In Sermon Illustrations: "Doing"

Is He Like Bill?  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Oct 1, 2010

"IS HE LIKE BILL?" Bill was a drunk, converted at a city mission. Before his conversion he had gained a reputation as a tramp and alcoholic for whom there was no hope. But when he was converted everything changed. He became the most caring person at the mission. He spent all his days there doing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16, Romans 8:9

Tags: Evangelism, Witness, Prayer, Christlikeness, Christian Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Work For The Glory Of God

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 20, 2010

Mark is a young businessman who does business in China. Each time he has gone to China, he has asked God to reveal to him whom he might speak to on behalf of Jesus. What might happen if every one of you went to work praying for God to reveal to him whom he might speak to on behalf of Jesus. You’re ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Methodist

A Christ-Like Schedule

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 14, 2010

A CHRIST-LIKE SCHEDULE If Jesus Christ were here today, do you think He would serve on three church committees; drive in the car pool on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; attend two services on Sunday; manage a boys' organization; serve on the lunch committee at the local synagogue or church; and ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: *other

Furtick On Audacious Faith

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 18, 2011

FURTICK ON AUDACIOUS FAITH "We set a goal of reaching over one thousand people in our first year of ministry. Since the average church size in America is fewer than one hundred and twenty, and the first rule of goal setting is attainability, I guess we were overshooting it a bit. But we wanted to ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hard To Be Humble

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Mar 16, 2011

HARD TO BE HUMBLE Have you ever noticed how things that look easy, never are? For years, I've alpine skied; but, I've always wanted to snowboard. I thought, boarding can't be all that different. How hard can it be? After all -- if my daughters could learn, so could I. They picked up the sport ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:23

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Lutheran

Learned Helplessness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

LEARNED HELPLESSNESS Learned Helplessness is a term I came across in my reading this week. It is a technical term originally used in reference to animal psychology but is also appropriately applied to human behavior as well. Learned helplessness describes an animal or a person who has learned to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14

Tags: Attitude General

How Not To Achieve Virtue

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jul 4, 2011

HOW NOT TO ACHIEVE VIRTUE How do we move from vice to virtue? Let me tell you first of all how not to... Even ancient pagans, those who never heard the Bible, recognized that living in vice was deadly and destructive. They were far ahead of our modern culture that is foolishly accepting vices ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Lutheran

A Unique Excuse

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

A UNIQUE EXCUSE A man who bought a brand new Mercedes and got out on the interstate. It was a convertible and the top was down, the breeze was blowing through his hair, and he decided he would open it up to see what it could do. The needle hit 80 miles an hour, then 90, then 100, then 110, then ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:16-24

Tags: Lies

God's Glorious Creation

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Aug 28, 2011

GOD'S GLORIOUS CREATION Sometimes it’s good for us to get out of our environment to see the glory of God, and to be even more thankful for all he’s done and given, for that which he is doing now, and forevermore will do for all of creation. Going on vacation last weekend t refreshed my soul. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 65:17-25

Tags: Glory

Denomination: Lutheran

Yogi Berra: Determination And Direction

Contributed by Perry Greene on Sep 20, 2011

YOGI BERRA: DETERMINATION AND DIRECTION My favorite sports quotations, though, come from Yogi Berra: "Nobody goes to that restaurant any more -- it's too crowded." "If people don't want to come out to the ball park, nobody's going to stop them." Someone asked Yogi what time it was; he said, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Knows

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 7, 2011

GOD KNOWS The receiving line at the memorial was very long as Jim and Steph had many family members that came from Texas and Georgia. Halfway through the line, I was introduced to Jim's sister, brother and nephew. They said "Are you the Brad Henry that wrote the devotional about my brother?" I ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Faithful To The Finish

Contributed by Efrain Perez on Oct 9, 2011

FAITHFUL TO THE FINISH In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Derek Redmond of Great Britain was considered a favorite contender for a medal. It was the evening of August 3, 1992 as Redmond was pitted against seven others in a semi-final in the 400 meters. Redmond knelt poised, waiting for the race to ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Someone Who Understands

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Nov 6, 2011

SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy. "Can I have a puppy?" "Sure," said the farmer. ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Baptist

God's Promises And Urban Legends  PRO

Contributed by Scott Carson on Nov 20, 2011

GOD'S PROMISES AND URBAN LEGENDS Do you really believe that being godly is great gain and not financial gain, but something that really matters and lasts? If you believed that, wouldn’t it change your life? Most people believe that if you smoke, you’ll get lung cancer. Many of you quit smoking ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God's Forgiveness And The Jump Drive

Contributed by James Webster on Jan 14, 2012

GOD'S FORGIVENESS AND THE JUMP DRIVE Most of you know I keep most of my office work in the corner of the family room in the parsonage since we moved back. Most of my study I do early before anyone gets up. However, for the past couple of weeks I have been coming over to the church office early ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Nazarene

On Habits

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 7, 2012

ON HABITS Someone Once Said... * Thoughts produce acts, acts produce habits, and habits produce character.--Anonymous * If we realize the extent to which we are mere walking bundles of habits, we would give more heed to their own formation.--William James* * First we ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:2

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

The Master And The Child  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 17, 2012

THE MASTER AND THE CHILD The folklore surrounding Poland's famous concert pianist and prime minister, Ignace Paderewski, includes a story, which though fictional, provides a true picture of what God can do with us: A mother, wishing to encourage her young son's progress at the piano, bought ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: God In The Hardships

Missions ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 8, 2012

Missions quotes: "I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light" — John Keith Falconer "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply" — Hudson Taylor [ video ] "God isn't looking for people of ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Communion: In Remembrance

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Aug 11, 2012

COMMUNION: IN REMEMBRANCE A man was working in his backyard one day, when his neighbor began talking to him over the fence. He said, "Yeah, my wife and I went to one of those seminars yesterday, you know, where they teach you ways to improve your memory and such." His neighbor commented, ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-21, James 1:19

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Baptist

Lee Dye On New Year's Resolutions

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jan 6, 2013

LEE DYE ON NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS Lee Dye writes, “It’s that time of year again when we resolve to get off our duffs and run around the block more often, maybe even cut back on tall of those things which we know we aren’t supposed to eat, or drink or smoke. Ah yes, New Year’s Resolutions which for ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Methodist