In Sermon Illustrations: "Free To Serve"

The Bible And The Bounty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

THE BIBLE AND THE BOUNTY The English ship Bounty, commanded by Lt. William Bligh, journeyed to the South Pacific in 1787. Many signed on considering the voyage a trip to paradise. Bligh appointed a young friend, Fletcher Christian, to the post of second in command. The Bounty stayed in Tahiti for ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-11

Tags: Bible Influence

We Have The Key

Contributed by Matthew Olanrewaju on Sep 17, 2011

WE HAVE THE KEY Father William Bausch told a story of a boy who one morning had arrived very early at school and waited patiently at the door. Next to arrive was a lady who was surprised that this youngster had arrived so early. "It’s locked" the pupil said as the teacher tried the door. She began ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Methodist

The Obedience Of Gladys Aylward

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jan 23, 2013

THE OBEDIENCE OF GLADYS AYLWARD Gladys Aylward, missionary to China, during the 1930s as a young woman she left her home in England and sailed to China. Here she opened a home for orphaned children who'd been left to starve or wander the streets. When the Japanese invaded China, Gladys was forced ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Brethren

The Knowledge Of Good And Evil  PRO

Contributed by Lalachan Abraham on Jan 8, 2014

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL Viktor Frankl in his book, "Man's Search for Meaning," describes the reactions of two brothers with the same heredity, the same environment, in the same concentration camp under the Nazis. One became a saint and the other a swine. Frankl tells us the reason why. He ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:19

Tags: Good And Evil, Life And Death, Forbidden Fruit, Knowledge Of Good

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bless Assurance: Fanny Crosby

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 16, 2021

ASSURANCE: free from doubt, a positive declaration intended to give confidence, a sure promise, in a religious sitting it means salvation by the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that we are justified. No harm will come, with great faith. FANNY JANE CROSBY was born in 1820 and died in 1915 at the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, John 14:27, John 14:1-3

Tags: Assurance, God Can

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Evil Has Arrived

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 7, 2021

I am afraid that if Paul Revere rode through our towns crying, "The evil is coming! The evil is coming" Church folks would go back to sleep instead of rising to arms and in the morning have him arrested for disturbing the peace. The same works for revival. The call may come and God ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:5, Romans 13:11, Ezekiel 33:6-7

Tags: Candlestick, Awake, Hell, Soul, Sleep, Watchman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Spirit Of Fear

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

There was a lady who died in 1916 named Hetty Green. She has been called “America’s greatest miser.” When she died in 1916, her estate was valued at $100 million. But she was so miserly that she ate cold oatmeal in order to save the expense of heating the water. When her son had a severe leg ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Tags: Fear, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Spirit Of Fear

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stand By Me

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 13, 2024

STAND BY ME I played the video of the song, "Stand By Me" by Home Free in a recent worship service right before I came up to preach. Our people wondered: "Pastor Larry, why play a secular song for a Sunday morning service??" Maybe I need to share what I discovered about the ...read more

Tags: Marriage, Support, Loyalty, God's Promises, Hymns, Friends, Songs, Black Spirituals, Gospel Songs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Helen Rosavere Is An English Woman Who Had ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 7, 2002

Helen Rosavere is an English woman who had interests in becoming a doctor and serving Do. Upon completion of her medical training at Cambridge University, Helen began to ask God where he would want her to serve. Before long, God directed Helen to an area in the Congo (Africa) which had a population ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Discipleship

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Sword And A Tear!" 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 24, 2004

“A Sword and a Tear!” 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key verse(s): 24-25a “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:22-26

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion

Denomination: Lutheran

Experts Can't Agree If The Following Is A True ...

Contributed by Jonathan Twitchell on Dec 7, 2006

Experts can’t agree if the following is a true story or if it should be written down next to the tale of George Washington and the Cherry Tree. While there is no concrete evidence of its truth, there is enough anecdotal evidence that the story has been in existence long enough to quite possibly be ...read more

Tags: Mercy

Denomination: Nazarene

Backing Out Of Life's Garage!" Exodus 20:18-21 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 20, 2005

“Backing Out of Life’s Garage!” Exodus 20:18-21 Key verse(s): 20:“Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning’.” Graduating from a reel mower to a power mower, was a very big step in my life. I began ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:18-21

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Lutheran

Example Of Hospitality

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 29, 2010

EXAMPLE OF HOSPITALITY Jan and Darryl have always been openly generous people. They make you feel as if they are honoured to have you in their home and nothing is too much trouble for them. Which is just as well because they are our connect group leaders. Every fortnight people in our Connect ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 13:5-15

Tags: Hospitality

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How God Protected David Brainerd During ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 30, 2010

How God Protected David Brainerd During Missionary Work American history tells of missionary saints who interceded for those of this land too. In answer to the question, "What can be done to revive the work of God where it has decayed?" John Wesley once said, "Let every preacher read carefully ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:6-10

Tags: Missions

Wee Bobby Moffett, Missionary

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 6, 2021

HAVE YOU HEARD OF WEE BOBBY MOFFETT? There was a small village church in Scotland that did not seem to be growing. The deacons cornered the pastor and had serious questions about the church. The deacons asked WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO GROWTH IN THE CHURCH THIS YEAR? We have not had one new ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-5, John 6:5-9

Tags: Failure, Possibilities, Attitudes

Denomination: Assembly Of God

God’s Design Is For A Man And Woman To ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

God’s design is for a man and woman to enter into a permanent, intimate relationship with one another. A relationship like Eddie and Mary enjoy. Let me read you a letter that Eddie wrote to Ann Landers: Dear Ann Landers: On Aug. 14, 1945, the war ended in the South Pacific. That was the day I ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Unconditional Love, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Baptist

Sir Douglas Bader Was A Pilot Who Lost Both His ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Mar 13, 2001

Sir Douglas Bader was a pilot who lost both his legs in a plane crash before WW2. He was fitted with artificial legs & resumed flying. In 1939, when Germany & England went to war, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force. Flying with two artificial legs, he shot down 22 enemy airplanes in the Battle ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Human Body

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Father’s Two Daughters Were Begging Him ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Warren on Apr 19, 2001

A father’s two daughters were begging him for permission to see the latest movie, which happened to be rated "R," with their friends. When he denied their request, their pleading only intensified. "It’s only rated R because it has just a little bad language and just a few scenes that are bad," ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:38-41

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Holiness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Silent Night Carol

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 6, 2001

Silent Night Carol On a cold Christmas Eve in 1818 Father Joseph Franz Mohr (1792-1848) walked the three kilometres from his home - in the Austrian village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg - to visit his friend Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863) in the neighboring town of Arnsdorf bei Laufen. Mohr brought ...read more

Tags: Second Coming, Heaven

Denomination: Anglican

God Is Saying That Wives, If You Really Want To ...  PRO

Contributed by Chad Wright on Apr 25, 2002

God is saying that wives, if you really want to serve Christ every day, then submit to your husbands in everything. Everything?! That goes against the grain of the American ideal of what a woman should be! It shouldn’t surprise us. The feminist movement in America goes against the very core of what ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22, Ephesians 5:22-24

Tags: Marriage Obligations, Unity, Divorce

Denomination: Lutheran