In Sermon Illustrations: "Advantage" showing 181-200 of 247

Sin: Prison Without Bars

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 15, 2011

SIN: PRISON WITHOUT BARS It's easy to live in denial--to live in sin and think everything is going our way. So sooner or later God gets our attention. In 1989, Pete Rose, baseball's all-time hit leader, was banished from baseball by Major League Commissioner. [Bart Giamatti]. The ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Baptist

Second Chances

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

David Emory tells the story of baptizing a young father who had a 7 year old and 5 year old. They were close friends of his family and had never been a part of a church. But one Sunday, they came to worship, he gave his life to Christ and was baptized. At the end of the service, after everyone else ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Tags: Sin, Repentance, Woe, Second Chances

Denomination: Methodist

Something For Nothing?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 13, 2020

Several years ago, I had to make an urgent flight across the country. Because the only airport with those kinds of connections was a good ways away, I took advantage of a shuttle service. Considering the cost of fuel and parking alone, I figured I could get a ride from the northern terminal all ...read more

Scripture: John 6:25-27

Tags: Greed, Motive Or Motivation

Denomination: Baptist

Why The Interruptions?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 27, 2020

Like many of us, I love listening to good Bible teachers on the radio. Great men of the past and great men of the present have given a great deal of time to explain and comment on the Word of God. We are truly blessed because of their efforts. My prayer is the Lord rewards them greatly when we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:8, 1 Corinthians 3:14

Tags: Interruptions, Bible Teachers

Denomination: Baptist

Never Quit Growing

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 9, 2022

GROWTH IS ESSENTIAL OR ONE WILL GET STAGNATE AND BEGIN A DECREASE. Growth is essential to long term survival. We must learn to take advantage of opportunities and take risk. GROWTH: improve, increase, develop, mature, progressive development, MATURITY, AGE, SIZE, WEIGHT, HEIGHT. 2 Peter 3:18 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:18, Philippians 1:9

Tags: Plan, Growth

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Learning What "Me-Time” Is All About

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 18, 2023

Several months ago, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said she and her daughter and granddaughter were going to St. Augustine for a week and wondered if I wanted to go along. I said, “Let me think about it for a while, and I’ll get back to you.” I then overheard a conversation between my ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Me Time, Vacation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Cracked Pot  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 27, 2002

THE CRACKED POT A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:7, Romans 1:16

Tags: God In The Hardships, Imperfection, Jars Of Clay, Perseverance, Patience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Recent Front-Page Story In The Wall Street ...  PRO

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

A recent front-page story in the Wall Street Journal (January 6, 2004) reported U.S. Marines being trained for duty in Iraq are getting drilled in people skills as well as heavy weaponry. They are receiving instruction about staying respectful as well as about staying alive. Marines are still ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:8-14

Tags: Gifts Wisdom, Gifts General

Denomination: Lutheran

I Know A Family That Is Very Wealthy And Well On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2004

I know a family that is very wealthy and well on its way toward embracing the principles that have just been laid out. This is a Roman Catholic family that has inherited a vast fortune. These people live just outside a Midwestern city and, as you might expect, make their home on a large estate ...read more

The Best Way For Anyone To Know How Much He Ought ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 20, 2005

The best way for anyone to know how much he ought to aspire after holiness is to consider not how much will make his present life easy, but to ask himself how much he thinks will make him easy at the hour of death.” - William Law “Didst thou oftener think of thy death than of thy living long, ...read more

Tags: Death

As The Parents Of Three Young Children, My Wife ...

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on Oct 24, 2009

As the parents of three young children, my wife and I often took advantage of many helps in order to be good nurturers. However, sometimes even our best efforts resulted in the unexpected. With hopes of teaching our oldest son the necessity of depending upon God, we began reading to him from the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-14

Tags: Obedience

True Lifesavers

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jun 30, 2010

Nantucket, Massachusetts is located next to important shipping lanes running along the East Coast. Toward the end of the 1800s sailing ships were in their heyday. Nantucket Island saw hundreds of vessels passing by each day—all navigating without the advantages of modern technology. Treacherous ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

Broken Vessels Wanted  PRO

Contributed by David Robb on Jun 1, 2011

Broken Vessels Wanted (David Robb) My tears of weeping are pleasing to the Lord. My cries of emptiness are a song to His heart. He is pleased with me when I am broken, because, what He desires most of me is a broken spirit and a humble heart. He desires that of me because, with a broken ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:47

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Pentecostal

Servant

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Mar 27, 2018

Nantucket, Massachusetts is located next to important shipping lanes running along the East Coast. Toward the end of the 1800s, sailing ships were in their heyday. Nantucket Island saw hundreds of vessels passing by each day—all navigating without the advantages of modern technology. Treacherous ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Tags: Evangelism, Servant Attitude

Denomination: Baptist

A Little Thing Caused A Big Problem!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 7, 2020

My car was due for an oil change so I drove it to the same place where I had gone for several years. After all, they knew me and I trusted them and I’ve never had a problem. A few minutes later, the car was tasting some fresh oil and I was good to go for a while! Except—something happened in the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8, Hebrews 12:1

Tags: Alertness, Consequences, Sins

Denomination: Baptist

New Normal: If It's Free, It Ain't For Me

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 13, 2021

Once when I wore a younger man's suit I would take anything free. I assumed it was my right to get something free. Then I had a conversation with my grandfather. If anybody knew how to squeeze a buffalo out of a nickel, it was my grandfather. But you couldn’t trick him by offering him ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 7:1

Tags: Free, Scam

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What A Wacky World We Live In

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 1, 2023

I like the old saying, “Just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.” This is the kind of world we live in today, and I’m still not adjusted to this sort of thing. I’m not sure I will ever adjust to the world around me. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I will be watching the ...read more

Tags: Crazy, David

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What If I Do Have A Brain?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 1, 2024

After about a month on a health hiatus, things started returning to normal, and then I had a doctor’s visit scheduled for a checkup. I don’t know why they call us patients because I’m not very patient with these doctors. At my visit, the doctor thoroughly examined me but couldn’t find anything ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20

Tags: Brain, Challenges

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Stop The Bleeding But Heal The Wound! ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2005

Stop the Bleeding But Heal the Wound! (10.07.05--Beginning Again!--Genesis 16:7-10) There is one good rule for starting over. If something’s broken, don’t try to fix it with anything less than your best effort. The odds are that the more you try to “band-aid” things, the longer it will take for ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:7-10

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

Let The Love Of Christ Move You

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Sep 14, 2009

LET THE LOVE OF CHRIST MOVE YOU I’ve met this guy that I will call Bob. Bob just recently got out of prison. He got caught up in using and did some stupid stuff. He was sent for prison. He had been trying do right and do good but he just got out of control. He was sorry about what he had done and ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Church Of God