In Sermon Illustrations: "Commandments Steal"

A Businessman Well Known For His Ruthlessness ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Oct 26, 2002

A businessman well known for his ruthlessness once announced to writer Mark Twain, “Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the 10 Commandments aloud at the top.” “I have a better idea,” replied Twain. “You could stay ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:4-27

Tags: Commandments General, Faith Vs. Works, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

A Parable Is Told Of A Community Of Ducks ...  PRO

Contributed by George Rennau on Apr 28, 2003

A parable is told of a community of ducks waddling off to duck church one Sunday to hear their duck preacher. After they waddled into the duck sanctuary, the service began and the duck preacher spoke eloquently of how God had given the ducks wings with which to fly. He pounded the pulpit with his ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-18

Tags: Ten Commandments, Worship Purpose, Loving God

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Television Show Called 'power Rangers: Spd" Had ...

Contributed by Rick Balmer on Sep 9, 2007

A television show called ’Power Rangers: SPD" had an episode where the main evil character of that show considered himself the master. All the way through the show, he kept claiming to be the master. I don’t need to follow the rules, I am the master. You can’t defeat me, I am the master. I will ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 47:10-11

Tags: Commandments No Gods, God's Omnipotence, Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Assembly Of God

In The "Peanuts" Comic Strip ...  PRO

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Sep 20, 2007

ILLUSTRATION: In the “Peanuts” comic strip Charlie Brown tells Linus, “My grandpa and grandma have been married for 50 years.” Linus says, “They’re lucky aren’t they.” But Charlie brown responds saying, “Grandma says it isn’t luck—it’s skill.” Now that Susie and I have celebrated 25 years of ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself, Commandments Adultery, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Honor Thy Father & Mother

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jan 15, 2022

The reader may ask me why I did not try to escape what was in store for me after Hitler had occupied Austria. Let me answer the question by recalling the following story. Shortly before the United States entered WWII, I received an invitation to come to the American consulate in Vienna to pick up ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-2, Exodus 20:12, Matthew 15:4

Tags: Honor, Family, Obedience, Courage, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Coveting Too Early

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 1, 2022

I was admiring my aunt’s necklace when she surprised me by announcing,“I’m leaving it to you in my will.”I was overjoyed, perhaps too much.“Oh!”I shouted.“I’m looking forward to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-29

Tags: Money, Prestige, Stealing, Cruelty, Ethics, Covet, Power, Desire, Selfishness, Dishonesty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Myth Of More

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 14, 2014

Society is trying to sell us stuff all the time...and it's not all that difficult to do because we're so unsatisfied with what we have. Would you agree that discontentment is our default setting? Capitalizing on our inherent dissatisfaction, the worldwide marketing machine spends around $450 ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:17

Tags: Covetousness, Contentment, Satisfaction, Discontentment, Advertising, Ten Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Get Some Rest!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2002

GET SOME REST! Our most notorious industrial accidents in recent years—Exxon Valdez, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, the fatal navigational error of Korean Air Lines 007—all occurred in the middle of the night. When the USS Vincennes shot down an Iranian A300 airbus killing all 290 people aboard, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 31:13-17

Tags: Commandments Sabbath, Giving Yourself, Workplace Balance, Labor Day

The Exxon Valdez Is An Oil Tanker That Was On Its ...

Contributed by Gaylon Clark on Nov 14, 2012

The Exxon Valdez is an oil tanker that was on its way to Long Beach, California. Instead, it crashed into a reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The crash resulted in the second largest oil spill in US History. Between 25-32 million gallons of oil spilled into the Ocean. Over 250,000 members of ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-10

Tags: Good Deeds, God's Purposes, Fatigue, Rest, Commandments Sabbath  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Honor

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 28, 2020

Victor Frankl was a survivor of the holocaust. His famous book is called "Man's Search for Meaning." The reader they ask me why I did not try to escape what was in store for me after Hitler had occupied Austria. Let me answer by recalling the following story. Shortly before ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1

Tags: Sacrifice, Honor, Family, Purpose, Meaning, Selfishness, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Thou Shalt Not Kill Thy Brother!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the 10 Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to “honor” thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, “Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?” Without missing a ...read more

Tags: Children, Murder, Family, Siblings, Ten Commandments, Sisters, Brothers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Social Consequences Of Sin

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Oct 13, 2024

Social consequences of sin. Jonathan Edwards in his book “The Nature Of True Virtue” lays out how sin destroys the social fabric. He argues that human society is deeply fragmented when anything, but God is our highest love. If our highest goal in life is the good of our family, then we will tend to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:21-24

Tags: Law, Sin, Idolatry, Virtue, Jonathan Edwards, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Just The House He Was Looking For

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 14, 2014

Alan Carr tells a story about a man who was tired of his friends owning nicer homes than his, so he went to see a realtor to put his home on the market and began to search for a new one. One day as he was reading the paper, he came across a listing for a home that seemed to be just what he was ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:17

Tags: Covetousness, Contentment, Satisfaction, Pride, Lifestyle, Materialism, Discontentment, Ten Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

[044] A Message From A Poem – Christian Patterns

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[044] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIAN PATTERNS This is a “constructed poem” meaning it follows a pattern. It is a series of injunctions or commands with specific structure that I will explain. Let us take the opening line – “Take God’s truth and make it yours, and your vain ways forsake.” I ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 8:5, Philippians 3:17, Acts 7:44

Tags: Poetry, Pattern, Poem, Christian Living, Commands, Christian Patterns, Rhyming  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

French Author, Guy De Maupassant Was One Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Jones on Nov 1, 2000

French author, Guy de Maupassant was one of the greatest writers of short stories the world has ever known. Within ten years he rose from relative obscurity to fame. Just what he thought he’d always wanted. His material possessions showed a life of affluence…a yacht in the Mediterranean, a large ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26, Matthew 15:10-20, Matthew 15:21-28

Tags: Purpose, Promises Of God, God Brings Purpose, Commandments, Covet, Finding Fulfillment  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

You Shall Know The Truth - But First It Might Make You Miserable!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 12, 2024

A police officer pulls over a speeding car. The officer says, ‘I clocked you at 80 miles per hour, sir.’ The driver says, ‘Oh my, officer I had it on cruise control at 60; perhaps your radar gun needs calibrating.’ Not looking up from her knitting the wife says, ‘Now don’t be silly dear, you ...read more

Scripture: John 17:17, John 14:6, Ephesians 4:15

Tags: Marriage, Truth, Honesty, Ten Commandments, Lying, Husbands, Wives, Drinking, Police Officers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Remember The Story About Tony Toto, Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 26, 2001

Do you remember the story about Tony Toto, of Allentown, PA.? He operated a pizza parlor there. Tony Toto survived at least 5 attempts on his life, all arranged for or carried out by his dear wife, Frances, & her lover. Twice she arranged for assailants to beat him over the head with baseball ...read more

Tags: Commandments Adultery, Dignity, Honesty, Marriage Commitment, Unconditional Love, Purity, Respect, Self Honesty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Personal Property In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE BIBLE Larry Burkett, the founder of Christian Financial Concepts, points out that the bible--with more than 700 references to money--says more about economics than many other subjects. He writes: "Money is such an important subject that nearly two-thirds of the parables ...read more

Tags: Materialism

Punishment In Another’s Place

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: When Jesus died on the cross, He took the punishment we deserve. Key Verses: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23-25

Tags: Salvation, Propitiation, Sacrifice Of Christ

Denomination: Charismatic

You're Going To Play Baseball This Summer  PRO

Contributed by Paul Steen on May 19, 2013

YOU’RE GOING TO PLAY BASEBALL THIS SUMMER Joshua 14:12, James 2:26 A little boy named Jimmy was about 13 years old. He grew up with his brother in a very poor family not too far from downtown. Their dad was very sick and could not work. They had food to eat every morning and evening, but he and ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 14:12, James 2:26

Tags: Faith, Believe, Trust, Work, Bible Truth, Allegory, Commandments General, Faith Vs. Works, Action, Encouragement, Desire, Zeal, Fulfillment, Promises Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Calvary Chapel