In Sermon Illustrations: "Father Day Gift"

More Give While Living Americans Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

More Give While Living Americans are increasingly giving their money away while they are still alive, often by creating private foundations and hiring their children to run them or serve on the boards. The number of independent foundations has swelled by 77% in the past 10 years to 63,059, and 9 ...read more

Tags: Giving General

As We Read This Text, According To Dr. Schmit, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

As we read this text, according to Dr. Schmit, and I quote, "We know that we too are individual members of a large flock of faithful disciples who seek to live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven. In other words, the work we do is never ours alone to accomplish. We do our part and trust that God ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Contentment, Rosy, Dimpled Maid, Thou Brightest ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Contentment, rosy, dimpled maid, Thou brightest daughter of the sky, Why dost thou to the hut repair, And from the gilded palace fly I've trac'd thee on the peasant's cheek; I've mark'd thee in the milkmaid's smile; I've heard thee loudly laugh and speak, Amid the sons of want and toil; Yet in the ...read more

Tags: Peace

Hope Stands Up To Its Knees In The Past And ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Aug 11, 2009

Hope stands up to its knees in the past and keeps its eyes on the future. There has never been a time past when God wasn’t with us as the strength beyond our strength, the wisdom beyond our wisdom, as whatever it is in our hearts--whether we believe in God or not--that keeps us human enough at ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Soren Kierkegaard, The Great Danish Theologian Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian of another century, tells the story of a prince who was running an errand for his father one day in the local village. As he did so, he passed through a very poor section of the town. Looking through the window of his carriage, he saw a beautiful young ...read more

Tags: Christmas

D.l. Moody's Thoughts Before His Death Illustrate ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2009

D.L. Moody’s Thoughts Before His Death Illustrate an Important Habit--Begin with the End in Mind Steven Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, states that one of those habits is to “Begin with the end in mind”; for the final days and hours of a man are often some of the most ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:1-2

Tags: Death Nearness

No One Is A Lost Cause

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Ron Smith was in law enforcement for 20 years. After he retired, he was asked to join a prison ministry of his church. He scoffed at the idea, knowing he had put a lot of those guys in prison and he, above all, knew what types of peoplethey were. But eventually he broke down and joined and God ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Forgiveness, Compassion, Hope, Reconciliation

Denomination: Methodist

The First Man To Tear A Telephone Book In Half ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

The first man to tear a telephone book in half undoubtedly was ...read more

Tags: Children

The Rope Held By Adela Rogers St. Johns  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

THE ROPE HELD by ADELA ROGERS ST. JOHNS Sometimes on sunny days, when I could see my way and feel the pathway firm under my feet, I wondered--Would the rope hold if the worst happened? A bent old man brought me that telegram which in war years hung like a suspended sword over the heart of every ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Obituaries  PRO

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Apr 14, 2009

OBITUARIES Jeruselem 33 AD Calvary Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the place of the skull. Betrayed by Judas, Jesus was crucified by the Romans, by order of the Ruler Pontius Pilate. The causes of death were extreme exhaustion, severe torture, ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

Peanut Butter Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 27, 2015

I don’t like peanut butter. Some people get very upset when I tell them that. It’s nothing personal. It’s not a character flaw. I just don’t like it. I don’t even like the smell of it. My mother told me I ate a lot of peanut butter when I was young, so maybe I just reached my limit. My two ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: Generosity, Golden Rule, Thoughtfulness, Sympathize

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Some Time Ago I Was Reading About The 18th ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Gibson on Nov 23, 2000

Some time ago I was reading about the 18th century German sculptor Johann Heinrich von Dannecker. His skills were impressive. He could bring stone to life with his tools. At the height of his powers, he wanted to do something special with his gifts -- he wanted to shape a statue of Christ that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-8

Tags: Divinity Of Christ, Workplace Integrity

Denomination: *other

Complaining Is Remedied By Thankfulness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 3, 2008

COMPLAINING IS REMEDIED BY THANKFULNESS Turn back again to the book of Exodus—Exodus chapter 34. The cure for complaining is not found in changing our circumstances, but rather gaining a proper view of God. · Do you really believe that God has your best interests at heart? · Do you really ...read more

Choose Your Color!" 2 Samuel 1:17-27 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 4, 2005

“Choose Your Color!” 2 Samuel 1:17-27 Key verse(s) 27a:“How the mighty have fallen!” What is the color of your life? It is interesting that when asked this question most people choose some neutral or dark shade. Very few people actually choose a bright color. That’s because, on the whole, it is ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 1:17-27

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

God's Tattoo

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Nov 2, 2016

God’s Tattoo Isaiah 49: 8-16 When my grandson Isaiah was three years old he had a problem of wondering off and hiding. One day my daughter Maeghan and my wife Becky where shopping at a local mall and of course, he slipped off. All of a sudden they realized he was missing. They panicked, running ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 49:8-16

Tags: God's Love, God's Longing, God's Love For Us

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Seeking God

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Aug 6, 2023

“Seeking God” Isaiah 55: 1-9 08/06/23 When my grandson Isaiah was three years old, he had a problem of wandering off and hiding. One day my daughter Maeghan and my wife Becky were shopping at a local mall and of course, he slipped off. All of a sudden, they realized he was missing. They ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9, Luke 11:9, Jeremiah 29:13, Deuteronomy 4:29-31

Tags: Obeying God, Seeking God

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

But Jewish Tradition Also Sees Esav In Another ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 15, 2008

"But Jewish tradition also sees Esav in another light. The famous Talmudic sage, Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel, was known for the great care he took in fulfilling the Mitzvah of honoring one’s parents. Yet he stated: ’I served my father faithfully all my life, yet I did not even reach the smallest level ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Jan 30, 2010

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger A family had the habit of treating their children for ice cream after the church service. One Sunday the father decided to break the habit. The children were not happy about it. They started whining. The father decided use spirituality to deal with the situation. He ...read more

Tags: Comfort

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It Seems A Little Guy Was Attending Church With ...

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on May 4, 2010

It seems a little guy was attending church with his family when a flash of insight concerning prayer and conflict resolution suddenly came over him. Here’s how the storyteller related the incident: "We watched an especially verbal and boisterous child being hurried out, slung under his irate ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

The Origin And Cause Of Our Redemption Is The ...

Contributed by Mark Haines on Mar 21, 2011

The origin and cause of our redemption is the [inexpressible] love of God the Father, who willed to redeem us by the blood of His own Son; the grace of the Son, who freely took our curse upon Him, and imparts His blessing and merits to us; and the Holy Spirit, who communicates the love of the ...read more

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: Wesleyan