In Sermon Illustrations: "Father God"

More Than The Pope

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 6, 2023

There’s a joke about the Pope coming to visit New York. His entourage had ordered a stretch limo for him. As he approached, they held the rear door open for him, but the Pontiff said that it had always been an ambition of his to drive in New York himself. So he got into the front seat, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:7-11

Tags: Pride, Status, Humility

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Coach Jim Fassel's Son Bears Family Likeness, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Oct 17, 2003

[Coach Jim Fassel’s Son Bears Family Likeness, source: Bill Pennington, "34 Years Later: One Coach’s Sweetest Victory," New York Times (5-16-03)] As the head coach of the New York Giants, Jim Fassel has enjoyed great success on the football field with a trip to the Super Bowl as recently as 2001. A ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Gold Mine Of Opportunity!" Genesis 41: 1-14 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 30, 2004

“A Gold Mine of Opportunity!” Genesis 41: 1-14 Key verse(s): 14: “So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.” There once was an old Dutch farmer who owned a farm in a semi-arid part of South Africa ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 41:1-14, Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Leadership General, Trust

Denomination: Lutheran

A Beginners Guide To Giving Thanks

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Nov 21, 2023

You would think giving thanks would come easily and naturally but, for me and I suppose others, it often times doesn’t. So, with the season of Thanksgiving upon us I thought I’d write this little guide for my benefit and hopefully for yours. Give thanks for the good things This is the easy one. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1

Tags: Thanks, Gratitude, Thanksgiving

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Doctrine: Be Like Moses

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Sep 17, 2008

Doctrine: Be Like Moses James Packer writes: "Many of us would agree with Peter when he says that parts of Paul's letters are hard to understand! And there are difficulties and apparent discrepancies in other parts of the Bible too. On this matter of discrepancies, I remember reading something ...read more

Tags: Doctrine

Denomination: Baptist

If You Go To One Of These Fancy Department ...

Contributed by Tim Adams on Dec 1, 2009

If you go to one of these fancy department stores like Peebles or Nieman Marcus, you can buy a perfume by Marc Jacobs called Essence, that is if you’ve got money to blow. The stuff costs $60.00 for 3 ounces. Why is it so expensive? Because they claim to have distilled from the gardenia flower ...read more

Tags: Worship Definition

Denomination: Baptist

A Child's Sincere Worship Heard In A Man's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

A Child’s Sincere Worship Heard in a Man’s Dream A man was carried in a dream to a church. In his vision he saw the organist vigorously playing the organ, but no sound was heard. The choir and congregation began to sing, but their voices were not heard. Then the minister began, energetically, to ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship General

The Liberty Bell

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jul 6, 2011

THE LIBERTY BELL One of the most, iconic symbols of our national heritage --the Liberty Bell --hangs magnificently in the city of brotherly love. In 1751, the Pennsylvania Assembly ordered the bell to commemorate the commonwealth's fiftieth anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of ...read more

Tags: Hope, Independence Day

Denomination: Lutheran

Excuses, Excuses

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Dec 24, 2011

EXCUSES, EXCUSES We live in a word of excuses. Here are some complied by the Readers Digest that have been offered for not showing up for work: "I dreamed I was fired, so I didn't want to get out of bed." "I was up all night arguing with God." "A raccoon stole my work shoe off my porch." "I ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:12, Genesis 3:7-17

Tags: Faults

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rejected On Earth

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 23, 2016

REJECTED ON EARTH... Campbell Morgan was one of 150 young men who sought entrance to the Wesleyan ministry in 1888. He passed the doctrinal examinations, but then faced the trial sermon. In a cavernous auditorium that could seat more than 1,000 sat three ministers and 75 others who came to listen. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:1-10

Tags: Moses, Acceptance, Rejection, Calling

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr. James Dobson Relates A Story Of An Elderly ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeffery Russell on Dec 24, 2007

Dr. James Dobson relates a story of an elderly woman named Stella Thornhope who was struggling with her first Christmas alone. Her husband had died just a few months prior through a slow developing cancer. Now, several days before Christmas, she was almost snowed in by a brutal weather system. She ...read more

Tags: Grief, Adoption, Loneliness, Provision

Denomination: Baptist

Giving

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Apr 17, 2022

Henry Parsons Crowell contracted tuberculosis when a boy and could not go to school. His Father and brother died of tuberculosis, and he should have died of it too. He made a contract with God. If he were spared he would use his abilities to amass large sums of money for evangelism. For the next 50 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Tags: Giving, Purpose Of Giving, Cheerful Giver

Denomination: Baptist

There Are Many Monumental Statements We ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There are many monumental statements we associate with fathers. Statements that reverberate down through the corridors of time. Statements like: Ask your mother. I was watching that It’s only blood, wipe it ...read more

Tags: Patriarchs Joseph

I Don't Know What I May Do Tomorrow

Contributed by Charles Salmon on Aug 30, 2004

"I Don’t Know What I May Do Tomorrow" Many times Christians say, "Of course I know I’m saved now, Paster, but I don’t know what I may do tomorrow. One lady I knew pretty well said this to me. I responded with, "That’s strange, I know what you will do tomorrow." She looked incredulous and I went ...read more

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

And He Was Changed  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 11, 2004

AND HE WAS CHANGED In 1918, a notorious criminal named Tokichi Ichii was sentenced to hang. While in prison in Tokyo, he was sent a New Testament by two missionaries, Miss West and Miss McDonald. After a visit from Miss West, he began to read the story of Jesus’ and crucifixion. When he reached ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

John 14:6 – "Jesus Told Him, ‘i Am The Way, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Scott Weber on Mar 14, 2006

John 14:6 – “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” This is so hard for prideful people to accept. Elaine Pagels (author of The Templar Revelation: Secret Guardians of the True Identity of Christ) says she had an epiphany while ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 2:8-14

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In 1903, W.c. Handy Was Waiting For A Train In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In 1903, W.C. Handy was waiting for a train in the town of Tutwiler, Mississippi. The train was late and so he fell asleep on the hard wooden bench of the station. He was awakened by an old raggedy man scratching the strings of an old guitar. He was singing about “goin’ to where the Southern cross ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 2:1-24, Joshua 2:1-21

Tags: Rahab, Jehoshaphat, King, Ahab, Ot Characters  (view more)  (view less)

How Would The Bible Read, I Wonder, If Faith Were ...

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Dec 31, 2007

How would the Bible read, I wonder, if faith were left out. Imagine Heb 11 w/o faith: ­ Without Faith, Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, didn’t even gather the materials to build an ark because a worldwide flood was such an impossibility. ­ Without faith, Abraham, didn’t leave his home ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Power Of A Compliment

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on May 1, 2008

THE POWER OF A COMPLIMENT Helen Mrosla writes: "In an earlier grade, I’d taped Mark’s mouth shut for talking too much in class. Now he was a student in my junior high school math class. "His class had worked hard all week. By Friday the students were getting cranky. So, for a break, I asked ...read more

Tags: Words

Denomination: Baptist

Who Was Gamaliel?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 15, 2008

Who was GAMALIEL? 1. Not thought to be present when the Sanhedrin met to condemn Jesus 2. In that era, only about 3 or 4 members of the Sanhedrin were Pharisees; mostly Sadducees…but Gamaliel was respected as the greatest Rabbi in the land 3. A descendent of King David, very distantly related to ...read more

Tags: Paul

Denomination: Independent/Bible