In Sermon Illustrations: "False Shepherds"

Max Lucado In His Book, The Applause Of Heaven, ...  PRO

Contributed by John Kah on Dec 6, 2001

Max Lucado in his book, The Applause of Heaven, puts it like this: "A small cathedral outside Bethlehem marks the supposed birthplace of Jesus. Behind a high altar in the church is a cave, a little cavern lit by sliver lamps. You can enter the main edifice and admire the ancient church. You can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Christmas, Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

Only In America  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2002

ONLY IN AMERICA 1- Only in America can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance. 2- Only in America are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink. 3- Only in America do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions, while ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:12-22

Tags: Political Freedom, Independence Day

Dorothy Rodefeld Is Known In Madison, Wisconsin, ...

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Dec 18, 2006

Dorothy Rodefeld is known in Madison, Wisconsin, as the "light lady" because of the elaborate Christmas displays she builds each year at her 19th century farmhouse. Last year, however, Dorothy’s nativity scene was robbed. Among the missing items were a shepherd and a wise man. But it was the loss ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Take Special Note Of The Chapel Windows. Each ...

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on May 16, 2008

Take special note of the chapel windows. Each window uses symbols to depict the life and destiny of a different apostle. You will see the three money bags that represent Matthew the tax collector. You will see two crossed fish to remind us of Andrew the fisherman who died a martyr's death on an ...read more

Tags: Apostles General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Wanting To Be Where The Master Is

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Mar 7, 2009

WANTING TO BE WHERE THE MASTER IS The most appealing part of heaven is not what isn’t there or what is there, but rather who is there. And I am referring to Jesus, our Savior. We want to be where our Savior is. Don had 3 German Shepherds—Ranger, Gunner, and Josie. He loved those dogs. And ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Mark Twain On Heaven And Hell

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 20, 2010

MARK TWAIN ON HEAVEN AND HELL Mark Twain gave some interesting quotes during his lifetime. One such amusing statement was, "Go to heaven for the climate, hell for the company." He along with others, do not realize how horrible hell will be. We do not hear much about hell these days from the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-30

Tags: Hell

Vacation: Willing To Follow

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

VACATION: WILLING TO FOLLOW In a movie classic - National Lampoon's Vacation - Chevy Chase - otherwise known as Clark Griswold - leads his family across the country to their dream vacation at Wally World. Along the way, Clark gets lost several times. One time happened to be in St. Louis. As time ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Do It Anyway  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Jun 7, 2003

DO IT ANYWAY While we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. ………Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Baptist

91% Of All Americans Confessed That They ...

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Aug 6, 2003

91% of all Americans confessed that they regularly lied. 79% had given out false phone numbers or invented new identities when meeting strangers on airplanes. 20% said they couldn’t get through even one day without going along with a previously manufactured lie. Now here’s what I found most ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Years Ago At John Hopkins University In ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Nov 1, 2004

Years ago at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, a young sociology profess assigned his class to a city slum to interview 200 boys. "On the basis of your findings predict their future” he instructed the class. Shocked at what they had seen in the slums the students estimated that 90% of the ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In 1973, Four Hostages Were Taken In A Botched ...  PRO

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Nov 6, 2000

In 1973, four hostages were taken in a botched bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. At the end of their captivity, six days later, they actively resisted rescue. They refused to testify against their captors, raised money for their legal defense, and one of the female hostages later became engaged ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-23

Tags: Hardship Of Life, Stockholm Syndrome, Dedication

Denomination: Orthodox

Life Examples: Elijah: Responding To Stress (1 ...

Contributed by Nathan Parker on Mar 10, 2007

Life Examples: Elijah: Responding to Stress (1 Kings 19:3) Stressful situations can drive us to inappropriate responses. The prophet Elijah illustrates the importance of viewing circumstances from God’s perspective. God sent the prophet to rescue Israel from its moral and spiritual decline. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:3

Denomination: Baptist

Here Are Some Rules To Live By - Marcus ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Here are some RULES TO LIVE BY - Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman philosopher, identified the following traits of a successful person: Consciousness of an honest purpose in life. A just estimate of himself and everyone else. Frequent self-examinations. Steady obedience to what he knows to be right. ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Bill Gaither's Work Crew

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Sep 16, 2007

Illustration: Bill Gaither’s Work Crew Steve Green, who sang six years with Bill and Gloria Gaither, tells about getting to know some of the work crews in the large auditoriums where their concerts were held. The Gaithers prefer concerts-in-the-round, which means extra work for the “riggers,” who ...read more

Denomination: Other

Moment Of Truth" Is A Television Show Where ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Feb 28, 2008

"Moment of Truth" is a television show where contestants can win money by confessing the truth. Lauren was on a recent episode and went through some routine questions working her way up to $25,000. Then the questions got tough about adultery and lying. With her husband in the audience, she ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Recently Read Of A Sign Which Hangs On The Wall ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 31, 2008

I recently read of a sign which hangs on the wall of Shishu Bhavan, a children’s home in Calcutta, which reads; People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered, love them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives, be kind anyway. If you are successful, you ...read more

Napoleon Bonaparte Is Quoted As Having Said, "It ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 22, 2009

Napoleon Bonaparte is quoted as having said, “It is the cause, not the death, which makes the martyr.” So, I ask you, what is the difference between the martyrdom in the early church and these would-be martyrs to false causes? First of all, the early Christians were not deliberately seeking their ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: *other

Faith In The Colombian Jungle

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Aug 10, 2011

FAITH IN THE COLOMBIAN JUNGLE A man named Bruce Olson went to Colombia many years ago as a missionary to the headhunters in the far southern jungle, near the border with Brazil. The book that tells his story is Bruchko, the name the Indians called him since they couldn't wrap their tongues around ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Nathan Barlow--Missionary ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2012

NATHAN BARLOW--MISSIONARY DOCTOR Nathan Barlow was a missionary Doctor to Ethiopia. He served there for over 60 years primarily helping people with an affliction called Mossy Foot. This caused swelling and ulcers in the feet and lower legs and caused people to become social outcasts. When Nathan’s ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:8-13

Tags: Missions

Father, Forgive Them

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

The word ‘forgive’ in this passage is in the imperfect tense. We tend to think it is in the present tense and that Jesus prayed this prayer once and then moved on. The imperfect tense in Greek means that the prayer is not said once but continuously, through the scourging and the crucifixion as he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:33-38

Tags: Forgive, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Methodist