In Sermon Illustrations: "Excited About Preaching"

C. Over The Centuries People Have Come Up With A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

C. Over the centuries people have come up with a lot of different ideas about Christian stewardship and giving. 1. There’s a story told about a couple of guys who were discussing their approaches to giving. a. One man said, “Here’s how I decide how much to give. I cash my paycheck in small bills, ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Our Founding Fathers Believed Very Strongly In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Our founding fathers believed very strongly in God’s presence. When our earliest universities began, most of them were founded to train Christian preachers. * When Harvard was established in 1636, their statement of purpose said, “Every student’s main aim is to know Jesus Christ, & to recognize ...read more

Tags: Political Freedom

Lori Was 14 Years Old When She Was Baptized At ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Lori was 14 years old when she was baptized at Blue Springs Community Church, a one-room country church only a few miles from her house. A few months later, Lori dropped out of the church. The pastor and his wife visited her several times, but failed to persuade Lori to return to church. Everyone ...read more

Tags: Death

Do You Remember Bubba Smith? He Was One Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Do you remember Bubba Smith? He was one of the greatest football players ever to play in the NFL. He once commented that his tactic as a defensive lineman was to tackle the whole offensive backfield and then toss out players one by one until he found the one with the football. After he retired from ...read more

Tags: Sports

The Test Of Getting To The ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Feb 24, 2009

THE TEST OF GETTING TO THE TEST In the late 1980’s I was interviewing at various corporations in the San Francisco Bay Area for a position in one of the fast track executive programs that were being offered to recent college graduates, of which I was one. In many of these corporations I would go ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Peter Missed 3 Opportunities To Take A Stand For ...

Contributed by Rick Crandall on May 31, 2009

*Peter missed 3 opportunities to take a stand for Jesus. -How many opportunities have we missed? *Penn Gillette is a magician and comedian that you may have seen on TV. He is also an atheist. But Penn has a clip on YouTube where he tells about a man who talked to him after a show last year. This ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

Revenge Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 30, 2009

Revenge is Sweet They thought it was just kids playing pranks, but it turned out to be an angry 72 year old man, instead. From 2003-2005, a number of former teachers and school admins in NY reported a rash of vandalism at their homes. They would wake up to punctured car tires from roofing nails ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:17-21

Tags: Bitterness

Greg A Pioneering Pastor Under All Kinds Of ...

Contributed by John Perry on Apr 8, 2010

Greg a pioneering pastor under all kinds of financial constraints & his vehicle is getting older & needs updating. He has 5 kids & needs something better than what he’s got. His mother, who is a Christian & really hears from God has been praying for Greg. She calls him one day & asks Greg what kind ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Pentecostal

Perfection Achieved  PRO

Contributed by Larry Turner on Dec 4, 2014

Then Jesus concluded with this commandment. “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Wow, now that is a tough one. Be perfect. I am not like Noah, a righteous man. Wait a minute. He was a drunk. Okay like Abraham. He was a liar. How about Moses, short ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:48

Tags: Holiness, Perfection, Finished Work, Christian Maturity

Denomination: Foursquare

Being Committed To Christ

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Nov 2, 2016

Being Committed to Christ Matthew 4:18-25 , 1 Corinthians 1: 10-18 Last summer Becky and I visited the Biltmore mansion in Ashville North Carolina. It is the single largest home ever built in America. Let me tell you it is something to see. It proved so large and so expensive to maintain, that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-25

Tags: Riches, Christian Values, Being Comitted

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

From Refuge To Valedictorian

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 19, 2018

2 Chronicles 15:7 God tells King Asa, "But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." It is like the following story from the Dallas Morning News: When Albana Gllareva met her high school counselor, the Dallas freshman said bluntly, “I want to be ...read more

Tags: Goals, Focus, Ambition, Determination, Tenacity, Overcoming, Perseverance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Satan Want's To Fill You With Sin

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

Deep Implanted Sin (Eph.:10-13) Illus. The enemy leader is in his command center discussing his battle strategy with those under his command. The enemy is very upset about the latest move by the rebellion forces. They have been attacking in vital areas. Never in this struggle has the rebellion ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:10-13

Tags: Sin, Deception

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Flag And The Cross

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 1, 2020

Symbols evoke feelings of adoration or hatred. In this election year, the elephant and donkey mean different things to different people. Let's talk about a symbol that all Americans should be able to adore. In 1813 General Armistead commissioned Mary Pickersgill to make a huge flag that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-24, Galatians 6:14, Colossians 2:15

Tags: Patriotic, Cross, Power Of God, United States, National Anthem, Flag Of United States  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

William Wilberforce

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 13, 2021

Jesus is the supreme example. He cares so much about completing His mission on earth that he lets himself be killed. That total commitment to God’s will literally costs Him His life. It also saves it, as the resurrection proves. There are many examples from history of persons who have proved ...read more

Scripture: John 12:25

Tags: Glory, Die, Hate, Lose

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Have They Done For You Lately

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Oct 4, 2023

I heard an illustration from Pastor Tony Evans that I altered some to fit us here in Arkansas • We love our Razorbacks, we make time for our Razorbacks • Especially Razorback football • Me and my wife love football • But, have you ever thought about how much time we devote to football? • The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Razorbacks, Ask, Seek, Knock

Denomination: Baptist

Grief: God's Answer To Overwhelming Grief

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Aug 25, 2025

What follows is a true account, which I (Stephen) was fortunate enough to witness firsthand in the spring of 2015. My wife was an only child raised by a single mom, and as such was very close to her mother. Thus, when her mother died after 90 years my wife was severely grief stricken and would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 1 Samuel 3:9-10

Tags: Death, Prayer, Listen, Grief, Loved One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Acts 16:16-34 Background:

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 29, 2025

Acts 16:16-34 Background: In today's Scripture, Paul and his mission team were in the city of Philippi. They had been guided to that region by a God-given vision. And people were responding to the good news about Jesus Christ. *But then a young slave girl began to follow the team around. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:16-34

Tags: Philippian Jailer, Demon Possession, Spiritual Transformation, Evangelism, Salvation, Missions, Paul And Silas, Christian Service  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr., ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Dec 8, 2000

“On September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken, Jr., broke the baseball record that many believed would never be broken: Lou Gehrig’s iron-man feat of playing in 2,131 consecutive games. Ripken gives much of the credit for his accomplishments to the example and teaching of his father Cal Ripken, Sr., who ...read more

Tags: Father's Day, Descriptions Of God, Parenting

Denomination: *other

University Of Chicago Divinity School Each Years ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Apr 24, 2001

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO DIVINITY SCHOOL each years has what is called ’BAPTIST DAY’. On this day each one is to bring a lunch to an outdoor picnic area and the school invites one of the popular lecturers to speak at the theological education center. One year DR. PAUL TILLICH came and spent 2 1/2 ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:1-10, Psalm 34:8

Tags: Apologetics Jesus, Atheism, Jesus, Knowledge, Truth  (view more)  (view less)

One Day Some Manure Came Out From A Prize Bull - ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Sep 6, 2001

One day some manure came out from a prize bull - landing right in the middle of the walkway. It thought to itself, “I’m going to rise above the rest of this dung. I’m not going to live in the gutter - I’m going to be great and famous. That same day, a farmer’s hat fell off on top of the manure. ...read more

Tags: Humanity Of Christ, Apologetics General, Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Lutheran