In Sermon Illustrations: "Christian Burial"

Trouble In The Church  PRO

Contributed by Douglas Duvall on Dec 3, 2006

Trouble in the Church ACTS 15:1-12 I. Decision 15:1-4 A. Men 15:1 B. Method 15:2 C. Messages 15:3-4 II. Demand 15:5-6 A. Demands 15:5 B. Deliberations 15:6 III. Declaration 15:7-12 A. Choice 15:7 B. Comparison 15:8-9 C. Conversion 15:10-12 Introduction Peter had ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

The Unbaptized Arm  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

The Unbaptized Arm Ivan the Great was the tsar of all of Russia during the Fifteenth Century. He brought together the warring tribes into one vast empire--the Soviet Union. As a fighting man he was courageous. As a general he was brilliant. He drove out the Tartars and established peace across the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-17

Tags: Worship, Baptism, Commitment To Christ, Evangelism, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Bill Hybels Recalls A Time When Dr. Gilbert ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 21, 2002

Bill Hybels recalls a time when Dr. Gilbert Bilezikian was speaking for a leadership conference at Willow Creek Community Church. He writes about it like this… “Dr. Bilezikian said there’s life-changing fellowship in biblically functioning community. That was a far cry from the childhood ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Community, Church Small Groups, Friendship General, Money  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Is A Praise Chorus?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 31, 2002

WHAT IS A PRAISE CHORUS? An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns." "Praise choruses," ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, Worship General

Groans From Within! (06.09.05--Family--Prov. ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 7, 2005

Groans From Within! (06.09.05--Family--Prov. 11:29) I turned the engine over but oh the groans from within! My old leaf vacuum hadn’t been run in about a year and it was time to put it back into service redeeming the lawn and pathways of the carpet of the beech leaves blown down in a recent storm. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 11:29

Tags: Children, Parenting

Denomination: Lutheran

No Fire Without Heat And Smoke! (06.14.05--The ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jun 12, 2005

No Fire Without Heat and Smoke! (06.14.05--The Tie That Binds--1 John 4:19) It’s been hot here lately at Beech Springs. It has been unusually hot and humid. The beech woods understory that blankets our little valley are getting crisper under foot daily. The trilliums came and went and are withered ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Light A Candle! (07.12.05--Tomorrow--John ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 10, 2005

Light a Candle! (07.12.05--Tomorrow--John 21:18-19) You know what is the best thing about the future? The way things have been going lately I have no doubt. The best thing about tomorrow is that tomorrow only comes one day at a time. We’ve all had times in our lives when what we feared the most ...read more

Scripture: John 21:18-19

Tags: Death, Guilt

Denomination: Lutheran

Mr. President? (07.13.05--Tomorrow--Mark ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 12, 2005

Mr. President? (07.13.05--Tomorrow--Mark 13:33-34) We spend so much time preparing for some things. Whether it’s a birthday, a wedding, a family reunion or simply an evening dinner with the family, if there’s people involved, there’s always a goodly amount of preparation that precedes the event. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:33-34

Tags: Death Nearness

Denomination: Lutheran

It's Better Higher Up! (08.31.05--Sickness!--John ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 30, 2005

It’s Better Higher Up! (08.31.05--Sickness!--John 16:32) Webley our oldest dachshund has a thing about long walks. Simply, he doesn’t like them very much. Webley is eight and getting up there in years. Anything over a mile or so can be grueling for him. And, because of this the pads of his paws ...read more

Scripture: John 16:32

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

Not Mixed Veggies! (09.23.05--Grace ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 21, 2005

Not Mixed Veggies! (09.23.05--Grace Walks!--Isaiah 4:2-4) As we recently joined a local CSA, a farmer’s cooperative whereby we receive our vegetables on a regular basis from a local farm, our refrigerator has been pretty consistently stuffed with vegetables of all sorts. From squashes to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 4:2-4

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

It's The Fruit And Not The Tree! ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 20, 2005

It’s The Fruit and Not The Tree! (10.24.05--Making It!--Psalm 1:3) Each year as the seasons change, so does the selection of fruit that is available at my local Piggly Wiggly. In early summer there are the tangy apricots and sweet plums along with nutty peaches and nectarines. As summer passes, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Knowing When We Don't! (11.03.05--Faith That ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 1, 2005

Knowing When We Don’t! (11.03.05--Faith That Flies!--Job 1:1) I do much better when I know all the little details! When I can see the whole picture it is far easier to sit down and think through even the toughest of problems. Unfortunately there are those things in life that simply don’t lend ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:1, Job 1:20-25

Tags: Doubt, Faith General

Denomination: Lutheran

On The Sunday Before Ash Wednesday This Year, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Caley on May 5, 2003

On the Sunday before Ash Wednesday this year, the central dining facility in Camp Udairi (Kuwait) caught fire, flames quickly spread to engulf all five tents and completely destroyed them in less than 30 minutes. After the smoke cleared, and all units checked the status of their soldiers, it was ...read more

Tags: Trial, Struggles, Encouragement, Help, God In The Hardships  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

One Winter Morning In San Diego, After Paul Had ...  PRO

Contributed by John Young on Nov 23, 2004

One winter morning in San Diego, after Paul had wandered many miles along the waterfront, in a daze, he turned wearily toward his hotel room. He had been drinking heavily for weeks. His mind was tortured by the thoughts of the wife and four children whom he had deserted. Only the day before, it ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Baptist

As Disciples Of Jesus, We Are To Become By The ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Nov 27, 2004

As disciples of Jesus, we are to become by the Holy Spirit like our Master as He Himself tells us in Matthew 10:25, “It is enough for the student to be like His Teacher, and the servant like His master.” By the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, may we this Advent become more like Jesus who ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-10

Tags: Evangelism How To, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

The Land Of Beginning Again!" Philippians 3: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 24, 2005

“The Land of Beginning Again!” Philippians 3: 12-14 Key verse(s): 13-14:“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-14

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

Love Letter Ignored—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jul 17, 2002

LOVE LETTER IGNORED- COMMUNION MEDITATION When Robert Browning came into her life, Elizabeth Barrett was a 39-year-old invalid. Daughter of a jealous & dominating father, her first 4 books of poetry had been published when she was just 12 years old. At 15 she injured her spine, & the resulting ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Light Named Al  PRO

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Sep 2, 2002

A LIGHT NAMED AL On the morning of September 11, Jeannie Braca switched on the television to check the weather report, only to hear that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. Jeannie’s husband, Al, worked as a corporate bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald. His office was on the 105th ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17, Mark 8:34-37

Tags: Sermon On The Mount, Sharing Your Faith, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: United Methodist

Here's The Story Of Rusty Woomer. Rusty Was Also ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Sep 24, 2002

Here’s the story of Rusty Woomer. Rusty was also a cold blooded killer. In one of South Carolina’s most notorious murder sprees he killed four innocent people and sat on death row for them. In 1990 Bob McAlister, a Christian and Prison Fellowship volunteer met Rusty. What happened between them ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Christian Church

Flag Folding & The Meaning Of Each Fold!  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 9, 2002

Flag Folding & The Meaning of Each Fold! Unknown I guess this settles the "One Nation Under God" debate once and for all. Do you know that at military funerals, the 21 gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention ...read more

Tags: Funeral, Appearance, Motives, Holidays Civic

Denomination: Assembly Of God