In Sermon Illustrations: "Christ Like Character"

Marks Of A Healthy Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

Marks of a Healthy Church Walt Disney was a dreamer. His crowning vision was EPCOT; Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. He envisioned the perfect city of 20,000 using all of the most modern advances technology. One problem, Walt Disney died before his cream was ever realized. His dream ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Church: A Model Home  PRO

Contributed by Ciprian Luca on Jun 19, 2010

THE CHURCH: A MODEL HOME "Perhaps the best analogy to describe all this is that of a model home. We are God's demonstration community of the rule of Christ in the (unbelieving) city. On a tract of earth's land, purchased with the blood of Christ, Jesus the kingdom developer has begun building new ...read more

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Light Of The ...

Contributed by Gordon Weatherby on May 2, 2013

LIGHT OF THE WORLD Jesus stated that we are to be the "Light of the World", and that a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. In the Canadian province of New Brunswick there is a church building on Deer Island that for many years has served as a physical light house to the fishermen of that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-15

Tags: Witness, Light, Influence, Lighthouse, Christian Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Billy Graham's Conversion

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

In an interview on October 15, 2013 Billy Graham said, “There are two basic needs that all people have: the need for hope and the need for salvation. It should not be surprising if people believe easily in a God who makes no demands, but this is not the God of the Bible. Satan has cleverly misled ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:8-9, Matthew 5:17-18

Tags: Salvation, Repentance, Billy Graham, Easy Believism

Denomination: Charismatic

Grab The Rope

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Aug 1, 2018

Main Idea: To be saved, you must let go of what you are trusting in and grab onto Jesus. Verse: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:30-31 NKJV). Illustration: One time there was a man who ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:30-31

Tags: Trust In Jesus, Faith, Salvation

Denomination: Charismatic

A Striking Christmas Card Was Once Published ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A striking Christmas card was once published with the title "If Christ Had Not Come". It was founded upon our Savior’s words "If I had not come." The card represented a pastor’s falling into a short sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9-15

Tags: Faith

By Life Or By Death

Contributed by Steve Smith on Jul 16, 2007

ILLUSTRATION: BY LIFE OR BY DEATH John Piper, in his book, “Future Grace”, reprinted a letter by Carl Lundquist, former president of Bethel College and Seminary. In 1988, the doctors told him he had a rare form of cancer which invaded the skin over his entire body and ended his life three years ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

We Were Just One

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Nov 24, 2008

WE WERE JUST ONE During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Wesleyan

We 'are' Preaching

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

WE ’ARE’ PREACHING One day St. Francis of Assisi invited a young monk to join him on a trip into town to preach. The young monk was so honored that he quickly accepted. All day long they walked through the streets, and rubbed shoulders and visited with hundreds of people. At the end of the day, ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Everybody Ought To Know!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

I had a friend who pastored in Texas years ago who was going door-to-door to invite people to church and to know Christ. The pastor knocked on one door and an elderly woman answered. He said, “I am here to invite you to our church and to tell you about Jesus Christ. “ The woman said ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Angels, Demons, Rebellion, Lucifer, Spirits, Hell, Satan, Devil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Florencio Varela, Argentina Is One Of The Poorest ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Waddell on Mar 5, 2001

Florencio Varela, Argentina is one of the poorest townships of the greater Buenos Aires, metropolitan area. The streets are unpaved and strewn with garbage and sleeping dogs. I approached the home of Raul, a young man who had attended our services a couple of times. I was nervious. I had heard of ...read more

Tags: Friendship New Friends, Evangelism How To, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Farmer One Planted Two Fruit Trees On Opposite ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2005

A farmer one planted two fruit trees on opposite sides of his property. The one he planted to provide a hedge hide the unsightly view of an old landfill; the other to provide shade to rest under near a cool mountain stream which ran down beside his fields. As the two trees grew, both produced ...read more

Tags: Parable General

The Bouquet Of Love

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Nov 23, 2010

THE BOUQUET OF LOVE In A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Rev. John R. Ramsey tells how in one church a certain person provided him with a rose boutonniere for the lapel of his suit every Sunday. At first he really appreciated it but then it sort of became routine. Then one Sunday it ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

One Of My Favorite Books Is Called This I ...

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Feb 19, 2008

One of my favorite books is called This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women. It is a compilation of eighty essays based on the National Public Radio series of the same name. The essays are from the famous and the unknown. One of the essays that I found most moving is ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Prep Your Heart

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jan 29, 2009

PREP YOUR HEART My wife and I have had a painter in the house this week creating a very colorful and fun bedroom for our two youngest sons. The painter is a man who cares deeply about his craft. In conversation with him this week, I have learned a great deal more about the nature of painting than ...read more

Tags: Preparation

Denomination: Christian Church

God Moved Christian Across Pond To Save Him From Drowning

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 25, 2025

God Moved Christian across Pond to Save Him from Drowning One of my favorite miracle stories is from Jan Ramsey. My wife Mary used to work at Lakeshore School with Jan. She was a member of First Baptist in Swartz. Jan gave this prayer testimony about her dad, James, and I think he was 81 at the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Tags: Solomon's Temple, Mother's Womb, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, King David, Fearfully Made, Wonderfully Made, Nathan The Prophet, Creation, Light, Darkness, Presence, Omniscience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The 40 Martyrs  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Feb 25, 2012

THE 40 MARTYRS "History knows them as the forty martyrs of Sebaste. They were soldiers in the famed Twelfth Legion of Rome’s imperial army, around A.D. 320. One day the captain informed his troops that Emperor Licinius had sent down an edict commanding all soldiers to offer a sacrifice to his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10, Luke 12:4

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Baptist

The Easy Yoke

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

A yoke was a wooden frame which was put on the backs of animals and around their necks joining the two animals for a common task, such as plowing or pulling a load. If you were yoked with Jesus Christ, who do you think would "pull the load"? Obviously the Lord. And so in order to manifest ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Discipleship, Beatitudes, Christian Life, Surrender, Yoke, Following Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Old Rugged Cross

Contributed by Brian Harvison on May 29, 2008

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS In 1913 George Bennard was struggling with a problem that caused him much suffering. His mind went back again and again to Christ’s anguish on the cross. This was the heart of the Gospel! The cross he pictured was no gold-covered icon. It was a rough, splintery thing, stained ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

Paul Little In His Book "How To Give Away Your ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 20, 2001

Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing: "Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can ...read more

Tags: Sharing Your Faith, Evangelism How To, Workplace Evangelism