In Sermon Illustrations: "2 Corinthians 5 20b 6 10"

Defining Moments

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

DEFINING MOMENTS The American director, Ken Burns (Born: 1953), once said; and, I quote: "Good history is a question of survival. Without any past, we will deprive ourselves of the defining impression of our being." The American public servant, Donald Evans (Born: 1946), once said; and, I ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

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

New Church Treasurer

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 4, 2022

The day the old church treasurer resigned, the church asked the local grain elevator manager to take the position. He agreed under 2 conditions: 1. No treasurer’s report would be given for the first year 2. No questions be asked about finances during that year The people were surprised but finally ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:10

Tags: Giving, Tithing, Money

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Like Some Of What Edwene Gaines Writes About ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Sep 30, 2007

I like some of what Edwene Gaines writes about although I do not agree with all her views on spirituality. But I have learned enough from her writings that I decided not to be bothered in areas where I disagree. I find her life story and spiritual journey though to be compelling. Years before she ...read more

Tags: Spirit, Eat, The Word

Denomination: Methodist

Consumer Trends: Two Major Trends Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

Consumer Trends: Two major trends of paradigm-shifting proportions are changing the face of the entire consumer retail market today. Every consumer business is going to feel the effects. Trend #1: Connecting replaces cocooning as dominant consumer trend. The cocooning and nesting trend that is at ...read more

Tags: Church General

Episcopal Turmoil: A Growing Number Of American ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

Episcopal Turmoil: A growing number of American Episcopal churches are leaving the Episcopal Church U.S.A. and aligning themselves with the Anglican Church of Uganda. The rupture occurred over the Church’s decision last year to permit the blessing of same-sex unions and to consecrate an openly gay ...read more

Tags: Unity

High School Workers: When Surveyed In ‘00 And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

High School Workers: When surveyed in ‘00 and ’02, a University of Washington study finds 56% of high school seniors had jobs in the last few months of their senior year. 4 of every 10 seniors didn’t work, two worked 15 hours a week or less, and 4 worked more than 15 hours a week. Most worked at ...read more

Tags: Workplace

Orwellian In Sutter, Ca, A Close-Knit Farming ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Orwellian In Sutter, CA, a close-knit farming town northwest of Sacramento local school 7th & 8th graders are required to wear identification cards around their necks with their picture, name and grade and a RFID wireless transmitter that beams their ID number to a teacher’s handheld computer when ...read more

Tags: Children

The Body Is A Masterpiece Of Exquisite Design. ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Sep 9, 2006

The body is a masterpiece of exquisite design. Beautifully "engineered," it is governed by several hundred systems of control -- each interacting with and affecting the other. His brain has 10 billion nerve cells to record what he sees and hears. His skin has more than 2 million tiny sweat glands ...read more

Tags: Creation

A Gem Dealer Was Strolling The Aisles At The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2001

A gem dealer was strolling the aisles at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show when he noticed a blue-violet stone the size and shape of a potato. He looked it over, then, as calmly as possible, asked the vendor, "You want $15 for this?" The seller, realizing the rock wasn’t as pretty as others in the ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience, Promises Of God

Their Own Moral Views  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 10, 2001

THEIR OWN MORAL VIEWS John Leo in U.S. News quoted a professor Robert Simon of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. as reporting that "10 to 20% of his students... acknowledged the Holocaust but couldn’t bring themselves to say that killing millions of people was wrong.... one student told Simon, ’Of ...read more

Tags: Death, Truth, Racism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Christian Publishers And Retailers Report ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

Christian Publishers and retailers report increased Bible sales in '07 fueled by audio editions Thomas Nelson's The Word of Promise audio project was the top-selling Bible at Christian retail in Q4 of '07, while Zondervan’s Inspired by ... The Bible Experience audio edition and derivative products ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Sleeping The Night Before Your ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

SLEEPING THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR EXECUTION In 1555, Nicholas Ridley was burned at the stake because of his witness for Christ. On the night before Ridley’s execution, his brother offered to remain with him in the prison chamber to be of assistance and comfort. Nicholas declined the offer and replied ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:7

Tags: Peace

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

Before You Yield To Temptation

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 9, 2024

Dr Warren Wiersbe has some excellent words we all need to keep on the "front burner" of our mind so that we have our loins (minds) girded for action (before) the next time we are tempted to commit some flagrant, presumptive, abominable sin against our Holy, Holy, Holy God. BEFORE you ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Tribulation, Yield, Trials, Lust, Deception, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Lies, Sin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Isaiah's Prophecies And The Dead Sea Scrolls

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jan 14, 2017

There was a time when skeptics claimed that the prophecies in Isaiah 53 were too detailed, too specific, too accurate to be mere coincidence. I agreed. But then the skeptics argued that the ONLY logical explanation was that Isaiah was written after the gospels and patterned the suffering Servant ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-12

Tags: Reliability Of Bible, Fulfilled Prophecy, Dead Sea Scrolls, Prophecy

Denomination: Baptist

The Height Of Hypocrisy

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Jan 14, 2018

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday The Height of Hypocrisy - Forgiveness Offered "Thirty six year old - Derek Paul Smyer pronounced guilty of two counts of murder for arranging the killing of Crystal Taylor and her 21 week old fetus because she would not have an abortion. Derek Paul Smyer was found ...read more

Tags: Abortion, Sanctity Of Life, Abortions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Probability Of Jesus Fulfilling Messianic Prophecy!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 28, 2023

In his book, Science Speaks, Peter Stoner applies the modern science of probability to just eight Messianic prophecies regarding Christ. He says, "The chance that any man might have fulfilled all eight prophecies is one in 10 to the 17th. That would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000." (one ...read more

Tags: Jesus, Science, Miracles, Son Of God, Messianic Prophecy, Old Testament, Christmas  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When I Think Of Stewardship (Humor)  PRO

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 29, 2008

When I think of stewardship it brings to mind a story about a small Church located in a farming community. The pastor of the church would call on every member of the congregation as part of the annual pledge campaign. The next home he was going to visit was Farmer Brown’s. Now Mr. Brown was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:18, Proverbs 3:9, Hebrews 7:1, Matthew 6:21, Malachi 3:8-12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Giving, Stewardship

Denomination: Anglican

Longsuffering  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Longsuffering Galatians 5:22 tells us that longsuffering is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for longsuffering means, "patience, forbearing, perseverance, being constant, steadfast, and enduring." The practical application of this fruit is that God's Holy Spirit gives obedient ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22

Tags: Longsuffering, Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational