In Sermon Illustrations: "Amos Chapter 7 Verses 7 Through 1"

Blackaby: What Does A Calling Look Like?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 3, 2013

BLACKABY: WHAT DOES A CALLING LOOK LIKE? Henry Blackaby shares from his book "The Power of the Call" pages 10-14 a clear picture of what one looks like who is called by God into pastoral ministry: 1. The pastor is chosen 2. He is chosen by God 3. He is chosen by God to be His servant 4. He is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4, 1 John 4:7-10

Tags: Leadership General, Elder, Shepherd, Pastor

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When You Can Wear The Uniform

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2011

WHEN YOU CAN WEAR THE UNIFORM Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:15, "I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God's household." While there are right and wrong ways to act when attending church services, Paul is not talking about attendance manners but rather how you and I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:14-15

Tags: Sanctification

Despair  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 22, 2001

DESPAIR During the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from their home. One night as they stayed in a small village inn, homeless and afraid, his wife broke down and cried openly in despair. To comfort her, Gerhardt reminded her of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:7-9, 1 Peter 1:17-18, Matthew 28:1-4

Tags: Promises Of God, Wait, God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jewish Weddings And The Return Of Christ

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 30, 2023

An understanding of the Rapture can be gained from understanding the Jewish Wedding Tradition. IN THE JEWISH WEDDING TRADITION, • As the young man becomes of age to marry, • He builds a room onto his father’s house, • So there will be a place • For him and his bride to live. WHEN THE YOUNG ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, John 14:1-6

Tags: Return Of Christ, Jewish Weddings, Revelation, Israel, Second Coming, Armageddon  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Rise And Fall Of Nine Rich Men  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2011

THE RISE AND FALL OF NINE RICH MEN A popular story recounts a meeting that may have taken place at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago in 1923. There is debate whether the meeting in fact occurred, but what is not in question is the actual rise and fall of the men featured in the story, who were ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Money

The Story Is Told Of A Man From The East Coast ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The story is told of a man from the east coast who had always dreamed of owning a cattle ranch and had finally saved enough money to buy his dream spread in Wyoming. His best friend flew out to visit and asked, “So, what’s the name of your ranch?” His buddy told him that he and his wife had had a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-13

Tags: Disciplines Scripture

Gift From The Father  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

GIFT FROM THE FATHER Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time in the German death camp Ravensbruk during WWII. She had smuggled her Bible and a small bottle of liquid vitamins into her barracks. Her sister Betsy was sick and growing sicker, but she demanded that Corrie first give a dose of vitamins to all ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:7-24

Tags: God's Provision

The Meaning Of The Cross

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS In the 19th century, Armenian Christians, under a Turkish Muslim government, experienced a tremendous amount of persecution. The government lifted the ban on Muslims converting to Christianity in 1856. Then just eight years later, they began arresting these Muslim converts ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Persecution

The Use Of Wine

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Dec 22, 2018

An aged brother told me jokingly one time regarding the difference between the elders and deacon’s use of wine, in 1 Timothy 3:3. He said Brother Freeman: “It’s simple. The deacon can drink, ‘a little wine’; however, the elder can only sip it, swish it around in his mouth, and then spit it out.” He ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:3, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:1-4

Tags: Preacher, Drink, Deacon, Member, Wine, Elder  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Letters To The Pastor From Kids

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 18, 2017

LETTERS TO THE PASTOR FROM KIDS: Dear Pastor, I would like to go to heaven someday because I know my brother won’t be there. Stephen. Age 8 Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody but He never met my sister. Yours sincerely, Arnold. Age 7 Dear Pastor, I think a lot more ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4

Tags: Kids, Pastors, Funny Questions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[067]. A Message From A Poem – Eden’s Garden And Gardens Of Significence

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2025

[067]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EDEN’S GARDEN AND GARDENS OF SIGNIFICENCE This poem is an examination of the Garden of Eden, mainly dealing with Satan’s temptation and man’s fall into sin. There are a lot of teachings that derive from this account in Genesis 3 and in the poem I try to bring ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:45-47, Matthew 19:4-6, Revelation 21:1-2

Tags: Eden, Poetry, The Fall, Mary Magdalene, Poem, Gardens, Satan, Temptation, Serpent, Gethsemane, Adam And Eve, Garden Of Eden  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[255]. A Message From A Poem – The Blue Dragonfly

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 8, 2026

[255]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE BLUE DRAGONFLY Forget about man-made complexities of life, and the intrusion of humanism into people’s lives. Forget about the complications of life that western, and developed societies have made things to be. The Lord does not want us to be burdened by all ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-7, Matthew 6:25-30

Tags: Photography, Insects, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Dragonfly, Anxiety, Contentment, Care, Lilies, God Created  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dwarfish Christianity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2011

DWARFISH CHRISTIANITY Charles Spurgeon, the famed pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle in London made this observation in the late 1800’s when he came in contact with a community of small framed men. "There was once in London a club of small men, whose qualification for membership lay in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:10-20, 1 Timothy 3:10-12

Tags: Growth In Christ

Give Thanks In Everything

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 6, 2020

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) If it is the will of God that we should give thanks in everything, then we should reduce our complain lest we go against His will. COMPLAINING IS CONTRARY TO THANKSGIVING. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Complain

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Prince Of Grenada, An Heir To The Spanish ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Jan 15, 2005

The prince of Grenada, an heir to the Spanish crown, was sentenced to life in solitary confinement in Madrid’s ancient prison called "The Place of the Skull." The fearful, dirty, and dreary nature of the place earned it the name. Everyone knew that once you were in, you would never come out alive. ...read more

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Unwanted Items—the Ark Of The Covenant

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 16, 2025

Unwanted Items—The Ark of the Covenant Introduction: To “frame” this illustration, we’d need to look at a couple of chapters in 1 Samuel. In chapter 4, the writer tells us of Israel’s decision, foolish as it was, to bring the Ark of the Covenant out of the Tabernacle and down to the battlefield. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 5:1-12

Tags: Philistines, Ark Of The Covenant, Unwanted Items

Denomination: Baptist

Persecution Of Baptists In The Colonies

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

PERSECUTION OF BAPTISTS IN THE COLONIES Throughout their long history as a people of faith, Baptists have consistently opposed any diminution of the rights of the individual to seek and to pursue their own faith, or for each person to decide to be without faith if that is the choice. Though ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:13-17

Tags: Persecution

You Are Not Your ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

You are Not Your Own Purchased at the Highest Price Corporate Worship The first step to enjoying public worship services is to understand that Christians are not their own. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bible's Influence On American History

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2011

THE BIBLE'S INFLUENCE ON AMERICAN HISTORY Pastor Jack Graham tells of a speaking engagement in Philadelphia he made recently and slipping downtown to Independence Hall to reflect on the founding of our nation. He said, "As you move around the historical sites of that city you see the Word of God ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:23

Tags: Bible Influence

What Is Secret Of Spiritual Success?

Contributed by Usman Raza on Mar 15, 2015

We all have questions in our mind, and the Lord Jesus put these key factors in my heart: 1- Faith in God and in His presence (Romans 3:22), (Psalm 42:5) 2- Walking with Him in His Fear (Deuteronomy 6:13,Proverbs 14:2) 3- Continuous Prayers not just for yourself but for your ministry, the people ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 12:18-19

Tags: Spiritual Success, Spiritual Life

Denomination: Evangelical Free