In Sermon Illustrations: "Absent From The Body"

John The Baptist And The Mandaeans

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 6, 2013

JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THE MANDAEANS One religion exists to this day that reveres John as their main prophet: The Mandaeans were originally native speakers of Mandaic, a Semitic language that evolved from Eastern Middle Aramaic, before switching to colloquial Iraqi Arabic and Modern Persian. ...read more

Tags: John The Baptist

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Christian Priesthood  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 1, 2013

From R. Paul Stevens: Christian priesthood is not a matter of being religious and Mr. Goody two shoes but of serving God and God’s purposes in the nitty gritty everydayness of life in the world, not a matter of sacred times and sacred places but ordinary times and ordinary places, not a matter ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:15-16

Tags: Everyday Life, Priestly

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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)

Ocean Liner

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

I have never been on a cruise; but I have watched people board a luxury liner. That ship may carry the passengers all the way to the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. And the passengers arrive simply by boarding the ship. And I understand it can be a very enjoyable trip. Can you imagine swimming from ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9-10, Romans 11:6, Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Grace, Trust, Grace Alone

Denomination: Charismatic

A Painless Way To Give In Church

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2019

Having a little trouble with giving at the church? Maybe we could all learn a little lesson from the old country preacher who told everyone to stand up at the beginning of the offering. He then instructed everyone to lean forward to the person standing in front of them and grab their purse or ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9

Tags: Stewardship, Tithing, Offerings, Money, Giving  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Watch Where Your Mouth Steps

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 1, 2020

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Before you condemn a person for losing a battle with their personal demons be sure you count your own battles and losses. No ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1

Tags: Condemnation, Battles

Denomination: Baptist

Palm Sunday Funny

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 29, 2021

It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5 year old Sammy stayed home from church with a babysitter. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Sammy inquired as to what they were for. 'People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by,' his father ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Tags: Palm Sunday, Seeing Jesus, Jesus The King, Jesus' Presence

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Stay Plugged In

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Jan 25, 2023

A friend of mine emailed me something so true about staying connected ... When God made trees he spoke to the earth. When God made fish he spoke to the water. When God made man he said let us make man in our image. He breathed life from Him into us. These three things are alive. however they ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5

Tags: Connected To God, Where We Draw Power, Our Connection To God, We Can't Live Without God, If We Disconnect  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Thoughts On The Submission Of The Christian Wife

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 21, 2023

Means to follow your husband as he follows Christ. Intended to bless and protect the wife, not to enslave her. Does not mean that she is without voice in decision – making (Gethsemane). Never to be used by the man by force. Never to be used as an excuse for evil. Should always reflect the way ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Wives, Marriage, Leadership, Submission, Husbands  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Come As You Are

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Nov 21, 2024

A friend of mine in Louisiana had his 11 year old nephew for the weekend just after the uncle had had a close call with death and gotten released from the hospital. On Sunday morning, his nephew approached him. “Come on, Uncle, let’s go to church!” “But Dom, you don’t have any church clothes ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:18, Matthew 11:27, Romans 5:8

Tags: Come As You Are, God Loves All People

Denomination: Charismatic

A Loving Congregation

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

This is the greatest need we have in the local congregation today – to be seen as a place where love for on another is present. What does that look like? A quote from St. Francis of Assisi: “Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and an ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35, 1 Peter 4:8

Tags: Love, St Francis Of Assisi

Denomination: Methodist

Christ Died For You!

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

There’s an old saying: If you were the only one, Jesus would have still died on that cross. Here’s how a couple of folks put it: “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” St. Augustine of Hippo(354-430 AD) “When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Salvation, Personal

Denomination: Methodist

The Star Spangled Banner  PRO

Contributed by Michael Gibney on Jun 8, 2002

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets’ red glare, the ...read more

Tags: Political Freedom, Independence Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Michael Is The Kind Of Guy You Love To Hate. He ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Jan 16, 2003

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was ...read more

Tags: Learning, Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Baby's Hug  PRO

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Nov 11, 2006

A Baby’s Hug We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a highchair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed glee and said, "Hi." He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

H. A. Ironside Recounted His Experience With ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 4, 2007

H. A. Ironside recounted his experience with work: Illustration: Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus “Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17). When I was a boy, I felt it was both a duty and a privilege to help my widowed mother make ends meet by finding employment in vacation time, on ...read more

Denomination: Other

Elizabeth Griscom: Freedom Creates Courage  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

ELIZABETH GRISCOM: FREEDOM CREATES COURAGE On January 1, 1752, Samuel and Rebecca Griscom gave birth to a baby girl they named Elizabeth. Elizabeth grew up a Quaker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After completing her formal education, Elizabeth went on to work as an apprentice to John Webster, a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:18-19

Tags: Independence Day

The Value Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

The Value of Water Colonel Nick Rowe is not a name most of you have probably heard of before. He was a war hero, in a war that had so few heroes. He was killed in the Philippines by an assassin. His funeral was one to be remembered. He is buried in Arlington national Cemetery. In all the history of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:15-16

Tags: War

The Durer Brothers: No One Makes It Alone

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

THE DURER BROTHERS: NO ONE MAKES IT ALONE Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order merely to keep food on the table for this big family, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-13

Tags: Giving Yourself

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: The "Cow”-Vangelists?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 29, 2024

Introduction: Who would have thought that the lowing of two cows would mean something wonderful for Israel? Something wonderful did happen! Text: 1 Samuel 6:7-12, KJV: 7 Now therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 6:7-12

Tags: Philistines, Ark Of The Covenant, Coffers

Denomination: Baptist