for the 9/11 bombings. "Get rid of God and all religions, and you will have peace on earth." Atheists buy into the thought that the natural sciences have displaced ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16

Tags: Apologetics, Apologetics God

Michael Jordon Confronts Compromise In A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 5, 2009

Michael Jordon Confronts Compromise in a Teammate If any athlete was known for focus, it was Michael Jordan. In Jordan’s book, Driven from Within, Fred Whitfield, president and chief operating officer of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats basketball team, tells a fascinating story about something Jordan ...read more

Tags: Character, Basketball

Poem On Bearing One Another's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 9, 2009

Poem on Bearing One Another’s Burdens If you’re feeling low and worthless; there seems nothing you can do, Just take courage and remember, there is someone needing you. You were created for a purpose, for a part in God’s great plan Bear ye one another’s burdens so fulfill Christ’s law to man. Are ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14

Tags: Servanthood

Paul's Thorn In The Flesh Like Catfish With ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh Like Catfish with Codfish Years ago in the northeastern United States codfish was a big commercial business. There is a market for eastern cod all over, especially on the West Coast. The demand posed a problem to the shippers. At first they froze the cod, then shipped them ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Tags: Affliction

Martin Luther's Depression And The Hymn

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

Martin Luther’s Depression and the Hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" The year 1527 was the most trying year of Martin Luther’s life. On April 22 he was preaching in Wittenberg when he became dizzy and fainted. Over the next several months he dealt with debilitating depression and sickness. It had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Tags: Affliction

A Man's Skin Changes After Being Swallowed By ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

A Man’s Skin Changes After Being Swallowed by Fish Dr Harry Rimmer told of a man in 1926 who was swallowed by a fish and spent two days inside the fish and lived to tell the story. He was displayed in London as “the Jonah of the twentieth century.” Dr. Rimmer interviewed him two years later after ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-5

Tags: Jonah

Tony Campolo Confronts Congregations Lack Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

Tony Campolo Confronts Congregations Lack of Compassion If you can be concerned about something as trivial as a plant, should I not be allowed to be concerned about something as important as these people-not to mention their livestock? Jonah’s resentment had distorted his perspective and it will do ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11

Tags: Compassion

Hindu Finally Understands The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 12, 2009

Hindu Finally Understands the Incarnation The story is told of Hindu who was being witnessed to by Christian missionaries. He wondered at this strange concept he was told of that was called the incarnation—the claim the missionaries made that the Great God who created the world entered human ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-18

Tags: Humanity Of Christ

The Incomparable Jesus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2009

THE INCOMPARABLE JESUS The late great Swiss-born, German-educated American Protestant theologian and historian of the Christian Church, Rev. Philip Schaff (1819 - 1893), once said, "Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mahomet, and Napoleon. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:15

Tags: Jesus Christ

Violinist Hoped To Pleases His Father With His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 20, 2009

Violinist Hoped To Pleases His Father With His Performance More Than the Audience Paul was not a man pleaser, but a bondservant of Christ. His message had not changed and would not change to accommodate men. As the servant of Christ, he preached the truth revealed to him by Christ. His objective in ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:10

Tags: Ambition, God Worthy Of Praise

Child With Leukemia Grateful For Doctor's Help In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 20, 2009

Child With Leukemia Grateful for Doctor’s Help In Spite of Pain David, a 2-year old with leukemia, was taken by his mother, Deborah, to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, to see Dr. John Truman who specializes in treating children with cancer and various blood diseases. Dr. Truman’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Gratitude