In Sermon Illustrations: "Authentic Love"

Responsiblity To All Living Creatures

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 18, 2022

Genesis 9:1-7 Devotional From Gen. 9:1-3 we note God blessed Noah and his sons. What was the command? – same as for the first man and woman – populate the earth (somewhat of a new beginning) What were given to man in v2? – man was given the responsibility to rule over all other creatures on ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 9:1-7

Tags: People, Nature, God's Love, Responsibilty On Earth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

From Godly To Rebellion?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 25, 2022

Genesis 10 – 11:9…. Look again at verses 10:5, 20, 31…. and 11:1…. What do you think is the explanation for this? – v32 gives the answer; all came from Noah (with his language, but the 3 sons went to all different areas of the world) The second half of Genesis 11 speaks of Abraham, from the line ...read more

Tags: Evil, God's Love, Rebellion, Godly, Mankind  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I've Got To Get Grandma On One Of These Machines!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 29, 2022

Grandpa was way up in years before he ever had the opportunity to go to an airport. He also had never seen an escalator in his life. He stood in amazement watching the escalator go up and down for the longest tme. Then, just as he was about to leave, he saw a whole bus-load of ladies from the ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Love, Marriage, Agape, Humor, Spouses  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Come As You Are

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Nov 21, 2024

A friend of mine in Louisiana had his 11 year old nephew for the weekend just after the uncle had had a close call with death and gotten released from the hospital. On Sunday morning, his nephew approached him. “Come on, Uncle, let’s go to church!” “But Dom, you don’t have any church clothes ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:18, Matthew 11:27, Romans 5:8

Tags: Come As You Are, God Loves All People

Denomination: Charismatic

Grief: God's Answer To Overwhelming Grief

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Aug 25, 2025

What follows is a true account, which I (Stephen) was fortunate enough to witness firsthand in the spring of 2015. My wife was an only child raised by a single mom, and as such was very close to her mother. Thus, when her mother died after 90 years my wife was severely grief stricken and would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 1 Samuel 3:9-10

Tags: Death, Prayer, Listen, Grief, Loved One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

History Of Father's Day - Sonora Smart Dodd

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 25, 2025

Indeed ... It is Father's Day, ... and the very first national celebration ... of this day .... was on June 19, 1924, ... via a proclamation ... of President Calvin Coolidge. But it all came about ... due to the efforts of a woman named ... "Sonora" Smart Dodd. Sonora was sitting ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19, Romans 8:38-39, Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 12:10-11, Ephesians 6:1-3, Colossians 3:21  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Father's Day, Celebrate, Fathers, Remembrence, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

A Kiss That Changed A Prodigal Into A Preacher!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

The late Joe Bayly was a gentle, godly Christian leader. I once heard him tell how one of his sons rebelled back in the days of the hippie movement. He grew his hair long and moved into a communal flophouse. Late one night, Bayly received a call informing him that his son was being held at one of ...read more

Tags: Prodigal Son, Fathers, Fathers And Sons, Luke 15, Parables, Lost, Father's Love, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Late One Summer Evening In Broken Bow, Nebraska, ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeeva Sam on Mar 20, 2001

Late one summer evening in Broken Bow, Nebraska, a weary truck driver pulled his rig into an all-night truck stop. The waitress had just served him when three tough looking, leather jacketed motorcyclists - of the Hell’s Angels type - decided to give him a hard time. Not only did they verbally ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:1-16, Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Reaping And Sowing, Praise, Thankfulness, Love, Judging Others, Forgiveness For Others, Giving, Christian Love, Anger, Worship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Life Is No Brief Candle To Me. It Is A Sort Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Dru Ashwell on Dec 16, 2001

"Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Sharing Your Faith, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Trouble With Success Is That The Formula Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

"The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown." ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, God Brings Hope, Workplace Balance

Dr. Bill Bright Of Campus Crusade For Christ ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jan 11, 2002

Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ tells this story of a famous oil field called Yates Pool: During the depression this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates wasn’t able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, God's Omnipotence, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Make Yourself At Home  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 20, 2002

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME Becky Pippert, is a Christian author from Naperville, Illinois. While doing campus ministry she met a student named Bill on a college campus in Portland, Oregon. Bill was brilliant, and always looked like he was pondering something deep. He had messy hair, and the entire ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Christian Love, Promises Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Story In The Denver Post Came Out In 1958 That ...  PRO

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Mar 22, 2002

A story in the Denver Post came out in 1958 that illustrates self-less love. June 7, 1958 the Air National Guard’s jet precision team was performing outside of Dayton, Ohio. Five precision flyers made up the Minute Men team. Colonel Walt Williams was the leader of the Denver-based F-86 Sabre-jet ...read more

Tags: Love, Compassion, Christian Disciplines, Healing, Forgiveness In Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Free Methodist

Listen Carefully  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 9, 2002

LISTEN CAREFULLY Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and ...read more

Tags: People In Acts, Holy Spirit Attributes, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Pentecostal

Faith And Works Should Travel Side-By-Side, Step ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 6, 2002

Faith and works should travel side-by-side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again—until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other. William ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith General, Faith Vs. Works, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

Stopping To Focus  PRO

Contributed by Michael Gibney on Aug 9, 2002

STOPPING TO FOCUS Have you ever wondered why a pigeon walks so funny? According to an interesting article in the Detroit Free Press, a pigeon walks the way it does so it can see where it’s going. Because it can’t adjust its focus as it moves, the pigeon actually has to bring its head to a complete ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Lordship Of Christ, Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My 4 Year Old Daughter Heard Me Talking About A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 20, 2002

My 4 year old daughter heard me talking about a national tragedy with my wife. I made the comment that there truly was evil in this world. My daughter suddenly perked up and said, "Daddy...Evil can only be replaced by good." Thrilled that my daughter had picked up such a profound idea and sure ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, God's Provision, Christian Love

I Remember An Old "Dragnet” ...

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Oct 6, 2002

I remember an old “Dragnet” television episode back in the mid ‘60s, when the arguments about the dangers or relative safeties of marijuana use were in full bloom. The main character, Sgt Joe Friday, was expounding to a young suspect the harmful effects and results of heroine sale and use, and how ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Church Body Of Christ, Apologetics General

Denomination: Orthodox

Christian Author Max Lucado Says, "We Aren't ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Burgess on Oct 7, 2002

Christian author Max Lucado says, “We aren’t good enough to judge. Can the hungry accuse the beggar? Can the sick mock the ill? Can the blind judge the deaf?” In the same way, can the sinner condemn the sinner? Absolutely not! He goes on to say, “Be careful! The Peter who denies Jesus at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43

Tags: God's Judgment, Friendship New Friends, Christian Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Taken From The Tomb Of A Bishop In Westminster ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Oct 26, 2002

Taken from the tomb of a Bishop in Westminster Abbey 1100 A.D.: When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser and realized the world would not change I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country: but it ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Sharing Your Faith, Giving Yourself

Denomination: Mennonite