In Sermon Illustrations: "Eternal Joy"

The First And Last "All"

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2010

THE FIRST AND LAST "ALL" After a mission service, the preacher of the evening was hurrying away to a late train. He had just three minutes to catch it when he saw a man running after him. "Oh, sir," he said breathlessly as he came up, "Can you help me? I am very anxious about my salvation." ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:6

Tags: Evangelism How To

Holiness Is Developed In Community

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

HOLINESS IS DEVELOPED IN COMMUNITY In the 3rd and 4th Centuries, and even to some extent today, the popular image of holiness was solitude, silence and severity. The really (quote) "holy people" back then were those who lived like hermits, wandering in the desert alone -- fasting, praying and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-10

Tags: Holiness

Works-Driven Rituals

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

WORKS-DRIVEN RITUALS Every year a great throng of people make pilgrimage to the Shrine of Guadalupe in Mexico, a site where supposedly the Virgin Mary once stood...however unlikely that is. They go there hoping to get her attention, and to get her to intervene for them with her son Jesus. They ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-10

Tags: Action

Billy Graham's Arena Dreams

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 7, 2012

BILLY GRAHAM'S ARENA DREAMS Billy Graham, in his book "Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well" (pp. 2-3, Thomas Nelson) writes: I have remained a baseball fan, not necessarily of one team over another but of the game itself--the teamwork, the strategy, and the challenge of defeating the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Dreams

Denomination: Baptist

The 40 Martyrs  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Feb 25, 2012

THE 40 MARTYRS "History knows them as the forty martyrs of Sebaste. They were soldiers in the famed Twelfth Legion of Rome’s imperial army, around A.D. 320. One day the captain informed his troops that Emperor Licinius had sent down an edict commanding all soldiers to offer a sacrifice to his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10, Luke 12:4

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Baptist

The Hobbit: Denying Yourself  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 15, 2013

The Hobbit: Denying Yourself In the movie “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” there is a scene where the Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit who is accompanying 13 dwarves on a mission, unexpectedly disappears and seems to have abandoned the dwarves during a crucial battle. They were losing. Bilbo does ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25

Tags: Dying To Self, Deny Self

Denomination: Nazarene

Why Should I Worship A Dead Jew?

Contributed by Christine Forehand on Oct 22, 2008

"Why Should I Worship a Dead Jew?" This challenging question was posed by a sincere young Jewish student who had been attending evangelistic meetings conducted by the author and composer of this hymn, Alfred H. Ackley. Mr. Ackley's answer to this searching question, ultimately prompted the writing ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Giant Leap For Mankind  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Dec 10, 2008

ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND ONE OF THE GREAT EVENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY took place on July 20th, 1969, at exactly 4:17 P.M., EDT, when the Lunar Module "Eagle" landed on the surface of the moon. The Apollo 11 mission was the first manned mission to land on the moon. It was the 5th human spaceflight ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Wesleyan

A. According To A Usa Today Article, In 2003 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

A. ACCORDING TO A USA TODAY ARTICLE, IN 2003 AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT #316 WITH 68 PASSENGERS SAT ON THE RUNWAY AT NEW YORK’S JFK AIRPORT, WHILE GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES TRIED TO DETERMINE IF A WOMAN ON BOARD WAS LEAVING THIS COUNTRY AGAINST HER WILL. B. SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAD SERVED AS ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

God Has Already Given Us The Answer To Our ...

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Feb 5, 2009

God has already given us the answer to our question for tragedy – God lets bad stuff happen because He is good. Without the goodness of God there would not be any free choice for you and me. We would be like robots, serving God by His will alone, and not our choice. The fact that a good God, who ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: United Methodist

Speaking About Balance, Yesterday I Read About A ...  PRO

Contributed by W F on Jan 27, 2008

Speaking about balance, yesterday I read about a 28 year old woman in Sacramento who died last week from drinking too much water! The woman had entered a competition on a radio station and the idea was to see who could drink the most water without having to go to the bathroom. The comp was called, ...read more

Denomination: *other

Elizabeth Taylor On ...

Contributed by Tim Harlow on May 13, 2009

ELIZABETH TAYLOR ON MARRIAGE Following her wedding to CONRAD HILTON in 1950, ELIZABETH TAYLOR said, "Your heart knows when you meet the right man. There is no doubt that Nicky is the one I want to spend my life with." Following her wedding to MICHAEL WILDING in 1952, she said, "I just want to be ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Marriage And Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Man Detested The Cat. He Was Allergic To Cat ...

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jun 8, 2009

The man detested the cat. He was allergic to cat hair. He hated the smell of the litter box. He couldn’t stand the scratching on the furniture and he couldn’t get a good night’s sleep because the cat kept jumping on the bed. When his wife was out of town for the weekend, he put the cat in a bag ...read more

Tags: Stewardship

Denomination: Baptist

Orchard Experts Wound Fruit Trees To Bear More ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Orchard Experts Wound Fruit Trees To Bear More Fruit In verse 8 Jesus teaches us that the proof of discipleship is spiritual fruitfulness (Mt. 7:20). “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. The branch produces what the life coursing through its ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Tags: Productivity

The Building Of Busch Stadium, Skirting Rules.

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Mar 16, 2022

In 1966 the St. Louis Cardinals built a new ballpark and named it Busch Memorial Stadium. There is a story that the owner of the Cardinals, August Busch, wanted to name it Budweiser Stadium, but the city officials would not allow him to name it after a beer. Frustrated by their answer, he ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Human Nature, Ten Commandments

Denomination: Lutheran

Sailing Into A New Harbor (Funeral)

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 1, 2023

BIBLE For I am already being poured out ... like a drink offering, ... and the time has come for my departure. ..... I have fought the good fight, .... I have finished the race, .... I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, .... which the Lord, .... the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tags: Death, Ship, Funeral, Departure, Harbor, Horizon  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

[133]. A Message From A Poem – I Am The Son Who Is Blessed

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 17, 2025

[133]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – I AM THE SON WHO IS BLESSED This poem has as its basis the parable of the Lost Son sometimes called The Prodigal Son. The first two stanzas are set when the lost son returns home. He was lost because he was lost to sin and the degradation of that lifestyle. Luke ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:20-24, 1 Corinthians 2:9

Tags: Heaven, Blessing, Christian Poems, Ring On The Finger, Fattened, Robe, Entering Heaven, The Prodigal Son, The Lost Son, Sandals, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Six Major Heresies Confronting The Church Today

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 11, 2024

Since that very moment in the Garden of Eden when a single bite shattered the harmony of the world, man has tried to make his own way, be his own master, and set up his own kingdom. It's nothing new. Nevertheless, if we want to be faithful followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-4

Tags: Scripture, Discernment, Truth, Legalism, Word Of God, Last Days, New Age Movement, Hyper Grace, Emerging Church, Doctrine, Heresy, False Teachers, Pastors, Universalism, Prosperity Gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Here Is A Parody Of Luke's Account Of The Birth ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Nov 13, 2001

Here is a parody of Luke’s account of the birth of Christ, that really underscores just how far our world has let the true meaning of Christmas slip away from them. "And there were in the same country children keeping watch over there stockings by the fireplace. And lo! Santa Claus came upon ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus, Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When My Wife And I Were At Dallas Seminary Back ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

When my wife and I were at Dallas Seminary back in the early 1960s, we lived in a little apartment that was part of a small group of apartments that have since then been destroyed, I am happy to say. Hot and cold running rats--all the joys of home were there. In the summer the weather came inside, ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, Prayer General