In Sermon Illustrations: "Christ Our Substitute"

I Pledged Phi Beta Sigma In College. Everyone ...

Contributed by Rev. Saeed Richardson on Sep 9, 2007

I pledged Phi Beta Sigma in college. Everyone has stories to tell of when they were pledging. But the one thing we could be sure of whenever we had a set was that we would be locked up - arm in arm - unified, joined, refusing to let anybody else separate us. Why ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Those Who See Their Lives As Spoiled And Wasted ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Those who see their lives as spoiled and wasted crave equality and fraternity more than they do freedom. If they clamor for freedom, it is but freedom to establish equality and uniformity. The passion for equality is partly a passion for anonymity: to be one thread of the many which make up a ...read more

Tags: Racism

I Hope It Helps To Remember That We Are Never ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I hope it helps to remember that we are never closer to God than when we grieve. Faith is tested in suffering. And faith is often born in suffering, for that is when we seek the hope we most need. That is when we awaken to the greatest hope there is, that is when we look beyond our ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

What Peace It Brings To The Christians Heart To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"What peace it brings to the Christians heart to realize that our Heavenly Father never differs from Himself. In coming to Him at any time, we need not wonder whether we shall find Him in a receptive mood. He is always receptive to misery and need, as well as to ...read more

Tags: God The Father

A Former Archbishop Of Canterbury Arrived In New ...

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Jul 13, 2009

A former archbishop of Canterbury arrived in New York. A journalist asked him, “Will you be visiting any of our nightclubs whilst you are here?” The archbishop mischievously replied, “Are there any night clubs here?” Next day a newspaper headline read: “Archbishop’s first question on arriving in ...read more

Tags: Misconceptions

Denomination: Anglican

Heroic Virtue

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 10, 2009

HEROIC VIRTUE St. Maximilian Kolbe, languishing in a Nazi prison camp, offered his life for a man who was condemned to death. Even the religious world would counsel against this act as rash. After all, a priest is more valuable to the kingdom of God than any layperson, right? But God’s ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Catholic

I Remember Stealing A Bag Of Lollies From A ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 28, 2009

I remember stealing a bag of lollies from a shopping centre as a kid. I would have done it again and again, except the guilt of that act stayed with me for years. I regretted being so dishonest. All of us have broken the 10 commandments in our lives. In fact the NT ...read more

Tags: Commandments General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Weaken My Conscience

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Sep 15, 2010

WEAKEN MY CONSCIENCE A man was talking to his psychiatrist. He said, "I've been misbehaving and my conscience is bothering me." The doctor responded, "And you want something that will strengthen your will power?" The man replied, "Actually I was thinking of something that would weaken my ...read more

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Protect The Flag

Contributed by Dr. Nicholas M. Muteti on Jun 23, 2011

PROTECT THE FLAG In Kenya, as elsewhere, the military buildings are very important. There are permanent teams that guard the buildings and all properties of the army that no enemy will come in and destroy or steal our secrets. But the most precious thing in a military building is the flag of that ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience

Denomination: Baptist

Spiritual Dryness

Contributed by Samuel M on Feb 18, 2025

When we pray prayers that are not in God's will, we by ourselves enter into seasons of spiritual dryness. We may receive answers to our prayer requests, yet we may become spiritually dry. If you are experiencing a season of spiritual dryness, do check and correct your prayers. Prayers ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:20

Tags: Faith, Hope

Trapping The Ball!" Psalm 25: 16-21 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 4, 2004

“Trapping the Ball!” Psalm 25: 16-21 Key verse(s): 21 “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Integrity! Perhaps it is one of the loneliest words in the English language. For many it creates the image of one standing alone, apart from the others, because just the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:16-21

Tags: Character

Denomination: Lutheran

To Touch A Scorpion!" Matthew 5: 43-48 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 9, 2004

“To Touch a Scorpion!” Matthew 5: 43-48 Key verse(s): 44 “‘But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’” Is it in our nature to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us? Getting even or, in the very least, shunning confrontation with those who would ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Lutheran

Staring Down The Critic's Barrel!" Proverbs 9: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 17, 2005

“Staring Down the Critic’s Barrel!” Proverbs 9: 7-10 Key verse(s): 8b:“. . . rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” The Bible tells us that “rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” Love? What happened to getting the emotional revenge that is so satisfying? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:7-10, Psalm 82:3-4, Philippians 2:13-14

Tags: Grace, Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Too Easily Pleased! (07.06.05--Joy Every ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 5, 2005

Too Easily Pleased! (07.06.05--Joy Every Day--Ecclesiastes 9:7-10) I was happy with things the way they were. Why should I go to any great length to make them any better when, as it were, I was contented with how my car looked and drove? This was my response about a year ago when my wife ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:7-10

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

I Don't Want A ‘shicken Sandich'! (06.13.05--The ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 10, 2005

I Don’t Want a ‘Shicken Sandich’! (06.13.05--The Tie That Binds--1 John 3:13-18) “Well, what do you want?” The young frustrated mother blurted out to her little boy as he pouted in the fast food line. “We’ve been standing here for five minutes and I’ve told you everything on the menu. What is it ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:13-18

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Example Of Hospitality

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 29, 2010

EXAMPLE OF HOSPITALITY Jan and Darryl have always been openly generous people. They make you feel as if they are honoured to have you in their home and nothing is too much trouble for them. Which is just as well because they are our connect group leaders. Every fortnight people in our Connect ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 13:5-15

Tags: Hospitality

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Wait...god Did Come

Contributed by Soon-Hock Lim on Dec 23, 2010

WAIT...GOD DID COME Philip Yancey tells the story of a migrant farmhand in his book "Where is God When It Hurts": Last year we went to a little church in New Jersey.... We had all our children there, the baby included. The Reverend Jackson was there, I can't forget his name, and he told us to be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23

Tags: Christmas, Incarnation

Denomination: Evangelical Free

The Church Without Outreach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

THE CHURCH WITHOUT OUTREACH Fred Craddock tells the story of his first church. It was a beautiful little white church on a hill in Oak Ridge, Tenn. The church was beautifully maintained. The pews had been hand-hewn from giant poplar trees that had grown nearby. Little kerosene lamps on the walls ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

Tags: Church Purpose Of

[017] A Message From A Poem - Altogether Lovely One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 21, 2024

[017] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALTOGETHER LOVELY ONE There are times when we feel our hearts going out in worship to our Lord. What is the difference between praise and worship? This is not a sermon so I won’t be answering that question here, but I hope you think on it and that it might warm ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:11, Isaiah 53:3-4, Psalm 150:1-3

Tags: Worship, Praise, Gold, Magi, Sorrow, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lovely One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[035] A Message From A Poem – Beware The Fowler

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 25, 2025

[035] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BEWARE THE FOWLER GOTCHA! We hear that in children’s play and in some games. In fact I think there may have even been a board game in the 1950s with that title. Have you ever watched a spider on its web sitting there silently and an insect becomes ensnared in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 124:7-8, Psalm 91:3

Tags: Pitcher Plant, Spider Web, God Delivers Us, Caught, Fowler, Trapper, Ensnared, Gotcha  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational