In Sermon Illustrations: "Calling"

I Know Where You Are, Just Tell Me What You Need  PRO

Contributed by H.b. Charles Jr. on Jan 16, 2012

I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED DR. C.C. MCCUTCHIN of Oklahoma was on the highway, traveling from Tulsa to Oklahoma City, to visit a member who was in the hospital. But on the way, he got a flat tire. Thankfully, he made it to a "Call Box" on the side of the road. But he had never ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-17

Tags: Communion, Communing, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

John Piper On Minimizing Doctrine

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

JOHN PIPER ON MINIMIZING DOCTRINE I think John Piper put it best in his book, Contending For Our All. He wrote: "To the emerging church that would like to minimize doctrine, Athanasius would say, 'Our young people in Alexandria die for doctrine about Christ. What do your young people die for?' ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:9

Tags: Doctrine

Faithful Unto Death

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on May 29, 2012

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH When Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, the city was buried for 1700 years. When it was rediscovered, artifacts left a detailed picture of what was happening in the city at the time. For example, archeologists could identify the time by the clothes people were wearing, the produce ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Baptist

What Commitment?

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012

WHAT COMMITMENT? When I was in my first year of ministry, I walked into our District preachers meeting at the same time as Bobbie Potter, who was pastor of Munholland UMC in Old Metairie. He asked if I preach last Sunday which I did. Then he asked, "What did you ask them to commit to?" I said I ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Methodist

Need ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

NEED PROTECTION? Police sharpshooters were called to a scene in Rochester, NY. They surrounded a car because they noticed there was a man in the back seat with a rifle. The police attempted to negotiate with him but he wouldn’t respond. So they watched and waited. There was no movement. Finally, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:1-3

Tags: Security

When A Couple Is In Conflict, You Find What You ...

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Dec 29, 2012

When a couple is in conflict, you find what you are looking for. If you are looking to find fault with your wife, you will find it! If you are looking to find fault with another church member, you will find it. If you are convinced that someone or a some group of people are snobish, or rude, or ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Kyle Idleman On Tomorrow

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 19, 2013

When fans are asked about when they will get serious about their commitment to follow Jesus, the most common answer is tomorrow. There is a tendency to treat our relationship with Jesus like the diet we keep meaning to start. I'm going to start eating right, as soon as I finish off this chicken ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:59-60

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

They Won't Let Me In, Either!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

THEY WON’T LET ME IN, EITHER! Years ago in the Deep South, a Baptist church was struggling over whether or not to allow a black gentleman to join their church. He had been their janitor for years and decided he wanted to be part of the church family. A special vote of the congregation was called ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:1-20

Tags: Church, Racism, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of Unity

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jun 2, 2016

In one of Aesops fables he describes an old man who had several sons, who were always falling out with one another. He had often, but to no purpose, exhorted them to live together in harmony. One day he called them together, and he gathered a bundle of sticks and tied them together and asked each ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:12, 1 Corinthians 1:10-11

Tags: Harmony, Church Community, E, Unity, Christian Unity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tithe And Offiering

Contributed by Rev. Vinod Rasaily on Oct 19, 2016

"I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields." Nehemiah 3:10 The Pastors and Worship team of Jerusalem Church were no where to be found. The reason? They ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:10-13

Tags: Tithes And Offering, Giving In Love, Support Mission, Financial Support

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Touched By A Five Year Old

Contributed by John Gullick on Aug 15, 2017

On July 27th In Indiana a policeman, Lieut Aaron Allen was shot by a man he was trying to help. He was killed and he had a five year old son. Not long after police including the police chief drove cars 1- 2 hours down highway 31 in Indiana and arrived in a town with their sirens going. They ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:15-19

Tags: Thankfulness, Love

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Square Fillers

Contributed by Doug Fannon on Oct 19, 2018

In the military we had a term that we called “square fillers.” We would have a check-list of requirements and before each requirement or inspection item, there would be printed a little square . When each requirement was completed, you would check off the appropriate square. The term came to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:13-36

Tags: False Religion, Unrighteousness, Outward Appearances, Minimum Requirements, Heart For God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Captain Is My Daddy

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 24, 2018

A little boy was standing on the banks of the Mississippi River waving and shouting at a steamboat that was going by. He was beckoning the steamboat to come to shore. A stranger came by and said, “That's foolish young man. The boat will never come ashore for you. The captain is too busy to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:16

Tags: Answered Prayer, Father

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Sowing And Reaping

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

SOWING and REAPING In my life time I’ve eaten a lot of taters and beans In fact, I’ve grown a lot of taters, and I’ve grown a lot of beans. But I’ve never raised beans from a tater plant, nor have I ever got taters from a bean bush. If fact, I found that 99% of the time you reap what you sow, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:6-8

Tags: Sowing, Reaping

Denomination: Pentecostal

Happiness

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 11, 2020

Augustine on Depravity and Grace; “Without you what am I to myself but a guide to my own self destruction?” “... the self which willed to serve (God) was identical with the self which was unwilling. It was I. I was neither wholly willing nor wholly unwilling. So I was in conflict with myself ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:7-25

Tags: Grace, Sin, Depravity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Missing Pieces

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 25, 2020

A not-so- bright gal calls her boyfriend and says, “Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can’t figure out how to get it started.” He asks, “What is it supposed to be when it’s finished?” The girl says, “According to the picture on the box, it’s a tiger.” Her ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:1-10, Acts 18:24-28

Tags: Immaturity, Thinking, Gaps, Missing Information, Dunning Kruger, Wisdom, Learning, Ignorance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

On Evangelism Tactics

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Apr 9, 2021

Many Christians have a wrong interpretation of 1 Corinthians 9:22. Paul would not have gotten a tattoo, a Mohawk, piercings etc. to witness to a group like that because it would have hindered him in witnessing to other groups. He spoke to them from their frame of reference, like all great teachers, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:22, 2 Corinthians 6:17

Tags: Evangelism, Separation, Piercings, Tattoos

Denomination: Baptist

Thomas Edison Shows Us How To Forgive

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2022

Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiving Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keys To Understanding The Parables

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 13, 2022

KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE PARABLES Parables provide insight into the nature, coming, growth and of the Kingdom of God. Parables are by design intended to be surprising. They often sneak up on us. Parables are used to simulate thinking and cause the hearer to carefully contemplate what they ...read more

Tags: Teaching, Truth, Preaching, Parables, Kingdom Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Powerful Prayers Of John Knox

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

While very ill, John Knox, the founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland, called to his wife and said, "Read me that Scripture where I first cast my anchor." After he listened to the beautiful prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17, he seemed to forget his weakness. He began to pray, ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Death, Prayer, Faithfulness, Leaders, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational