In Sermon Illustrations: "Expect"

You Know Not ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2009

YOU KNOW NOT WHEN The people of Martinique sent representatives to that smoldering volcano, Mount Pelee, to see what the condition was. They returned and gave false reports and the city slept on, in all its vice. Nature took warning and the reptiles commenced crawling down the mountainside, birds ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:43-44

Tags: Second Coming

Africaner' Was The Nickname Given To A Local ...

Contributed by Jaco Bester on Apr 2, 2009

‘Africaner’ was the nickname given to a local desperado of Namaqualand in the 1800’s. He was such a hardened character that the governor at Cape Town offered five hundred pounds as a reward to anyone that could deliver him, dead or alive. He and his men were the terror of that part of South Africa, ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

John Wesley Grew Up In A Poor Pastors House... So ...

Contributed by Josh Cougle on Apr 22, 2009

John Wesley grew up in a poor pastors house... so he didn’t expect any different... but because of his writings... he became one of the richest men in England. He knew that as people were coming to Jesus that they would stop wasting their money at bars… gambling… with drugs… with prostitutes... and ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Baptist

What Would You Do?

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jul 9, 2009

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? A young police officer was taking his final exam for the police academy and he was set the following problem to solve. "You are on patrol in the outer city when an explosion occurs in a gas main in a nearby street. On investigation you find that a large hole has been blown in ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Anglican

I Have Always Loved Talking About Faith. Faith Is ...

Contributed by Pastor Gbenga Shadare on Jun 11, 2010

I have always loved talking about faith. Faith is not just the substance of things hoped for or the evidence of things unseen or the means through which believers obtain good report. Indeed, faith is much more than that. Faith is the basis; the foundation of our christianity. It is the vehicle ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Independent/Bible

It’s All ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 7, 2010

It’s All Mine George W. Truett, a well-known pastor, was invited to dinner in the home of a very wealthy man in Texas. After the meal, the host led him to a place where they could get a good view of the surrounding area. Pointing to the oil wells punctuating the landscape, he boasted, “Twenty-five ...read more

Tags: Possession

Denomination: Baptist

Psalm 47 And Rosh Hashanah

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 20, 2010

PSALM 47 AND ROSH HASHANAH When a brand new believer in 1974, my friend loaned his LP Album by Messianic Jewish group "Lamb." When I married Marylu in 1980, I married into Lamb albums. One of the songs was titled, "Clap Your Hands, All Ye People," and was a paraphrase of Psalm 47. Preparing this ...read more

Tags: Holidays

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Killing Each Other Over Race

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Mar 22, 2011

KILLING EACH OTHER OVER RACE Two million people have been killed during the civil war in the Sudan Region of Africa mostly over race, mostly over skin tone. The name Sudan comes from "bilad al sudan": Arabic for "the land of the blacks." So you might expect Sudanese to be comfortable with the ...read more

Tags: Racism

Denomination: United Methodist

I've Got A Flashlight!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

I'VE GOT A FLASHLIGHT! Ann Beck of North Carollton, Mississippi, talks about the days when her husband and she taught 2- and 3-year-olds in Sunday school. A Bible verse they helped the pre-schoolers memorize was Psalms 56: "When I am afraid, I will trust in you." Their preschool son, Mark, was one ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:3

Tags: Fear And Worry

The Difference Between Life And Death  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2012

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH In his book Winning Life’s Toughest Battles, psychologist Julius Segal wrote about the 25,000 soldiers who were held by the Japanese in POW camps during World War II. "Forced to exist under inhumane conditions, many of them died. Others, however, survived and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-11

Tags: God Brings Hope

What Do You Have To Sing About?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SING ABOUT? Clarence Darrow, the famous atheist lawyer – once took part in a debate at a church in Chicago. In his attack on the Christian faith, he tried to play on the emotions of the black people who were there, and on their social misery. This was the heart of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Tags: Atheism

When George Washington Prayed For America

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

When George Washington was inaugurated in New York City in front of the Federal Hall, he walked to the St. Paul Church and prayed for our country in front of the church. He declared, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Judgment, Repentance, George Washington, America, Prayer, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Irony

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 3, 2021

One definition of the word irony is, “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.” • It is ironic, for example, that the most shop-lifted book is the Bible. • Every year ABC cuts down A Charlie Brown Christmas—a movie about ...read more

Tags: Rejection, Irony, Pedigree, Sibling Rivalry, Humble Pie, Family Strife, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Lord Have Mercy Me

Contributed by D. Marie Hamilton on May 21, 2011

LORD HAVE MERCY ME I am a huge fan of the Christian band Mercy Me. They are my favorite band of all time! My favorite CD is Almost There. Those worship and praise songs inspire me to stay in the race even when I want to quit because working for the Lord can be overwhelming. I'm strengthen by ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-25

Tags: Mercy

Denomination: Methodist

The Circles Of Life

Contributed by Patrick Marino on Mar 16, 2006

The circles of life I remember when I was a kid, seeing my mom hand feed my sister. I realize that she did the same with me as well. After a while I began to take the spoon and feed myself. At first it was a little messy (missed my mouth most of the time). As time and experience went on, I ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:12-14

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Came Across A News Story About A Guy Named Aron ...

Contributed by J. Curtis Goforth, O.s.l. on Sep 30, 2006

I came across a news story about a guy named Aron Ralston who was an avid hiker. Now I don’t know if this guy lived, slept, and ate hiking, but this guy was deeper into it than Jennifer and I are. We prefer the intermediate trails, but this guy the news story was about was into hiking hardcore. ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

Spiritual Fruit

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jan 27, 2008

Spiritual Fruit I have something in my treasure chest that you will recognize today. This small limb is from a very specific tree in my back yard. Do you know what kind of tree it is? Try and guess. This limb is from an apple tree. Every year this APPLE tree gives Vickie and me a lot of ...read more

Denomination: Nazarene

Take A Look At This Next Slide. It's From The ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Mccormick on Feb 26, 2008

Take a look at this next slide. It’s from the opening sequence of Gunsmoke, one of the longest running television shows ever produced. Notice how the street’s full of activity. Well I’ve got news for you. What you think you see in this picture and what you thought you saw on television probably ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Buying Them Back

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Aug 11, 2009

BUYING THEM BACK We're told about a gift of grace (singular) and informed that it will help us to build up the church in LOVE. Do you see a pattern, here? Whatever we have to use in God's service comes directly from God. It's a lot like a former colleague experienced at Ziff-Davis Publishing. He ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: *other

Can't Miss

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 20, 2011

CAN'T MISS Every so often, in the world of high school boys' basketball, there comes a player with incredible talent and skill. He and his team become the focus of a lot of media attention. That player becomes one of the most talked about high school athletes in the nation. Recruiters from the ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:9

Tags: Humility