In Sermon Illustrations: "Artificial Lives"

Memorizing Vs. Applying Scripture

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

MEMORIZING VS. APPLYING SCRIPTURE Dave Veerman, Campus Life, Wheaton, IL, related this story: A while ago our family began to memorize Scripture, one verse a week. Because my daughters were ages ten and six, I thought this was about the right speed. We keep the verses on cards in the middle of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11, James 1:22

Tags: Bible Influence

Ravi Zacharias: A Lecherous Heart

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

RAVI ZACHARIAS: A LECHEROUS HEART One of the most powerful stories I have ever heard on the nature of the human heart is told by Malcolm Muggeridge. Working as a journalist in India, he left his residence one evening to go to a nearby river for a swim. As he entered the water, across the river he ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Brethren

You Come To Me

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

YOU COME TO ME Jimmy, and his son, Davey, were playing in the ocean down in Mexico, while his family -- his wife, daughters, parents, and a cousin -- were on the beach. Suddenly, a rogue riptide swept Davey out to the sea. Immediately Jimmy started to do whatever he could to help Davey get back to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Salvation

A Purpose For Sheep

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Jun 14, 2011

A PURPOSE FOR SHEEP Sad to say, millions of people wander through life with no earthly idea what they’re here for. One of the abiding fascinations of my wife here in Germany are sheep. About once a year, a shepherd brings a flock of sheep near our village, and my wife goes out and makes as many ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Baptist

Ministry During Black Plague

Contributed by Dr. Nicholas M. Muteti on Jun 20, 2011

MINISTRY DURING BLACK PLAGUE Many years ago, in Europe, there was a great plague that killed one third of the population. It was called the black plague. Tens of thousands were killed each and every month and the population was terrified by the thought of facing death in their families and homes, ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Baptist

At War With Our Vices

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jul 4, 2011

AT WAR WITH OUR VICES On July 4, 1776 fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Citing numerous abuses of the law and the oppressive and unjust rule of the king of England, these men pledged their honor, their lives and their livelihood to the cause of justice and freedom. We have ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

How Not To Achieve Virtue

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jul 4, 2011

HOW NOT TO ACHIEVE VIRTUE How do we move from vice to virtue? Let me tell you first of all how not to... Even ancient pagans, those who never heard the Bible, recognized that living in vice was deadly and destructive. They were far ahead of our modern culture that is foolishly accepting vices ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Lutheran

False Hope In A Gold Coin

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

FALSE HOPE IN A GOLD COIN George Dixon was a lieutenant in the Confederate Army who carried around a $20 gold piece that his fiancée had given him in the early days of the war. During the battle of Shiloh, a union musket ball struck him--actually it struck the gold coin, which saved his life. From ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-7

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Cheap Purchase—high Price  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

CHEAP PURCHASE--HIGH PRICE In Decision magazine some time ago, Karen Morerod wrote about shopping in a store for a sweater. She was looking for one at minimal cost, so she went to the clearance rack. As she flipped through the sweaters, one caught her eye. It was the right color and the right ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-21

Tags: Blood Of Christ

Joseph Smith: If Someone Had Shared Grace...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Sep 19, 2011

JOSEPH SMITH: IF SOMEONE HAD SHARED GRACE... Jesus was gracious to the woman taken in adultery. Sometimes, that is what reaches people. Sometimes, Christians are like the scribes and Pharisees, choosing to be judgmental instead of gracious. In the 1820's, a young woman named Emma gave birth to ...read more

Scripture: John 8:3-11

Tags: Evangelism, Grace, Witnessing, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

1 Peter 4:12 "Dear Friends, Do Not Be Surprised ...

Contributed by Brad Henry on Nov 11, 2011

1 Peter 4:12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” I have a doctor’s appointment this morning to see what is going on. I am tried all the time, can hardly move with pain and a host of other ailments. OK so I ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

For The Life Of An Enemy  PRO

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Feb 14, 2012

FOR THE LIFE OF AN ENEMY A Baptist pastor named Peter Miller was from a small town in Pennsylvania who lived during the American Revolution. And there was another man who lived there named Michael Wittmann, an evil-minded sort who did all that he could to oppose and humiliate the pastor. He made ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Importance Of Friends  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 29, 2012

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDS One of the most thorough research projects on relationships is called the Alameda County Study. Headed by a Harvard social scientist, it tracked the lives of 7,000 people over nine years. Researchers found that the most isolated people were three times more likely to die ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-15

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Baptist

What Happened To King Neb Was Unique --- ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 17, 2012

What happened to King Neb was unique --- I’ve never heard of anything quite like it --- a King eating grass for 7 years like an animal. But on the other hand, the spiritual experience it represents is more common than we’d like to think. I remember a father of one of my youth group kids years ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To, Temptation General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

H: The Aspirate Word

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jan 22, 2013

H: THE ASPIRATE WORD When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him.....No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be AbraHam, for I have made you a father of many Nations.- Genesis 17:5 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: *other

The Evangelistic Meaning Of Your Birthday Celebration

Contributed by Joel Israel Shashikumar on Jan 26, 2015

I went to bed with a heavy heart one day. All those news and reports of death for the past few weeks. Only to wake up with a thought of birthday cake and celebration. Now why do we celebrate birthdays, blowing candles and cutting cake. I admit, I do not know the meaning that has been tagged with ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Grace, Birthday

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Story On Complacency And Laziness Bought About By Submitting To Temptatio

Contributed by John Gullick on Feb 12, 2016

Complacency and self indulgence were having a chat the other day. Complacancy was saying. “ my those other Christians are far too serious. “ Eat drink and be merry I say and then explode into heaven Painless death though thank you very much.”.” Laziness said. “ Yes but get someone else to prepare ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-13

Tags: Temptation, Laziness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Freedom

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

In the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, VA, there’s a special display for a rickety, home-made aluminum kayak. This tiny, makeshift boat seems oddly out of place in the midst of displays for impressive Navy vessels and artifacts from significant battles on the sea. But a bronze plaque tells museum ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Freedom, Persecution

Denomination: Methodist

Persecuted For Faithfulness

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Aug 6, 2018

Many of our sisters and brothers are persecuted even in our own time. Voice of the Martyrs reports, for example, the experience of a young man named Philip, who lives in Laos. Philip walked two hours to another village to hear the gospel. Just three weeks after he returned home as a new believer, ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18-20

Tags: Persecution, Faithfulness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Coronavirus And Our Need For The Transcendent

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 21, 2020

Children, as Jesus said, Don't be afraid. Your family is probably founded on some kind of faith. Listen to your parents and other adults whom you trust, and know that nearly everyone is working hard to get us through this trouble. ? In fifty years you will remember this crisis as one of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:27

Tags: Fear, Forgiveness, Pandemic, Covid 19

Denomination: Catholic