In Sermon Illustrations: "Bearing"

Prayer Of A Half-Hearted Christian

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Prayer of a Half-hearted Christian I love thy church, O God; Her walls before me stand; But please excuse my absence, Lord; This bed is simply grand A charge to keep I have; A God to glorify; But Lord, don’t ask for cash from me; The glory comes too high. Am I a soldier of the cross, A follower ...read more

Tags: Faith

In 1893, Engineer George Ferris Built A Machine ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 17, 2007

In 1893, engineer George Ferris built a machine that bears his name--the Ferris wheel. When it was finished, he invited a newspaper reporter to accompany him and his wife for the inaugural ride. It was a windy July day, so a stiff breeze struck the wheel with great force as it slowly began its ...read more

Then There Are The Thorns Which Jesus Says Are ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on May 19, 2009

Then there are the thorns which Jesus says are the wealth and cares of the world. Providing for your family, working, spending, the economy, getting more stuff, getting the stuff paid for and so on are all part of the tension of living in this world while being a proper steward of our blessings. ...read more

Tags: Unbelief

Denomination: Church Of God

God Calls Busy People  PRO

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010

GOD CALLS BUSY PEOPLE In the Bible, God never goes to the lazy or the idle when He needs men (or women) for His service. He goes to those who are already at work — the busy person: — Moses was busy with his flock at Horeb. — Gideon was busy threshing wheat by the winepress. — Saul was busy ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: *other

Mushrooms Or Maple Trees: Mushrooms Sprout Up ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Mushrooms or Maple Trees: Mushrooms sprout up overnight and then wither away in a matter of days. Maple trees, on the other hand, grow gradually while learning to withstand the forces of nature that threaten their existence. They result in a majestic fruit bearing entity that lasts for ...read more

Step By Step

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Feb 15, 2009

STEP BY STEP He does not lead me year by year Nor even day by day, But step by step my path unfolds; My Lord directs my way. Tomorrow’s plans I do not know, I only know this minute; But He will say, "This is the way, By faith now walk in it." And I am glad that it is so, Today’s enough to ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Other

Short-Term Solutions

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 2, 2009

SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS In Chicago’s elevated train stations, they hung phony owls from the ceilings of some of the stations to discourage the pigeons. I can remember seeing pigeons right up next to the owls, blithely ignoring them. Now, there are wire spikes everywhere the pigeons might roost up ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

Denomination: *other

A Dog Jog

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Dec 17, 2012

My dogs like to go on jogs with me. The older dog, Yogi (name after the bear), is a sheep herding dog and loves to run. He is older now and he cannot run as fast, and cannot hear either. So his passion for running and loss of hearing often gets him lost. I realized that if we are going to run ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, Dog

Denomination: Pentecostal

Value And Service = Design

Contributed by Michael Dean on Jan 26, 2013

VALUE AND SERVICE = DESIGN "For there are those who, giving the name of atoms to certain imperishable and most minute bodies that are supposed to be infinite in number, allege that these atoms, as they were carried along by chance in the void, all clashed fortuitously against each other in an ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Mennonite

Identifying With Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

During the Civil War a man by the name of George Wyatt was drawn by lot to go to the front. He had a wife and six children. A young man named Richard Pratt offered to go in his stead. He was accepted and joined the ranks, bearing the name and number of George Wyatt. Before long Pratt was killed in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-13

Tags: Christ Our Substitute, Identifying With Christ, The Exchanged Life, Crucifixion To Self

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

During The Victorian Era, One How-To-Do-It-Right ...

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Jun 23, 2007

During the Victorian era, one how-to-do-it-right manual was Lady Gough’s Book of Etiquette. In this volume, putting books by male authors next to books by female authors was forbidden – unless the authors were married. • Different parts of the United States, as well as other parts of the world, ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Running The Race God's Way

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 16, 2011

RUNNING THE RACE GOD'S WAY Joni Eareckson Tada recently told a story commenting on Romans 15:1-2: "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." She writes, "My husband, Ken, serves ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:1-2

Tags: Compassion

Honey All The Way Down  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

HONEY ALL THE WAY DOWN In one of his famous escapades, Winnie the Pooh, this lovable toy bear, tries to trap an elephant--or, as he pronounces it, a heffalump. So Pooh digs a hole to catch the heffalump, and decides to bait the trap with some of his own favorite food: honey. But of course, it is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:1-28

Tags: Hypocrisy, Prejudice

Black Eye Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Sep 12, 2023

With football season in full swing, I often think of my high school football days. I wasn’t very good at all but, as the saying goes, the older I get the better I was. One of my few highlights from those days was a kickoff return. You may be thinking that my story is about a game winning return but ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 4:16

Tags: Trials, Persecutions, Persecution, Endurance, Trial, Ridicule  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Michael Green Sums It Up. "How Much We Need The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 24, 2002

Michael Green sums it up. “How much we need the Holy Spirit in our church life! Had it struck you that if the New Testament is right in the marrying up of the Holy Spirit with witness bearing, this might shed a flood light on the poverty of spiritual experience in many a church and many a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:34-43, Acts 1:8

One Year, A Tree On The Campus Of Green Acres ...

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jul 11, 2003

One year, a tree on the campus of Green Acres Elementary School, near Santa Cruz, California, bore strange fruit–mostly sandwiches, but sometimes a cookie, a cupcake, an apple or an orange. It came into full bearing from a seed planted by teachers Sophie Farrar and Sandra Enz, who were appalled at ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Wesleyan

Whenever People Expend Themselves, They Want ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Feb 20, 2004

Whenever people expend themselves, they want results. If they lay down their life, they want someone’s life raised up. If they empty themselves, they want someone to be filled. They want their sufferings to bear fruit. If this doesn’t happen, they’re tempted to give up. The refusal of the gift ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Is Well With My Soul  PRO

Contributed by Bishop Raymond Allan Johnson on Jan 6, 2005

It Is Well With My Soul When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has ...read more

Tags: Worship Definition

Denomination: *other

In One Of The Games In A Classic Rose Bowl ...  PRO

Contributed by Eyriche Cortez on Jul 19, 2005

In one of the games in a classic Rose Bowl football contest in 1929, as recounted by Dr Bruce Wilkinson in his Vision of the Leader seminar, Roy Riegels desperately wanted his team to win. The scores were tied. Now, in a crucial moment of that game, Roy Riegels scooped up a loose ball. He cut in ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

Experience In The Christian Walk Is To Be A ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Oct 12, 2005

Experience in the Christian walk is to be a learning tool. You don’t learn truth by just mentally remembering it, you learn it by experiencing it in your life. God teaches you his word though experience. Sometimes stressful ones. What is the difference between a typewriter and a computer??? ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:49-56

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Wesleyan