In Sermon Illustrations: "5 Loaves And 2 Fishes"

The Dangers Of Toying With Sin

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 12, 2023

Several years ago our family visited Niagara Falls. It was spring, and ice was rushing down the river. As I viewed the large blocks of ice flowing toward the falls, I could see that there were carcasses of dead fish embedded in the ice. Gulls by the score were riding down the river feeding on the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Sin, Salvation, Temptation, Deceit, Sinners, Sin Nature  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fewer Wal-Mart Shoppers: Although Wal-Mart's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Fewer Wal-Mart Shoppers: Although Wal-Mart’s sales were up 3% and Target’s up 5.1% during the ‘04 holidays, fewer U.S. households actually shopped there. A Leo J. Shapiro survey finds 54% of households shopped at Wal-Mart (down 2% from ‘03) and 36% at Target (down 7%). ...read more

Tags: Money

The Parents Television Council Says Children ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

The Parents Television Council says children watching TV during the first hour of primetime, once dubbed the family hour, now encounter violence, profanity or sexual content ...read more

Tags: Television And Movies

Obituaries  PRO

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Apr 14, 2009

OBITUARIES Jeruselem 33 AD Calvary Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the place of the skull. Betrayed by Judas, Jesus was crucified by the Romans, by order of the Ruler Pontius Pilate. The causes of death were extreme exhaustion, severe torture, ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

Profitable Memories: The Hobby Industry ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Profitable Memories: The Hobby Industry Association reports scrapbooking is its fastest-growing sector, with sales of supplies quadrupling in the last 5 years, to an estimated $2 billion. And that figure is expected to grow 40% to 80% annually over the next 5 years. While the industry had too few ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Actual Time Served

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 21, 2011

ACTUAL TIME SERVED One of the great challenges parents face today is the apparent lack of consequences that permeate our society. One aspect of our judicial system provides an example of this sad fact. In spite of the length of sentences for various crimes, the actual time served is often much ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Stop For The Boat People

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

STOP FOR THE BOAT PEOPLE On Aug. 8, 2004, the Vietnamese community of Westminster, California, celebrated one of the kindest and bravest acts performed by a stranger on them. On Nov. 13, 1985, ninety-six Vietnamese refugees despaired for their lives and their families’ lives when the engine of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Christian Love

The Power Of Doubling

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 19, 2021

COME HOME PRODIGAL! COME HOME! COME IN HOPE! COME IN JOY! GOD HAS A BONUS FOR HIS CHILDREN. Zechariah 9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; By faith we are prisoners, prisoners that are filled with a hope out ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 9:12

Tags: Double, Blessings

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I Met A Young Man Not Long Ago Who Dives For ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jan 28, 2001

I met a young man not long ago who dives for exotic fish for aquariums. He said one of the most popular aquarium fish is the shark. He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium. Sharks can be six inches long yet fully matured. But if ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ, Doubt, Discipleship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On The 4th Of July, My Family Went To A Drive In ...  PRO

Contributed by James Chandler on Jul 7, 2003

On the 4th of July, my family went to a drive in movie theater. We saw the movie "Finding Nemo". The movie was about a little fish named Nemo who swam too close to a boat. He was captured by a scuba diver and put in a fish tank in the office of a dentist. The whole movie was about Nemo’s ...read more

Scripture: John 8:36

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Forgiveness, Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Natural Example Of This Point Can Be Found By ...

Contributed by David Schaal on May 20, 2004

A natural example of this point can be found by looking at the two seas in the Holy Land. The Sea of Galilee freely receives and gives out water. It has an abundance of life, nurturing many different kinds of fish and plant life. The water from the Sea of Galilee is carried by way of the Jordan ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Keepers Of The Aquarium

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 4, 2022

The late Sam Shoemaker, an Episcopalian bishop, summed up the situation this way with the way churches are not fulfilling the Great Commission of Christ to share the Gospel with the world: "In the Great Commission the Lord has called us to be -- like Peter -- fishers of men. We've turned ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Great Supper, Evangelism, Outreach, Gospel, Witnessing, Churches, Great Commission  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Non-Smoking: A Study By The Centers For Disease ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Non-Smoking: A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that 20.9% of U.S. adults smoked in ‘04, down from 21.6% in ‘03 and 22.5% in 02. ...read more

Tags: Addiction

The Woodland Creature Known As The Porcupine ...  PRO

Contributed by Lisa Delay on Aug 10, 2005

The woodland creature known as the porcupine weighs 15-20 pounds. This primarily nocturnal animal gets its name from the Latin word for pig and the French word for thorn. These “prickly pigs” have 30,000 quills each are a mass of tiny overlapping barbs. When threatened these rodents first try to ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:7-19

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Peace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Woodland Creature Known As The Porcupine ...

Contributed by Lisa Delay on Sep 8, 2005

The woodland creature known as the porcupine weighs 15-20 pounds. This primarily nocturnal animal gets its name from the Latin word for pig and the French word for thorn. These “prickly pigs” have 30,000 quills each are a mass of tiny overlapping barbs. When threatened these rodents first try to ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Often Do You Preach On The Resurrection Of Christ?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 19, 2022

Peter spent one verse on Jesus' life/incarnation (Acts 2:22) and one verse on His death/crucifixion (Acts 2:23), but now proceeds to spend 9 verses on His resurrection. In fact, the resurrection of Christ could well be called the main theme of the apostolic preaching in Acts. In fact, notice ...read more

Tags: Pentecost, Preaching, Word Of God, Simon Peter, Book Of Acts, Resurrection, Teaching  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cohabitating Families Falling Apart: In Great ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Cohabitating Families Falling Apart: In Great Britain 75% of all family breakdowns affecting young children now involve unmarried parents, finds new research. An estimated 88,000 children aged under 5 were affected by the separation of their unmarried parents in ‘03, compared with about 31,000 ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

When The Federal Income Tax Was Signed Into Law ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

When the federal income tax was signed into law in 1913, a senator speaking in opposition to the bill stated: “If we allow this 1 percent foot-in-the-door, at some future date it ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Generosity Varies- People In The Midwest Gave The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

Generosity Varies- People in the Midwest gave the highest portion of after-tax income to charitable contributions (2%), while the South and West were tied for the next place (1.6% each) ant the Northeast ...read more

Tags: Giving General

The Parents Television Council Says Children ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

The Parents Television Council says children watching TV during the first hour of primetime, once dubbed the "family hour" of television, now encounter violence, profanity or sexual content every ...read more

Tags: Children