In Sermon Illustrations: "Gift"

8 In 10 Americans Earning More Than $1 Million A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

8 in 10 Americans earning more than $1 million a year leave nothing to charity in their wills. "Philanthropy is part of the unspoken contract that underpins the American dream. If that contract is broken, a backlash is likely. Every American, rich and poor, would lose." This same issue lists ...read more

Tags: Giving General

A '97 Yankelovich Monitor Survey Reveals The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

A ’97 Yankelovich Monitor survey reveals the following tips for retailers desiring to attract and retain men shoppers. · Programs, packaging, and point-of-sale materials that help the buyer use the product more efficiently; · Grab-and-go shopper services, like call-in orders, drive-thru pick-up or ...read more

Tags: Men And Women

Philip Yancey Says That Today, "We Make Faith ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 14, 2006

Philip Yancey says that today, “We make faith not an attitude of trust in something unseen but a route to get something seen-something magical and stupendous, like a miracle or a supernatural gift. Faith includes the supernatural, but it also includes daily, dependent trust is spite of results. ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

As We Paid Nothing For God's Eternal Love And ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 19, 2007

As we paid nothing for God’s eternal love and nothing for the Son of His love, and nothing for His Spirit and our grace and faith, and nothing for our eternal rest...What an astonishing thought it will be to think of the unmeasurable difference between our deservings and our receivings. O, how free ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Idolatry Is About "Getting"

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 2, 2009

IDOLATRY IS ABOUT "GETTING" William Barclay makes this important observation about ancient idolatry: "The essence of idolatry is the desire to get. A man sets up an idol and worships it because he desires to get something out of god. To put it bluntly, he believes that by his sacrifices and his ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

Denomination: Other

Love Is:the Lubricant That Makes Everything Run ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

LOVE is:the lubricant that makes everything run smoothly;the seasoning that makes everything taste better;the glue that holds everything together;the medicine that heals every wound;the light that brightens the darkest corner;the food that satisfies every hunger;the drink that quenches every ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Thanks, Franki

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 30, 2010

THANKS, FRANKI During the Christmas play, three six-year-old boys acted out the role of the wise men. As they presented their gifts at the nativity scene, each boy stepped forward and stated what they were offering to Christ. The first held out his arms and said, "Gold." The second boy knelt ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Brethren

I Want To Share A Story From Reader's Digest, ...

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Oct 23, 2007

I want to share a story from Reader’s Digest, December 2002, which was taken from a story by Lee Hill Kavanaugh, of the Kansas City Star. It goes like this: Perry Bice turned off the engine but remained behind the wheel. Parked in his driveway was a wheelchair-accessible van, a huge red and gold ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-8

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Too Late To Hide

Contributed by Mark Beaird on Dec 31, 2015

It’s Too Late to Hide I first noticed him as he shuffled past me while making his way through the crowd of excited children swarming around the room at the school for deaf and blind children outside Saigon, Vietnam. He moved slow, but steady. His arms and legs were twisted and drawn in such a ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:15-16

Tags: Blessings In Christ, Accepted By Grace, Acceptance In Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Two Babies In The Manger?  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Dec 23, 2002

2 babies in the manger? In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments and a large ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

In 1994, Two Americans Answered An Invitation ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jan 12, 2004

In 1994, two Americans answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics (based on biblical principles) in the public schools. They were invited to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments, and a large orphanage. About 100 boys and girls ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Guest Of Honor — Uninvited  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 16, 2005

Illustration – e-mail letter I received As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday. Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated. During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mulligan

Contributed by Grant Van Boeschoten on Feb 1, 2008

"Mulligan" There are a lot of golfers out there who have convinced themselves that it is OK to cheat, they even came up with a name for it so that it didn’t sound so bad. It’s called a Mulligan, a do over, a second chance. Here is how it goes. You step up to the tee box to hit the ball and ...read more

I Heard A Story Some Time Ago Of A Missionary In ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 14, 2001

I heard a story some time ago of a missionary in Africa who gave a Bible to one of the African men. When it was given to him, the man hugged it close & expressed great appreciation for the precious gift of God’s Word that the missionary had given him. But when the missionary saw him a few days ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12

Tags: Bible Influence, Bible, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where Christ Would Be  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2002

WHERE CHRIST WOULD BE At the state university I attended, I knew a history professor who was a Christian. He would go down to a local nursing home and visit with the elderly men and women there on a weekly basis. Though some were lovingly visited every day by their families – having been sent ...read more

My Dad And My Brothers As Served In The Marine ...

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Sep 19, 2006

My Dad and my brothers as served in the Marine Corps. I always wanted to, but the Lord, in His wisdom, saw fit to keep me from passing the physical. Even though I was never able to get into the military, I was impressed about one important focus the Marines had. They always kept in mind what was ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

On The Thursday Of Holy Week This Year, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Mar 25, 2007

On the Thursday of Holy Week this year, the queen of England will preside over the Royal Maundy Service at Guildford Cathedral. It is a service held each year on the Thursday before Easter, and the British monarch presents gifts of money to the poor. The royal website says, “The tradition of the ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-17

Denomination: Methodist

Long Ago, There Ruled In Persia A Wise And Good ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

"Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar, and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

The Jewish People Tried To Work Around Some Of ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 9, 2009

The Jewish people tried to work around some of the commands of the Torah that could not be practically enforced once the Jewish nation was no longer sovereign. One of those commands was the Sabbath Year. All debts were to be cancelled, but, under Roman rule, this could not work economically for ...read more

Tags: Law

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Visit Of Some Of Our Church Members To A ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Nov 30, 2011

Visit of some of our Church members to a Departmental store to buy gifts for orphans/widows during Christmas season... Last Christmas, the womenfolk of our Church went to a reasonably distant Departmental store to buy gifts for the widows/orphans/Sunday school children of our Church. When, they ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: *other