In Sermon Illustrations: "Baby Jesus"

Guten-Something...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 22, 2008

Guten-Something... A book collector ran into an unbookish acquaintance who soon revealed that old books didn't mean anything to him. In fact, he observed he had just thrown away a big old Bible which had been packed away in the attic of his ancestral home for generations. He was describing it ...read more

Tags: Ignorance

Denomination: Pentecostal

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), That Great English ...

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Oct 23, 2008

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), that great English scientist, discovered three important "laws of motion." The third one states that "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." This principle was used in space exploration. We learned to use powerful thrust rockets burning fuel to ...read more

Tags: Law

Denomination: Baptist

Belief In The Resurrection  PRO

Contributed by Todd Leupold on Nov 3, 2008

J. Vernon McGee once pointed out: "Martha believed in a resurrection. But listen, it makes less demand upon faith to believe that in a future day we shall receive glorified bodies than it does to rest now on the assuracne that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. It is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 20:27-38

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

Trudge

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jan 8, 2009

"TRUDGE" The word "trudge" gives us a definite picture. We trudge through snow. It is laborious walk. It is tiring. It takes work. It seems to me to be rather unmotivated. Sometimes doing what is right seems like trudging. Sometimes doing what we need to do is not glamorous and exciting. Sometimes ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Church Of God

Thou Wast A Bond-Man

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Jan 18, 2009

Thou Wast a Bond-Man John Newton, the former slave-ship captain, was so grateful for God’s gracious dealings with him that when the vicarage at Olney was refurbished he had two sentences from Isaiah 43:4 and Deuteronomy 15:15 painted over the fireplace of his study: ’Since thou wast precious in my ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Baptist

In Seminary, Every Student Was Asked This ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Feb 19, 2009

In seminary, every student was asked this question and it was sort of a psychological test that with the other tests could reveal some possible issues of the student and point to the fitness of the student for pastoral ministry. For example, I said, “Jesus.” Because as a potential pastor, I thought ...read more

Tags: David

Denomination: Church Of God

Linda Was On Vacation, Playing The Slot Machines. ...

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Feb 24, 2009

Linda was on vacation, playing the slot machines. It was her first time in a casino, and she wasn’t sure how the machines operated. "Excuse me," she said to a casino employee. "How does this work?" The worker showed her how to insert a bill, hit the spin button, and operate the release ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Cannot Say The Lord's Prayer If...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 8, 2022

An unknown author put together an interesting (convicting) summary of how we cannot pray the Lord's Prayer, which should be actually referred to as the Disciples’ Prayer, for Jesus had no sin to confess. I cannot say “our” if I live only for myself. I cannot say, “Father” if I do not endeavor ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God, Sermon On The Mount, Forgiveness, Prayer, Temptation, Holiness, Lord's Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Narrow Definition Of Neighbor

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 20, 2022

With their passion for definition, Jewish Rabbis sought to define who a man's "neighbor" was. They confined the word "neighbor" to include only their fellow Jews. For instance, some of them said that it was illegal to help a Gentile woman in her time of childbirth for ...read more

Tags: Levites, Priests, Rabbis, Parable, Neighbor, Kindness, Good Samaritan  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Do Road Rage If You Have A Christian Bumper Sticker!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 29, 2022

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and ...read more

Tags: Stress, Satan, Obedience, Humor, Hypocrisy, Testimony, Police  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Contamination Is Another Word For Sin

Contributed by Dave Hensman on Sep 29, 2022

I once lived in Vancouver Canada. Above the city in the mountains there is a lake which serves as the city water supply. That lake is fenced, you can't swim in it, boat on it, or even hike around it. It's pure and will kept pure at all costs. To defile it would defile all. What flows out ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23

Tags: Sin, Redemption

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Ted Turner Turned Away From God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

Cable television mogul Ted Turner criticized conservative Christianity and said, "Jesus probably would be sick at his stomach" over the way his ideas have been "twisted" by today's preachers, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Turner made his remarks at a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: False Professors, Deception, Bitterness, Last Days, Unbelief, Apostasy, Denying The Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be A Christian But Don't Act Like One!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 28, 2022

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Satan, Discipleship, Kingdom Of God, Hypocrites

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Am More Alive Than Ever - D. James Kennedy

Contributed by Timothy Lueking on Apr 3, 2023

D. James Kennedy wrote a book called "Skeptics Answered" and in this book, he made this observation that has always stuck with me. It reminds me of a quote from D.L. Moody many years before. Kennedy wrote, "There will, in fact, come a time when some of you will probably be standing ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25-26

Tags: Death, Easter, Resurrection, Life, Eternal Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Genesis In The New Testament

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

There are at least 165 passages in Genesis that are either directly quoted or clearly referred to in the New Testament. Many of these are alluded to more than once, so that there are at least two hundred quotations or allusions to Genesis in the New Testament There exist over one hundred ...read more

Tags: Abel, New Testament, Eve, Genesis, Moses, Adam, Cain, Old Testament  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Can Wash Away My Sin?

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 4, 2025

Your hands are wonderful creations of God! Look at your hands. But if left to do whatever we want – those hands get us into trouble. Try telling a child, “Don’t touch that!” Eve used her hand to pick a forbidden fruit. Adam received the forbidden fruit from Eve. Cain used his hand to murder ...read more

Scripture: Acts 22:16, Genesis 4:11

Tags: Eve, Adam, Cain, Hand

Denomination: Methodist

Gossip-Free Church

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 23, 2025

I like to illustrate this kind of thing by talking about gossip. I believe it is the most tolerated sin in every congregation. As always, I like to share my definition of gossip. Something is not gossip if it can pass three tests: ? 100% Truth - You heard/saw it directly – can’t be repeated from ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29

Tags: Truth, Gossip, Holier Than Thou

Denomination: Methodist

Living On The Mountain  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on Mar 22, 2002

LIVING ON THE MOUNTAIN Listen to one man’s remarkable discovery at Smokey Mountain near the Philippine capital of Manila: "A gigantic man-made mound, perhaps 100 feet high, ran on before us for a mile or more. Wisps of smoke rose from fissures all over the sides and top of this municipal dump and ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment, Love Of The Disciples, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Soul Could Mean Many  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Yandris on Mar 2, 2003

(One soul could mean many) Andrew brought Simon- just one. But that was many, for under God, Simon brought three thousand souls in one day! It has been estimated that probably 95% of church members have never lead anyone to Christ. I like what Paul say’s in 1 Cor 9:19 " I made myself a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27

Tags: Evangelism How To, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Story Is Told About A Meeting Satan Had With ...  PRO

Contributed by Adam Deibert on May 7, 2004

A story is told about a meeting Satan had with his chief demons. Christianity was spreading rapidly and growing fervently, and they needed to devise a way to undermine the work. The arch deceiver called for suggestions. “We could bring some more hypocrites into the church” said one. “No,” said ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist