In Sermon Illustrations: "Active Faith"

Born Into The Family

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Apr 26, 2010

BORN INTO THE FAMILY Pastor Wayne Cordeiro, in Leading on Empty, writes of his daughter, adopted when only three days old. The apple of his eye, Abby, compromised her faith and morality, making choices that expelled her from college, and for two years was searching for her identity, struggling why ...read more

Tags: Adoption

Denomination: Salvation Army

Obedience, Not Understanding

Contributed by Chris Kelly on Sep 29, 2010

OBEDIENCE, NOT UNDERSTANDING Our denomination has a Pastor’s Retreat every year up in the mountains of S. Cal. As I was walking to breakfast one morning, I came across a monument that explained that when Billy Graham first started preaching, he was confused and had some doubts about God’s Word. ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Wesleyan

Jesus' Frustration

Contributed by Timothy Dolan on Oct 17, 2010

JESUS' FRUSTRATION Living our lives, trusting Jesus, does not mean that we will never feel futility or pointlessness. The clear implication of Isaiah 49: verse 4 is that Jesus felt this way. How many times did Jesus have to say, "ye of little faith." "When the disciples failed to grasp the ...read more

Tags: Jesus Life

Denomination: Baptist

Poll On Salvation

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 1, 2010

POLL ON SALVATION 56% say a good person can earn their way into Heaven. 44% say if a person does not consciously accept Christ as savior, they will be condemned to Hell. 44% say all people experience the same outcome after they die, regardless of their religious beliefs. 34% say there are some ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: *other

Because I'm A Gentleman  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 23, 2011

BECAUSE I'M A GENTLEMAN A middle-aged business executive once approached the front entrance of the office building in which he worked. A young feminist came up at the same moment, so he stepped back and held the door open for her to pass on through. She looked at him and said with annoyance, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:7

Tags: Character

The Danger Of Spiritual Procrastination  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 24, 2011

THE DANGER OF SPIRITUAL PROCRASTINATION There is a fable which tells of three apprentice devils who were coming to this earth to finish their apprenticeship. They were talking to Satan, the chief of the devils, about their plans to tempt and to ruin men. The first said, "I will tell them that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13, Romans 13:11-14, Romans 13:12

Tags: Second Coming, Coming, Second

Planting The Wrong Seeds

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jun 4, 2011

PLANTING THE WRONG SEEDS Some time ago the Reader’s Digest magazine told a story about a company who mailed out some special advertising business post cards. Glued to the postcard was a mustard seed. The card also contained the following words: "If you have faith as small as this mustard seed in ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Brethren

Revenge In Witnessing

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jun 10, 2011

REVENGE IN WITNESSING Yubis was filled with grief and didn't know where to turn. Yubis' husband--a pastor--was brutally murdered as a martyr in Colombia for his faith and teachings of Jesus Christ. As a result, their two-year-old daughter was despondent--and she stopped speaking. She would only ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

If You Want It Bad Enough

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

IF YOU WANT IT BAD ENOUGH When a person first comes to faith in Christ and gets a taste of His grace, they can’t get enough of the Bible. Pat Summerall, the well-known sports announcer, trusted Christ with his life and overcame alcohol in the late 60’s. As he describes his life with Christ, he ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:2-3

Tags: Growth In Christ

The Bible Treasure

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Sep 26, 2011

THE BIBLE TREASURE Kathleen Norris tells the story of a South Dakota rancher and his bride who received a leather-bound Bible as a wedding gift from the groom's grandfather. They wrote a thank-you note and stowed the Bible away on a closet shelf, out of the way. As time passed, the grandfather ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Congregational

Years Ago I Read An Autobiography Of A Lady ...

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Apr 2, 2012

Years ago I read an autobiography of a lady named Patty Roberts. She had been the wife of Richard Roberts and the daughter in law of Oral Roberts. She and Richard were often the musical portion of Oral Roberts television specials. Patty had a simple faith and struggled with the financial aspect ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Is The Bible Relevant?

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 19, 2013

IS THE BIBLE RELEVANT? "As far as reliability is concerned, it's only fair to note that the Bible contains the best documented text of any volume in human history. Perhaps the most amazing support comes from the Dead Sea scrolls which were discovered in 1947 after lying in the Qumran caves for ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Meaning Of Life. The Wasted Years Of Life. ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 23, 2013

The meaning of life. The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: grace. We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:32

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Culture's Collaborators  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 3, 2013

Tim Woodroof: We live in a world that has shaped our priorities, skewed our perspectives, and taught us what to value. Rather than permitting God to challenge those values--to confront and replace them--a great deal of energy is expended in the attempt to win God’s approval and support of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:14-15

Tags: Core Values, Detestable, Godly Values, Christian Values

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Several Years Ago I Read A Story Written By A...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 11, 2015

Several years ago I read a story written by a preacher in the Philippine Islands. One day he was passing a large church on Good Friday when he spotted many selling incense, candles, veils and rosaries. He also saw several small boys who were running about selling crosses. He heard them calling, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Take Up Your Cross, Carrying Your Cross, Message Of The Cross, Cheap Grace

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Approved Workers

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

In II Timothy 2:14-20, the Apostle Paul gives five characteristics of those in the Body of Christ who are "approved workers". When believers stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ, there will be only two types of people there: workers who are approved and workers who are not approved. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:14-20

Tags: Rewards, Bema, Judgment Seat Of Christ, Approved Workers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is It A Weight Or A Wing?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

“The race of the Christian life is not fought well or run well by asking, "what's wrong with this or that?" but by asking, "is it in the way of greater faith, greater love, and greater purity? Not: “Is it a sin?” But: “Does it help me run the race! Is it in the way? ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1

Tags: Purity, Christian Life, Running The Race, Habits, Weights, Hindrances  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Would He Say?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

WHAT WOULD HE SAY? If He should come today And find my hands so full Of future plans, however fair, In which my Savior has no share, What would He say? If He should come today And find my love so cold, My faith so very weak and dim I had not even looked for Him. What would He say? If He should ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Return Of Christ, Judgment Seat Of Christ, Rapture Of The Church, Evangelism, Second Coming, Last Days  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Motherhood And Compassion

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 19, 2022

Motherhood and Compassion. A few days ago, I made a marvelous discovery. In the Hebrew language of the Old Testament the word for “compassion” comes from the root word, “womb.” The picture is of a birthing. It is also the picture of a faithful mother giving all she's got to bring a little ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day, Mothers, New Birth, Compassion, Children, Women  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Holy Spirit Had A Monopoly On Moody

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2022

Dwight L. Moody was a shoe salesman from Chicago who fell in love with Jesus and started sharing his faith with everyone he met. Even though he was never ordained or had formal training, God used him to reach thousands for Christ as an evangelist. There was a group of British pastors who were ...read more

Tags: Moody, Preaching, Preachers, Revival, Critical Spirit, Jealousy, Holy Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational