In Sermon Illustrations: "Examination Of Self"

True Unity  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2011

TRUE UNITY Unity is not simply an intellectual exercise. We can believe the same things, recite the same creeds, belong to the same denomination, but that does not mean we have unity. In his book Soul Talk, Larry Crabb writes: "Which is worse? A church program to build community that doesn’t ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16, Ephesians 4:1-22, 1 Samuel 25:14-35

Tags: Unity

Elijah Cadman

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

ELIJAH CADMAN Let me tell you about the six-year-old drunken chimney sweep who went on to become a great leader in our movement. Elijah Cadman was born in Coventry, the youngest of five children of a drunkard father who died when Cadman was three years old. Aged six, Cadman was unusually small ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Tags: Becoming A Christian

The "Regard For Others" Ethic

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Jan 24, 2012

THE "REGARD FOR OTHERS" ETHIC John Sommerville currently teaches history at the University of Florida. He has been carrying out an exercise with his students for years. He challenges his students with the following thought experiment. Imagine that you see a little old lady coming down the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Neighbor

Denomination: Baptist

John Macarthur On Knowing God's Will

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 27, 2012

JOHN MACARTHUR ON KNOWING GOD'S WILL God’s will is that you be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, and suffering. God’s Word makes all this clear. Do not read on until you have grasped these five principles. You say, "MacArthur, you were going to tell me what school I should go to. You ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: God's Will, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Baptist

Covetousness And The Emperor's New Grove

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

COVETOUSNESS AND THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROVE In Disney's thirty-ninth animated film, "The Emperor's New Groove," self-proclaimed "King of the World" Kuzco (COOS-coh), who had an evil female advisor named Yzma (EEZ-muh), made plans to demolish an entire village to build a new water park. At the highest ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-29

Tags: Greed

Good Gossip

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody.” – Benjamin Franklin I knew a woman once who took a temporary job working for a large ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:28

Tags: Gossip, Evil Tongue, Encouraging Others, Power Of The Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

Do You Have A "chip On The Shoulder"?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2020

Hebrew scholar Gensenius, says that the meaning of the Old Testament word for "meekness" involves "a lowly, pious, and modest mind, which prefers to bear injuries rather than return them." Meekness is not only the opposite of pride, but of stubbornness, fierceness, and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Meekness, Beatitudes, Anger, Sensitivity, Sermon On The Mount, Chip On The Shoulder, Spirit Controlled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Solar Powered

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Apr 27, 2021

The other day I was sitting on my back porch. On my porch is a bird bath with a small solar-powered fountain. The fountain only works when the sun is directly on it and, since that day was a clear day, the fountain was operating at full steam. As I was sitting enjoying the day a brief passing ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12

Tags: Spirit, John, Light, Power, Life, Darkness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Distorted Christianity

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 7, 2023

Q: What does the Church think of God the Father? A: He is omnipotent and holy. He created the world and imposed on mankind conditions impossible to fulfill; he is very angry if these are not carried out. He sometimes interferes in an arbitrary way with judgments and miracles, distributed with a ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:1-6, 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-6

Tags: Distortion, Misconceptions, Ignorance, Slander, Dorothy Sayers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

True Faith - An Outline Of The Book Of James

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 21, 2023

A good outline of the Book of James and what true faith produces in our lives: 1. True faith responds with practical godliness under testing (Jas 1:2-27). A. True faith responds with joy when it faces testing (Jas 1:2, 3, 4). B. True faith seeks God for wisdom in times of testing (Jas 1:5, 6, 7, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Suffering, Difficulties, Works, Tests, Trials, Problems, Tribulations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Dark Side

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

The Dark side we need to see into: Proverbs 4:19 “But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” Years ago, the movie Star Wars came out and my daughters and I made a pact to go see every Star Wars movie together. We have loved the series and one of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:9

Tags: Darth Vader, Evil, Dark Side

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Simeon The Pillar Hermit

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 28, 2024

Simeon was probably like most boys his age in A.D. 403. The 13-year-old spent much of his time caring for his father's flocks on the hillside of Cilicia. But one day, while listening to a sermon on the beatitudes, stirred and changed he left his home and family and began a lifelong pursuit of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Separation, Holiness, Finding God, Monks, Intimacy With God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Be Careful What You Imitate

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Nov 17, 2024

In the late 1990s, aspiring actor and writer Johnny Knoxville had moved from Knoxville, Tennessee to Los Angeles, California, and landed work in commercials in order to support his wife and infant daughter. Among his ideas was one to produce an article that involved testing various self-defense ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:11, Ephesians 5:1-2

Tags: Imitate, Bad Examples, Good Examples, Johnny Knoxville

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Calling Robert's Bluff  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2002

CALLING ROBERT'S BLUFF James Dobson tells a story about a ten-year-old boy named Robert who was a patient of a California pediatrician. When Robert was scheduled for a visit to the doctor’s office, the news would spread like wildfire. Nurses would whisper to themselves, “Batten down the ...read more

A Preacher Once Wrote About An Incident In His ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 19, 2002

A preacher once wrote about an incident in his life: “I’d received a notice from my 13 year old son’s school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Recently A Baptist Pastor In Illinois Received A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Recently a Baptist Pastor in Illinois received a visit from the FBI. They came in response to an anonymous caller who took issue with something the Pastor said in his sermon. According to the Baptist Press news service, “Nov. 23, 2004, started out like any other normal morning for Randy Steele, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 8:1

Tags: Faith, Freedom, Season, Embark

Unsung Heroes: Naaman's Servants

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 27, 2021

Introduction: Leprosy was and is a very serious disease, affecting the skin in any number of ways. Anyone who ever came down with the disease faced a sad future. Leviticus 13 has detailed information how the people of Israel were to be examined and declared either "clean" or ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 5:11-14

Tags: Naaman, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

The Parable Of The Pearl

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 28, 2022

Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection of his own. But one day, while he was away on business, he spotted a beautiful pearl in a Jeweler's window. It was a pearl such as he had never seen, perfect in shape, size, and color. He thought to himself, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Sacrifice, Commitment, Discipleship, Kingdom Of God, Decisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[146]. A Message From A Poem – In Union With Christ

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 29, 2025

[146]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN UNION WITH CHRIST It is a great joy and a mark of praise that we are in Christ. Do Christians use that phrase “in Christ” and not think into the depth of it? In union with Christ examines that subject, and it is too great to write well on it in a poem with ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:4-6, Ephesians 4:1-3, Philippians 2:2, Romans 6:5

Tags: Grace, Savior, Unity, Bond, Forever, Love One Another, Risen Lord, Union With Chris  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sailing Away  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Aug 17, 2002

SAILING AWAY A personal testimony. Inspired by His calling, Joel Vicente. ------- I was secure at home when I heard the voice from the Captain exclaim, "Come follow me. Go where I send you. No need to fear. I will be with you." I asked, "But Captain, may I remain here on the shore where it is ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist