In Sermon Illustrations: "Accepting"

Trapping The Ball!" Psalm 25: 16-21 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 4, 2004

“Trapping the Ball!” Psalm 25: 16-21 Key verse(s): 21 “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Integrity! Perhaps it is one of the loneliest words in the English language. For many it creates the image of one standing alone, apart from the others, because just the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:16-21

Tags: Character

Denomination: Lutheran

A Sword And A Tear!" 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 24, 2004

“A Sword and a Tear!” 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key verse(s): 24-25a “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:22-26

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion

Denomination: Lutheran

A Gold Mine Of Opportunity!" Genesis 41: 1-14 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 30, 2004

“A Gold Mine of Opportunity!” Genesis 41: 1-14 Key verse(s): 14: “So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.” There once was an old Dutch farmer who owned a farm in a semi-arid part of South Africa ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 41:1-14, Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Leadership General, Trust

Denomination: Lutheran

Staring Down The Critic's Barrel!" Proverbs 9: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 17, 2005

“Staring Down the Critic’s Barrel!” Proverbs 9: 7-10 Key verse(s): 8b:“. . . rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” The Bible tells us that “rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” Love? What happened to getting the emotional revenge that is so satisfying? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:7-10, Psalm 82:3-4, Philippians 2:13-14

Tags: Grace, Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Rach And I Have A Friend Who Is A Source Of Grief ...  PRO

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Feb 17, 2005

Rach and I have a friend who is a source of grief for us. It is not that he has done anything to us – he is quite dear to us actually. Rather it is what he has done to himself, what he has chosen to believe. About ten years ago, this friend began absenting himself from church. He was getting ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Many Turns–one Road! (07.01.05--Direction--John ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 29, 2005

Many Turns–One Road! (07.01.05--Direction--John 21:20-25) Like life, most highways that we find ourselves on aren’t always straight and true. In fact, what makes some highways fun to drive is that they give you the opportunity to make a turn here and there from time to time, just to break up the ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-25

Tags: Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Lutheran

Dr. Colbert States, "Your Perceptions Determine ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 19, 2005

Dr. Colbert states, “Your perceptions determine how you see the world. The mind is similar to a computer –the brain is the hard drive, and the perceptions are the ‘software.’ It is the perception of people, demands, issues, and circumstances-not the actual people, demands, issues, or circumstances ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Fear And Worry, Guilt

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Have You Seen The Movie Antwone Fisher? It's The ...

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Oct 9, 2006

Have you seen the movie Antwone Fisher? It’s the true story of a young man abandoned at birth by his mother and then raised in abusive orphanages, foster homes, and reform schools. Denzel Washington adapted the story into a movie that was released a few years ago. After his 18th birthday, Antwone ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: United Methodist

I Know This Is Going To Sound Surprising To Those ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Jan 16, 2010

I know this is going to sound surprising to those of us who live near, in, or work and/or play in the City of Chicago, but I once saw a police officer turn down free coffee and doughnuts. Yes, that’s right. I was on a “ride along” with an officer in Redondo Beach, California. It was a graveyard ...read more

Tags: Debt

Denomination: *other

Fear And The Deceits Of The Heart  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

FEAR AND THE DECEITS OF THE HEART I think Edward Welch chose brilliantly the title for his book on overcoming the fear of man: When People are Big and God is Small. Maybe you can relate to his personal awakening to this problem when he was a high-school senior: "I had always been shy and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 51:11-13, Isaiah 51:12-16

Tags: Ransom, Fear And Worry

Example Of Hospitality

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 29, 2010

EXAMPLE OF HOSPITALITY Jan and Darryl have always been openly generous people. They make you feel as if they are honoured to have you in their home and nothing is too much trouble for them. Which is just as well because they are our connect group leaders. Every fortnight people in our Connect ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 13:5-15

Tags: Hospitality

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church Without Outreach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE CHURCH WITHOUT OUTREACH Fred Craddock tells the story of his first church. It was a beautiful little white church on a hill in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The church was beautifully maintained. The pews had been hand-hewn from giant poplar trees that had grown nearby. Little kerosene lamps on the walls ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Praying The Beatitudes

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

PRAYING THE BEATITUDES Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Heavenly Father, I want the humility not to be impressed with myself and my accomplishments. Increase in me (John 3:30). More of You, God, none of me. I am overwhelmed with the sense of my spiritual need. I recognize my true ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Prayer, Beatitudes, Poor In Spirit, Blessed Are The Meek, Matthew 5, Blessed Are The Pure In Heart  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Wants To Play By The Rules?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 3, 2020

Wouldn’t life, or sporting events, be easier if there were no rules? Nobody to tell you what you can or can’t do, no restrictions, and anything goes. Easy, right? I can recall a couple of times when it sure seemed that some folks either didn’t want to play by the rules. Maybe they just plain ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:31

Tags: Wrong, Right, Rules, Self Will

Denomination: Baptist

Today I Want To Conclude By Sort Of Turning The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Today I want to conclude by sort of turning the tables and say that now we’ve got this great stuff of how we can be set free for ourselves, how can we now turn around and help other people find freedom through Christ. I’m particularly thinking about this because of a story from a Major who is part ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

A Couple Of Years Ago I Heard A Story Of A Boy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A couple of years ago I heard a story of a boy named Jeremy. He was born with a twisted body, a slow mind and a chronic, terminal illness that had been slowly killing him all his young life. One Sunday morning in early Spring Jeremy’s Sunday school teacher told the children the story of Jesus, ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Sunday Sketch Jesus And Nick The Vic  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Feb 17, 2008

Sunday Sketch Jesus and Nick the Vic Cast: Narrator 1, Narrator 2, Jesus and Nick the Vic Narrator 1: Our reading is taken this morning from John 3: 1-21 – and is a slightly freer translation than you’d get in the Message or in the Living Bible The story starts off with Nick the Vic, a prominent ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Cups Of The ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Cups of the Lord Cup of Salvation Psalms 116:13 says, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” The opening verse of psalm 116 says, “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 116:1) Dewight Jones tells us that there are some 32 ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 116:13

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heaven, A Real Place

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Heaven, A Real Place Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Greatest Love Of All  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Greatest Love of All "For this reason I kneel before the Father... that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power... to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19

Tags: Hardship, God's Love, Endure

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational