In Sermon Illustrations: "Blessed Life"

Lions

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 31, 2010

LIONS Lions roamed the countryside and forests in Mesopotamia, and the people feared them and greatly respected their power. Some kings hunted lions for sport. The Persians captured lions, keeping them in large parks where they were fed and attended. Lions were also used for executing people. But ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

Whose Jeans?  PRO

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 9, 2010

WHOSE JEANS? After going on a diet, a woman was really feeling good about herself, especially when she was able to fit into a pair of jeans she had outgrown long ago. "Look, look!" she shouted while running downstairs to show her husband. "I can wear my old jeans again!" Her husband looked at her ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Brethren

The Organist At St Paul's Cathedral (London) ...

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 30, 2010

The organist at St Paul's Cathedral (London) caught sight of Felix Mendelssohn (German composer, 1809-47) in the congregation. He sent the great composer a note inviting him to play the organ after the service. Mendelssohn agreed. The congregation, already shuffling out of the pews to go home, ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

Denomination: Brethren

The Spirit Is A Light

Contributed by Michael Buckingham on Aug 8, 2011

THE SPIRIT IS A LIGHT If there was no light, we would all be as blind people, we could see no colours, all would be dark inside. We wouldn’t be able to read this Bible if there was no light. You see the Christian life is like a journey. And God has given us a road map, which is the Bible. Now ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

Barna: God's Truth

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 14, 2012

BARNA: GOD'S TRUTH George Barna from his book Turning Vision Into Action states, "Abraham was successful until God showed him that material wealth was poverty in eternity. Moses had it made as the adopted son of the Egyptian pharaoh, but he discovered that the finest clothing, the best education ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Max Lucado: Interlock Our Understandings  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Aug 6, 2013

In his book, “Imagine Your Life Without Fear” Max Lucado gives some significant insight when he says, "Questions can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-17, Hebrews 10:25, John 1:29-42, Luke 19:1-10

Tags: Fellowship, Discipleship

Denomination: Nazarene

Jesus Is The Gospel.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 19, 2016

JESUS IS THE GOSPEL. "Fundamentally, our Lord’s message was Himself. He did not come merely to preach a Gospel; He himself is that Gospel. He did not come merely to give bread; He said, "I am the bread." He did not come merely to shed light; He said, "I am the light." He did not come merely to ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-12, John 1:1-2

Tags: Jesus, Salvation, Gospel

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Silence And Solitude: Jesus Example

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 16, 2016

Jesus made a habit of withdrawing to "the Hills" or "a lonely place" or "the wilderness" or "a high mountain" or the Garden of Gethsemane. He went to these places before he chose his disciples, after he heard of his cousin John's beheading, after feeding the 5000, after healing a leper, for the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:12, Luke 9:28

Tags: Solitude, Silence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Engraved On A Cathedral In Germany

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 2, 2022

These words are engraved on a cathedral in Lubeck, Germany: You call Me master and obey Me not, You call Me light and see Me not, You call Me the way and walk Me not, You call Me life and live Me not, You call Me wise and follow Me not, You call Me fair and love Me not, You call Me rich ...read more

Tags: Servant, Obedience, Lordship Of Christ, Lord, Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Ministered In The Marketplace More Than Anywhere Else.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 4, 2022

Christ met unbelievers where they were. And He met them most often in the marketplace, not in a place of worship. He realized what many Christians today still don't seem to understand. Cultivators have to get out in the field. According to one count, the Gospels record 132 contacts that ...read more

Tags: Great Supper, Church, Gospel, Parables, Witnessing, Great Commission, Marketplace, Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Too Busy To Die

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 13, 2022

Too busy to read the Bible, too busy to wait and pray; Too busy to speak out kindly, to someone who passes by the way! Too busy working and worrying, to think of the life to come; Too busy building earthly mansions, to plan for the Heaven above. Too busy to help a brother, who faces trials and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Hell, Death, Heaven, Salvation, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stay Plugged In

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Jan 25, 2023

A friend of mine emailed me something so true about staying connected ... When God made trees he spoke to the earth. When God made fish he spoke to the water. When God made man he said let us make man in our image. He breathed life from Him into us. These three things are alive. however they ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5

Tags: Connected To God, Where We Draw Power, Our Connection To God, We Can't Live Without God, If We Disconnect  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Put Downs Never Lift Up A Marriage

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

When psychologists Cliff Nortarius and Howard Markman studied newlyweds over the first decade of marriage, they discovered that couples who stayed together uttered 5 or fewer put-downs in every 100 comments to each other. But couples who inflicted twice as many verbal wounds -- 10 or more putdowns ...read more

Tags: Home, Talk, Marriage, Family, Conversation, Divorce, Words, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Grow As You Go.' The First Sermon In This Series ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jan 7, 2008

‘Grow as You Go.’ The first sermon in this series took us to Moses and his encounter with God. We were told that God had a role, an important one at that, for Moses and it was in line with God’s plan and story and not Moses’ plan and story. In other words, we ‘grow’ in our Christian faith and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-11, Matthew 12:33-37, Acts 4:1-37

Tags: Outreach, Worship, Faithfulness, Practice, Examine, Education  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Church Of God

I'd Like To Begin By Telling You A Little Story ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 28, 2001

I’d like to begin by telling you a little story about something that happened to me this week. I took the minivan in for an oil change at the Chrysler dealer. I was sitting in the waiting room, which was empty except for me and one other man. I was a little bored, so I struck up a conversation. And ...read more

Tags: Lincoln, Humor, Discipleship, Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Mr. Holland’s Opus": Leaving A Legacy, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jun 15, 2001

["Mr. Holland’s Opus": Leaving a Legacy, Citation: Mr. Holland’s Opus, (Hollywood Pictures, 1995), rated PG, written by Patrick Sheane Duncan, directed by Stephen Herek; submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois] Mr. Holland’s Opus is a movie about a frustrated composer in Portland, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Tags: Family, David, Fulfillment, Gifts General, Jonathan, Legacy, Leadership General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Giant Steps  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 10, 2002

Giant steps Marathon the latest goal in a life of challenges. Katie Lynch, 26, practicing for Monday’s Boston Marathon with a special Walker. (Globe Staff Photo / JohnTlumacki) By John Vellante, Globe Staff, 4/14/01 WAYLAND Her life -- all 26-plus years of it -- has been one challenge after ...read more

Tags: Human Body, Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Many Years Ago, I Failed The Lord In A Stupid ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 27, 2002

Many years ago, I failed the Lord in a stupid teenager deed. I can painfully remember January the 1st, 1968. I was raised in the parsonage, I was 16 years old, I knew right from wrong. But I failed the Lord! 1/1/68 was always a painful memory of my stupid failure. Before the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:12, Psalm 103:12

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Dr. Colbert States, "Your Perceptions Determine ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 19, 2005

Dr. Colbert states, “Your perceptions determine how you see the world. The mind is similar to a computer –the brain is the hard drive, and the perceptions are the ‘software.’ It is the perception of people, demands, issues, and circumstances-not the actual people, demands, issues, or circumstances ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Fear And Worry, Guilt

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Story Of George C. Wallace Sounds Like ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

The story of George C. Wallace sounds like something from Paul Harvey’s "The Rest of the Story." It comes in two parts: the sad, earlier life and the hard but hopeful latter life. A dramatic and tragic event in the middle brought life-changing consequences for the man from Alabama. In 1962, ...read more

Tags: Repentance