In Sermon Illustrations: "First Love"

A Minister And A Day Off His Rocker

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 5, 2019

I was tootling along one day last week, quite focused on getting my business for the day done. In fact, I was feeling good about the progress I was making with my “to-do list.” Nothing is more satisfying to me than the sense of being in control of my schedule. I love checking off items on my “to-do ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Faith, Love, Trust, Hope, Surrender  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Wiretap Into Your Home

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 22, 2020

The church is the bride of Christ. If we love the groom (Jesus), we will look for positive things to say about the bride (the church). Bob Russell tells a story about how years ago, when there were multiple party telephone lines, a preacher picked up the telephone to make a call but couldn’t get ...read more

Scripture: John 13:35, 2 Corinthians 11:28-29

Tags: Evangelism, Love For The Church, Speak Positively

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dogs Are Our Link To Paradise.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Nov 4, 2020

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where ...read more

Scripture: John 14:27, 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:10-20

Tags: Love, Calm, Endurance Of Being Ignored

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Funny Marriage Proposal

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

FUNNY LOVE STORY Ruth Chudrow stated that she met her husband “while I was working in a science library. He came in every week to read the latest journals and eventually decided to take out the librarian instead of the books. After a year and a half of dating, he showed up at the library and ...read more

Tags: Love, Marriage, Humor, Weddings, Proposals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

32 Simple Ways To Make Your Marriage Sizzle

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

32 WAYS TO HELP YOU HAVE A GREAT MARRIAGE..... 1. Communicate with your partner – work hard on listening. 2. Befriend each other’s friends and family 3. Know your spouse’s love language – Touch, talk, time, treasures, tasks 4. Give each other space to breathe without control 5. Take trips ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Love, Marriage, Family, Relationships, Home  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Great Example Of Leadership

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 14, 2022

One of the best leaders and models of loving leadership was Dawson Trotman, who died after helping to rescue two drowning girls. Trotman died in Schroon Lake, New York. He died in an area that he was an expert in — he drowned. He was an expert swimmer. The last few moments of his life, he ...read more

Tags: Leadership, Mentoring, Love, Sacrifice, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Has To Judge All People But All Have A Choice!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 6, 2022

Genesis 6:11-22 Devotional v11-12.. original Hebrew word for “corrupt” alludes to “going to ruin” Why was the earth “going to ruin”? • Full of violence….. malicious (a desire to cause harm) and wrong • All the people “corrupted” their ways v13: God calls Noah! Why? – there are many ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:11-22

Tags: Love, Salvation, Flood, Judgment, Free Will  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Provides But We Personally Must Take Actions!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 10, 2022

Genesis 7 Was Noah righteous because he never sinned? - See Hebrews 11:7 What were God’s instructions to Noah? Go into the ark, you and your whole family Take in the ark animals (what were they?) “Clean” animals “unclean” animals Birds How many days did God give Noah to bring in the animals? – ...read more

Tags: Judgement, Love, Sin, God, Actions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God's View Of People

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 16, 2022

Genesis 8:15-22 Devotional After the flood had dried up, God instructed Noah (v15) and Noah obeyed (v16). Isn’t it interesting that we note birds from the ark but not fish…. Noah, did you keep fish in the ark??? – either he kept fish in the ark or God kept fish in the clouds or God recreated ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 8:15-22

Tags: People, Love, Worship, Sin, God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Meekness: Personal Restraint For The Sake Of Others

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 20, 2023

Years ago, a young man named George Atley was serving in the Central African Mission. He was attacked by a group of natives. He had with him a Winchester repeating rifle with ten loaded chambers. The group was completely at his mercy. He could have killed every one of them. But as he assessed the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:15, Psalm 37:11

Tags: Evangelism, Love, Missions, Meekness, Restraint  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Obedience And Acceptance

Contributed by Shawn Buser on Jan 19, 2024

"You aren't accepted because you obey, you obey because you are ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15, Isaiah 6:8

Tags: Faith, Love, Acceptance, Obedience, Works  (view more)  (view less)

Thin Skinned And Hard Hearted

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

Somebody smarter than me said the greatest problem in the local church is that we are not who we were designed by God to be. As Believers, we were made to be thick-skinned and tender hearted. That’s how we can “love one another fervently with a pure heart.” (1 Peter 1:22) Instead, we have become ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Peter 1:22

Tags: Forgiveness, Fervent Love, Tender Hearted

Denomination: Methodist

The Boy And The Sprinkles

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 20, 2025

He couldn’t have been more than seven or eight. A mop of brown hair, freckles across his nose, and a handful of coins jingling in his palm as he stepped up to the counter. “Ma’am,” he asked shyly, “how much is a scoop of vanilla ice cream?” The waitress smiled. “Fifty cents.” He nodded and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:48, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Tags: Love, Humility, Gratitude, Generosity, Kindness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Bloopers In The Bulletin

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 11, 2023

The following are actual church bulletin board bloopers found in churches across the United States. The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church. The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-7

Tags: Church, Humor, Secretaries, Failure, Pastors, Unconditional Love, Love For Others, Bloopers, Bulletin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In History, 160 Years Before The Birth Of Jesus, ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 17, 2001

In history, 160 years before the birth of Jesus, there is the story of the Maccabean revolt in Israel. Antiochus IV, King of Syria, had conquered Jerusalem, & he decided to destroy the Jewish religion & make the Jews deny their faith in God. Among the many things he did was to order the people to ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 6:12-13

Tags: Sacrificial, Selfless, Love, Parenting, Mothers, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Perfect Salvation—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Robert Tatum on Sep 4, 2002

A PERFECT SALVATION-COMMUNION MEDITATION Near Mobile, Alabama there was a railroad bridge that spanned a big bayou. The date was September 22, 1993. It was a foggy morning just before daybreak when a tugboat accidentally pushed a barge into the bayou. The drifting barge slammed into the bridge. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 1:1-10

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Christian Disciplines, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Baptist

Grief: God's Answer To Overwhelming Grief

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Aug 25, 2025

What follows is a true account, which I (Stephen) was fortunate enough to witness firsthand in the spring of 2015. My wife was an only child raised by a single mom, and as such was very close to her mother. Thus, when her mother died after 90 years my wife was severely grief stricken and would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 1 Samuel 3:9-10

Tags: Death, Prayer, Listen, Grief, Loved One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

From Godly To Rebellion?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 25, 2022

Genesis 10 – 11:9…. Look again at verses 10:5, 20, 31…. and 11:1…. What do you think is the explanation for this? – v32 gives the answer; all came from Noah (with his language, but the 3 sons went to all different areas of the world) The second half of Genesis 11 speaks of Abraham, from the line ...read more

Tags: Evil, God's Love, Rebellion, Godly, Mankind  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Faith And Works Should Travel Side-By-Side, Step ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 6, 2002

Faith and works should travel side-by-side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again—until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other. William ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith General, Faith Vs. Works, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

I Declare You The Winner  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 29, 2004

I DECLARE YOU THE WINNER I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real game- a serious game- two teams, complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn’t know any of them, so I was able to enjoy the game without the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Children, Anger, Rage, Parenting, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ