In Sermon Illustrations: "Despair Can Have Help"

Great Quotes On Forgiveness

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

When everything in you wants to hold a grudge, point a finger and remember the pain. God wants you to lay it aside. Why? Because, when you release it, you will be set free. - R.T. Kendall Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing that you were the prisoner. - Max ...read more

Tags: Forgiving Others, Forgiveness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroines-The Widow Of Zarephath

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 4, 2022

Introduction: this widow woman probably wasn’t even an Israelite but she believed the words of Elijah, the prophet of the LORD, God of Israel. She received much more than she gave Elijah! Text: 1 Kings 17:8-16, KJV: 8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Widow Of Zarephath, Unsung Heroines, Elijah

Denomination: Baptist

Where Do All My Nasal Fluids Come From?

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 5, 2024

I am finally, in what I think is the last phase of my recent health confusion. My nose is dripping, and I think I use at least one box of tissues daily. I did not know I had so much of this in my body, and I am not exactly sure where it came from. When I was young, I remember having a bad case of ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:4-5

Tags: Overcome, Victory, Sneeze

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Great Divide Between Brain And Tongue

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 12, 2022

As my Uncle Fred used to say, one of the great benefits of getting old is that you know everything. If you had ever met Uncle Fred, you would easily conclude that he certainly wasn’t getting old. Of course, there are things I have learned during my aging career that has been of great use to me. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:10

Tags: Temptation, Tongue, Brain

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

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)

The Following Incident Won The Runner-Up Prize In ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Stewart on Feb 14, 2004

The following incident won the runner-up prize in the 1999 Darwin Awards: A Vermont native, Ronald Demuth, found himself in a difficult position. While touring the Eagle’s Rock African Safari (Zoo) with a group of thespians from St. Petersburg, Russia, Mr. Demuth went overboard to show them ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:5, Romans 7:5

Tags: Sin Bondage To, Sin Exposed, Small Groups, Community, Fellowship, Group  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" Speaks Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Scott Weber on Mar 14, 2006

The Book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" speaks of the destruction of early Christian texts during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletion of 303 A.D., after which it continues: “As a result Christian documents—especially in Rome—all but vanished. When Constantine commissioned new versions of these ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Agony Of Defeat

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 28, 2012

"THE AGONY OF DEFEAT" Some of you might remember the TV program "The Wide World of Sports". For many years, the opening of the program opened like this: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport; the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat." The opening illustrated "the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:12

Tags: Change

Friends And Acquaintances?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 26, 2020

Junior high/middle school basketball is always fun to play, and more fun to watch. These youngsters have acquired some skill—more or less—and it’s still more for fun than for competition. Oh, sure, we wanted to win, and few athletes that don’t want to win will ever get very far in any kind of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:3

Tags: Youth, Book Of Life, Athletics, Friends, Relationship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: The Man Who Fed A Hundred Men

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 24, 2020

Introduction: A number of miracles took place in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 4 alone, there are at least three such miracles mentioned: the pot of oil that kept flowing until all the vessels in town were full and the time, maybe just before this, when Elisha found some meal then used it to cure ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:42-44

Tags: First Fruits, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

The Book Of Daniel Is About Teenagers.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 1, 2022

HOW MANY MISS THE POINT THAT THESE ARE TEENAGERS! The Book of Daniel is about a young man and his teenage friends who grew up in a time when his country, Judah, southern tribes of Israel, was judged by God for their idolatry. God allowed the most ungodly leader and nation in the world, King ...read more

Tags: Fathers, Teenagers, Daniel, Family, Prayer, Revival, Mothers, Fasting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes: Nabal's Servant

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 10, 2022

Introduction: David was God’s choice to be king over Israel, but that wasn’t going to happen as long as Saul was ruling as Israel’s first king. David had done some unusual, some might say questionable, things but at this time he and his men were protecting a large flock of sheep and goats. David ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 25:14-17

Tags: David, Nabal, Abigail, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Why Isn't The Book Of Enoch In Our Bible?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 24, 2024

This question illuminates one of those painful intersections between theology and church history: the canonization of Scripture. Throughout church history, many books have been scrutinized by theologians, and before those theologians, other theologians, and before such, were the members of the ...read more

Tags: Scripture, Holy Spirit, Inspiration, Enoch, Inerrancy, Church History, Canon, Book Of Enoch  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Video Clip From The Movie "Dead Man Walking" ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Jul 13, 2001

A video clip from the movie "Dead Man Walking" might give us a better understanding of what mercy really is. In the video, Sister Helen Prejean sits with convicted killer Matthew Poncelet in his cell. When he confesses that he has indeed killed a man, Sister Prejean teaches him that he can become ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, God's Forgiveness, Gifts Mercy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Word ‘christian' Means Different Things To ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2002

“The word ‘Christian’ means different things to different people. To one person, it means a stiff, uptight, inflexible way of life—colorless and unbending. To another, it means a risky, surprised-filled venture, lived on tiptoe at the edge of expectation. Either of these pictures can be ...read more

Why Should I Not Forgive?  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Jul 13, 2002

WHY SHOULD I NOT FORGIVE? Deweese Eunick (mother of a 6 year old girl, killed by a 12 year old boy who was wrestling with her) The boy, Lionel Tate was being sentenced for life in prison for this murder. The mother said to reporters on ABC, "It’s more that he’s a human being, you know?" she ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:25, John 5:5

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Baptist

Compromise And Anti-Christ  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 15, 2002

COMPROMISE AND ANTI-CHRIST Religious tolerance is not always a sign of good will. It can be a sign of careless, perhaps hypocritical religious indifference of the most high-handed philosophic relativism. It can also be a mask behind which to hide downright malice. During the Nazi era, for example, ...read more

Tags: Antichrist, Commitment To Christ

Slowing Down The King Of Speed  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2003

SLOWING DOWN THE KING OF SPEED We live in a culture where speed is king. I find myself in a hurry even if there is no reason. People get uptight today if they miss a revolution in a revolving door. We are an uptight generation of compulsive activists. There are ten times more things to do in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Peace, Stillness, Solitude, Disciplines, Disciplines Meditation, God's Provision  (view more)  (view less)

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Runs Over ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Feb 15, 2003

· The Iditarod trail sled dog race runs over 1,100 miles from Anchorage in south central Alaska to Nome along the Bearing Sea. It takes from 10 to 15 days to complete what has been called the “last great race on earth.” The Iditarod is not an easy race; it is run in sub-zero temperatures with ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Weapon Of Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2003

THE WEAPON OF PRAYER It takes more than bullets and bombs to win a war, residents said in Chatsworth, GA. "Prayer is the greatest weapon we’ve got," said Frank Lloyd of Chatsworth at a prayer service at First Baptist Church. "This war’s not going to be won on military might. It’s going to be ...read more

Scripture: James 5:16

Tags: War, Political Freedom, Prayer Adoration