In Sermon Illustrations: "2012"

The Holy War By John ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 27, 2012

THE HOLY WAR BY JOHN BUNYAN John Bunyan wrote another classic besides Pilgrim’s Progress. It was a book called The Holy War. The focus of the story was the capture of a city called Mansoul. In it Diabolus (the devil) has taken it and the battle rages as the Prince Emmanuel works to recapture it. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Satan

Just The House He Was Looking For

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 14, 2014

Alan Carr tells a story about a man who was tired of his friends owning nicer homes than his, so he went to see a realtor to put his home on the market and began to search for a new one. One day as he was reading the paper, he came across a listing for a home that seemed to be just what he was ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:17

Tags: Covetousness, Contentment, Satisfaction, Pride, Lifestyle, Materialism, Discontentment, Ten Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Paper Mud ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2012

PAPER MUD BALLS I heard of a traveler going through China who visited a temple where the people were making paper mud balls, wadding them up, and throwing them at an idol they were worshiping. If the mud ball stuck to the idol it meant that the idol would answer their prayers. If the mud ball ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:14-15

Tags: Prayer Answered

You Gotta Look At It!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2012

YOU GOTTA LOOK AT IT! A man was seated on a park bench when a little chap of about five sat down beside him and started winding what appeared to be a most prized possession--a watch. "My, what a pretty watch," remarked the man. "Does it tell you the time?" "No sir," replied the boy; "you gotta ...read more

Scripture: John 17:17

Tags: Hold, Bible Truth

Tozer On Ambition To Lead  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2013

A. W. Tozer said, "A true and safe leader is likely to be one who has no desire to lead, but is forced into a position of leadership by the inward pressure of the Holy Spirit and the press of the external situation." He continued to elaborate, "I think there was hardly a great leader from Paul to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-13

Tags: Leadership General

The Next One

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Aug 16, 2013

THE NEXT ONE Eugene Peterson wrote about visiting a monastery. While on the way to the refectory for lunch, he and the monks he was visiting walked past a graveyard with an open grave. He asked one of the monks which member of the community had died recently, and he was told, "Nobody. That grave ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:12

Tags: Death, Time

Denomination: Baptist

"I Love You, Daddy. Amen."

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 14, 2014

James Dobson tells of the time he was away on a business trip. While he was away, and his wife and 2 children were sitting down to eat, his wife turned to their two year old son Ryan and asked if he would like to pray before he and sister ate. The invitation startled the little boy, but he folded ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:4-5

Tags: Thanksgiving, Children, Fathers Day, Prayer Before Meals

101-Year-Old Grandmother Sets Paragliding Record ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 26, 2012

101-year-old Grandmother Sets Paragliding Record (WATCH) By Good News Network Thursday, March 22, 2012 Not wanting to be outdone by her 75-year-old paragliding son, Mary Allen Hardison of Ogden, Utah, took flight on her birthday, becoming the "Oldest Female to Paraglide Tandem" -- an achievement ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Three Ways Out

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2013

THREE WAYS OUT Sir Harry Lauder was a British entertainer who proved highly popular throughout the English speaking world both before, during and after World War One. During World War One Lauder worked tirelessly to organize and recruit performers for shows given to troops serving abroad. When ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Death, Despair, Struggles, Hardship Of Life, Trials And Difficulties  (view more)  (view less)

House Fire And Marshmallows

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2012

HOUSE FIRE AND MARSHMALLOWS As the coals from our barbecue burned down, our hosts passed out marshmallows and long roasting forks. Just then, two fire trucks roared by, sirens blaring, lights flashing. They stopped at a house right down the block. All twelve of us raced out of the back yard, down ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Neighbor

Do You Know The Spirit?

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 8, 2012

DO YOU KNOW THE SPIRIT? "Consider these honest questions: How many Christians suffer from a spiritual life that is dry and mechanical? How many serve a Jesus, whom they know about from the Bible, but who is not a living reality in their experience? And do we ever wonder why Holy Spirit ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Giving The Spirit His Due

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 17, 2012

GIVING THE SPIRIT HIS DUE "The Holy Spirit is underappreciated and under preached by the twenty-first-century church. There is a prejudice of sorts against the Holy Spirit that impedes many from learning more about him. The body of Christ is often divided into two sides. One side stresses the Word ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Secret Of Seabiscuit

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 25, 2012

THE SECRET OF SEABISCUIT In 1938, a year of monumental turmoil, the number one newsmaker was not Franklin Roosevelt or Adolf Hitler, in fact it wasn't even a person. It was an undersized, crook-legged racehorse owned by a bicycle repairman turned automobile magnate and trained by a virtually mute ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Tags: Preparation

When Things Go Wrong  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 19, 2012

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG Several years ago, Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Bob Patterson described one of his pitches, which the Cincinnati Reds’ Barry Larkin hit for a game-winning home run: "It was a cross between a screwball and a change-up. It was a screw-up." (Wall Street Journal, 7/9/96; ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:23-24

Tags: Mistakes

Hudson Taylor's Example

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2013

HUDSON TAYLOR'S EXAMPLE Years ago the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light. They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel. As the author ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Drive-Thru Fellowship  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 21, 2014

DRIVE-THRU FELLOWSHIP This week I read a story about a pastor traveling with a Brazilian seminary student. Along the way the pastor asked the student if he would like to stop for a cup of coffee. The student said, "I would be honored." So he swung into a Starbucks, went through the drive-thru. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Fellowship, Sharing Life

What We Know About Mary Magdalene

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 20, 2006

Here is what we know - 1. She was from Magdala in Galilee 2. Jesus cast seven demons out of her. 3. She joined the band of disciples and followed Jesus where ever he went. Luke 8:2 4. She was at the cross when all the male disciples had fled (Mk 15:40, Jn 19:25) 5. She observed Jesus burial (Mk ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Peek At The Universe  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2012

A PEEK AT THE UNIVERSE In 2004, scientists pointed the Hubble telescope at a blank-looking patch of sky near the Orion Constellation. The Hubble stayed focused on that spot for 400 orbits over 11 days. The patch of sky they were looking at is no bigger than a grain of sand held out at arm’s ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:21-31

Tags: Creation

New Moms: An Amazing Design Feature

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 22, 2012

NEW MOMS: AN AMAZING DESIGN FEATURE After a woman gives birth, when she is holding her baby, her core body temperature will raise by as much as 2 degrees in order to help keep the baby warm. Research has shown that even tiny premature babies can be kept warm with skin to skin contact with their ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:13-16

Tags: Mother's Day

Josh Mcdowell On Why People Refuse To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2012

JOSH MCDOWELL ON WHY PEOPLE REFUSE TO BELIEVE Josh McDowell writes, “People refuse to believe that which they don’t want to believe, in spite of evidence. When explorers first went to Australia they found a mammal which laid eggs; spent some time in water, some on land; had a broad, flat tail, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:14

Tags: Unbelief