In Sermon Illustrations: "Freedom In Action"

Active Discipleship

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jul 28, 2009

ACTIVE DISCIPLESHIP Relation to Christ activates and empowers the whole of life when humans choose to act. Without action, nothing happens. It is kind of like getting into a car and just sitting there without turning the ignition and putting the car into gear and pushing on the accelerator and ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Church Of God

Rembrandt's Sin

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 22, 2010

REMBRANDT'S SIN If you were to look at Rembrandt’s painting of The Three Crosses, your attention would be drawn first to the center cross on which Jesus died. Then as you would look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, you’d be impressed by the various facial expressions and ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Brethren

Aristotle On Self-Discipline

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010

ARISTOTLE ON SELF-DISCIPLINE We are the sum of our actions, Aristotle tells us, and therefore our habits make all the difference. And what is the best way to practice? Aristotle's answer lies in his explanation of "the mean." In his view, correct moral behavior in any given situation lies at the ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: *other

A Man, Charged With Stealing A Turkey, Appeared ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

A man, charged with stealing a turkey, appeared in court. He told the judge that his action was an answer to prayer. When the judge asked him to explain, the man said: "Well, Judge, it was the night before Thanksgiving, and I didn’t have a turkey. I prayed for the Lord to send me one. At midnight I ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Barna: God's Truth

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 14, 2012

BARNA: GOD'S TRUTH George Barna from his book Turning Vision Into Action states, "Abraham was successful until God showed him that material wealth was poverty in eternity. Moses had it made as the adopted son of the Egyptian pharaoh, but he discovered that the finest clothing, the best education ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Person Who Calls Himself Frank And Candid Can ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 11, 2001

A person who calls himself frank and candid can very easily find himself becoming tactless and cruel. A person who prides himself on being tactful can find eventually that he has become evasive and deceitful. A person with firm convictions can become pigheaded. A person who is inclined to be ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-12

Tags: Faith, Humility

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Before World War Ii, Nora Waln Wrote A Book ...

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Aug 9, 2007

Before World War II, Nora Waln wrote a book exposing Hitler and his Nazi plotters. The book, Reaching for the Stars, was intercepted in the German mails on its way to an American publisher. She fled to London, rewrote the book from memory and sent copies to Heinrich Himmler, the Nazi hangman. He ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

For Those Who Are Single And Wish To Marry, You ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 10, 2007

For those who are single and wish to marry, you must pray, prepare yourself as a bride is to be adorned for her husband (Rev. 21:2, 19:7-8) and go where you are called. You must discover your gifts, develop your gifts and demonstrate your gifts. This thereby attracts the mate that best first with ...read more

Denomination: Other

Before Nelson Mandela Was Released From Prison, ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 23, 2009

Before Nelson Mandela was released from prison, Archbishop Desmond Tutu stood in front of the South African Embassy in Washington D.C. one afternoon and said, “Those of you inside, are you listening? Do you hear me? You have already been defeated. Do you understand that? You have already lost and ...read more

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Kunta Kinte

Contributed by Gregg Bitter on Jan 25, 2010

Kunta Kinte Our greatest sin is trying to deal with our sin-guilt by some form of denial. These various forms of denial think that we can escape and run away from our guilt. We imagine that freedom is within our power. Kunta Kinte tried to escape. He tried to mentally escape by refusing to ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Denomination: Lutheran

Are You Tied To This World?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

ARE YOU TIED TO THIS WORLD? Moody said that some people are trying to live by faith as though they are paddling hard in a row boat, while all along their tie-down is still fastened securely to the dock. He declared, "They are tied to this world. Cut the cord! Set yourself free from the clogging ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Tags: Worldliness

A Pastor Tells Of Standing By His Father's ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Nov 10, 2002

"A pastor tells of standing by his father’s tombstone and reading the words, "Born 1884 - Died 1970." It suddenly occurred to him how much the little dash between those two dates symbolized". (Herb Miller. Actions Speak Louder Than Verbs. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1988, p. 124). It is what we ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: United Methodist

D. Bonnie Ricks States "…learn What Being Set ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 10, 2005

d. Bonnie Ricks states “…Learn what being set apart really means... It means leading a life that is a reflection of Jesus Christ. It means demonstrating with your life that life in Jesus makes a difference. It means showing people through your actions what the love of God really means. It means ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

During World War Ii, Winston Churchill Was Forced ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

During World War II, Winston Churchill was forced to make a painful choice. The British secret service had broken the Nazi code and informed Churchill that the Germans were going to bomb Coventry. He had two alternatives: (1) evacuate the citizens and save hundreds of lives at the expense of ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

A Little Girl Came Running Into The House To Her ...  PRO

Contributed by Manuel Amparo on May 10, 2006

A little girl came running into the house to her mother, exclaiming: “Mamma, I love you!” The mother replied: “I am so glad you love me. I have had a hard day, and I am so tired. If you love me so much, will you wash the dishes for me?” The little girl replied: “I do love you, mother, ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15-21

Tags: Commandments Parents

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

I Remember The Old Story Of A Young Soldier Boy ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I remember the old story of a young soldier boy who was a Christian. After the lights were out in the barracks he would slip down on his knees by his bunk in order to pray. One night the sergeant, who had little use for anything religious or Christian, threw his very muddy boots at the boy, ...read more

Tags: Peace, Humility, Peacemaker

Spiritual Leadership

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Sep 9, 2007

Spiritual Leadership Samuel Logan Brengle said: Spiritual leadership is not won by promotion, but by prayers and tears. It is attained by much heart-searching and humbling before God; by self-surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold, uncompromising, and uncomplaining embracing of ...read more

Denomination: Other

Many People Talk About Near Death Experiences: ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 13, 2007

Many people talk about near death experiences: Some people have even experienced near death experiences and they find themselves in a dark tunnel approaching a marvellous light. Many medical experts will debunk and explain these near death experiences as mere neurological actions of the brain and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

An Everyday Lady

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on May 15, 2011

AN EVERYDAY LADY On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks refused to obey a bus driver’s order to give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. At the time of her action, Rosa Parks served as the secretary of her local NAACP chapter. But even so, she acted as a private ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Denomination: Lutheran

Focus On Christ

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 25, 2011

FOCUS ON CHRIST The healthiest people do not think about their health; the weak induce disease by morbid introspection. If you begin to count your heartbeats, you will disturb the rhythmic action of the heart. If you continually imagine a pain anywhere, you will produce it. And there are some ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Baptist