In Sermon Illustrations: "Buried With Him"

I Once Had A Co-Worker Who Asked The Question, ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Evans on Sep 12, 2003

I once had a co-worker who asked the question, "if God is really a loving God then why does He permit all this evil in the world. In reponse to my co-worker I said, For just a moment, pretend that you are God and in your imagination you are going to recreate a perfect world. Keep in mind, however, ...read more

Tags: Apologetics God, Apologetics General

Many Years Ago C.s. Lewis Wrote The Screwtape ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Dec 4, 2003

Many years ago C.S. Lewis wrote the Screwtape Letters. Screwtape was an assistant devil writing to his nephew Wormwood. Screwtape was telling his nephew how to make the "patient" leave the camp of the arch enemy, the Prince of Peace, and dwell in the camp of the real boss, the prince of darkness. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:4, Matthew 3:1-12

Tags: Temptation Pride

Denomination: Lutheran

In A Back Yard There Once Lived An Apple Tree ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Jun 25, 2004

In a back yard there once lived an apple tree and a thorn bush. The apple tree produced nice juicy apples that everyone liked to eat. Kids would climb up the tree and pluck the apples. Worms would eat the ones that fell on the ground. Birds would peck away at the fruit from the top. The owner ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-24

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Passing The Torch  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 16, 2004

PASSING THE TORCH On August the 13th, the Summer Olympics begin 16 jam pack days of competition at the site of the original Olympic Games, Athens, Greece. This month we have watched American athletes compete for a spot on the team in track and field and swimming and if their times carry over to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:19

Tags: Sharing Your Faith, Evangelism How To

Curious About Trouble!" Exodus 14: 10-15 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 28, 2004

“Curious About Trouble!” Exodus 14: 10-15 Key verse(s): 11 “As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:10-15

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

God Is Watching  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Dec 2, 2004

Notice what Malachi says; “…A child HONORS his father, and a servant HONORS his master. I am a father, so why don’t you respect me? I am a master, so why don’t you respect me? You priests do not respect me? But you ask, ‘How have we shown you disrespect?’ You have shown it by ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

They've All Been Wrong  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Feb 1, 2001

THEY'VE ALL BEEN WRONG Looking back at how Christians have viewed Christ’s second coming in the past, we find many people obsessed with figuring out all the details and making predictions. Here is a quote: "The last days are upon us. Weigh carefully the times. Look for him who is above all ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Daniel 9:20-27

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Many Of You Have Seen The Modern-Day ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Apr 30, 2001

How many of you have seen the modern-day Christmas classic, “A Christmas Story?” It’s a great movie about one family’s Christmas season and a little boy’s mission to receive the Cadillac of BB guns as a present. The Miano family watches this movie every year. Whenever I see the scene of Ralphie ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6-7

Tags: Humility, Sin General, Temptation Pride

Denomination: *other

The Prodigal Son In The Key Of F  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Jun 13, 2001

The Prodigal Son in the Key of F Feeling footloose and frisky, a feather-brained fellow forced his father to fork over his farthings. Fast he flew to foreign fields and frittered his family’s fortune, feasting fabulously with floozies and faithless friends. Flooded with flattery he financed a ...read more

Scripture: James 2:9

Tags: Faith, Promises Of God, God The Father

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Q: How Many Lawyers Does It Take To Change A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Oct 1, 2001

Q: How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb? A: How many can you afford? Q: How many evolutionists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Just one but it will take a million years. Q: How many Psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Only one, but the bulb has got to ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

Pete O'brien Played First Base For The Texas ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 6, 2001

Pete O’Brien played first base for the Texas Rangers for several years & did so well that he was given a contract with the Seattle Mariners for multi-million dollars. He now plays first base in Seattle, but still lives in the Arlington area. Dennis Slaughter, minister of the Valley View Christian ...read more

Tags: Humility, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bill Hybels Recalls A Time When Dr. Gilbert ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 21, 2002

Bill Hybels recalls a time when Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian was speaking for a leadership conference at Willow Creek Community Church. He writes about it like this… “Dr. Bilezikian said there’s life-changing fellowship in biblically functioning community. That was a far cry from the childhood ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Church Small Groups, Community, Friendship General, Money  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Thief Gets The Bird  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 30, 2002

THIEF GETS THE BIRD A man in Ontario, Canada returned home one evening to find his more valuable and easily-fenced goodies stacked neatly beside the door. When the homeowner saw the living room was also spattered with blood, he feared the worst for his beloved house pet, a large African parrot. The ...read more

Those Little Maybe's! (08.12.05--Character ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 11, 2005

Those Little Maybe’s! (08.12.05--Character Counts!--Romans 5: 3-4) A drought tests the metal of a man. It tests his fortitude and his faithfulness. It also tests his resourcefulness and his ingenuity. I come from a long line of “resourceful” folks who seemed to see in every bleak and forlorn ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-4

Tags: Perseverance, Character, Diligence, Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Only A Risk Away! (08.26.05--Under ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 25, 2005

Only A Risk Away! (08.26.05--Under Pressure!--Judges 6:25-30) Is it worth Risking? It used to be that life was a matter of “this I will risk” but “this I will not.” Risk was something that was weighed on a daily basis. It was a part of life. You picked one thing over another because you had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30, Judges 6:25-30

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

Cut To Fit!  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 25, 2005

Cut To Fit! (08.29.05--Sickness!--Hebrews 12:6) Arthritis is a real drag. As active as you would like to be this day or any, if you are weighted down with joints that are sometimes swollen and often stiff, the day always seems sometime a bit longer, somehow harder to bear. I’ve been an arthritis ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:6

Tags: God In The Hardships, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

Perhaps You Are Familiar With The Greeting Or ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Sep 6, 2005

Perhaps you are familiar with the greeting or call to worship whereby the pastor or liturgist declares, “God Is Good,” and the people, respond, “All the Time.” The pastor affirms, “All the time,” and the congregation declares, “God is Good.” Many United Methodists use it frequently as a ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Methodist

Stop The Bleeding But Heal The Wound! ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2005

Stop the Bleeding But Heal the Wound! (10.07.05--Beginning Again!--Genesis 16:7-10) There is one good rule for starting over. If something’s broken, don’t try to fix it with anything less than your best effort. The odds are that the more you try to “band-aid” things, the longer it will take for ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:7-10

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

Making God-Hugs Possible! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 10, 2005

Making God-Hugs Possible! (10.12.05--Sacrifice!--Matthew 19:21) Does God place limits on how far He wants us to go when it comes to committing to His will? If His will is our sacrifice, can there be any limits? Is our God reasonable when it comes to our ability to forbear or to bear? God, of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:21

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

It's The Fruit And Not The Tree! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 20, 2005

It’s The Fruit and Not The Tree! (10.24.05--Making It!--Psalm 1:3) Each year as the seasons change, so does the selection of fruit that is available at my local Piggly Wiggly. In early summer there are the tangy apricots and sweet plums along with nutty peaches and nectarines. As summer passes, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran