In Sermon Illustrations: "Coming Home"

Hope Ain't Hoping

Contributed by John Bright on May 27, 2023

I want to give you a shorthand way of remembering the difference between the hope in our Bibles and the hope out in the world. Hope ain’t hoping. Today, folks plan outside events and say, “I sure hope it doesn’t rain.” Every Sunday, some folks may show up here and say, “I sure hope PJ doesn’t ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Tags: Faith, Hope, Hoping

Denomination: Methodist

[226]. A Message From A Poem - Quantum Leaps

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Oct 11, 2025

[226]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - QUANTUM LEAPS This poem is in 4 sections though all are related. It deals with the progression of wickedness in the world, but that progress has been very rapid. Those who are older, and in a reflective mood, will recall how things were in the 1950s and 60s when ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Tags: Change, Antichrist, Wickedness, The Last Days, A New Creature, The World Gets Worse, Rapid, Christian Poems, Quantum Leaps  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Someone Asked Luther, "Do You Feel That ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Apr 24, 2001

Someone asked Luther, “Do you feel that you have been forgiven?” He answered, “No!but I’m as sure as there’s a God in Heaven .” “For feeling come and feelings go, and feelings are ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, God's Forgiveness, Emotions

Denomination: Baptist

The Worst Threats The Church Has Ever ...  PRO

Contributed by Craig Cramblet on Mar 1, 2003

“The worst threats the church has ever encountered have come more from within than without. External pressures are like water on a grease fire– causing the church to intensify and spread. Internal strife and bickering are like ...read more

Tags: Unity, Faith General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Caterpillar Lives The First Part Of Its Life ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2003

-The caterpillar lives the first part of its life crawling on the ground. -After fulfilling its course, the caterpillar curls up and seemingly dies. Then out of that body a beautiful butterfly comes to life. No longer forced to craw ...read more

Servanthood Is An "Acquired" Taste For Many. ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy O'fallon on Jun 27, 2004

Servanthood is an “acquired” taste for many. How many of you enjoy coffee? Of those that do, how many of you enjoyed coffee as a small child? The taste for coffee came with a maturing of your palate. For many Christians, a heart of servanthood ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal

In His Book Enjoying Intimacy With God, J. Oswald ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 31, 2001

In his book Enjoying Intimacy with God, J. Oswald Sanders makes a piercing observation: "We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be. True, there are times when we would like to know a deeper intimacy, but ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:29-30

Tags: Discipleship, Disciplines General

Josh Mcdowell  PRO

Contributed by Mark Busch on Apr 20, 2006

Josh McDowell After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, and thoroughly investigating its foundation, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the ‘most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Holiness

The Soldier's First Article Of Faith Is Summed ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Apr 1, 2007

The soldier’s first article of faith is summed up nowhere more eloquently than in an 1865 letter from William Tecumseh Sherman to U.S. Grant: "I knew wherever I was that you thought of ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Mountains Are Fountains Of Men As Well As ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The mountains are fountains of men as well as of rivers, of glaciers, of fertile soil. The great poets, philosophers, prophets, able men whose thought and deeds have moved the world, have come down from the mountains -- ...read more

Tags: Creation

John C Maxwell, The Noted Church Leader, Author ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

John C Maxwell, the noted Church leader, author and Leadership Guru, states in the introduction to the Maxwell Leadership Bible that one of the simplest, but most profound definitions of Leadership that he has come across is "Leadership is ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Loyalty To Jesus

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jan 19, 2010

LOYALTY TO JESUS "One's loyalty to Jesus must come before his loyalty to his family or even to life itself." Source: John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, Editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:18-22

Tags: Disciples, Devotion, Loyalty, Priorities, Idolatry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Only In The Lone Star State

Contributed by John Crowe on Aug 11, 2011

ONLY IN THE LONE STAR STATE My daughter’s family moved to Del Rio, Texas. One night my 4-year-old granddaughter recited the Lord’s Pryaer with a slight variation; "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13

Tags: Children

Denomination: Baptist

The Soldier's First Article Of Faith Is Summed ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The soldier’s first article of faith is summed up nowhere more eloquently than in an 1865 letter from William Tecumseh Sherman to U.S. Grant: "I knew wherever I was that you thought ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

The Worst Threats The Church Has Ever ...

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jul 24, 2007

“The worst threats the church has ever encountered have come more from within than without. External pressures are like water on a grease fire– causing the church to intensify and spread. Internal strife and bickering are like ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Evolution Of Mothers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

THE EVOLUTION OF MOTHERS Being a parent changes everything. But being a parent also changes with each baby. Here are some of the ways having a second and third child is different from having the first. Your Clothes 1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your doctor confirms ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:5-10

Tags: Parenting, Mother's Day, Influence, Children

Welcoming Misfits  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2004

WELCOMING MISFITS Ryan Johnson, minister in Glen Elder, Kansas, shares this story: I was heading north out of Salina, Kansas when I saw him. His name was Charlie. Charles was sitting in the ditch with large army bags. The cold misty rain was drenching him and his bags. He wore his Vietnam ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-24

Tags: Kingdom Of God, Parable Great Banquet, Compassion

The Story Of Squanto  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

The Story of Squanto Most of us know the story of the first Thanksgiving -- at least, we know the Pilgrim version. But how many of us know the Indian viewpoint? No, I’m not talking about some revisionist, politically correct version of history. I’m talking about the amazing story of the way God ...read more

Standing In The Doorway  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

STANDING IN THE DOORWAY John Todd was born in Rutledge, Vermont, into a family of several children. They later moved to the village of Killingsworth back in the early 1800s. And, there, at a very young age, both John’s parents died. The relatives wondered what they would do with so many ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3

Tags: Death

Alzheimer's Patient Recalls The Old Rugged ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

Alzheimer’s Patient Recalls The Old Rugged Cross In his book, Reaching the Invisible God, author Philip Yancey tells the story about his wife, Janet, who leads a weekly “Christian Circle” at a local nursing home. An Alzheimer’s patient named Betsy faithfully attends, led there by a staff worker, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Cross