In Sermon Illustrations: "Better"

The Teddy Bear Lady

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 11, 2009

THE TEDDY BEAR LADY Most of the people at Chicago’s Children’s Hospital did not know her name. They just knew her as the sweet elderly lady in the red suit who wanted to make sure that every sick child had a teddy bear to hug and caress. She kept bringing the stuffed animals, purchased with her ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How To Get To Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN In 1997 there was survey taken by U. S. News and World Report, "Who do you think is mostly likely to get into heaven?" Mother Teresa had a 79%, Oprah Winfrey 66%, Michael Jordon 65%, Colin Powell 61%, Dennis Rodman 28% and O. J. Simpson 19%. The person completing the survey ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3

Tags: Heaven

Faith Fights  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 19, 2009

FAITH FIGHTS Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. I heard a story about a midwestern farmer 50 years ago. The farmer went to the bank to borrow money to buy seed to plant his whole farm in corn. He fired up the old tractor ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Office Worker Reads Bible In Secret At ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2009

Office Worker Reads Bible In Secret at Work When I was a college student I worked for a time in a government office. I noticed after a while in that office that one of the engineers whose desk was back-to-back with mine would perform a little lunch hour ritual involving something in his desk ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

The Difference Between Knowing About And ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 9, 2009

The difference between knowing about and knowing: I’ve read several books about Winston Churchill … but of course, I never met the man. I admire him and appreciate him, but can’t say that I know him in the way that I know my own father. The difference lies in the fact that I have been around my ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Foul Spirit To Freedom

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Mar 25, 2010

FOUL SPIRIT TO FREEDOM Several years ago, I used to visit a nursing home near central El Paso. There was one ornery lady who would growl like a tiger. She was mean! It was clear that she was sick in her mind. Along with others, I would constantly pray for her deliverance. But she would push our ...read more

Tags: Demons

Denomination: Wesleyan

Is He Like Bill?  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Oct 1, 2010

"IS HE LIKE BILL?" Bill was a drunk, converted at a city mission. Before his conversion he had gained a reputation as a tramp and alcoholic for whom there was no hope. But when he was converted everything changed. He became the most caring person at the mission. He spent all his days there doing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16, Romans 8:9

Tags: Evangelism, Witness, Prayer, Christlikeness, Christian Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer And President Lincoln  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2011

PRAYER AND PRESIDENT LINCOLN A clergyman from New York, during a call on President Lincoln at the White House, said: "I have not come to ask any favors of you, Mr. President; I have only come to say that the loyal people of the North are sustaining you and will continue to do so. We are giving you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Ephesians 3:20, Romans 1:8-17, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Philippians 1:1-11, 2 Timothy 1:5-8, Luke 15:11-32, Acts 3:1-10, Romans 8:22-27, Psalm 139:1-24, Isaiah 52:2-3, Luke 11:9-10, Luke 18:1-8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Loyal, God Hears, Call Of God, Living Faith, Prayer Persistence  (view more)  (view less)

Praising Him With Lifted Hands

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 17, 2011

PRAISING HIM WITH LIFTED HANDS I attended a Conference in Overland Park, KS. The host pastor stood up before the opening worship service and said, he grew up in a controlled, dignified and domesticated worship service. He said no one in that church raised their hands in praise. But then when he ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Methodist

Ministry During Black Plague

Contributed by Dr. Nicholas M. Muteti on Jun 20, 2011

MINISTRY DURING BLACK PLAGUE Many years ago, in Europe, there was a great plague that killed one third of the population. It was called the black plague. Tens of thousands were killed each and every month and the population was terrified by the thought of facing death in their families and homes, ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Baptist

At War With Our Vices

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jul 4, 2011

AT WAR WITH OUR VICES On July 4, 1776 fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Citing numerous abuses of the law and the oppressive and unjust rule of the king of England, these men pledged their honor, their lives and their livelihood to the cause of justice and freedom. We have ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Bold, Not Presumptuous

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jul 25, 2011

BOLD, NOT PRESUMPTUOUS The worst example I recall of praying presumptuously and acting like it was blessed boldness is the college student I mentioned in an earlier key. I don’t remember what we were praying about, but I remember his prayer. "Lord, in your word it says that if we ask anything ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:16

Tags: Boldness, Presumption, Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

Philippi And Ebay

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 30, 2011

PHILIPPI AND EBAY How would you rate your self as a Christian on a scale from 1 to 10? Better yet how would your family and friends rate you on the same scale? People see you and I on a different perspective than we do ourselves. For the people who have Internet, I’m sure have encountered eBay at ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27-30

Tags: Witness, Christian, Christian Values

Denomination: Baptist

Tonsillitis: Growing With God

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Sep 8, 2011

TONSILLITIS: GROWING WITH GOD I remember when I was growing up as a small boy I had problems with my tonsils. During the winter months I would get tonsillitis and that would turn into strep throat. Mom and Dad would take me to Dr. Newsom in Pilot Mountain. He would always give me a shot of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 11:33-36

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

What Is Religious Syncretism?

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 13, 2011

WHAT IS RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM? Syncretism, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, is "the reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief." This is most evident in the areas of philosophy and religion, and usually results in a new teaching or belief system. Obviously, this cannot ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Is The Amplifier

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 2, 2012

JESUS IS THE AMPLIFIER Jesus said: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 So... without Jesus I can't do anything? Now, that doesn’t mean you and I can’t do things that might be impressive. ...read more

Tags: Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Forgiveness And The Jump Drive

Contributed by James Webster on Jan 14, 2012

GOD'S FORGIVENESS AND THE JUMP DRIVE Most of you know I keep most of my office work in the corner of the family room in the parsonage since we moved back. Most of my study I do early before anyone gets up. However, for the past couple of weeks I have been coming over to the church office early ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Nazarene

The Importance Of Family Meals

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 2, 2012

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY MEALS "Kids who dine with the folks are healthier, happier, and better students, which is why a dying tradition is coming back." That's what an in-depth study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University concluded after nearly a decade of ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7

Tags: Family

Denomination: Baptist

What Happens At Home

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

WHAT HAPPENS AT HOME Howard Hendricks used to say to us men in seminary preparing to lead churches, "If your Christianity isn't working at home, don't export it." It was his way of saying, "If you can't make your faith work in your own family, then please don't try to make it work in the family of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:4-5

Tags: Parenting

A King's Ransom

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

A KING'S RANSOM I Timothy 2:6 says Jesus "gave himself as a ransom." A ransom is a price paid to purchase someone's freedom. In 1193, the English King Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, was returning from leading a Crusade to the Holy Land. As he returned through Europe, Leopold V ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Tags: Salvation