In Sermon Illustrations: "Genesis 28 10 19a"

What Some People Won't Do For Money

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Apr 20, 2002

What some people won’t do for money. In an attempt to collect 40,000 euros ($44,780) in insurance payments, a 58-year-old German landscape gardener had a friend cut off his thumb and forefinger with a chainsaw. According to authorities, the gardener held onto a cutting board while his accomplice, ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Most Likely To Divorce Born Again Christians Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2006

Most Likely To Divorce Born again Christians are just as likely to get divorced as are non-born again adults. Overall, 33% of all born again individuals who have been married have gone through a divorce, which is statistically identical to the 34% incidence among non-born again adults. Adults who ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Truth—not So Absolute: The People Groups Least ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Truth—Not So Absolute: The people groups least likely to believe in absolute moral truth are Baby Busters (those 36 and younger—only 13% embrace absolute truth), Catholics (16%) and adults who are not born again Christians (15%). The groups most likely to endorse the existence of absolute moral ...read more

Tags: Truth Absolute

Girl Power Comics: Sales Of Japanese Comics - ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Girl Power Comics: Sales of Japanese comics - more familiarly known as manga (pronounced MAHN-gah) - are exploding in the U.S., and much of the boom is due to efforts by comic book publishers to extend their reach beyond young male readers. “Manga producers in the U.S. have tapped into a new ...read more

Tags: Children

The Average U.s. Pastor Has Received Continuing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

The Average U.S. Pastor has received continuing education on 3.6 different topics during the last two years. Ellison Research finds even though most ministers have gone through seminars or classes, 36% say their church doesn’t budget for it, and the average church that does so allocates just $1,504 ...read more

Tags: Church General

There Are Three Great Enemies Of The Christian: ...

Contributed by John Shearhart on Sep 22, 2006

“There are three great enemies of the Christian: the world, the flesh, and the devil. The world is against us. Our flesh is an enemy. As if that were not enough, we have a powerful foe in Satan, who is described […] as a ‘roaring lion looking for someone to devour.’ There are many things against ...read more

As Long As God Is Awake  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2009

AS LONG AS GOD IS AWAKE A mother and her little four-year-old daughter were preparing to retire for the night. The child was afraid of the night. The child was afraid of the dark, and the mother, alone with the child, felt fearful also. When the light was out, the child caught a glimpse of the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9, Joshua 1:6-9

Tags: Fear And Worry

Henry Ford Gives A Donation For A New Medical ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 29, 2009

Henry Ford Gives a Donation For A New Medical Facility The American industrialist, Henry Ford, was once asked to donate money for the construction of a new medical facility.. The billionaire made a pledge of $5,000. The next day in the newspaper, the headline read, "Henry Ford contributes $50,000 ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

Tags: Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Holiday

Questions Help You Learn...?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 31, 2010

QUESTIONS HELP YOU LEARN...? A father and his small son were out walking one day when the lad asked how electricity could go through the wires stretched between the telephone poles. "I don't know," said his father. "I never knew much about electricity." A few blocks farther on, the boy asked ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:1-2

Tags: Children

Little Girl: "Mother, We Learned In Sunday School ...

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 20, 2010

Little Girl: "Mother, we learned in Sunday school today that we came from dust and that we are going back to dust. Is that true?" Mother: "Yes, darling, that's true." Little Girl: "Well, I just looked under the bed and someone is either coming or going." — Encyclopedia of 15,000 ...read more

Tags: Human Life

Denomination: *other

Hero Vs Hero Maker

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 28, 2018

What does it mean to be a hero maker? A hero maker is a leader who shifts from being the hero to making others the hero in God's unfolding story. Real hero makers first die to any vision of personal glory. The dying involves a very real transition, one of grief and loss of ever becoming that ...read more

Scripture: John 14:12, Matthew 6:33

Tags: Leadership, Disciple Making, Leadership Training

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Square Fillers

Contributed by Doug Fannon on Oct 19, 2018

In the military we had a term that we called “square fillers.” We would have a check-list of requirements and before each requirement or inspection item, there would be printed a little square . When each requirement was completed, you would check off the appropriate square. The term came to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:13-36

Tags: False Religion, Unrighteousness, Outward Appearances, Minimum Requirements, Heart For God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

California's Most Colorful Stagecoach Robber, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

California’s most colorful stagecoach robber, “Black Bart.” For 6 years starting in 1877, Black Bart committed 28 robberies wearing a flour sack over his head, brandishing a shotgun demanding, “Will you please thrown down your treasure box, sir?” He was wounded in his last robbery, dropping a ...read more

Tags: Apologetics The Bible

Mentoring As A Church Practice  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on May 18, 2008

MENTORING AS A CHURCH PRACTICE "...In most churches, the congregation pays the pastor to preach, win the lost, and build up the saved—-while the church members function as cheerleaders (if they are enthusiastic) or spectators. The "converts" are won, baptized, and given the right hand of ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Other

Years Ago, I Was Driving On I-68 In Southwest ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

Years ago, I was driving on I-68 in southwest Virginia when a lady passed my VW just flying. She had a brand new fancy Ford Thunderbird. She had her foot in the carburetor and she passed me like I was sitting still. On up the road I came around a curve, and this beautiful new Thunderbird was ...read more

Scripture: Judges 7:9-14

Tags: God In The Hardships

Dedicated Recruits Only  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

DEDICATED RECRUITS ONLY Giuseppe Garibaldi, an Italian military leader called "The Hero of the Two Worlds" had an incredibly committed volunteer army. He would appeal for recruits in these terms: “I offer neither pay, nor quarters, nor provisions; I offer hunger, thirst, forced marches, battles ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Tags: Discipleship

Divorce Costs Everyone

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

DIVORCE COSTS EVERYONE High rates of divorce and unmarried childbearing cost U.S. taxpayers at least $112 billion each year. It is estimated that family fragmentation costs taxpayers more than $1 trillion each decade; about $70.1 billion is at the federal level, $33.3 billion at the state level ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 2:16

Tags: Divorce

Individually, We Are Weak

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2022

This story was written by Donald Grey Barnhouse. Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:14-15

Tags: Fellowship, Community, Small Group

The Late Larry Burkett, A Financial Expert Said, ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on May 9, 2006

The late Larry Burkett, a financial expert said, “If every Church member in America would increase their giving to an average of 10% (current estimates are that American Christians give less than 3%), there would be an extra $69 billion for overseas missions and an additional $150 billion in income ...read more

Scripture: Leviticus 27:30

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Christian Church

Children & Marriage  PRO

Contributed by Brian Bolton on Nov 14, 2005

Children & Marriage “No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.” Kirsten, age 10 “You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like sports, ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Oneness, Faithfulness, Conflict, Communication  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ