In Sermon Illustrations: "Appearance"

To Risk  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 25, 2001

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool To weep is to risk appearing sentimental To reach out for another is to risk involvement To expose feelings is to risk exposing, your true self To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss To love is to risk not being loved in ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 24:1-13, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Fear And Worry, Endurance, Doubt

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Caterpillars And Chameleons

Contributed by Nigel Heath on Jul 28, 2009

CATERPILLARS AND CHAMELEONS There are two creatures on earth that I find equally fascinating. One is the caterpillar and the other the chameleon. Chameleons have the amazing ability to alter their appearance in order to blend into their background. Christians who do this have no effective ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Baptist

Three Angels And Abraham

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 7, 2009

THREE ANGELS AND ABRAHAM "The three angels that appeared to Abraham (Gen. xviii.) were Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael; Michael, as the greatest, walked in the middle, with Gabriel to his right and Raphael to his left (Yoma 37a). Michael stands at the right hand of God, Gabriel at His left ...read more

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Seeing The Heart  PRO

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 9, 2011

SEEING THE HEART When everyone starts filing into work today what if you could just see the inward appearance? You would not see who is the nicest dressed or nicest looking. All you would see would be the same spirit of everyone BUT in that spirit you would see their heart. Their heart would ...read more

Tags: Light, Heart

A True Friend  PRO

Contributed by Germain Brown on Nov 3, 2000

There is a phrase of a poem that says: “A true friend is he who listens to your deepest sorrows. A true friend is like toothpaste, ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Friendship General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Want To Be Pretty  PRO

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Jan 24, 2012

I WANT TO BE PRETTY "I want to be pretty." This is the title of a popular tv program that was airing when we lived in Poland. It was a reality tv show in which in every episode you follow the changes of two women who are the heroes of the program. Each of these women work with a team of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:30

Tags: Faith, Love, Beauty, Faithfulness, Patience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Jesus Is The Answer To Our Dilemma

Contributed by Bokang Abednego Nkhahle on Oct 7, 2019

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon while he was busy threshing wheat to hide it from the midianites. And said to Gideon, the Lord is with you mighty man of Valour. The one who reside in you is bigger that your dilemma. Gideon did not realise his potential until the angel appeared to him and ...read more

Scripture: Judges 6:12

Tags: Power, Authority, Be Courageous

The Most Glorious Promises Of God Are Generally ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

“The most glorious promises of God are generally fulfilled in such a wondrous manner that He steps forth to save us at a time when there is the ...read more

Tags: Descriptions Of God, God's Provision, Knowing God's Will

I Am A Painstaking, Conscientious, Involved And ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I am a painstaking, conscientious, involved and devious craftsman in words, however unsuccessful the result so often appears, and to whatever ...read more

Tags: Words

Ralph Waldo Emerson Observed That If The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

Ralph Waldo Emerson observed that if the constellations appeared only once in a thousand years, imagine what an exciting event that would be. But because ...read more

Tags: Divinity Of Christ, Creation

Peace Does Not Mean The End Of All Our Striving; ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Peace does not mean the end of all our striving; Joy does not mean the drying of our tears; Peace is the power that comes to souls ...read more

Tags: Peace

At A Recent Wedding I Was At A Table With Many ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Sep 15, 2003

At a recent wedding I was at a table with many unchurched people, the man beside me was coming back from the open bar with beer two at a time and sitting one of them in front of me so he would not appear to the hosts as being "greedy" I later found out that a family, one of whom had witnessed this ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 20:1

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Praise God, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Mennonite

The New Command Is Simple Enough For A Toddler ...

Contributed by Jason Jones on Jan 7, 2010

The new command is simple enough for a toddler to memorize and appreciate, profound enough that the most mature believers are repeatedly embarrassed at how poorly they comprehend it and put it into practice: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another…The more we recognize ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, D.a. Carson

Denomination: Baptist

No Picture Exists  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2011

NO PICTURE EXISTS On a wall near the main entrance to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, is a portrait of a man with this inscription underneath. "James Butler Bonham--no picture of him exists. This portrait is of his nephew, Major James Bonham, deceased, who greatly resembled his uncle. It is ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-8

Tags: Jesus Christ

A Funny Story About Complaining

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

A FUNNY STORY ABOUT COMPLAINING As per his oath of silence, a monk is only allowed to say two words every year. After his first year, he comes before the head abbot to speak his two words: “Better food.” The head abbot understands and obliges the monk, hiring a new chef and improving the food ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:14

Tags: Complaining, Murmuring, Griping, Than Ksgiving

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bridesmaids - Apperiances Can Be Deciving

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 19, 2025

Beloved ... Appearances can be deceiving. Suppose ... we were to ask the ten Bridesmaids ... to stand in front of us ... in no particular order. Could you pick out the five foolish ones? The Answer of course is: No, ... and neither could I. We could argue about it ... we could all agree, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Foolish, Bridesmaids, Foolishness

Denomination: Anglican

Brennan Manning Describes Christ As "The One ...

Contributed by Mike Quinn on Jan 18, 2006

Brennan Manning describes Christ as “The one whose glory appears as a light so brilliant that he is rendered invisible by his brilliance. It is beyond our ability to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:17

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evils In The Journey Of Life Are Like The Hills ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Evils in the journey of life are like the hills which alarm travelers on the road. Both appear great at a distance, but when we approach them we find ...read more

Tags: Satan

If The Doors Of Perception Were Cleansed Every ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he ...read more

Tags: Thought

Goodness And Love Mold The Form Into Their Own ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"Goodness and love mold the form into their own image, and cause the joy and beauty of love to shine forth from every part of the face. When this form of love is seen, it appears ineffably ...read more

Tags: Christian Love