In Sermon Illustrations: "Christian Bears"

House ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2012

HOUSE FIRE A story is told of a family awakened by their smoke detector in the middle of the night to discover that their house was on fire. The father ran into the upstairs bedroom of his children and carried his 18 month old baby in his arms while dragging his 4 year old son by the hand. They ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:10

Tags: Father's Day, God's Omniscience

Starting Over

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 11, 2017

The term “Sunk costs” is an accounting term. It refers to historical costs that no longer have relevance to decisions being made today. Ali Saam (Garcia) and his stock market losses. He had over $140,000 in stocks. Then, two weeks later his portfolio was down to $77,000. He felt he couldn’t sell ...read more

Tags: Starting Over, Born Again

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Obstacles To The Goal

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 29, 2021

COLLEGE: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE HIT REAL HARD. ROY RIEGELS WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS “WRONG WAY ROY.” Roy played for the University of California from 1927 to 1929. Back then freshmen and sophomores never played on varsity. On January 1, 1929 Roy played in the ROSE BOWL. The GOLDEN ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:12-15, Matthew 13:45

Tags: Goal, Obstacle

Denomination: Assembly Of God

You Are Here To Live, Not To Just Make A Living.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 10, 2024

In 1923 a very important meeting was held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. Attending this meeting were nine of the world's most successful financiers: Charles Schwab, steel magnate: Samuel Insull, president of the largest utility company: Howard Hopson , president of the largest gas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Death, Money, Wealth, Greed, Life, Riches, Suicide, Fame  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Discipline Of Prayer

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

We refer to many of the practices that aid in our ongoing sanctification as Spiritual Disciplines. These include prayer, Bible reading/study, tithing/generosity, fasting, silence, and worship. This is not a complete list. All Spiritual Disciplines have the same goal – increasing your intimacy ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7, John 15:4, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2

Tags: Richard Foster, Prayer Forms, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines

Denomination: Methodist

Amazing Grace

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Amazing Grace Paul wrote of a higher righteousness that comes from God himself and never depends on our doings. Whenever we know that righteousness of God firsthand, it always changes our lives. One man tells that one day he blundered into an affair with someone else’s wife. He was weak and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-16

Tags: Higher Righteousness, Amazing Grace

Denomination: Anglican

Tozer: Salvation Demands Obedience

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jun 16, 2011

TOZER: SALVATION DEMANDS OBEDIENCE A. W. Tozer was a man of God who was troubled with the idea that Christian profession does not demand obedience to Christ. He said: "[Years ago] no one would ever dare to rise in a meeting and say, 'I am a Christian' if he had not surrendered his whole being to ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

According To The Puritans, "All Professions Are ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2002

According to the Puritans, “all professions are spiritual to the Christian, not because of the nature of the work but because of the presence of God. …When a Christian – the temple of the Holy Spirit – walks into an office at IBM, IBM becomes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Tags: Temple, Holy Spirit

C. F. W. Walther In A Sermon On This Text Called ...

Contributed by Gregg Bitter on Jan 17, 2010

C. F. W. Walther in a sermon on this text called the marriage of a Christian a most splendid school of faith, love, humility, patience, gentleness and all Christian virtue. (/Amerikanisch-Lutherische ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Lutheran

I Want To Summarize A Statement That An ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Richards on May 18, 2005

I want to summarize a statement that an Episcopalian minister by the name of Robert Capon made about the greatest threat to Christianity today. I don’t think I could agree with him more. Listen to what he said, "The most critical issue facing Christians is not abortion, pornography, the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:13-16

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

Culture War Invades Corporate America: The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Culture War Invades Corporate America: The culture war over homosexuality has moved into the workplace. Millions of employees are being commanded to not just tolerate homosexual behavior, but to respect and even promote it reports the 1/4 issue of Christianity Today. At least 300 of the Fortune ...read more

Funeral Illustration

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

I love that scene in The Pilgrim's Progress where Christian and Hopeful come to the final river of death. They are fearful that the water will be over their heads. But Hopeful goes first and calls back to Christian, “Be of good cheer, my brother; I feel the bottom, and it is good.” For every ...read more

Tags: Death, Heaven, Promises Of God, Valley Of The Shadow Of Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Longsuffering  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Longsuffering Galatians 5:22 tells us that longsuffering is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for longsuffering means, "patience, forbearing, perseverance, being constant, steadfast, and enduring." The practical application of this fruit is that God's Holy Spirit gives obedient ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22

Tags: Longsuffering, Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Pompous-Looking Deacon Was Trying To Impress ...  PRO

Contributed by John Beehler on Oct 29, 2002

A pompous-looking deacon was trying to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Apologetics General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What Jesus Prayed For

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Dec 15, 2009

WHAT JESUS PRAYED FOR Philip Yancey, in an article for Christianity Today, wrote: "When Jesus prayed to the one who could save him from death, he did not get that salvation; he got instead the salvation of ...read more

Tags: Jesus Life

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Bible Challenge

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Jul 25, 2009

THE BIBLE CHALLENGE During a question and answer session at a recent speaking engagement, a university student asked, "Why do you believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God?" What is so special, so unique about the Bible that Christians believe it is literally the inspired word of God? ...read more

Tags: Apologetics The Bible

Denomination: Wesleyan

Water Baptism  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Jun 7, 2001

Dr. M.R. DeHaan put it this way: In the early days of the church. . . , baptism was a declaration that the believer was definitely identifying himself with that group of people who were called Christians and were despised and hated. To be a Christian meant something. To identify yourself with those ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-22

Tags: Baptism, Call Of The Disciples, Bridge

Denomination: Baptist

For Decades, Iran Has Been A Hotbed For Terrorist ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 24, 2006

For decades, Iran has been a hotbed for terrorist activity. Little do most people know that Iran also houses the fastest-growing Muslim movement in the world: Muslims converting to Christianity. In IRAN: Desperate for God, seven Iranian Christian converts from Islam unveil their testimonies of ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Hard Places Cannot Be Mended

Contributed by Sean Harder on Sep 30, 2010

HARD PLACES CANNOT BE MENDED How many of you have read the Pilgrim’s Progress? This is a classic allegory of the Christian journey. The main character, Christian, is on a journey from the city of Destruction to the Celestial City, and along the way him and all the other pilgrims come across ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

A Rather Pompous-Looking Deacon Was Endeavoring ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Mar 27, 2001

A rather pompous-looking deacon was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. "Why do people call me a Christian?" the man asked. After a moment’s ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Holiness, Apologetics General

Denomination: Baptist