In Sermon Illustrations: "Cost Of Discipleship"

Stop Expecting Life To Be Perfect

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

STOP EXPECTING LIFE TO BE PERFECT Donald Miller has written a book called, "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years." It's about the journey Don went on when a couple of filmmakers decided to make a movie about his life, based on his book Blue Like Jazz. Now during the process of writing a screenplay ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Methodist

Bill Bright's Epitaph

Contributed by Richard White on Mar 17, 2012

BILL BRIGHT'S EPITAPH Bill Bright is the founder of Campus Crusades for Christ. He devoted his life to reaching young people all around the world, and to help strengthen young people who already gave ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Travelers Vs. Tourists

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Mar 29, 2012

TRAVELERS VS. TOURISTS Canadian Pastor Mark Buchanan in his book "Your Church is Too Safe" points out the radical difference between a traveler and a tourist. "A traveler literally means 'one who travails.' He labors, he suffers, endures. A traveler -- travailer - ...immerses himself in a culture, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

Dr. David Nichols States, "There Must Be A ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 2, 2012

Dr. David Nichols states, "There must be a difference between the knowledge that comes from the gathering of information, and that which comes by revelation. The Pharisees and Sadducees had the best information anyone could have in their day. If you asked them, they would tell you they were in ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Howard Hughes Vs. Jim Elliot

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

HOWARD HUGHES VS. JIM ELLIOT Howard Hughes' last years were spent in isolation, hidden on the top floor of the Xanadu Hotel in the Bahamas. One biographer wrote about Hughes' appearance before he died: "He was emaciated, practically skeletal, with only 120 pounds stretched over his six-foot, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-28

Tags: Discipleship

The Heritage Tree  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2012

THE HERITAGE TREE The Heritage Tree, Cape Perpetua, Central Oregon coast. This giant spruce is called The Heritage Tree because it stands almost 200 feet tall and because it started to grow as a seedling about the same time Martin Luther was pounding his theses on the church door at Wittenberg. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Tags: Discipleship

One Thing

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jul 17, 2012

ONE THING In the movie "City Slickers," Billy Crystal plays a confused, dissatisfied thirty-something character with a vague sense that life is passing him by. Jack Palance- ancient, leathery, wise to the ways of the world ("a saddlebag with eyes") -- asks Crystal if he would like to know the ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bertoldo De Giovanni Is A Name Even The Most ...

Contributed by Perry Greene on Aug 2, 2012

Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time. Michelangelo was only 14 years old when he came to Bertoldo, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

True Christianity

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Aug 27, 2012

This past Wednesday, many across our country and others, went to their local churches to have ashes placed on their foreheads, as a sign of repentance. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period that many “give-up” something in preparation for the coming of Easter. In the ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

Counterfeit ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

COUNTERFEIT CHRISTIANITY Several years ago in Kentucky a man walked into a Dairy Queen, placed his order and then paid for it with a $200 bill. The cashier gave him $198 in change and he drove away. Some time later in the day I guess the manager noticed that something didn’t seem right about this ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Tags: Discipleship

God Is Not An Editor

Contributed by David Tack on Oct 17, 2012

GOD IS NOT AN EDITOR "God is looking for common ordinary people like you and me who are willing to let Him use as He sees fit. He wants to write our story, He doesn’t want to be our editor. But, we want to write the story and then we call God in as our editor. When the story gets messy then we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

Tractor Pulls And Yokes

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2013

TRACTOR PULLS AND YOKES Some people like going to events called Tractor Pulls. This is when they cover the floor of an arena with dirt and guys in souped-up tractors compete to see who can pull the heaviest loads. That’s nothing new because long before the internal combustion engine, farmers were ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Discipleship

Entry-Level Faith

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 3, 2013

ENTRY-LEVEL FAITH During World War II, a young teenager tried to enlist in the navy. Only fifteen but large for his years, he told the recruiting officer in Richmond, Virginia, that he was sixteen. The officer looked at him and shook his head. "Sorry, son, you're not old enough." Two months ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:1

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

A Disciple Knows His Father  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Apr 19, 2008

A DISCIPLE KNOWS HIS FATHER A shepherd was looking after his sheep one day on the side of a deserted road, when suddenly a brand new Porsche screeches to a halt. The driver, a man dressed in an Armani suit, Timberland shoes, Versace designer sunglasses, A Rolex watch, and a Pierre Cardin tie, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Anglican

The World's A Better Place Because...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Abram on Apr 26, 2008

THE WORLD'S A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE... The worlds a better place because a German monk named Martin Luther did not say, "I don't do doors." The world's a better place because an Oxford don named John Wesley didn't say, "I don't do preaching in fields." The world's a better place because Moses ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Get Out On The Field

Contributed by C Jordan on May 5, 2008

GET OUT ON THE FIELD "Getting involved in your church by using your gifts will accelerate your spiritual growth immensely. God designed us that way. Don't head for the grandstands when you enter the kingdom of God. Head for the playing field. That's where the ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: *other

Hindrances  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on May 25, 2008

HINDRANCES Hindrances: These are those things that the Bible doesn’t necessarily call sin, but that can get in the way. Let me give you an example: It’s not illegal to run the 100-yard dash wearing snow-mobile suit and snow boots. But you’re not going to win. In fact, you’ll probably pass out ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Father's Revelation Is To Be The Son's ...

Contributed by David Ibeleme on Jun 8, 2008

The father’s revelation is to be the son’s ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Sooner Or Later, It Seems That At Least Once In ...  PRO

Contributed by Todd Leupold on Jun 9, 2008

Sooner or later, it seems that at least once in their life with God, every Christian gets infected with the virus of "false maturity." It's a weird virus in that it's symptoms are often easily seen and felt by others, but invisible and unfelt by the infected one! Once infected, the poor soul ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

Equal Leading

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Jun 11, 2008

EQUAL LEADING In Bible College, a fellow student asked our instructor why some Christians seem to have such a strong relationship with the Lord and others seem to always struggle. He made the statement that it didn't seem fair to him that some seem to have greater leading because they become so ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Orthodox