In Sermon Illustrations: "First Love"

C.h. Spurgeon Told The Story Of The Preacher Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Larry Jacobs on Jul 7, 2005

C.H. Spurgeon told the story of the preacher who was walking in the country side and stopped by a farm house for a drink of water. The old farmer who lived there went out to talk to the preacher. As they were talking the preacher noticed that the barn had a weather vane on it that was spinning ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, God's Love, Love For God

Denomination: Baptist

The Problem Of Goodness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2003

THE PROBLEM OF GOODNESS "The simple fact is that for all our moral hesitation and stuttering, many people know goodness and excellence when they see it and they are overwhelmed by the magnetism of goodness. Goodness attracts. Goodness is proclaimed so that the circle of adulation can widen. So we ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Christian Love, Christian Values

For Goodness' Sake  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2003

FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE "Starting next year, high school and college students in Thailand will reportedly be graded not just on academics, but on ’goodness’ as well. Concerned that the competitive education system puts too much emphasis on materialism and not enough on morality, officials told the ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Christian Values, Love Of The Disciples

It's Only Words, And Words Are All I Have, To ...

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Oct 24, 2003

“It’s only words, and words are all I have, to take your heart away” - The Bee Gees When the Gibb brothers put their heads together in 1968 to write their song, “Words”, they said a lot more than what comes off the surface. In the main line of the song they manage to convey the message that ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Communication General, Romantic Love

Denomination: Orthodox

There Was A Man Who Was Born On August 19, 1843 ...  PRO

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Sep 11, 2004

There was a man who was born on August 19, 1843 near Clinton, Michigan. When he was 17 years old he moved to his sister’s home in Tennessee where he enlisted in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He got out of the army a year later in 1862 and he went to St. Louis to study law. On ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ, Commitment, Love Of The Disciples, Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

He Made His Worst Enemy His Best Friend!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 12, 2023

In the days of the American Revolution there lived at Ephrata, Pennsylvania, a Baptist pastor by the name of Peter Miller who enjoyed the friendship of General Washington. There also dwelt in that town a man named Michael Wittman who was an evil-minded man who did all in his power to oppose this ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:24

Tags: Love, Forgiveness, Agape Love, Friends, Enemies  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In September Of 1982, My Mother Passed Away Very ...

Contributed by Stephen Ring on Apr 9, 2004

In September of 1982, my Mother passed away very unexpectedly. Through a series of events, I was actually spending the weekend at my parent’s home sick with a stomach flu, in order that my wife would be able to work and get a good night’s sleep. Early on the Sunday morning, my mother had a stroke ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Love, Love, Repent, Whosoever  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Free For The Taking: Grace

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

Joseph Cooke was a missionary to Thailand a generation ago. He illustrated grace this way. Picture a happily married couple in which both husband and wife are all that either could ever wish the other to be. The husband always respects his wife’s feelings, always treasures her individuality, is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:8-9, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:8

Tags: Grace, Love Of God

Denomination: Charismatic

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 9, 2005

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian Soldiers!--Ephesians 6:16-17) Beech trees tend to bend and grow at odd angles. When it comes to felling one, you have to do a bit more than simply cutting it down. First you need to determine which way the tree is leaning. Then you need to size-up the other ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:16-17

Tags: Angles, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

My Daughter Served As A Camp Counselor This ...  PRO

Contributed by Sheila Crowe on Aug 26, 2003

My daughter served as a camp counselor this summer. It is a camp in which there are several camps contained in one location. She was a gap counselor and therefore served in several different ones. One camp is called Camp Sparrowood. It is a camp for the mentally challenged ages 8-99. She was ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Discipleship

Denomination: United Methodist

Don't Magnify Yourself Against Those That Are Fallen

Contributed by James Dina on Oct 9, 2020

DON'T MAGNIFY YOURSELF AGAINST THOSE THAT ARE FALLEN "If indeed you will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach" (Job 19:5) 1. Many people forget their own frailty, how easy is it for them to fall. We should be taught by the mistakes of others to avoid being ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:5, Psalm 35:26

Tags: Love, Exaltation, Correction

Denomination: Pentecostal

John 14:15 "If You Love Me, You Will Obey What I ...

Contributed by Steven Cannon on Jan 15, 2007

John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- John 14:17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[062b]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062B]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE SECOND PART THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 2 SECTION B - PART 1 (THE CHRISTIAN ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Hurt, Pain, Love, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[062c]. A Message From A Poem – Does Suffering Cancel Out A God Of Love?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 14, 2025

[062C]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DOES SUFFERING CANCEL OUT A GOD OF LOVE? THE POEM AS IT IS WILL NOT FIT IN THE ILLUSTRATION SPACE AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD TO SPLIT IT INTO THREE PARTS. THIS IS THE THIRD PART. THE INTRODUCTION FOR THE POEM IS IN PART 1. PART 3 SECTION C - PART 1 (GOD ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 45:6-7, John 3:16, Exodus 34:6-7

Tags: Tragedy, God Of Comfort, God Of Love, Pain, Love, Christ, Compassion, Comfort, Suffering, Hurt  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Several Times My Daughter Had Telephoned To ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Feb 19, 2005

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say... "Mother, you must come see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. "I will come next Tuesday, " I promised, a little reluctantly, on her third call. Next Tuesday dawned ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Pentecostal

I'd Rather Have You

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2009

I'D RATHER HAVE YOU A father and his young daughter were great friends and much in each other's company. Then the father noted a change in his daughter. If he went for a walk, she excused herself from going. He grieved about it, but could not understand. When his birthday came, she presented him ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Family

Soren Kierkegaard, The Great Danish Theologian ...  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Dec 2, 2001

Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian told this story: A prince who wanted to find a maiden suitable to be his queen. One day while running an errand in the local village for his father he passed through a poor section. As he glanced out the windows of the carriage his eyes fell upon a ...read more

Tags: Humanity Of Christ, Christmas Advent

Denomination: Independent/Bible

He Leaks!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

"HE LEAKS!" A country church was having their annual revival meeting. On the first night the preacher preached a message about repentance and the need to return to the Lord. At the altar call, a man came down the aisle saying "Fill me Lord, fill me". The next night the preacher challenged the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:10, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Revival, Selfish

Al Was My Father-In-Law. He Was An Uncomplicated ...

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 7, 2012

Al was my father-in-law. He was an uncomplicated man, easy to like. He was a natural athlete and avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish. When he had a daughter (his first grandchild; my wife has no siblings) we didn’t realize how excited Al was about the prospect of taking her to the Great ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: Evangelism, Love, Parents, Aging, Christian Love, Evangelism Urgency  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I've Always Stood On God's Promise In Matthew ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 27, 2001

I’ve always stood on God’s promise in Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." A few years ago God showed me in one situation how he does indeed supply our needs providing we do put him first. I was pastoring a church in ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:20-21

Tags: God's Provision, Love, Righteousness