In Sermon Illustrations: "Advent Sermon Series"

No Faith In The Future, No Power For The Present

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2012

NO FAITH IN THE FUTURE, NO POWER FOR THE PRESENT Years ago, a small town in Maine was proposed for the site of a great hydroelectric plant. Since the dam would be built across the river, the entire town would be submerged. When the project was announced, the people were given many months to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14, 1 John 3:3

Tags: Future

Prayer Journal Entry Of George Washington  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2012

PRAYER JOURNAL ENTRY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON When George Washington was about 20 years old he wrote this in his prayer journal: "O most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ my merciful and loving father, I acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:8-10

Tags: Prayer Confession

Lost And Found

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2012

LOST AND FOUND In London there is an official governmental office for lost and found items. It is the London Transports “Lost Property Office.” It is located on the side of the Baker’s Street Station, just across the street from the fictitious residence of Sherlock Holmes. It has been there since ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Parable Lost Coin

Hope In The Storm  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 14, 2012

HOPE IN THE STORM Fresh out of Oxford, John Wesley was perplexed over England's complicated social problems: slavery, economic uncertainties, corruption, drunkenness, gambling, and prostitution. This deeply religious, sensitive soul became a parish minister and, subsequently, a missionary to ...read more

Tags: Security

The Right Use Of The Eyes  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

THE RIGHT USE OF THE EYES A bishop of the early church, who was a remarkable example of the virtue of contentment, was asked his secret. The venerable old man replied: "It consists in nothing more than making a right use of my eyes. In whatever state I am, I first of all look up to heaven and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-13

Tags: Gratitude

Historical Impact Of The Word Of God

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

HISTORICAL IMPACT OF THE WORD OF GOD In every genuine revival among God’s people the revealed word of the Lord has had a large place. It was so in Josiah’s day, and in the awakening under Hezekiah. It has been so throughout the Church period. It was the recovery of the Word that brought about the ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:1-18

Tags: Bible Influence

Aristides On Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2012

ARISTIDES ON CHRISTIANS Writing in about 125 AD, a Christian philosopher by the name of Aristides looked at Christianity and said this: "They walk in all humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them, and they love one another. They despise not the widow, and grieve not the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:11-20

Tags: Christian Witness

Faith In Tragedy: Luther Bridges  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2012

FAITH IN TRAGEDY: LUTHER BRIDGES A Methodist preacher by the name of Luther Bridges was born in 1884. He married and had 3 sons. Pastor Bridges accepted an invitation to minister at a conference in Kentucky in the year 1910, so he left his family in the care of his father-in-law & made the trip to ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:20-21

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Thomas Manton On God's Word And Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2012

THOMAS MANTON ON GOD'S WORD AND PRAYER Thomas Manton: Meditation on Scripture supplies us in prayer. Barrenness and leanness of soul is a very great defect, which God's children often complain of. One great reason is because the Word of God doth not dwell plenteously in them, so that in every ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:17-18

Tags: Prayer How To

Out Of Ink?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 19, 2012

OUT OF INK? According to MSNBC, The British Medical Journal recently reported the case of a 76-year-old woman who visited her doctor complaining of stomach problems. When the scans came back, doctors were amazed to see a long object in her stomach. It was a pen! The woman remembered having put a ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

So What?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 26, 2012

"SO WHAT?" SOCIETY When I talk about this it might seem rather funny to you or odd, because people don’t worry or care about such things today. Recent surveys in 2011 sum it up pretty well. • 44% told the 2011 Baylor University Religion Survey they spend no time seeking "eternal wisdom," and 19% ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-13

Tags: Culture

Just Watch!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

JUST WATCH! A young boy looked up at his grandfather and wondered aloud, "Grandpa, how do you live for Jesus?" The respected grandfather stooped down and quietly told the boy, "Just watch." As the years went by the grandfather was an example to the boy of how to follow Jesus. He stayed ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:14-17

Tags: Father's Day

Overloaded

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

OVERLOADED In the book, Overload, by Dr. Richard Swenson, he discusses one of the main reasons our lives have too much anxiety and stress. He says that most of us are just plain overloaded. Think about it. (1) We are overloaded with commitments. We don’t know how to say no. And as a result we meet ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:38-42

Tags: Stress, Time Management

A Knock On The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

A KNOCK ON THE DOOR An old woman ran out of money, and couldn't pay any of her bills. The landlord was threatening to throw her out if she didn't pay her rent soon. She had only a few candles to keep her warm. And one cold day she was warming her hands over a candle. Just then a knock came at her ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:18-30

Tags: Debt

Strength Through Interconnectedness

Contributed by Richard Tow on Oct 5, 2020

Years ago, Jeanie and I visited the Redwood National Park in northern California. We stood in awe as we looked up to trees reaching over 350 feet. These trees have endured storms for over 1,000 years. The surprising thing is that their roots are very shallow—only about 10 to 12 feet deep. How does ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3

Tags: Community, Church, Perseverance, Unity, Cooperation, Difficulties, Storms  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Prepared

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Nov 5, 2020

Almost every Sunday morning I begin my sermon with a cute or funny story. This morning I start with a sad story. Bob and Betty were 2 of my dearest friends in Indiana. A strong, loving example of what a married couple should be. However, this couple was always at least 15 minutes late for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Faithfulness, Preparedness, Prepared

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Do Not Let Others Discourage You

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Apr 18, 2021

Over the last few Wednesdays, we have been studying how to make wise choices in who are your close friends. One of the main points is- To have a close friend, you have to be a close friend. We live in a time where people enjoy destroying other people and leave them discouraged. In our sermon ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-28

Tags: Be The Church, Encourager

Denomination: Baptist

Things You Will Never Hear In Most Churches!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

THINGS YOU WILL NEVER HEAR IN MOST CHURCHES! "Hey! It’s my turn to sit on the front pew!" "I was so excited, I never even noticed your sermon went over time 25 minutes!" "Personally, I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf." "I volunteer to be the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:14

Tags: Church, Complaining, Pastors, Laziness, Church Members, Gossip, Murmuring, Division  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Childlike Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A few months ago, I was in El Paso holding an evangelistic meeting, and the young people were serving dinner to the mothers being that it was Mother’s Day. I was seating in a chair watching what was going on, and right in front, a four-year-old girl pushed a two-year-old boy, who fell on the floor ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Types Of Preaching Found In The New Testament

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 15, 2023

Thomas Constable points out that there are 6 different kinds of preaching described in the New Testament: (1) kerugma, which means proclamation of the clear facts of the Christian message. (2) didache or teaching. This was explanation and interpretation of the facts-the "so what?" (3) ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-11

Tags: Church, Teaching, Preaching, Pastors, Homiletics, Teachers, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational