In Sermon Illustrations: "Boast"

A Thanks Offering For God's Grace  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Thanks Offering For God's Grace In this country, the entire nation celebrates Thanksgiving in November. Some celebrate by busily preparing food, watching football and gathering with family. These are great Thanksgiving celebrations. However, Christians have a greater blessing in the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10, Exodus 15:1-21

Tags: Lodebar, Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Repentance Is Not A One-Time Event

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

REPENTANCE IS NOT A ONE-TIME EVENT Doug Tegner tells the story of attending a one-day leadership retreat called to deal with his church's current crisis. Redwood Chapel was founded in 1962 and has since hosted the Bay Area Sunday School convention (BASS), had strong music programs, planted vibrant ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Methodist

A Teenager's Low Popularity Convinced Her That ...  PRO

Contributed by John Shearhart on Feb 24, 2005

A teenager’s low popularity convinced her that she was not attractive. She became a top fashion model, hailed by many as the most beautiful woman in the world. All those who had ignored her are now boasting that they had gone to school with Claudia Schiffer! He was rejected as too awkward and ...read more

Tags: Self Image, Struggles, Endurance, Failure, Encouragement  (view more)  (view less)

Everything I Need  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jan 21, 2002

EVERYTHING I NEED “I have everything I need for joy!” Robert Reed said. His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can’t bathe himself. He can’t feed himself. He can’t brush his teeth, comb his hair, or put on his underwear. Strips of Velcro hold his shirts together. His speech drags ...read more

Tags: Joy, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

1 Corinthians 13 — Church Version  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jan 28, 2003

1 Corinthians 13 - church version “If our church could hold services in five languages or our members could speak three, but we didn’t love others, we would be all talk and no action. If our church really expressed it’s spiritual gifts with wholehearted service and we became spiritual giants, but ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1

Tags: Church General, Christian Love

Denomination: Church Of God

Game Of Chance

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jul 9, 2010

GAME OF CHANCE A person recently said to me as they were dying that the Bible was just a series of myths and stories, and if I want to, I can choose to live my life assuming that it is. I can choose to treat heaven like a GAME OF CHANCE and the Bible as something less than a sure thing. I can ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In Max Lucado's Book The "Applause Of Heaven" ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Wafford on Apr 13, 2005

In Max Lucado’s book the “Applause of Heaven” reads, Even though by the “book” I’m guilty, by God’s love I get another chance. Even though by the law I’m indicted, by mercy I’m given a fresh start. “For it is by grace you have been saved … not by works, so that no one can boast.” 9 No other world ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Promises Of God

Denomination: Baptist

In The City Of Philadelphia There Was A Little ...

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Jun 26, 2008

In the city of Philadelphia there was a little third-class hotel. Into it one night there came two tired elderly people. They went up to the night clerk and the husband pleadingly said, “Mister, please don’t tell us you don’t have a room. My wife and I have been all over the city looking for a ...read more

Tags: Kindness

Denomination: Lutheran

A Thanks Offering

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Thanks Offering 1 Chronicles 29:16, "O LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you." Christians are the temple that God cares about today, for 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 17 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:16

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Easter: Freed By Grace

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Easter: Freed By Grace A life connected to the "Ever-Flowing Life of Easter" is a meaningful life and it is a life "Freed by Grace." Romans 11:6 says, "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For it is by grace you have ...read more

Scripture: Romans 11:6

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Speaking In Tongues Has Continued On Through The ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 9, 2008

Speaking in tongues has continued on through the history of the church and reveals why it is not to be forbid even today: Early Church history reveals this gift as legitimate and being practiced (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia#Church_History_.28A.D._100_to_500.29) 1. For the ...read more

Tags: Gifts Tongues

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Needed For Joy?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

WHAT IS NEEDED FOR JOY? Max Lucado tells the following story about Robert Reed: "I have everything I need for joy!" Robert Reed said. His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can't bathe himself. He can't feed himself. He can't brush his teeth, comb his hair, or put on his underwear. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-24

Tags: Joy

Having A Brain Can Be A Problem

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 6, 2024

I have been showing people a picture of my brain for almost a month now. I’ve been having a lot of fun doing it and teasing people by saying, “I have proof that I have a brain.” In the beginning, I just believed that having a brain would be a wonderful experience for me. Little did I know that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Brain, Problems

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Grace Of God

Contributed by James Dina on Oct 25, 2020

THE GRACE OF GOD "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15:10) Grace can be defined as the love and mercy given ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:10

Tags: Grace, Grace Of God, Unmerited Favor

Denomination: Pentecostal

Listen To The Words Of Max Lucado From His Book ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 2, 2008

Listen to the words of Max Lucado from his book "When God Whispers Your Name": "For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose. I choose love. No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice ...read more

Tags: Father's Day, Mother's Day, New Year's Day

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize The year Pete Rose was about to break Ty Cobb's all-time hits record in spring training, he was being interviewed. One reporter blurted out, "Pete, you only need 78 hits to break the record. How many at-bats do you think you'll need to get the 78 hits?" Without ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Character

What Would It Mean To Obey This Command? Jerry ...

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 17, 2009

What would it mean to obey this command? Jerry Bridges helps us think through what that looks like in his book, The Gospel for Real Life. Here are just a few points he lists. To love the Lord your God with all your heart … soul and… mind means… • Your love for God transcends all other desires ...read more

Tags: Righteousness

Denomination: *other

Augustine And The Four States Of Man  PRO

Contributed by Terry Barnhill on Mar 5, 2012

AUGUSTINE AND THE FOUR STATES OF MAN In the 5th century AD, St. Augustine wrote about the "4 States of Man": * The first state of man (the haec sunt prima) is "living according to the flesh -- with reason making no resistance." This can be seen in so many ancient cultures and religions (and ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-15

Tags: Allegory

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What Does It Mean To Be Real?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 18, 2020

Excerpt from the Story of the Skin Horse “The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others. He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, John 3:16

Tags: Love, Children, Marriage, Family, Relationships, Real, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[145]. A Message From A Poem – In The World But Not Of It

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 27, 2025

[145]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT We are citizens of this world but we are not bound to that, for as Christians, we have a higher citizenship which is in heaven – {{Philippians 3:20 “OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN from which also we eagerly wait for a Saviour, the Lord ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Philippians 3:20, Hebrews 11:13-14

Tags: Living In The World, Christian Poems, In The World But Not Of It, Citizens Of The World, Strangers, Heavenly Citizenship, Pilgrims, The World, Exiles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational