In Sermon Illustrations: "Childlike Faith"

Can This Be Christmas?

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 21, 2008

Can This Be Christmas? What's all this hectic rush and worry? Where go these crowds who run and curry? Why all the lights--the Christmas trees? The jolly "fat man," tell me please! Why, don't you know? This is the day For parties and for fun and play; Why this is Christmas! So this is Christmas, ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Present, Center, Middle, Parcel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

The Light Of Hope  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE LIGHT OF HOPE As Craig T. Kocher in his commentary on our text states, "Christian hope is fundamentally different from optimism. Christian hope locks its steely eyes on the devastation of the world around it, and readily acknowledges that things may not get better. Christian hope does not bury ...read more

Scripture: John 1:9

Tags: John The Baptist

Hope In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

HOPE IN PERSECUTION Hope is a strange thing. It will give you confidence in the bleakest of times. But hope is not any good unless you have your hope in someone that will not let you down. There are a lot of things that we hope for, and a lot of things that we wish for. The hope I am talking about ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:1-37

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Kurt Cobain Ended His Life About 13 Years Ago ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 16, 2009

Kurt Cobain ended his life about 13 years ago (4/1994); filled with bitterness and anger. He was the founder and lead singer of the group "Nirvana." His violent suicide prompted a lot of questions. "Why? He had it all a great career, dedicated fans, plenty of money, a beautiful wife and a 19 month ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Baptist

Sifting

Contributed by Rick Crandall on May 31, 2009

*In vs. 31 Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” *Satan is certainly still at work in the world today. Satan wanted to sift Peter, and Christian, you can be sure that he wants to sift us. *In Bible days grain was sifted a couple of ...read more

Tags: Temptation, Temptation General

Denomination: Baptist

Not "Why?" But "What?"

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 22, 2009

NOT "WHY?" BUT "WHAT?" I remember a particular counseling session years ago where three of us were trying to encourage a change of personality and a change of behavior in a spouse. Dr. Jay Adams, in his book on direct, biblical counseling, said the purpose is not to find out why a person sinned, ...read more

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Pentecostal

Mistaken For Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Sep 3, 2009

MISTAKEN FOR JESUS Some years ago I heard an interesting story about a young boy living in Paris at the end of the World War II. He had been orphaned by the atrocities committed by the German forces. Now all alone, he was having to scrounge around the ruined city as best as he could to find ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

From Betty Lukens- A Roman Soldier's Letter To ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 26, 2009

From Betty Lukens- A Roman soldier’s letter to his parents in the 1st century AD. “But the most shocking experience I’ve had lately was over 40 men who denounced the gods to become Christians. They have really caused a stir. Nothing our priests could do, nothing they could offer them, nothing ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Elisha Hoffman: A Burden Too Big To Bear  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

ELISHA HOFFMAN: A BURDEN TOO BIG TO BEAR Many New Testament promises have corresponding verses in the Old Testament that reinforce their power. When Peter, for example, said, ". . . casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7), he was but restating David’s words in Psalm ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

Stowell: How People Go Astray  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

STOWELL: HOW PEOPLE GO ASTRAY Dr. Joseph M. Stowell, in his book, Following Christ, asks the question: HOW DO PEOPLE GO SO FAR ASTRAY SPIRITUALLY? The question was prompted when Dr. Stowell read an article given to him from the local paper the about Tom Wilson who died, gunned down as a member ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12

Tags: Apostasy

Chief Justice Of Supreme Court Humble Enough To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2009

Chief Justice of Supreme Court Humble Enough to Stand Next to a Chinese Laundryman As Christians, we are to trust God the Holy Spirit by being completely humble. Let me share a story which gives us a picture of humility; maybe you will see yourself in this story: When Charles Evans Hughes was ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Tags: Humility

U.s. News And World Report In Dec. Of 2004 Did A ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 12, 2010

U.S. News and World Report in Dec. of 2004 did a magazine focusing on the power of prayer: Jeffrey L. Shelter wrote in his article, "The Power of Prayer, on pages 52, 53) "A pierced and tattooed man quietly bows his head at a noisy lunch counter. A child in pink pajamas kneels at her bedside and ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Saint Patrick  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 15, 2010

SAINT PATRICK Historical Background of Patrick: Patrick lived in the fifth century, a time of rapid change and transition. In many ways we might say that those times of turbulence and uncertainty were not unlike our own. The Roman Empire was beginning to break up, and Europe was about to enter ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 13:1-16, John 3:16-20

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Past Sunday Night We Heard About Conditions ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 14, 2010

This past Sunday night we heard about conditions in Zimbabwe. I can remember growing up hearing those words every child heard when we complained about not wanting to eat what was being served for dinner- “You need to eat your vegetables. There are children in Zimbabwe who are starving right now.” ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Una Historia Impactante La De Charles Templenton, ...

Contributed by Fernando Ocampo on Oct 27, 2010

Una historia impactante la de Charles Templenton, un elocuente predicador, compañero de púlpito y amigo de Billy Graham quien, en el recorrido de la vida cristiana y el ministerio, llegó a un momento en donde sus cuestionamientos acerca de Dios tornó su corazón hacia la dureza. Templenton no ...read more

Tags: Religion, Doubts

Denomination: Baptist

Post-It Notes—success From Failure  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2010

Post-it® Notes--Success from Failure Everyone knows what Post-it® Notes are. They're those great little self-stick notepapers. Most people have Post-it® Notes. Most people use them. Most people love them. But Post-it® Notes were not a planned product. No one got the idea and then stayed up nights ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Mistakes

How Not To Market The Church

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2011

HOW NOT TO MARKET THE CHURCH When we speak of marketing the church (writes David Wells) we are not referencing such things as advertising church events, providing excellence in church programming, being kind to visitors, or providing ample parking. No one is arguing the importance and value of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:14-16

Tags: Church Practices

God's Rich Grace

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jul 10, 2011

GOD'S RICH GRACE NPR Radio reported this week (July 5, 2011) that a well known Hindu temple in southern India has revealed vast treasures and hidden secrets. The temple itself was well known and previously unguarded. It had been there for hundreds of years (since 1566) and open to the public. ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Nazarene

Refining Sap To Maple Syrup  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

REFINING SAP TO MAPLE SYRUP Dr. David Osborn at Denver Seminary says, "Too often we try to use God to change our circumstances, while He is using our circumstances to change us." (Compass, April 2003) You see, God is right now in the process of making us like Christ. Think of the process of ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4, Psalm 13:1-6, Psalm 34:15-16

Tags: Sanctification

The Wrong Oil  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

THE WRONG OIL Phil (a member of our congregation) owns a stunning sports car. It's a Viper. It's a thing of beauty. And it has a powerful engine with 10 cylinders. Most of us common folks have cars with 6 and 8 cylinders... but this car has TEN cylinders. I'm pretty sure it can take you anywhere ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:3-4

Tags: Doctrine