In Sermon Illustrations: "Appearances"

The Following True Story Is From The Life Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 29, 2004

The following true story is from the life of Louis XIV of France: One Sunday when he and his royal party arrived at church, no one was there except Archbishop Fenelon, the court preacher. Surprised to see all the vacant seats, the King inquired, "Where is everybody?" Why isn’t anyone else present ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Church Practices

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Have Not, Because You Ask Not  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2004

YOU HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT The Associated Press carried an interesting story about a group of post office customers who succeeded in speeding up some slow-moving service. One man said, “It was like watching grass grow.” There were 26 patrons jammed into two lines. They realized they ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Tags: Parable Widow

I Attended A Small Country School In Southern ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 17, 2005

I attended a small country school in southern New Mexico. When I was in the third grade the circus came to the large town a few miles from to us. One afternoon the school principal came to our class and asked us to raise our hand if our parents were going to take us to the circus. Not wanting to ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

From Joni Eareckson-Tada:‘why Do We Feel So Bad ...  PRO

Contributed by Peter Bines on Sep 6, 2005

From Joni Eareckson-Tada:‘Why do we feel so bad about our past sins? Because we confuse sin with its impression. Got a notebook nearby? Let me show you how it can be so. Write the word ‘sin’ on the top page. Press hard. Now tear of that sheet of paper, crumple it up and throw it across the room. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:11-14

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Independent/Bible

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Contributed by Troy Borst on Feb 25, 2006

ILLUSTRATION... http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/5058592/detail.html I think that Israel’s issue was the same as olympian Lindsey Jacobellis. First-time Olympian Lindsey Jacobellis of the U.S. distinguished herself as the top women’s rider in snowboard cross over the past two seasons. And she ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In His Little Book Illustrations Of Bible Truth, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

In his little book Illustrations of Bible Truth, H.A. Ironside pointed out the folly of judging others. He related an incident in the life of a man called Bishop Potter. "He was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger ...read more

Tags: Church General

Giving Up Cussing  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2009

GIVING UP CUSSING A little boy was sitting sadly on the curb beside his lawn mower, when along came a minister riding a bicycle. The minister noticed that the boy appeared discouraged, so he thought he would try to help. "Hello there!" said the minister. "How would you like to trade your lawn ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29

Tags: Anger

The Lord Is Your Shepherd, And That's Enough  PRO

Contributed by Larry Moyer on Aug 5, 2009

THE LORD IS YOUR SHEPHERD, AND THAT’S ENOUGH One time there was a newspaper office in that always had a practice that if the pastors in that city would call in and give them texts and titles to their messages, they would print them in the paper so all the people in the city would know on what ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sin And Hypocrites  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2010

Sin and Hypocrites Some mistakenly think that they are free to sin, just so long as they aren't hypocrites about it, that the worst form of sin is hypocrisy. Often one hears it said, "I know I'm not perfect, but at least I'm not hypocritical about it." A few years ago in Texas there were two men ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-18

Tags: Hypocrisy

A Tree Grows In England

Contributed by Ken Pell on Apr 6, 2010

A TREE GROWS IN ENGLAND In Tewin, England's St. Peter's churchyard stands a great four-trunked tree growing out of a grave. Its presence there is a constant reminder of resurrection for residents in the community. The grave from which it grows is that of the 18th century's Lady Anne ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Nazarene

Importance Of Church Friendships  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2010

IMPORTANCE OF CHURCH FRIENDSHIPS A new Gallup study commissioned by Group Publishing shows that people with close friendships in their church are very satisfied with their congregation, less likely to leave their place of worship, and have a strong friendship with God. Church members who have a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

William Carey Fights Discouragement

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 15, 2010

WILLIAM CAREY FIGHTS DISCOURAGEMENT William Carey, the father of the modern missionary movement, arrived in India in 1793 with a burden to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who had never heard the name. For seven years he proclaimed the gospel message faithfully week after week, month ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-20, Mark 4:35-41

Tags: Disappointment

Pieces To The Puzzle

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 11, 2010

Why is it that we have more faith that the pieces of a puzzle made by a company in Taiwan will all fit together than we have that the pieces of our life that are presented to us by God will fit together? One person chooses to put like pieces together first, while another chooses to put the edges of ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Something In Their Eyes...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2011

SOMETHING IN THEIR EYES... A prominent atheist named Matthew Parris wrote in a 2008 essay about a strange phenomenon that he had observed in Africa. Amazingly, as an atheist, he wrote an essay for The Times titled, "Why Africa Needs God." Although Parris made it clear that he does not believe in ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-36

Tags: Christian Witness

A Mother's Embrace

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on May 6, 2011

A MOTHER'S EMBRACE My own mother was a remarkable embodiment of both beauty and duty. She was lovely in appearance, and I think early in her life she turned many a head. But her real beauty was her embrace of duty. She worked hard from the time she was a child until, in her final years, she could ...read more

Tags: Mothers

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When Does God Settle Accounts?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

WHEN DOES GOD SETTLE ACCOUNTS? The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong disdain for God. As he plowed his field on Sunday morning, he would shake his fist at the church people who passed by on their way to worship. October came and the farmer had his finest crop ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 75:1-10

Tags: God's Judgment

Loneliness And Belonging

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

LONELINESS AND BELONGING Chip Ingram notes: "In his landmark book Bowling Alone, Robert Putman makes the case that loneliness is America’s new epidemic. People are searching for a place to belong. In the 1970s, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to leave a job that paid well and go off into the woods ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Suffering Loneliness

Baseball In Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Jul 23, 2012

BASEBALL IN HEAVEN A preacher and a song leader were both avid baseball fans. These guys didn't just like baseball; they lived, breathed and ate baseball. What time they weren't about church duties, they were attending a game, watching a game on the tube, or coaching a little league game in the ...read more

Tags: Death, Heaven, Baseball

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dna Points To A Creator

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 23, 2019

DNA is found in every cell of our bodies (in at least some stage of its development) and has a beautiful appearance, having the shape of a spiral staircase. The steps (or rungs) are like letters in our alphabet and, ascending or descending the staircase, the letters taken together spell words which ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:19-22

Tags: Creator, Dna, Intelligent Design, Natural Revelation

Denomination: Independent/Bible

However, Gordon Macdonald Has Provided A Very ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on May 17, 2007

However, Gordon MacDonald has provided a very clear set of descriptors in understanding what it means to fully follow the Lord. (10A) The first descriptor is spectator. MacDonald notes that there many spectators around Jesus because they were curious about what He had to say and offer. They were ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God