In Sermon Illustrations: "Acceptance"

A Few Minutes Ago, I Told You We Were Chosen By ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Aug 21, 2004

A few minutes ago, I told you we were chosen by God. That is wonderful, but being chosen by itself does not help us much. That is only the first step. After God chooses us, there is something that we must do. We must accept it. Let me explain about being chosen and then accepting that choice. ...read more

Tags: Repentance, Faith General, Confession Of Sin

Denomination: *other

It Is Said That Ole Bull And John Erricson Met ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 27, 2004

It is said that Ole Bull and John Erricson met for the first time in the city of New York, and the great musician said to his new found friend, "Come around and hear me play tonight." The invitation was not accepted. It was given the second time and again was not accepted. The third time Ole Bull ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Is Said That Ole Bull And John Erricson Met ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Jul 26, 2006

It is said that Ole Bull and John Erricson met for the first time in the city of New York, and the great musician said to his new found friend, "Come around and hear me play tonight." The invitation was not accepted. It was given the second time and again was not accepted. The third time Ole Bull ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Samuel Colgate, The Founder Of The Colgate ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Samuel Colgate, the founder of the Colgate business empire, was a devout Christian, and he told of an incident that took place in the church he attended. During an evangelistic service, an invitation was given at the close of the sermon for all those who wished to turn their lives over to Christ ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Forgiveness In Jesus, Church Body Of Christ

In Support Of God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2002

IN SUPPORT OF GOD On Sunday, June 30, 2002, CNN reported that a weekend poll said nearly nine in 10 Americans believe the phrase "under God" should remain in the Pledge of Allegiance. Most also believe that it is acceptable for the government to promote religious expression, as long as no ...read more

Tags: Independence Day, Political Freedom

The Stages Of Loss

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 20, 2010

THE STAGES OF LOSS Several years ago a profound and dramatic research project began in Chicago's Billings Hospital. It was a seminar on death, in which psychiatists, chaplains, nurses, and medical doctors studied the ultimate human crisis of facing death. Basic findings is that the very ill ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: *other

You Come To Me

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

YOU COME TO ME Jimmy, and his son, Davey, were playing in the ocean down in Mexico, while his family -- his wife, daughters, parents, and a cousin -- were on the beach. Suddenly, a rogue riptide swept Davey out to the sea. Immediately Jimmy started to do whatever he could to help Davey get back to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Salvation

Self-Image

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

SELF-IMAGE There's a story about a girl who was the daughter of one of the royal families of Europe. She had a big, round nose that destroyed her beauty in the eyes of others--and especially in her own eyes. She grew up with this terrible image of herself as an ugly person. So her family hired a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-11

Tags: Self

Charles Hard Townes, 89, And Columbia University ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Charles Hard Townes, 89, and Columbia University physicist, has been awarded this year’s Templeton Prize for progress or discoveries about spiritual reality. He notes, “I don’t think that science is complete at all. We don’t understand everything and one can see, within science itself, there are ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Religious Beliefs: In '03 A New Harris Poll ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Religious Beliefs: In ’03 A new Harris Poll reveals that, while the majority of Americans say they believe the basic concepts of the Bible, there’s also a growing acceptance of other religious beliefs—even among those who call themselves "Christian." · 89% believe in miracles. · 68% believe in the ...read more

Tags: Faith General

A Young Preacher-To-Be, Having Passed His ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 19, 2006

A young preacher-to-be, having passed his doctrinal examinations, faced his trial sermon. In a cavernous auditorium sat three ministers and 75 others who came to listen. When he stepped into the pulpit, the vast room and the searching, critical eyes caused him to falter. Two weeks later his name ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:8-16

Tags: Promises Of God, Rejection, God's Love

Denomination: Lutheran

Serving As A Missionary In Western Siberia, ...  PRO

Contributed by Gerald Cornelius on Apr 9, 2002

Serving as a missionary in Western Siberia, Russia, I had the privilege of sharing the gospel to 150 students in a Technical School in Chelyabinsk. The students were attentive but dubious. One young man asked a question that many were thinking. Nickolai said, "For seventy years we have lived under ...read more

Tags: Friendship New Friends, Evangelism How To, Great Commission

Denomination: Baptist

Ty Cobb, All-Time Baseball Great, Played 3,033 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Ty Cobb, all-time baseball great, played 3,033 straight games, and for twelve years led the American League in batting averages. For four years, he batted over 400. He was, arguably, the meanest and most unlikable man ever to play the sport. On his deathbed, July 17, 1961, he accepted Jesus Christ ...read more

Porn Tolerance According To A New Study, 65% Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

Porn Tolerance According to a new study, 65% of men, 48% of women, 36% of fathers, and 20% of mothers agreed that pornography was an acceptable way for someone to express their sexuality. Pat Trueman of the Alliance Defense Fund says porn gives young men a sense of “entitlement” when it comes to ...read more

Tags: Pornography

Does God Always Give A Vision To People? No. ...

Contributed by Tom Shepard on Nov 28, 2006

Does God always give a vision to people? No. But sometimes He does. Sometimes God will give you a vision. Sometimes He will speak to you in a dream. Sometimes He will lead you to a verse in the Bible and show you how that verse applies to your situation. He does not do that every time, but ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Will Pay The Fine  PRO

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Nov 12, 2008

I WILL PAY THE FINE Let's say you where caught speeding down this highway in front of the church. You were doing 100 mph, obviously slightly out of the acceptable speeding window. You go to court and just as the judge is about to throw the book at you, someone steps forward and says, "I will pay ...read more

Tags: Justification

Denomination: Baptist

What Is Culture?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 13, 2010

WHAT IS CULTURE? What is culture? It is the ways of thinking, living, and behaving that define a people and underlie its achievements. It is a nation’s collective mind, its sense of right and wrong, the way it perceives reality, and its definition of self. Culture is the morals and habits a mother ...read more

Tags: Culture

What Are You Waiting For?

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 4, 2011

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? On February 17th this year, Belgium set a record. They had gone for 249 days without a government. Guinness World records no longer accept claims for long periods of sleep or sleeplessness. However, it appears that the record for the longest period without sleep is 18 ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Anglican

Bigger Person

Contributed by Floyd John-Keith on Apr 3, 2009

BIGGER PERSON One day, two men appeared before a judge to have settled a dispute. One argued that the other had moved the boundary marker by five feet and thereby has taken possession of his land. After listening to both arguments and going through some documents the judge could not determine ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Tags: Boasting, Attitude General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pay For The Eggs

Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Jun 29, 2009

PAY FOR THE EGGS Charles Spurgeon and his wife, according to a story in the Chaplain magazine, would sell, but refused to give away, the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, "You may have them if you pay for them." As a result, some people labeled the Spurgeons greedy and ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Methodist