In Sermon Illustrations: "Artificial Lives"

Spiritual Health Checks  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Spiritual Health Checks (True Devotions) Rick Warren wrote, "The key for churches in the 21st Century will be church health, not growth." When a congregation is healthy, it will grow spiritually and enjoy the benefits of a live, vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. A healthy Christian ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42

Tags: Children, Moses, Deception, Godly Women, Listen, Liar, Selectively, Christian Disciplines  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blood Gift  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

BLOOD GIFT In 1949, my father had just returned from the war. On every highway you could see soldiers in uniform hitchhiking home to their families. The thrill of the reunion with his family was soon overshadowed by my grandmother’s illness. There was a problem with her kidneys. The doctors told ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Giving General, God In The Hardships

Encouragement

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

Encouragement He traveled to every hamlet in Essex County. His passion was to start churches, encourage the saints and teach people the word of God. Cyrus Comstock was born in December 1765 and lived his life in the Champlain valley. Cyrus was also an inventor. Are you familiar with the ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Jesus Is The Total Package  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

JESUS IS THE TOTAL PACKAGE Last week the Minnesota Timberwolves traded the superstar Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics in exchange for seven players. What does it feel like to know that you are worth seven men? Obviously KG, as he’s known among NBA fans, must be pretty good. He is. He's the ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Forget The Cup--Enjoy The Hot ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

FORGET THE CUP--ENJOY THE HOT CHOCOLATE A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Christmas Eve, 1953

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Christmas eve, 1953 New Zealand’s worst railway disaster occurred on Christmas Eve, 1953. The Wellington-Auckland night express plunged into the flooded Whangaehu River just west of Tangiwai, near Waiouru. Of the 285 people on board, 151 were killed. The tragedy left a nation in mourning and ...read more

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Contractor

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Contractor There was once a contractor who built homes in a small town somewhere in Europe. He built most of the homes for the people who lived in the village and was a gifted carpenter. Unfortunately, he was never able to afford a home of his own. One day, the wealthiest man in town came to the ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Just Off The Shore Of North Carolina On The ...

Contributed by Todd Stiles on May 2, 2007

Just off the shore of North Carolina on the island of Cape Hatteras is a village known as Nag’s Head, a small shoreline town where, back in the 1800’s, the “wreckers” lived. These “wreckers” made their living gathering up parts and cargo from ships that had run aground in the night. But these ships ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Martin Luther And The Gospel

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 20, 2022

Martin Luther: 1483-1546 In 2017 – the 400th anniversary of the Reformation, I had the privilege to visit Wittenberg, Germany, birthplace of the Reformation. I walked the cobblestone streets, and even toured Luther’s home. The prodigious Martin Luther appeared headed for the legal profession but ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:17, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Galatians 1:1-9

Tags: Faith, Salvation, Gospel, The Cross, Reformation, Justification By Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Night Before Cassie Bernal Was Murdered At Columbine

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 6, 2022

On Tuesday April 20, 1999, Cassie Bernal was in the Columbine Colorado high school library reading her Bible when the two students burst in carrying guns. According to one of the witnesses, her friend Josh, one of the killers pointed his gun at Cassie and asked, "Do you believe in ...read more

Tags: Faith, Death, Persecution, Heaven, Satan, Testimony, Terrorism, High School, Last Words, Martyrs, Columbine  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ukraine & God's Masterplan

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 28, 2022

Closed Doors - Open Doors My first trip to Ukraine was in 2000. We visited Kiev and L'viv to connect with ministry training institutions. In 2002 I made my first teaching trip to L'viv to teach at L'viv Theological Seminary (LTS). It was so rewarding to contribute to God's work in ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Direction, Obedience, Sovereignty Of God, Ukraine

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Funniest Funeral Sermon Ever!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 4, 2022

Two brothers had terrorized a small town in Alabama for decades. They lied, they cheated, they stole and they were two of the sorriest persons in the entire town. Then, unfortunately, one of the brothers died unexpectedly. The surviving brother went to the pastor of the local Baptist church. He ...read more

Tags: Death, Lies, Pastors, Churches, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Influence On Others

Contributed by Richard Tow on Feb 13, 2023

Evangelist Billy Sunday told a story about “a man who lived in east Tennessee. That man hunted rattlesnakes for a living. He would sell rattlesnakes. One particular time he caught a rattlesnake that had fourteen rattlers. It was a huge rattlesnake. He put that rattlesnake in a box and put a glass ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:12

Tags: Compromise, Influence, Example, Leadership, Alcohol  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Fathers Make A Difference

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 15, 2023

According to the 2022 U.S. Census Bureau, 18.4 million children, 1 in 4, live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. That’s enough children to fill New York City twice or Los Angeles four times over. Research shows that a father's absence affects children in numerous ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:21

Tags: Dad, Fathers Day, Reading

Denomination: Methodist

The Flea Jar And Our Spiritual Limitations

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 16, 2024

In a scientific study, fleas capable of jumping several feet high were placed in a jar with a lid. Initially, they jumped high and hit the lid. Over time, they adjusted and started jumping just high enough to avoid hitting the lid. Eventually, the lid was removed, but the fleas continued to jump ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:19-21

Tags: Purpose, Liberation, Breaking Free, Learned Limitations, Innate Potential, Impact Of The Fall  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Bridge Operator

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 5, 2025

There was once a man whose job was to operate a drawbridge for passing trains. Most of the time the bridge stayed raised to allow ships to move freely along the busy waterway. But when a train was scheduled to cross, he would lower the bridge, lock it in place, and signal that the way was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Grace, Atonement, Sacrifice, Redemption

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Faith That Leads To Eternal Life

Contributed by Samuel Shamaun on Jan 20, 2026

Introduction Faith is the foundation of the Christian life. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Faith is not blind belief; it is trusting in the person and promises of Jesus Christ. Eternal life begins when we place our faith in Him. 1. Faith Is Trusting Jesus Alone Jesus said, “I am ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: Faith, Eternal Life

Denomination: Pentecostal

Navigtionally Challenged

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

When I was 16, I went to pick up my girlfriend to drive and meet my parents and grandparents for a hockey game downtown. Downtown was north of my house in Amarillo. You get on I-27, head north, fifteen minutes, done. We drove for a while. And a little while more. And nothing was looking familiar. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 5:22-24, Psalm 119:105

Tags: Guidance, God's Word

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Warped Floor

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

One evening Cassy and I were at home, about to eat dinner together, which doesn't always get to happen. I opened the silverware drawer to grab a fork and noticed something. Mold. I felt the edge of the drawer and it was wet. I opened the cabinet below, and those walls were wet too. I opened the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:12-14, Romans 8:28

Tags: Joy, Perspective, Trials

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[349]. A Message From A Poem - Without Solution Or Is It?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 16, 2026

[349]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WITHOUT SOLUTION OR IS IT? There are people in the world who worry where the world is heading. They worry about their own lives and their futures. The pressures of life are mounting all over the world and some really tragic things are happening. This is not ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:19, 1 Corinthians 15:32, 2 Timothy 3:1

Tags: Fate, Purpose, Meaninglessness, Fatalism, Solutions, Christian Poems, A Natural Man  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational