In Sermon Illustrations: "2 Timothy 2:2-15:15"

Shrewd And Smart

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 22, 2025

3 Greeks and 3 Turks are traveling by train to a conference. At the station, the 3 Turks each buy tickets and watch as the 3 Greeks buy only a single ticket. “How are 3 people going to travel on only one ticket?” asks one Turk. “Watch and you’ll see,” answers one Greek. They all board the train. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:9-16, Matthew 10:16

Tags: Shrewd, Dishonest, Smart, Cheating, Trick, Enemies, Tricky, Tricking, Humiliating  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Misunderstanding!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 22, 2025

Today, I spent an hour in my car terrified to go inside because I thought my house was being burgled. I saw rapid shadows in the light of my lounge. Eventually I plucked up the courage to creep inside with a rock to find it wasn't a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:9-16, Joshua 22:11-34

Tags: Assuming, Jumping To Conclusions, Error, Assumptions, Mistake  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Mockery Of The Church

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

New Zealand, Feb. 26 [2016] (UPI) -- Members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, otherwise known as Pastafarians, registered their first official marriage celebrant in New Zealand. The group announced the news on its Facebook page, although the first couple that was set to be married by ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7, 1 Timothy 3:15

Tags: Mocking The Church, Mocking Christianity, Ridiculous, Religion, Mockers, Mocking  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Gift Of Complaining?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 3, 2025

DO WE COMPLAIN TOO MUCH? Did you hear about the lady that prayed and asked God to bless her garden? Then she complained about having to hoe out the weeds. Then she complained about how hot it was? Then she complained about having to pick the tomatoes and the beans? Then she complained she had to ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Tags: Thanks, Complaining

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Prayer

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 9, 2025

I read where a family bought a PRAYER BOOK for their son. Each night the boy would read a prayer before going to sleep. He was faithful to read a prayer. One night the boy was tired. He turned the light off and crawled into bed. He remember the prayer book. That night he called out to God: ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1, Matthew 21:13

Tags: Faith, Prayer

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Handel's Messiah-The Back Story

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 9, 2023

George Frideric Handel's Messiah is one of the most beautiful musical renditions of Scripture ever created. What we don’t often hear about is the troubled back story during the writing of the Messiah. It was at this time that Handel was struggling financially because there was a shift in music, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7, Isaiah 53:3, 1 Timothy 6:15-16

Tags: Christmas, Despised, Handel's Messiah, Rejected, King Of Kings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Satanic Counterfeits

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 14, 2024

SATANIC COUNTERFEITS Satan has his own trinity – devil, beast, false prophet (Rev. 16:13). Satan has his own church – “the synagogue of Satan” (Rev. 2:9). Satan has his own ministers (II Cor.. 11:4). Satan has his own doctrine – “the doctrines of devils” (I Timothy 4:1). Satan has his own ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 16:13, 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 Corinthians 10:20

Tags: Evil, Satan, Devil, Demons, False Teachers, Spirits, Counterfeits  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Paradigm For Giving.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 24, 2024

A PARADIGM FOR GIVING. 2 Corinthians 8:9. This is the key verse in my sermon on 'The Grace of Giving' (2 Corinthians 8:7-15). The Apostle reminds the Corinthians of what they already know: “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” How that He was “rich” but made Himself “poor” that we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9

Tags: Grace, Giving

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Read About An Instant Cake Mix That Was A Big ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 21, 2001

"I read about an instant cake mix that was a big flop. The instructions said all you had to do was add water and bake. The company couldn’t understand why it didn’t sell-until their research discovered that the buying public felt uneasy about a mix that required only water. Apparently people ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:1-15

Odd Laws Still On The Books, Citation: Robert W. ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Oct 18, 2001

[Odd Laws Still on the Books, Citation: Robert W. Pelton in The Door. Christian Reader, Vol. 33, no. 5.] Young girls are never allowed to walk a tightrope in Wheeler, Mississippi, unless it’s in a church. In Blackwater, Kentucky, tickling a woman under her chin with a feather duster while she’s in ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:17

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

True Confession And Repentance  PRO

Contributed by Todd Schäve on Nov 6, 2001

True Confession and Repentance: True confession is not the mere mental assent that we have done wrong, for even a thief will admit he’s done wrong in the bragging of his accomplishments. No, confession means seeing and agreeing with God how our sins have harmed us and others. It is pouring out ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:8-12

Tags: Repentance, Emotions

Denomination: Baptist

Though No One Can Go Back And Make A New ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Though no one can go back and make a new beginning - anyone can start from now and make a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Faith, God's Provision, Jesus Teachings

The Monarch Mystery  PRO

Contributed by Michael Elmore on Jan 17, 2002

The Monarch Mystery. The ability to find home evokes legends of Rover or Fido who, when owners have moved from one coast to the other, have made a 3,000-mile trek to find their owners in a location to which they’ve never been before. At least the dogs make it back home. But not the monarch ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Tags: Creation, God's Omniscience, New Creation

Denomination: Methodist

On February 24, 1948, One Of The Most Unusual ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

On February 24, 1948, one of the most unusual operations in medical history took place in Ohio State University’s department of research surgery. A stony sheath was removed from around the heart of Harry Besharra, a man thirty years of age. When only a boy he had been shot accidentally by a ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:11

Tags: Humility, Hardship Of Life, Emotions

Mr. Horatio G. Spafford Was A Successful Lawyer ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Mar 8, 2002

Mr. Horatio G. Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago and a member of the Fullerton Avenue Presbyterian Church in that city. In the financial crisis of 1873, he lost most of his property. In the stress and strain of the times, he prevailed on his wife and four daughters to take a trip to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:23-26

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

For Me, My Belief In God Was Reaffirmed Recently ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 28, 2002

For me, my belief in God was reaffirmed recently by something I would not have expected. While I was in England I visited St. Paul’s Cathedral. Worshiping in that great cathedral your eyes are drawn to the great dome. It is actually three domes, one on top of the other, with the highest and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:15

Tags: Noble, Theodicy, Trial, God's Holiness, God, Apologetics God, Accuse  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

A Rather Pompous-Looking Deacon Was Endeavoring ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on May 20, 2002

A rather pompous-looking deacon was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unbelief Puts Our Circumstance Between Us And ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 1, 2002

"Unbelief puts our circumstance between us and God, but faith puts God between us and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 20:1

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tricia Mccary Rhodes Stated, "When He Delivers Us ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 27, 2002

TRICIA MCCARY RHODES stated, ”When He delivers us from sin’s dark cell, an amazing thing happens: Our eyes are unveiled to see what we were created for, what we’ve longed for without knowing it. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

P. 800 – It Is Observable That God Has ...  PRO

Contributed by Troy Mason on Sep 9, 2002

ILLUS p. 800 – It is observable that God has often called men to places of dignity and honor when they have busy and honest employment of their vocation. Saul was seeking his father’s donkeys and David his father’s sheep when called to the Kingdom. The shepherds were feeding their flocks when ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Tags: Shepherd, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist