In Sermon Illustrations: "Fighting Combat"

The Durability Test

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Jan 8, 2011

THE DURABILITY TEST Endurance is a quality that God expects us to manifest. If you go to an IKEA store, you will find somewhere in the chair department a glass box with what is called the durability test. They have a mechanism that simulates someone sitting on the chair, and they say the chair was ...read more

Tags: Perseverance, Endurance, Struggles, Trial

Denomination: Baptist

Defusing A Bomb

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Nov 29, 2011

DEFUSING A BOMB The setting is modern day Iraq. A soldier specially trained is cautiously approaching a large cigar-shaped bomb capable of destroying the lives of anyone within half a block. He has good intentions of defusing it and making peace instead of destruction. But the bomb is a real ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Lutheran

One Body To The Death

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

ONE BODY TO THE DEATH On February 19, 1945, near the end of WWII, 800 American ships amassed to assault the island of Iwo Jima with its two strategic air strips 600 miles south of Tokyo. The Marines had fought a total of 43 months in the Pacific in World War II and in this one-month assault on Iwo ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Abraham Lincoln And Criticism

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2013

ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND CRITICISM A practicing lawyer loved to attack his opponents through scathing letters printed in newspapers. In 1842, he ridiculed the wrong man. James Shields did not take kindly to the anonymous writer who lampooned him in the Springfield Journal. Mr. Shields tracked down ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Criticism, Tongue

C.s. Lewis On The Difference Between Heaven And Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2014

LEWIS: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL C. S. Lewis once provided a powerful image of the difference between heaven and hell. He described hungry people sitting at a huge banquet loaded with delicious food. Every person had a meter-long fork and knife attached to their hands (that’s about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Tags: Jesus Parables, Wedding Banquet, Heaven And Hell

Unchristian

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 21, 2014

In unChristian, David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, discusses some disheartening research concerning the failure of Christians in our day to remain distinct: "In virtually every study we conduct, representing thousands of interviews every year, born again Christians (talking about people ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:18

Tags: Transform, Holiness, Distinctiveness, Moral Living

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Last Lap Of The Race

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jul 4, 2014

May 29, 2011 it looked like it was destiny, the day Dale Earnhardt Jr. was rounding the last lap of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. You could just imagine the script that was being set; it was memorial day, he was being sponsored by the national guard, and He was going to finally win for the first ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7

Tags: Perseverance, Endurance, Finish The Race, Gas Tank

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Nobody Left Behind

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

We hear the mantra of “No Man left behind” (referring to both men a women) coming from the Military. But the left behind principle has more to do with those living. Although it does pertain to those that are MIA (Missing in Action). The “No Man left Behind” is seen as ---no matter the cost--- that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Encourage Each Other, Nobody Left Behind

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Love

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 19, 2020

A young teenage boy and girl were setting in a swing on her parents front porch way up in the mountains of North Carolina. They spent a lot of time there away from everyone just them. They would talk about all kinds of things. Things about when they had grown up. What would they do: go to college ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:9-10

Tags: Love For God, Love Like God

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Four Descriptions Of A Life Without Christ

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 2, 2023

Satan hates God and everything and everyone in the Kingdom of God. He fights the Kingdom on a daily basis and will continue to try to stop the Gospel from spreading (I Thess. 2:18, Ephesians 6:11-12). Paul described the condition of all of those who are unbelievers and living in the Kingdom of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10, 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Acts 16:31, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 4:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Satan, Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Unsaved, Spiritual Blindness, Unbelievers, Perishing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Yesterday Today & Tomorrow

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 22, 2024

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY has passed forever beyond our control. All the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:34

Tags: Worry, Tomorrow, Today, Yesterday, Trouble  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Some Veterans Bear Visible Signs Of Their ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg--or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul’s ally forged in the refinery of ...read more

Tags: Holidays Civic, Sacrifice, Soldier, Veteran's Day, Veterans  (view more)  (view less)

Why Do People Wear Masks?  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 12, 2002

Why do people wear masks? Several years ago, I had a nightmare, it was terrible. For many days my spirit was greatly troubled. In a dream, I saw one of my most serious workers at church dying a terrible death. As my church worker was dying, I saw a battle going against my member. I was ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:14-17, Hebrews 12:17

Tags: Rejection, Forgiveness For Others, Faithful, Affliction, Anger  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

On The Battlefield Discernment Is Critical. An ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 8, 2004

On the battlefield discernment is critical. An officer leading his men into battle must be able to make decisions quickly and accurately. Decisiveness can spell the difference between victory and defeat. General Robert E. Lee, one of the greatest military strategists to ever wear an American ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:3-11

Tags: Goodbye

Denomination: Lutheran

Baptism Of Ivan The Great Tsar Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 8, 2009

Baptism of Ivan the Great Tsar of Russia Ivan the Great was Tsar of Russia during the Fifteenth Century. He brought together the warring tribes into one vast empire. As a fighting man he was courageous. As a general he was brilliant. He drove out the Tartars, establishing peace across the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:21

Tags: Baptism

There’s A New "Reality" Tv Show On Fox ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Olson on Mar 13, 2001

There’s a new "reality" TV show on Fox Network called "Temptation Island" that is the subject of discussion these days. Many people are very upset about it and various groups are fighting against it. Temptation Island is a short-order unscripted series in which four unmarried couples travel to ...read more

Tags: Marriage Commitment, Faith, Temptation Sex

The Movie "Mighty Ducks" Is A David Vs Goliath ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001

The movie "Mighty Ducks" is a David vs Goliath type of film. Gordon Bombay, a high priced lawyer with a prestigious law firm is arrested for DWI and ordered to perform 500 hours of community service. His assignment is to coach a pee wee hockey team made up of a bunch of misfits and troubled kids ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, Faith, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

An Overwhelming Thirst  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jan 28, 2002

AN OVERWHELMING THIRST During the liberation of Palestine in WWI, a combined force of British, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers was closely pursuing the Turks as they retreated from the desert. As the allied troops moved northward past Beersheba they began to outdistance their water-carrying ...read more

Scripture: John 7:37-38

Tags: Discipleship, Lordship Of Christ, Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sign For The Bathroom Door  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jun 17, 2003

SIGN FOR THE BATHROOM DOOR Attention Everyone: The Bathroom Door is Closed! Please do not stand there and talk, whine or ask questions. Wait until I get out. Yes, it is locked. I want it that way. No, it is not broken; I am not trapped. I know I have left it unlocked, and even open at times, since ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting

Denomination: Pentecostal

Many Of You Will Recall Lt. General Sir William ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Nov 7, 2003

Many of you will recall Lt. General Sir William Dobbie (Dobbie of Malta) who was Governor General of Malta during the Second World War – at a time when the defence of Malta was at its darkest hour. The Italian forces had overwhelming superiority, both in numbers and firepower. Yet Malta never ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, God's Provision

Denomination: Anglican