In Sermon Illustrations: "Disciplines Scripture"

Accepting Forgiveness Can Be Difficult

Contributed by Greg Bond on Dec 28, 2009

ACCEPTING FORGIVENESS CAN BE DIFFICULT I’m sure that many of you, just looking at this title, already have emotions running through your mind. Maybe accepting forgiveness from God and acceptance into His fellowship, is something you have struggled with personally, or you know one person, or ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Pentecostal

Moving Story Of A Godly Father

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

Hear our Lords Words: BIBLE Be merciful ... even as your Father (in Heaven) is merciful. END (Luke 6:36) Some time ago ... I heard a touching story .... about a humble, ... consecrated pastor ... whose young son had become.... Extremely ill. After the boy had undergone an exhaustive series of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:36, Proverbs 1:8, Matthew 6:1-18

Tags: Father, Father's Day, Salvation, Godly

Denomination: Anglican

Churches In Competition Against Each Other

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 5, 2023

Three churches, located on different corners of the same intersection, didn't get along together. One Sunday each of them opened their meeting with a rousing song service. It was a warm day and all the doors and windows were wide open. One congregation began singing the old hymn, "Will ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-7, Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Division, Worship, Competition, Rivalry, Critical Spirit, Hymns, Enemies, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Five Finger Prayer Formula

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2024

Prayer is a conversation with God, not a formula. Yet sometimes we might need to use a “method” to freshen up our prayer time. We can pray the Psalms or other Scriptures (such as The Lord’s Prayer), or use the ACTS method (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication). I recently came ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Faith, Worship, Praise, Prayer, Hearing God, Receiving, Asking, Needs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is He Welcome

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Feb 21, 2025

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Sadly, there are many buildings with church on the sign that Jesus is knocking on the door to get in. Some He has never been in and others He had been in but they turned Him by denying the Scriptures. Many people in those buildings ...read more

Scripture: John 1:11

Tags: Service, Wash, Salvation, Confession, Presence, Apostasy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

How Can We Know That We Are Truly Saved

Contributed by Hylton Davidson on Aug 13, 2025

Having assurance that one is saved is linked to the process called regeneration. Regeneration is not something a person initiates; it is a sovereign act of God. A person is born again when the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life, enabling them to repent and believe in the gospel. This transformation ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Assurance, Saved

Denomination: Christian Church

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger And Thirst For ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness "The Sermon on the Mount" explains the true intent of the law which cancels the natural responses of man and calls for supernatural behavior. Righteousness is an attribute of God. Jesus gives Christians a glorious hope and reward that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reflections On John 3:16

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 22, 2008

Reflections on John 3:16 John 3:16 will help answer the question of why Paul called this the most excellent way. This passage is the most famous and the most familiar passage of the Bible. It is quoted the most and it's reference numbers are seen at football games, parades, graffiti, and the like. ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroes: Godly Fathers

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 5, 2021

Text: Genesis 18:17-19, KJV: 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 18:17-19

Tags: Father's Day, Abraham, Fathers

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-The Maiden With A Message

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 12, 2022

Introduction: only mentioned once in Scripture, she had news the king needed to hear! Text: 2 Samuel 17:15-17, KJV: 15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. 16 Now ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 17:15-17

Tags: David, Unsung Heroines, Wench

Denomination: Baptist

When Close Enough—isn’t!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 23, 2022

Introduction: Sometimes, close enough just isn't! Text, Matthew 13:25, KJV: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Thoughts: Have you ever heard the phrase, “Oh, that’ s close enough” or “that’s good enough”? Sometimes, it’s true but there ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:25-30

Tags: Holy Spirit, Wheat, Tares, Close Enough

Denomination: Baptist

Where Is God Working?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 21, 2023

Pastor Henry Blackaby, of Faith Baptist Church in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada began to sense God leading them to an outreach ministry on the college campus. He had never done student work. Their church had never done student work. Their denominational student ministries department recommended ...read more

Scripture: John 5:17-20, Romans 3:10-11, John 6:44

Tags: Evangelism, Holy Spirit, Discipleship, God At Work, Joining God At Work  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

An Observation About Eternity

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 5, 2024

Text, Ecclesiastes 3:11, American Standard Version: He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. Every day we live takes us one day closer to the end of our ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11

Tags: Hell, Eternity, Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

[302]. A Message From A Poem - They All Forsook Him And Fled

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 3, 2026

[302]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - THEY ALL FORSOOK HIM AND FLED Did the disciples really forsake the Lord, or was it a natural, human action of fear? The Gospels are clear on this. Their peace and happiness of three years was shattered when their Lord was taken by the vile religious leaders to be ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:26-29, Zechariah 13:7, Mark 14:49-50, Matthew 26:56

Tags: Fear, Disciples, Sheep, Betrayal, Scattered, Christian Poetry, Fled, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

History Of Calvinism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

HISTORY OF CALVINISM In 1610, just one year after the death of James Arminius (a Dutch Seminary professor) five articles of faith based on his teachings were drawn up by his followers. The Arminians, as his followers came to be called, presented these five doctrines to the State of Holland in the ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:24-25, Ephesians 1:3-5

Tags: Warning, Calvinism

Not Afraid To Offend God

Contributed by Jw Worcester on Feb 8, 2021

The true “Lord’s Prayer” is John 17, also sometimes called the High Priestly Prayer. In verses 1 – 20 Jesus had already prayed for Himself and His mission. He also prayed for His disciples. Jesus prayed this prayer before Jesus and the disciples left for the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was ...read more

Scripture: John 17:22, John 17:24

Tags: Grieve, Knowing Jesus

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Laban, "Why Did You Steal My Gods?”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 23, 2024

Introduction: Let me say first of all that the Bible is a very sacred Book, not to be trifled with. It’s precious and untold numbers of believers have given their lives to simply have and read it, let alone defend it against any number of attacks. Having said that, there are a number of places ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:26-30

Tags: Laban, Idols, Teraphim, Jacob, Rachel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

When I First Came To Reno To Start A Church, Now ...

Contributed by James Wallace on Nov 12, 2009

When I first came to Reno to start a church, now about 22 years ago, my church planting advisors pointed me toward two men, two pastors who had had an extremely positive and successful experience in their church planting experiences. They had both planted churches in the past decade which had ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Bible Church

Healed But Not Cured!" Hebrews 12: 5-12: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 26, 2004

“Healed But Not Cured!” Hebrews 12: 5-12: Key verse(s): 6 “...because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” Sickness! There isn’t a life that hasn’t been touched by it. And, when we count our blessings at the end of the day, we aren’t likely to ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:5-12

Tags: Poverty, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Lutheran

Welsh Revival Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 Modern world history also records times of revival due to the hearing of God’s Word undergirded with prayer. The little nation Wales once become known as “The Land of Revival.” It has its own unique spiritual heroes such as Saint David of the Celtic Church – William ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:4-7

Tags: Revival