In Sermon Illustrations: "Cross Agony"

Notre Dame On Fire

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 18, 2019

Just this last Monday (April 15, 2019), many of us were horrified to watch the great Cathedral of Notre Dame on fire. Its great spire toppled into the roof of the cathedral, and many feared that Paris’ most iconic landmark would be a total loss after standing for 850 years. However, early the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:20-23, Romans 6:4

Tags: Sanctification, Salvation, Restoration

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Why Did He Do That?

Contributed by Danny Presswood on Jan 26, 2009

WHY DID HE DO THAT? In his book "Evidence that demands a Verdict," Josh McDowell describes what Jesus went through on our behalf. It started with "a sleepless night with no food. Then Jesus endured the mockery of two trials; He was slapped, mocked, spat upon, and ridiculed with a robe, a ...read more

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Baptist

Understanding The Spirit Named Pan

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

THE SPIRIT NAMED PAN Many creatures, or demonic spirits, that have been called mythological gods are not mythological at all. They are real in the kingdom of darkness. Pan’s appearance in mythology is with horns, ears, and legs of a goat on a man’s body. His sudden appearance was supposed to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11-18

Tags: Prayer, Demons, Panic, Fasting, Pandemic, Spirits, Satan, Spiritual Warfare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Brilliant Physician And Writer Oliver Wendell ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2005

The brilliant physician and writer Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., and his brother John represent two radically different views on the subject of flattery. Dr. Holmes loved to collect compliments, and when he was older he indulged his pastime by saying to someone who had just praised his work, “I am ...read more

Tags: Envy

Bono, Lead Singer Of U2  PRO

Contributed by Mark Busch on Apr 20, 2006

Bono, lead singer of U2 You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth . . . And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so you will sow” stuff. Grace defies reason ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Holiness

How Does A Person Keep From Getting Distracted? ...

Contributed by James Westmoreland on Oct 23, 2006

How does a person keep from getting distracted? How do we stay focused on being the person that God has called us to be? When Julius Caesar landed on the shores of Britain with his Roman legions, he took a bold and decisive step to ensure the success of his military venture. Ordering his men to ...read more

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ

Robert Louis Stevenson In One Of His Stories ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

Robert Louis Stevenson in one of his stories tells of a passenger ship crossing the Atlantic. It encountered a harsh storm that threatened to overwhelm the ship. The captain ordered the passengers below while the crew battled the storm above. At one point, the passengers grew impatient. They hadn’t ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Our News Is Filled With The Death Of Ana Nicole ...

Contributed by Bob Marcaurelle on Apr 4, 2007

Our news is filled with the death of Ana Nicole Smith. Her trademark is the public exposure of her enlarged breasts. Her sexual escapades were proudly shared. Her son died of drug overdose and she appears to have done the same. Her little baby, worth millions, has had no less than five men claiming ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

You Do Not Have To Travel Very Far In Any ...  PRO

Contributed by Lindsey Mann on Jul 24, 2002

You do not have to travel very far in any direction before you come across somebody who is away from the influence and authority of the Father. I can remember two such incidents. I was once visiting a church pastor in Kings Cross, Central London. As I made my farewell I stepped out onto the ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Maybe You Remember The End Of The Movie ...  PRO

Contributed by Peter Schmidt on Nov 23, 2003

Maybe you remember the end of the movie Braveheart. William Wallace, the Scottish hero, is being tortured. The king wants him and his people to give into his power and rule. But Wallace suffers through it. He won’t give in. And the very last word that he shouts as he marshals all his strength is he ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:2-4

Tags: Christian Liberty

Denomination: Lutheran

A Marvelous Song By Thomas Arne, Set To The Music ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Dec 30, 2003

A marvelous song by Thomas Arne, set to the music of Isaac Watts, teaches us to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2:3) "Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb. And shall I fear to own His cause or blush to speak His name? Must I be carried to the skies on ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Grace  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2004

Grace - an illustration of the effect of grace. By grace, Jesus took our place on the cross, enduring what he didn’t have to, so that we could have a relationship with our father. As an illustration of this, there is a scene in the Hugh Grant movie ’About A Boy’. Towards the end of the movie, the ...read more

Tags: Grace

Frederick Lonsdale

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Frederick Lonsdale The story is told about Frederick Lonsdale, a British dramatist, who had a longstanding quarrel with another man. One New Year’s Eve, at a party, he was asked by a friend to reconcile. “You must,” his friend urged him; “It is very unkind to be unfriendly at such a time. Go over ...read more

Tags: Paul

So Many Owed So Much To One  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 27, 2009

SO MANY OWED SO MUCH TO ONE During World War II’s Battle of Britain, the Royal Air Force’s courageous defense of the skies over Britain foiled Hitler’s plans for an invasion of the British Isles. Afterward, Prime Minister Winston Churchill said in the House of Commons, "Never in the history of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:1-30

Tags: Atonement

A Professing Christian Justifies Her ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 6, 2010

A Professing Christian Justifies Her Adultery Oprah Winfrey had a program with women who were having affairs with married men. When the women were challenged on the morality of their adultery, one woman said, “Wait a minute. I’m a Christian, but I want everyone to know that my personal life and my ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Adultery, False Gospel

C.s. Lewis On God's Love

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

C.S. LEWIS ON GOD'S LOVE C. S. Lewis described God’s love like this: "God, who needs nothing, loves into existence wholly superfluous creations in order that He may love and perfect them. He creates the universe, already foreseeing—or should we say ‘seeing’?—the buzzing cloud of flies about the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: God's Love

Shout Of Triumph

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2011

SHOUT OF TRIUMPH "'It is finished.' This shout of triumph rings with all the freshness and force of when He spoke it. The satisfaction He rendered to the justice of God was finished. But next, the Savior meant that the satisfaction which He rendered to the justice of God was finished. The debt was ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30

Tags: Easter Good Friday

When Things Go Wrong  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 19, 2012

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG Several years ago, Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Bob Patterson described one of his pitches, which the Cincinnati Reds’ Barry Larkin hit for a game-winning home run: "It was a cross between a screwball and a change-up. It was a screw-up." (Wall Street Journal, 7/9/96; ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:23-24

Tags: Mistakes

Just Tell The Truth

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

JUST TELL THE TRUTH A small boy was on the witness stand in an important lawsuit. The prosecuting attorney cross-examined him, then delivered, he thought, a crushing blow to the testimony. "Your father has been telling you how to testify, has he not?" "Yes," the lad replied and did not hesitate ...read more

Tags: Truth

To Have A Church Full Of Good Order, Requires A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 3, 2008

To have a church full of good order, requires a church full of disciples. Many Christians are only "Christaholics" and not disciples at all. Disciples are cross-bearers; they seek Christ. Christaholics seek happiness. Disciples dare to discipline themselves, and the demands they place on ...read more