In Sermon Illustrations: "direct"

Out Of Tune

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Aug 1, 2018

Main Idea: God is perfect and He cannot tolerate any sin in His presence. Verse: “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalms 18:30 NKJV). Illustration: Once there was a famous conductor who was asked to direct a world class orchestra. He chose a famous piece of music and the orchestra gathered ...read more

Tags: Sin, Salvation, Perfection, Need For Christ

Denomination: Charismatic

Ten Word Sermon

Contributed by Kevin Barron on Aug 31, 2018

The shortest sermon I know is only ten words. It was preached by my grandfather to a small, country congregation on the story of the Good Samaritan (Mark 10:35-45). He read the account of an outsider who demonstrates true neighbor love by stopping on the road to care for a bleeding and badly ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45

Tags: Compassion, Good Samaritan

Denomination: United Methodist

Discipleship Is A Call To Suffer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

John R. Scott gives a modern example of one who suffered for the gospel observing that… "Few men of this century have understood better the inevitability of suffering than Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He seems never to have wavered in his Christian antagonism to the Nazi regime, although it meant for ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:12, Philippians 3:1-20, Romans 1:16

Tags: Church, Commitment, Discipleship, Suffering, Will Of God, Bonhoeffer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Have You Lost The "scent"?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 1, 2021

DEMAS LOST THE "SCENT" A man bought a new hunting dog. Eager to see how the dog would perform, the man took him out to track a bear. No sooner had they gotten into the woods than the dog picked up the trail. Suddenly he stopped, sniffed the ground, and headed in a new direction. He had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:10, 1 John 2:15-16

Tags: Compromise, Worldliness, Backsliding, Values, Loving The World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Undertaker Ask A Local New Minister To Preach ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 21, 2007

An undertaker ask a local new minister to preach a funeral for a person of no friends, money, or known relatives. The funeral director felt so bad already at the cheap coffin. The new minister responded gladly. The directions were vague and 8 miles into a wooded area and set for 2pm. Panically, ...read more

Tags: Death

In The Greek Islands, You Can See The Home Of ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 24, 2007

In the Greek Islands, you can see the home of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. Near his house there is an olive tree, supposedly dating from his time. The trunk of this tree is very large but completely hollow; it is little more than thick bark. There are a few long, straggling ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

An Old Scotsman Operated A Little Rowboat For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 2, 2008

An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day a passenger noticed that the old man had carved on one oar the word “faith” and on the other oar the word “works.” Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this. The old man, being a well balanced Christian and glad of ...read more

Scripture: James 2:17, James 2:20, Hebrews 11:6, Titus 1:16, Titus 3:8  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith, Works

An Increasing Number Of People In America And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2008

An increasing number of people in America and around the world don't believe in God. The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press has found 20% of Americans ages 18 to 25 say they have no religious affiliation or consider themselves atheists or agnostics, nearly double the rate of 20 years ...read more

Tags: Atheism

The Early Church Of God Reformers Believed That ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jul 15, 2008

The early Church of God reformers believed that at a second point in time after we begin believing in Jesus, God Himself sends His Spirit to guide and direct in order to surrender our entire lives into His care. They found many people believed in Jesus but then experienced God in such a profound ...read more

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Church Of God

Bible Literate

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

BIBLE LITERATE Americans are among the world’s most ’Bible-literate’ people with Spaniards, French and Italians among the least, claims a Catholic Biblical Federation study. The 9-country poll (U.S., Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Spain and Poland) found Americans are ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Deuteronomy 30:19, Deuteronomy 30:6-11

Tags: Bible Study

Ministry Area Profile 2006 -- Compass ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 16, 2009

Ministry Area Profile 2006 -- Compass Report 10/24/2006 Estimated 2006 households likely to be primarily concerned with: The Basics: Maintaining personal health – 42.6% Hopes and Dreams: 1) Achieving long-term financial security – 56.8% 2) Finding time for recreation/leisure – 31.7% 3) Other ...read more

Tags: Worldliness

Denomination: Baptist

In Part I We Mentioned Robert Baxter And What He ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In part I we mentioned Robert Baxter and what he said concerning the materialistic direction of people and the church. Let’s look at that again. "It is a most lamentable [regrettable] thing to see how most people spend their time and their energy for trifles [unimportant things], while God is cast ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

The Powerhouse

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

“The memory of Charles Haddon Spurgeon has been cherished among evangelical Christians for over the past 100 years. Many Christian leaders consider him to be the greatest preacher England ever produced. He is commonly hailed as the "Prince of Preachers". Over 63 volumes of published sermons still ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

The Other Night I Put The Boys Into Bed. ...

Contributed by Art Good on Jul 26, 2007

Illus. The other night I put the boys into bed. “Good night, go to bed, no talking. See you in the morning” Pretty clear right? I was 5 feet from the door and I heard them talking. So I went back in. Reminded them, no talking. Go to bed! 10 minutes later I hear giggling. I walk in just as ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Self Control - The Conductor Of Your Orchestra!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

Let’s face it. We’ve been created with a multitude of moods, passions, and desires. They all need managing. They must be under control or they will end up controlling us. Lewis Smedes says that self-control is like the “conductor of a symphony orchestra.” Under the conductor’s baton the multitude ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Spirit Filled Life, Holy Spirit, Lust, Spiritual Warfare, Fruit Of The Spirit, Spiritual Victory, Desires  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Chuck Swindoll In His Book, Improving Your Serve, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

Chuck Swindoll in his book, Improving Your Serve, gives a memorable illustration: Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-13

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Discipleship, Faith

A National Prayer Of Repentance  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 31, 2001

A NATIONAL PRAYER OF REPENTANCE Joe Wright is the pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS. On January 23, 1996, He was asked to be the guest chaplain for the Kansas State House in Topeka. He prayed a prayer of repentance that was written by Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-21

Tags: Walk, Controversial, Independence Day, National, Prayer, Prayer Confession, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Let’s Play ‘let’s ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on Jul 11, 2001

Let’s play ‘Let’s Pretend’. Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 26:1-16, James 2:11

Tags: Discipleship, Faith, Bible Study

Denomination: Pentecostal

There Once Was A Man Who Very Adamantly Believed ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 20, 2001

There once was a man who very adamantly believed in living by faith. He believed that, so long as he prayed in Jesus’ name, believing in faith that God would provide his need, he would receive whatever he asked for. One day he stood up in church and declared that from that day forward, he was ...read more

Tags: Faith, Money, Provision, Poverty, God's Provision, God's Will  (view more)  (view less)

A National Prayer Of Repentance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2002

A NATIONAL PRAYER OF REPENTANCE Joe Wright is the pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS. On January 23, 1996, He was asked to be the guest chaplain for the Kansas State House in Topeka. He prayed a prayer of repentance that was written by Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:34, Jonah 3:6-10, Jeremiah 18:7-14, Acts 2:1-13

Tags: Independence Day, Gambling, Christian Liberty, Prayer, Men, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)