In Sermon Illustrations: "Cheerful Giving"

A Relationship With A Muslim

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MUSLIM Bill Hybels was at a luncheon, sitting across from a black man, built like a football player, with a distinctively Muslim name. He told Pastor Hybels that he enjoyed reading one of his books. Bill Hybels looked a little puzzled so the Muslim explained to him how he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism How To

Who Should Get The Credit?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 12, 2011

WHO SHOULD GET THE CREDIT? I had the pleasure of coaching Little League for about 5 years and did so during the time my 3 boys played, so I coached the team they played on. On one occasion we were two runs behind in the final inning with a runner on 2nd. And who was coming to bat? Brian. Brian was ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:7

Tags: Pride

Getting Your Hands Dirty: Grandma's Apron

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 12, 2011

GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY: GRANDMA'S APRON There are all sorts of "questionably clean" things that spread love and give meaning to our lives. Does anyone this morning remember a grandma or great-grandma swathed in a big all-enveloping apron? Not some perky little decorative thing worn on Christmas. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:25-28

Tags: Love, Servanthood

The Example Of Bethany Hamilton

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 26, 2011

THE EXAMPLE OF BETHANY HAMILTON That word for "commit" is actually a banking term. It means to deposit something for safekeeping. Well, that's what we're to do with our lives when we go through times of suffering. Deposit your life in God's bank (so to speak) for safe-keeping. Trust Him to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Trust

Lucado On Thankfulness

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Nov 23, 2011

LUCADO ON THANKFULNESS Max Lucado tells about living as an American in Brazil. One day, as he was walking along the street on his way to the University to teach a class, he felt a tug on his pants leg. Turning around, he saw a little boy about 5 or 6 years old with dark beady eyes and a dirty ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Too Often, Churchgoers Can Become ...

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 5, 2012

Too often, churchgoers can become “spiritual hitchhikers”. Have you ever been driving along the road when suddenly you saw a hitchhiker ahead? What’s the universal symbol of the hitchhiker? (his thumb) His thumb signal is giving a message loud and clear, "If you will furnish the car, the ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Is Great Learning?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2012

WHAT IS GREAT LEARNING? Thomas Fuller was born in Africa about 1710. He was sold as a slave in Virginia in 1724. There is some disagreement about whether someone taught him to count to 100 or if he taught himself. He never had a day of formal education. He taught himself to figure in his head how ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:17-25

Tags: Learning

Many Men Of Science, Too Few Men Of God  PRO

Contributed by Ken Henson on Nov 4, 2012

MANY MEN OF SCIENCE, TOO FEW MEN OF GOD In 1948, at an Armistice Celebration, (Armistice was the declaration of peace at the end of World War I) it was declared on November 11 at 11.00 am. So 11, 11 at 11. They did that symbolically because they felt that they were at the eleventh hour. They ...read more

Tags: Peace, Called To Serve

Denomination: *other

A Confident Faith  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Apr 2, 2013

A CONFIDENT FAITH Jesus indicted the Pharisees saying: "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:2-3

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Testimony Of Astronaut Charles Duke

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2013

TESTIMONY OF ASTRONAUT CHARLES DUKE Through the years, I’ve heard people say, "I wasn’t looking for God when He found me." Let me give you a modern example of this process. Astronaut Charles Duke is one of only twelve men who have left footprints on the moon. He was the lunar module pilot for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-6

Tags: Becoming A Christian

God Gave Her A Flying Cat!  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 1, 2014

GOD GAVE HER A FLYING CAT! Have you heard the story about the pastor who had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc., but the kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Miracles, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Suffering & The Riches Of His Glory

Contributed by Michael Grant on Sep 3, 2016

What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,  even us whom He called, not ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:22-24

Tags: God's Glory

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Biblical Contradictions Found In The Catholic Church

Contributed by Michael Grant on Sep 4, 2016

Catholics are instructed to call the priest “Father” “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for one is your Father, He who is in heaven” – Mathew 23:9 Priest claims to have the power to forgive sin “…who can forgive sins but God alone?” - Mark 2:7 Catholics are encouraged to bow and pray to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:9

Tags: Bible, Roman Catholic, Pope, Roman Catholicism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Believe?

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 13, 2019

DO YOU BELIEVE? That the bible is the inspired word of God That God created the everything in 6 days That God rested on day 7 That God created man and put him in the garden of Eden (a perfect Place) That God took a rib from Adam and made Eve to be a helper and companion to Adam That Satan entered ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25-26

Tags: Faith, Believe

Denomination: Pentecostal

Trust The Prayer

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 2, 2021

A TRUSTING PRAYER Did you hear about the young preacher that graduated Bible School? He accepted a small country church to be the pastor. It was the only church that would have him. He was the only candidate that would go to the small church. So they were matched up pretty well. His first ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:7, Isaiah 40:28-31

Tags: Trust, Prayer

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Great Quotes On Revival

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

GREAT QUOTES ON REVIVAL Here are some quotes that have touched my heart as we ask God to send revival to our church! Dr. Larry Petton If revival is being withheld from us it is because some idol remains still enthroned; because we still insist in placing our reliance in human schemes; because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Holy Spirit, Revival, Renewal, Repentance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Facts About Fasting

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

BASIC REMINDERS --- to those who are fasting or considering a fast: (1) This is not about FOOD. It is about spending more time alone with God. It is about showing Him that there are no other gods before him. He is Lord of all areas of our life. (2) Do not become PROUD and brag to others about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:23

Tags: Fasting, Holy Spirit, Revival, Repentance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Four Ways To Minister Like The Good Samaritan

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 2, 2022

As we study the characteristics of the Good Samaritan, let’s ask ourselves if these qualities are true of us as well. He opened his eyes. Although all three men physically saw the critically wounded man, only the Samaritan looked and stopped to help. Before we can meet needs, we must be aware of ...read more

Tags: Service, Ministry, Parables, Neighbor, Kindness, Good Samaritan  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Misusing The Image Of God

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 27, 2022

Genesis 11:1-9… v1: as Noah and his family continues life from the ark (likely they had other children) A couple of things in context helps us: Genesis 10 talks about the nations of people and their own languages Gen 10:24 on – we only read about Joktan’s sons, not Peleg’s Gen 11:10 – only 2 ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 11:1-9

Tags: Man, Sin, Babel, God's Image, Nations, Languages  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Is Bigger Than Our Box

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 20, 2023

(Have 4 boxes of different sizes for illustration) Here is a box. Its a small one. For some people, what they think of God could fit in this box. They have few expectations and limited knowledge of who God is. Here is another box. It is a little larger. Many people would be comfortable ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21

Tags: God Is Able, Power Of God, Limiting God, Bigness Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ