In Sermon Illustrations: "Artificial Lives"

On Self-Control

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 14, 2011

ON SELF-CONTROL Daniel Akst in a secular article called, "Whose in Charge Here?" wrote: "Life in modern Western cultures is like living at a giant all-you-can-eat buffet offering more calories, credit, sex, intoxicants, and just about anything else one could take to excess than our forebears ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 25:28

Tags: Self

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Freedom "For"  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 28, 2011

FREEDOM "FOR" From Robert Youngs: I have on my table a violin string... it is free. I twist one end of it and it responds. It is free. But it is not free to do what a violin string is supposed to do--produce music. So I take it, fix it in my violin and tighten it until it is taut. Only then ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Paint Covered Its Beauty

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Jan 24, 2012

THE PAINT COVERED ITS BEAUTY A few years ago when I lived in Poland we were at a local museum which had a beautiful sculpture of Mary holding Jesus. For years it stood on a street corner before the city decided to clean it up and restore it. Up to that point no one thought it was anything special ...read more

Tags: Beauty

Denomination: Lutheran

Spiritual Arrhythmia  PRO

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Feb 25, 2012

SPIRITUAL ARRHYTHMIA The primary function of the heart is to supply blood and nutrients to the body. The regular beating, or contraction, of the heart moves the blood throughout the body. Each heartbeat is controlled by electrical impulses traveling through the heart. In the normal heart these ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:2

Tags: Heart, Spanking Kids

Denomination: Baptist

Not Ready

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Apr 9, 2012

NOT READY After a presentation on the Evidences of God in Science four physics professors came up to Hugh Ross afterwards. Hugh asked if any of them could deny any of what had been presented. They said they could not. He then asked, "Why are you not ready to accept the conclusions?" One said ...read more

Tags: Atheism

Unhappy Church Member

Contributed by Kerry O'neill on Jan 27, 2019

A christian man was stranded on a deserted island for many years. He was finally discovered and a rescue crew arrived. They were impressed with all the things he built by himself, most prominently 3 buildings. They asked him about the first building and he answered, “That is where I live.” Then ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:45

Tags: Negativity, Church Hopping

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Because He Came

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

Here are six blessings Paul mentions in Galatians 4:4-7 that flow to us because Christ came. We are redeemed (Gal 4:5a). We are adopted into God’s family (Gal 4:5b). The Holy Spirit now lives within us (Gal 4:6a). We call God Father (Gal ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:4-7

Tags: Galatians, The Birth Of Christ, The Virgin Birth, Why Christ Came

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mom Is The Best Preacher In The Family!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 19, 2022

Dr. G. Campbell Morgan had 4 sons and they were all preachers. Someone once came into the living room when all the family was there. They thought they would see what Howard, one of the sons, was made of so they asked him this question: "Howard, who is the greatest preacher in your ...read more

Tags: Children, Mother's Day, Pastors, Mother, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Name Is Gossip

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

I am more deadly than a shell from the howitzer. I win without killing. I tear down homes, break hearts, and wreck lives. I travel on the wings of the wind. No innocence is strong enough to intimidate me, no purity pure enough to daunt me. I have no regard for truth, no respect for justice, no ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Gossip, Power Of Words

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Building A Relationship With God (Running The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

Building a Relationship with God (Running the Race) It was the summer before my Senior year at Jamestown College. I had taken up riding my bike several times a week and had gotten up to riding 10-20 miles in a single go. Needless to say… I was feeling pretty good about myself. So when school ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Sports

Daniel L. Crocker, 39, Turned Himself In. As A ...  PRO

Contributed by Bart Leger on Feb 14, 2005

Daniel L. Crocker, 39, turned himself in. As a Christian, he said, it was the right thing to do. Mr. Crocker lived with his wife of 11 years, Nicolette, 36, and their two children in a quiet community near Dulles Airport in Virginia. He was a warehouse manager and his wife was a stay-at-home mom, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:1-11

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Why Does God Hate Divorce? Listen To Some ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 18, 2005

Why does God hate divorce? Listen to some ramifications of divorce, taken from Biblical Counseling for Today - Watson Pages 187-188 -- Watson notes: Dobson commissioned his Focus on the Family staff to conduct a broad based survey of existing research concerning marital status. “From a social ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Botanical Life Of Most Trees Is Amazing. ...

Contributed by Mike Mcguire on Feb 8, 2007

The botanical life of most trees is amazing. Often when a tree is damaged and the trunk is cut down, a new shoot will come up out of the stump or roots. As long as the roots are healthy, it will try to live. It will put out new shoots and eventually try to flower and reproduce. It keeps adapting to ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Parable Of Christ’s Sacrifice, Citation: ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 11, 2001

[Parable of Christ’s Sacrifice, Citation: Brad Walden, senior minister with the Tates Creek Christian Church, Lexington, KY; true story told by Mark’s grandfather at Westwood Cheviot Church of Christ, Cincinnati, OH] The mother of a nine-year-old boy named Mark received a phone call in the middle ...read more

Scripture: John 19:1-16, Acts 28:23-31

Tags: Hope, Christian Disciplines, Crucifixion, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Showing Forgiveness To Jim Bakker  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

SHOWING FORGIVENESS TO JIM BAKKER Former televangelist Jim Bakker speaks of events that occurred immediately after his release from prison: When I was transferred to my last prison, Franklin [Graham] said he wanted to help me out when I got out-with a job, a house to live in, and a car. It was my ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:8-11

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

I Would Become The Corn ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

"I WOULD BECOME THE CORN MYSELF." The story is told of two men who were traveling in the country of England a number of years ago. They had stopped at an inn for the night and had gotten settled in for the night when the village came alive with the shouts of alarm. A fire had broken out in a row ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Water ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

WATER SOURCE The story is told about an Englishman living in Cairo who visited an Arab Chief in Arabia. The Englishman was treated with such kindness and royalty that he invited the Chief to visit him in Cairo, Egypt. He promised to show him the great sights of the city. The Arab Chief made the ...read more

Tags: Power

A Thanks Offering

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Thanks Offering 1 Chronicles 29:16, "O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you." Christians are the temple that God cares about today, for 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 17 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:16

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Don’t Have Any Paid Employment At ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 7, 2010

I don’t have any paid employment at present. Moving to Sydney has been a step of faith. We have limited resources for the future. Our possessions fit into a garage. Somewhere under all those boxes is a piano that we have carted around on all our moves and still has future moves to come. I am ...read more

Tags: Worry

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Young Woman Is Being Abused By The Person She ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Apr 4, 2010

A young woman is being abused by the person she is living with. She feels powerless and no longer in control of her life. Oh, she has not been physically assaulted, nevertheless she feels hurt, scared and humiliated. She is being threatened and bullied and harassed. She is constantly put-down and ...read more

Tags: Relationships, Restoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational