In Sermon Illustrations: "First Things"

We Think That God Wants Us To Try Something On ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Sep 18, 2007

We think that God wants us to try something on our own first, and then come to him in prayer for help only after we’ve worked at it and can’t figure it out. We hear the saying, “God helps those who help themselves” and think it’s true. Many people even believe it’s in the Bible. It’s not. It ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Personal Property In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE BIBLE Larry Burkett, the founder of Christian Financial Concepts, points out that the bible--with more than 700 references to money--says more about economics than many other subjects. He writes: "Money is such an important subject that nearly two-thirds of the parables ...read more

Tags: Materialism

A Simple Hose Clamp Causes Failure Of Balloon's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 9, 2009

A Simple Hose Clamp Causes Failure of Balloon’s Attempt to Circle the Earth Piccard and Richard Conniff writes in National Geographic that on January 12, 1997, two Swiss men, Bertrand Piccard and Wim Verstraeten, set out to be the first to CIRCLE THE EARTH in a balloon. Their aircraft was called ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-6

Tags: Tongue

Forgiveness: Like A Bell Tolling

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 18, 2011

FORGIVENESS: LIKE A BELL TOLLING Corrie ten Boom once told of being able to forget a wrong that had been done to her. She had forgiven the person, but she kept rehashing the incident and so couldn’t sleep. Finally, she cried out to God for help in putting the problem to rest. She wrote this about ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Flat ...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on Jul 3, 2008

The Flat Tire Two students were taking organic chemistry at the university. Having done well in their work and labs, they were both going into the final exam with solid A’s. So far, so good. Trouble was, they were so confident that they decided to party the night before the big test. It was a ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Death And Resurrection

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

Our son, John learned a valuable lesson about death when he was a child. One day he took aim with his new BB gun at a little bird sitting on a limb near our back deck. He aimed and fired and hit his target and the bird collapsed to the ground. Dead. At first there was the excitement of being a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:19

Tags: Death, Resurrection

Denomination: Christian Church

The Boat Is On Fire

Contributed by Jerry Thorpe on Mar 8, 2013

THE BOAT IS ON FIRE Robert E. Lee pleasure boat. Steamed out of Vicksburg. Hundreds of people were aboard. After midnight the boat caught fire. The captain discovered it and told his first mate to rush down through the saloon and down every corridor to wake everyone up. He didn't have time to ...read more

Tags: Rapture, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Church Of God

Remove The Hate — Be Pure  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Mar 30, 2013

REMOVE THE HATE -- BE PURE "And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood (Hebrews 13:2)." Three years ago, Chris Simpson led a white pride march. Two years ago, he abandoned the white supremacist movement. This past April (2012), he was ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Nazarene

Surrendering To God

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 28, 2015

Ravi Zacharias tells the amazing story of a young Christian, Hien Pham, whom he met in Vietnam who served as an interpreter with the American forces. Shortly after Vietnam fell, Hien was imprisoned on accusations of helping the Americans. His jailers tried to indoctrinate him against democratic ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-16

Tags: Grace, Persecution, Prayer, Surrender, Standing On Promises  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

The Impact A Godly Father Makes On The Life Of A Child

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

Steven Lawson has written a book called The Legacy- Ten Core Values Every Father Must Leave His Child. In the book there is a study that is performed contrasting a couple who are not Christian and a couple who are Christian and their descendants. What they did was take a guy by the name of Max ...read more

Tags: Children, Legacy, Fathers, Christian Homes, Core Values For Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Grief Observed

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 20, 2022

C.S. Lewis married when he was older to a woman named Joy. Joy got cancer and died just some years after they were married. Lewis, being a writer, wrote down his thoughts after she died in a journal. He turned that journal in a book called, “A Grief Observed.” The first few pages are somewhat ...read more

Scripture: John 11:35, Psalm 88:9

Tags: Peace, Grief, Loss, Where Is God, Answers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Horrid Description  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 20, 2002

THE HORRID DESCRIPTION Jesus was tied to a post and beaten at least thirty-nine times – and probably more – with a whip that had jagged bones and balls of lead woven into it. Again and again the whip was brought down with full force on his bare shoulders, back, and legs … At first the heavy ...read more

It's What You Do--Not When You Do It. Ted ...

Contributed by Jerry Flury on Jul 17, 2004

It’s what you do--not when you do it. Ted Williams, at age 42, slammed a home run in his last official time at bat. Mickey Mantle, age 20, hit 23 home runs his first full year in the major leagues. Golda Meir was 71 when she became Prime Minister of Israel. William Pitt II was 24 when he became ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself, Worship Definition

Denomination: Baptist

It's What You Do—not When You Do It

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

IT’S WHAT YOU DO--NOT WHEN YOU DO IT Ted Williams, at age 42, slammed a home run in his last official time at bat. Mickey Mantle, age 20, hit 23 home runs his first full year in the major leagues. Golda Meir was 71 when she became Prime Minister of Israel. William Pitt II was 24 when he ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

There Is A Stage In A Child's Life At Which It ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

There is a stage in a child’s life at which it cannot separate the religious from the merely festal character of Christmas or Easter. I have been told of a very small and very devout boy who was heard murmuring to himself on Easter morning a poem of his own composition which began ’Chocolate eggs ...read more

Tags: Baptism

There Is A Stage In A Child's Life At Which It ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

There is a stage in a child’s life at which it cannot separate the religious from the merely festal character of Christmas or Easter. I have been told of a very small and very devout boy who was heard murmuring to himself on Easter morning a poem of his own composition which began ’Chocolate eggs ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Unity

There Is A Man Who Keeps On His Desk A Fairly ...

Contributed by Keith Broyles on Oct 4, 2007

There is a man who keeps on his desk a fairly large stone on which is lettered one word: FIRST. Acting as a constant reminder of Jesus’ words, “He that is without sin… let him cast the first stone,” it helps check within him the automatic desire to be hasty in condemning others. As he daily ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

The Idea That Baptism Is Involved In The ...

Contributed by Brian B on Jul 29, 2009

The idea that Baptism is involved in the salvation process was universally taught for the first 1500 years…. And it was only 500 years ago … when Zwingli came along in the middle 1500s that it began to be taught as a sign and a seal only. Zwingli said, “in this matter of baptism--- if I may ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Perfect Day For Evil

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 13, 2011

PERFECT DAY FOR EVIL As I gave the opening prayer at Charlotte Motor Speedway to Honor 9/11, I met this man in a Fireman’s’ uniform with a New York accent. The Speedway had flown in three men who had been First Responders that day 10 years ago. This man gave me a chilling account of his day. His ...read more

Tags: Holidays Civic

Two Young Boys In A Catholic School Had Been ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 2, 2009

Two young boys in a Catholic school had been continually misbehaving and were sent to the principal’s office on several occasions. The principal knew what they really needed was to have God in their lives, so she brought the first boy in and set him down. “I want to ask you a question. Where is ...read more

Tags: Learning

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ