In Sermon Illustrations: "First Love"

Make The First Move

Contributed by Dr. Zachary Sizemore on May 17, 2011

MAKE THE FIRST MOVE Many years ago I was preaching in a little mountain church in a close community. There was a division between two men in the church over a cow. Their families had been at odds, and they had brought the argument into the church. One of the men bought a cow and the other man ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Bible Church

Help Yourself First

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 16, 2011

HELP YOURSELF FIRST When an airliner loses cabin pressure the oxygen masks drop. You are told by the flight crew to put the mask on yourself before putting it on your child. You would think the child would be first. But if you pass out before you get the child’s mask on then both of you are ...read more

Tags: Power

The First Radio Broadcast  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

THE FIRST RADIO BROADCAST Allow me to start our time by reading you a nifty story. It is called, "The First Radio Broadcast." For their entire careers, wireless operators onboard US Navy and merchant ships had only heard Morse code coming through their headphones. However, a few days before ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Christmas Eve, Peace, Eternal

Surrender Is The First Step

Contributed by Tim White on Jan 23, 2012

SURRENDER IS THE FIRST STEP I have been told that there is a certain live animal trap that, if the trapped animal would simply back up a little, the trapping device would relax and he could escape. That is the shape of mankind. If we would just let go of control of our lives, we would find ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Baptist

Pray First In Community

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 30, 2012

PRAY FIRST IN COMMUNITY Daniel Henderson: "In our culture of rugged individualism we have come to the conclusion that it is better to pray alone than with others.  Unfortunately, most of us never learn to do either one very well.  Like most disciplines of ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

First-Century Fire

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on May 16, 2012

FIRST-CENTURY FIRE Billy Graham, that great and uncompromising preacher, once in a Revival meeting held at Los Angeles, shared a passionate message on the Early Church, outlining what needs to be done for the Churches of modern era to become more effective. While many were moved by it, some ...read more

Tags: Pentecost

Denomination: *other

Glory To God First

Contributed by Ken Henson on Jun 25, 2012

GLORY TO GOD FIRST A man came to Pastor Chuck, the church that I went to for several years while in California, and he said to the pastor that he wanted to make a large donation - about one million dollar donation. The pastor said to that, "Wow -- that is a lot of money. Let me go first and pray ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-39

Tags: Principles

Denomination: *other

The Wedding Cake On The First ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2012

THE WEDDING CAKE ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY One of the many pieces of advice we received before our wedding was to save the top tier of your wedding cake and eat and eat it on your first anniversary. We had a tiny little freezer. For one full year, this box of wedding cake sat in our freezer, denying ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:25-28

Tags: Character

First Gave Us

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 2, 2014

We can give to God only what he first gave us. We’re like the kid who wanted to give his dad a birthday gift, so he went to his father’s closet, took a tie off the rack, wrapped it up and presented it to him with a “Happy Birthday, Dad!” When we give to God, we take something wonderful that He ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 24:1

Tags: Giving, Tithes And Offering, God As Owner

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Peace With God First

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on May 8, 2008

PEACE WITH GOD FIRST D. M. Lloyd Jones writes, "If you are ansious to obtain some benefits from the Queen of England, the first thing you have to discuss is, 'How can I get into Buckingham Palace? What have I to do to get admission? Then how do I approach this great personage?' It is too obvious ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

Will Gives Out First

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Will Gives Out First I can remember trying out for the cross country team at my high school. I could not understand how some of these guys did it. they could run and be fine at the finish line. I on the other hand was literally dying and giving up a mile short. The coach told me that the great ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Put The King In First

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

PUT THE KING IN FIRST In the Berlin art gallery there is a painting by the famous artist Mengel that is only partially finished. It is supposed to be a painting of King Frederick of Germany talking to his generals. Mengel painstakingly painted the generals first around the outside of the painting. ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Putting God First

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Mar 18, 2022

I woke up this one morning recently around 7am which is fairly late for me, still very tired, and about 10 minutes into reading the Word trying to drink my coffee to wake up, I knew I would not be able to stay awake through all my prayers at that level of fatigue. But I was trying to make sure in ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:16, Psalm 63:1

Tags: God First, Seek God Early, Word Of God, Priorities

Denomination: Charismatic

Loving Teddy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2002

LOVING TEDDY Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade. He was a slow, unkempt student, a loner shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, and what little motivation for school he may have once had was now gone. Miss Thompson didn’t particularly care for Teddy ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

Tags: Compassion, Christian Love, Encouragement, Longsuffering, Love Of The Disciples, Patience, Perseverance  (view more)  (view less)

The Love Of God

Contributed by C Jordan on Feb 2, 2008

THE LOVE OF GOD: A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on "The Love of God." As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to ...read more

Denomination: *other

The Love Of God

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Nov 11, 2004

The Love Of God A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on “The Love of God.” As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Charismatic

Impact Of Love  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Impact of Love a. Ted was not what one would call the teacher’s pet--he was Turned off by school. Very sloppy in appearance. Expressionless. Unattractive. Many looked down upon him Even his teacher, Miss Thompson, enjoyed bearing down her red pen -- as she placed Xs beside his many wrong answers. ...read more

Love And Forgiveness

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

Rabbi David A. Nelson likes to tell the story of two brothers who went to their rabbi to settle a longstanding feud. The rabbi got the two to reconcile their differences and shake hands. As they were about to leave, he asked each one to make a wish for the other in honor of the Jewish New Year. The ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 64:1-9

Tags: Jesus Is The Answer, Jesus Forgives, Jesus Saves Us

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Desire For Love

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Aug 8, 2024

The Desire for Love Humor: A couple who had been chatting online for weeks finally met on their first date. After an expensive meal in an upscale restaurant, the lady plucked a daisy from the flower arrangement on the table, pulling the pedals off one by one. She repeated to herself, “He loves me, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:5, 1 John 5:4-5, 1 John 5:10, James 4:4, John 15:19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Love, Romance, Humor, Priorities, Love Of World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of Love

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

THE POWER OF LOVE An old fable tells how different instruments tried to master a piece of iron. The blows of the ax fell heavily, but its edge became more and more blunt. The saw’s relentless teeth worked until they were worn down or broken The hammer’s head flew off at the first stroke. Despite ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:9-11

Tags: Church General