In Sermon Illustrations: "Asserting Self"

Jesus Didn't Just Sit Around The Synagogue All ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Jesus didn’t just sit around the synagogue all day. Jesus didn’t just hang around the temple courtyard all the time. Instead Jesus went out where the people were. He didn’t isolate himself alone on a mountain top. Although he certainly did retreat there from time to time for prayer and refreshment. ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

At The Time Of This Writing, The Story ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

At the time of this writing, the story dominating the national news involves the execution of former Iraqi president, Saddam Hussein. On December 30, 2006 the gun-toting dictator, who ruled Iraq with an iron fist for 24 years, was taken to the gallows. This 69-year-old despot, who ruled in ...read more

Tags: Guilt

A Bundle Of Rags

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Why does sometimes the change seem so slow? This happens more promptly in some folks than others. Because, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come Sometimes people ask, ‘why don’t we see a lot of change? Why don’t we see all these folks living but for ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Jack Was A Man Whose Whole Life Fell Apart In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Jack was a man whose whole life fell apart in the span of about a year. His wife left him because he was a workaholic. His 15 year old daughter left home, his college age son dropped out of school, and the business he had built up collapsed around him. His business partner turned against him. And ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General

The "Regard For Others" Ethic

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Jan 24, 2012

THE "REGARD FOR OTHERS" ETHIC John Sommerville currently teaches history at the University of Florida. He has been carrying out an exercise with his students for years. He challenges his students with the following thought experiment. Imagine that you see a little old lady coming down the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Neighbor

Denomination: Baptist

John Macarthur On Knowing God's Will

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 27, 2012

JOHN MACARTHUR ON KNOWING GOD'S WILL God’s will is that you be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, and suffering. God’s Word makes all this clear. Do not read on until you have grasped these five principles. You say, "MacArthur, you were going to tell me what school I should go to. You ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: God's Will, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Baptist

Covetousness And The Emperor's New Grove

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

COVETOUSNESS AND THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROVE In Disney's thirty-ninth animated film, "The Emperor's New Groove," self-proclaimed "King of the World" Kuzco (COOS-coh), who had an evil female advisor named Yzma (EEZ-muh), made plans to demolish an entire village to build a new water park. At the highest ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-29

Tags: Greed

Good Gossip

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody.” – Benjamin Franklin I knew a woman once who took a temporary job working for a large ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:28

Tags: Gossip, Evil Tongue, Encouraging Others, Power Of The Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

Do You Have A "chip On The Shoulder"?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

Hebrew scholar Gensenius, says that the meaning of the Old Testament word for "meekness" involves "a lowly, pious, and modest mind, which prefers to bear injuries rather than return them." Meekness is not only the opposite of pride, but of stubbornness, fierceness, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Meekness, Beatitudes, Anger, Sensitivity, Sermon On The Mount, Chip On The Shoulder, Spirit Controlled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Solar Powered

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Apr 27, 2021

The other day I was sitting on my back porch. On my porch is a bird bath with a small solar-powered fountain. The fountain only works when the sun is directly on it and, since that day was a clear day, the fountain was operating at full steam. As I was sitting enjoying the day a brief passing ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12

Tags: Spirit, John, Light, Power, Life, Darkness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Distorted Christianity

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 7, 2023

Q: What does the Church think of God the Father? A: He is omnipotent and holy. He created the world and imposed on mankind conditions impossible to fulfill; he is very angry if these are not carried out. He sometimes interferes in an arbitrary way with judgments and miracles, distributed with a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-6, 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-6

Tags: Distortion, Misconceptions, Ignorance, Slander, Dorothy Sayers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

True Faith - An Outline Of The Book Of James

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 21, 2023

A good outline of the Book of James and what true faith produces in our lives: 1. True faith responds with practical godliness under testing (Jas 1:2-27). A. True faith responds with joy when it faces testing (Jas 1:2, 3, 4). B. True faith seeks God for wisdom in times of testing (Jas 1:5, 6, 7, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Suffering, Difficulties, Works, Tests, Trials, Problems, Tribulations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Dark Side

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

The Dark side we need to see into: Proverbs 4:19 “But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” Years ago, the movie Star Wars came out and my daughters and I made a pact to go see every Star Wars movie together. We have loved the series and one of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:9

Tags: Evil, Dark Side, Darth Vader

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Simeon The Pillar Hermit

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 28, 2024

Simeon was probably like most boys his age in A.D. 403. The 13-year-old spent much of his time caring for his father's flocks on the hillside of Cilicia. But one day, while listening to a sermon on the beatitudes, stirred and changed he left his home and family and began a lifelong pursuit of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Finding God, Monks, Intimacy With God, Separation, Holiness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Be Careful What You Imitate

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Nov 17, 2024

In the late 1990s, aspiring actor and writer Johnny Knoxville had moved from Knoxville, Tennessee to Los Angeles, California, and landed work in commercials in order to support his wife and infant daughter. Among his ideas was one to produce an article that involved testing various self-defense ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:11, Ephesians 5:1-2

Tags: Imitate, Bad Examples, Good Examples, Johnny Knoxville

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bearish Schedule--Bullish Timing!" Galatians 5: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2004

“Bearish Schedule--Bullish Timing!” Galatians 5: 22-24 Key verse(s): 22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Part of the fun of living are those times and events in our lives that happen spontaneously; that ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-24

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Lutheran

Secret Of The Fifth Man!" Mark 2:1-5 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 12, 2005

“Secret of the Fifth Man!” Mark 2:1-5 Key verse(s) 3:“Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.” Five people passed the beggar but only one stopped to help. The will it seems to get somewhere on time, a preoccupation with self, easily thwarted a fragile affection that ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-5, Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Compassion, Romantic Love

Denomination: Lutheran

In The Chronicles Of Narnia, Several Young ...  PRO

Contributed by Glenn Robertson on Nov 16, 2005

In The Chronicles of Narnia, several young children represent Christians in a world of dragons, elves, unicorns, and many other mythical creatures. One of the children is a young boy named Eustace. Eustace is a very selfish boy. He always tries to see life for how it best benefits him. What he ...read more

Tags: Narnia

Denomination: Baptist

Is The Church On The Endangered List?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 18, 2006

** IS THE CHURCH ON THE ENDANGERED LIST? Many Americans are on a spiritual quest. This should be good news for the church. But, according to researchers, many of them are choosing noninstitutional forms of religion. A recent poll by Gallup shows that weekly church attendance is holding steady at ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:18

Tags: Sanctuary, Church General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Successful Businessman--Modern Day Rich ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2009

Successful Businessman--Modern Day Rich Fool John Ortberg tells the story of a successful businessman. He worked 14 hours a day, even on weekends. He thought the 40 hour work week was such a good idea he would often do it twice a week. His goal was to be the best businessman he could be. Even when ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:16-19

Tags: Parable Rich Fool