In Sermon Illustrations: "Celebration"

True Service  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jan 8, 2003

TRUE SERVICE Self-righteous service comes through human effort. True service comes from a relationship with the divine Other deep inside. Self-righteous service is impressed with the “big deal.” True service finds it almost impossible to distinguish the small from the large ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14, John 13:1-15

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Discipleship, Servanthood

Denomination: Baptist

The Late W.e. Sanger, Noted British Methodist ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 18, 2003

The late W.E. Sanger, noted British Methodist clergyman, shared a personal experience concerning his attendance at a party held to celebrate a wedding. He arrived late, and did not know anyone except the friend who had invited him. Everyone was in high spirits. They danced. They talked with ...read more

How Do You Maintain Humility? Success Can ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

How do you maintain humility? Success can sometimes dazzle you in the achieving, but there’s usually someone around to help you keep perspective. TV anchorman Tom Brokaw has a story about that: Brokaw was wandering through Bloomingdale’s in New York one day, shortly after he was promoted to ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

The End Of The War

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Billy Graham wrote in "The Key To Personal Peace" “One of the powerful, enduring images that my wife, Ruth, and I have of our early years together is of the ticker-tape parades in New York City celebrating the end of WWII. The war was finally over And those who were spared from death by the enemy ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Self-Righteous Service Comes Through Human ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 19, 2007

Self-righteous service comes through human effort. True service comes from a relationship with the divine Other deep inside. Self-righteous service is impressed with the “big deal.” True service finds it almost impossible to distinguish the small from the large service. Self-righteous service ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Baptist

I Watched Denise Jackson, The Wife Of Country ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Nov 21, 2007

I watched Denise Jackson, the wife of country star Alan Jackson share her testimony on CBN, and it is also in her new book “It’s all about HIM”. She is not talking about Alan, but the Lord Jesus. She said she was raised in church, and went every Sunday, and had the head knowledge. But after ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Japanese Christmas

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

JAPANESE CHRISTMAS I read recently about how Japan celebrates Christmas, which has become a major event over there. They put up decorations, exchange presents, send cards, sing yuletide songs, decorate trees, serve special seasonal treats and make a big fuss over St Nick, Rudolph and Frosty. Their ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Implications For Society If Christ Wasn't ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 14, 2009

Implications for Society if Christ wasn’t Born Have you ever imagined how does this world look like if Jesus were not born in that manger in Bethlehem around two thousand years ago? No Churches; and definitely no Christian institution of any kind. Red Cross does not exist; World Vision and World ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Christmas

Psalm 47 And Rosh Hashanah

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 20, 2010

PSALM 47 AND ROSH HASHANAH When a brand new believer in 1974, my friend loaned his LP Album by Messianic Jewish group "Lamb." When I married Marylu in 1980, I married into Lamb albums. One of the songs was titled, "Clap Your Hands, All Ye People," and was a paraphrase of Psalm 47. Preparing this ...read more

Tags: Holidays

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Wise Men Came From Afar

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 5, 2010

WISE MEN CAME FROM AFAR Most people know that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, but they really do not understand as much as we think they do. In a small Southern town there was a "Nativity Scene" that showed great skill and talent had gone into creating it. One small feature ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Paul Tournier On Persisting In Prayer

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

PAUL TOURNIER ON PERSISTING IN PRAYER Paul Tournier, the great psychiatrist and Christian counselor, tells in one his essays about the first time he tried to pray for a solid hour. He says that he set his watch on the table and began to pray, and after what he thought was a good while, checked the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18

Tags: Prayer Persistence

The Lamp Under The Bed  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Feb 25, 2013

THE LAMP UNDER THE BED I heard about a couple who received a set of two horrible bedside table lamps as a wedding present from a distant aunt. Since the lamps were so ugly, this couple didn't want to actually use them, so they put them in storage and bought a nicer set themselves. That worked for ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pope Francis: Fulfilling His Role

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Apr 4, 2013

POPE FRANCIS: FULFILLING HIS ROLE A wonderful story of a religious leader who really does "get it" is the new Pontiff of Rome, Pope Francis. It is the story of role fulfillment. One reporter wrote: "Last night, in a break from tradition the Pope, Pope Francis, did not celebrate what is called ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Methodist

The Death Of The Pillsbury Doughboy

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 22, 2022

Veteran Pillsbury spokesman, Pop N. Fresh, the Pillsbury Doughboy, died yesterday of a severe yeast infection. He was 71. Known to friends as Brown-n-Serve, Fresh was an avid gardener and tennis player. Fresh was buried in one of the largest funeral ceremonies in recent years. Dozens of ...read more

Tags: Death, Jokes, Funerals, Puns, Obituaries, Dad Jokes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Wheat ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2012

WHEAT HARVEST I grew up in Wellington, Kansas which is a small farm town of about 8,000 people located 30 miles south of Wichita, Kansas. Wellington’s big claim to fame is being the Wheat Capitol of the World. The farmers of my home town produce more wheat per capita than anywhere else in the ...read more

Scripture: John 4:34-38

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Christmas Is More Than Jingle, Jingle

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 12, 2020

I have been trying lately to remember my first Christmas. I know my memory isn't perfect, but I thought maybe I could bring up some old memories of my first Christmas. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of a thing about that first Christmas of mine. Of course, it might be that I was only five ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:6-7

Tags: Christmas, Holiday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Complaining Is Remedied By Thankfulness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 3, 2008

COMPLAINING IS REMEDIED BY THANKFULNESS Turn back again to the book of Exodus—Exodus chapter 34. The cure for complaining is not found in changing our circumstances, but rather gaining a proper view of God. · Do you really believe that God has your best interests at heart? · Do you really ...read more

On The Weekend Of June 7 My Honey And I Went To ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jun 16, 2009

On the weekend of June 7 my Honey and I went to Cookeville, TN, to observe the move in 1809 of one of her ancestors over the mountains from Virginia to the White Plains area of Tennessee. He was William Pennington Quarles, a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War. His daughter married a Burton, so my ...read more

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Pentecostal

This Baby Is For You

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

THIS BABY IS FOR YOU Pastor and author Richard Foster writes about genuine, joyous giving. "Giving with a glad and generous heart has a way of rooting out the tough old miser within us. Just the very act of letting go of money or some other treasure does something great within us."1 Such genuine, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

The Emptiness Of Earthly Pursuits And The Fulfillment Of Divine Love

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 19, 2024

Justin Bieber: In various interviews and social media posts, Bieber has spoken candidly about his struggles with fame, substance abuse, and finding purpose. He has credited his renewed Christian faith for helping him find a sense of meaning and stability that he couldn't find in his earlier ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 2:10-11

Tags: Materialism, Fame, Emptiness, Void, Spiritual Transformation, Purpose, Meaning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist