In Sermon Illustrations: "Gifts Discernment"

A W Tozer Encouraged People Wanting And Having ...

Contributed by Richard Francis on Jan 31, 2009

A W Tozer encouraged people wanting and having a "personal revival" to be seeking God with ALL of their Heart to consider these two points: 1. Get thoroughly dissatisfied with yourself. Complacency is the deadly enemy of spiritual progress. The contented soul is the stagnant soul. When speaking ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unknown Inheritances  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2009

UNKNOWN INHERITANCES A Michigan factory worker, earning less than ten thousand dollars a year, was an unknowing heir to a half-million dollars. When located by an investigator some years after his benefactor’s death, the worker explained that he had neither returned home nor kept in touch with his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:16-17

Tags: God The Father

Fanny Crosby Gained Spiritual Insight From ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

Fanny Crosby Gained Spiritual Insight from Blindness Fanny Crosby was only six weeks old when she developed a minor eye inflammation. It was a simple thing to treat even in 1820, the year she was born. All the doctor had to do was apply some poultices to her eyes with a little medication. Only the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-11

Tags: Gratitude

Prior To Rodger Bannister Running The Mile In ...

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jan 17, 2010

Prior to Rodger Bannister running the mile in 3’59.4" in 1954 it was believed to be impossible, and that athletes would die in the attempt. The ’four minute barrier’ has since been broken by many athletes, and is now the standard of all professional middle distance runners. In the last 50 years ...read more

Tags: Truth Of Christ

Denomination: Salvation Army

Ignorance Of One's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

Ignorance of One’s Inheritance A Michigan factory worker, earning less than ten thousand dollars a year, was an unknowing heir to a half-million dollars. When located by an investigator some years after his benefactor’s death, the worker explained that he had neither returned home nor kept in touch ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-13

Tags: Inheritance, Ignorance

Two Kinds Of Giving

Contributed by T D on Dec 28, 2010

TWO KINDS OF GIVING I have witnessed in my years of ministry people come to church and when they do not like a decision of the leadership or the minister, they decide to stop giving as a protest or decide to shift their giving to missions in order to inflict pain on the ministry of the church. ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Evangelical Free

The Prayer Police

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 16, 2011

THE PRAYER POLICE A little over 3 years ago, a group of students at an Alabama high school recited the Lord’s Prayer together in the lunchroom, which prompted a suit by the parents of another student. In response, Judge Ira Dement, on October 29, 1997, termed the action "religiously based ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:11-16

Tags: Persecution

The Next Billy Graham

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Feb 7, 2012

THE NEXT BILLY GRAHAM Baptist author and leader Russell Moore said recently: "The next Jonathan Edwards might be the man driving in front of you with the Darwin Fish bumper decal. The next Charles Wesley might be a ... profanity-spewing hip-hop artist right now. The next Billy Graham might be ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Lutheran

Knowledge By Revelation

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 15, 2012

KNOWLEDGE BY REVELATION Dr. Nichols states, "There must be a difference between the knowledge that comes from the gathering of information, and that which comes by revelation. The Pharisees and Sadducees had the best information anyone could have in their day. If you asked them, they would tell ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Working Hard To Earn Salvation

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012

WORKING HARD TO EARN SALVATION United Methodist Bishop Reuben Job writes, "If we are just good enough, do enough, deny ourselves enough, we will be forgiven, redeemed, and reconciled to God. Following this path brings no peace, assurance, or sense of companionship with God. Rather than asking ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Methodist

The Debt Is Paid

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: Because of our sin, we owe a great debt that is impossible to pay, but Jesus paid the debt. Verse: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 NKJV). Illustration: One time I was buying a sandwich at a store and I did not ...read more

Tags: Jesus Paid Our Debt, Debt Is Paid, Sin, Wages Of Sin

Denomination: Charismatic

What Does It Mean To Have Joy?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 2, 2023

Joy is God’s gift to believers. Paul speaks of more than just a mood. This is a deep confidence that was rooted in God’s sovereign control of the universe, His on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities including the assurance of ultimate victory for those in ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19-22, Philippians 4:4

Tags: Spirit Filled Life, Happiness, Joy, Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Helping Others

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

John Chrysostom once preached a message which said, “It is foolishness and a public madness, to fill cupboards with clothing and allow men who are created in God’s image and our likeness to stand naked and trembling with the cold so that they can hardly hold themselves upright… You are large and ...read more

Scripture: John 3:17-18

Tags: Giving, Need, Helping

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Open Door

Contributed by Samuel Shamaun on Jan 20, 2026

A man once stood outside a house, knocking on the door. He knocked again and again, but no one answered. Finally, he noticed there was no handle on the outside of the door. The door could only be opened from the inside. This illustration reflects the way Jesus approaches our hearts. The Bible says ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Salvation, Hope

Denomination: Pentecostal

It's Too Late To Do Anything!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 8, 2020

Here is an illustration of these two basic approaches to righteousness: SAVIOR or SELF? An Englishman by the name of Ebenezer Wooten had just concluded a preaching service in the village square. The crowd had dispersed, and he was busily engaged in loading the equipment. A young man approached ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Salvation, Righteousness, Witnessing, Works, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Speaking Of Pit Stops, Our Church Secretary, Adra ...  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jun 3, 2005

Speaking of Pit Stops, our church secretary, Adra told me about a “pit stop” her roommate from college was forced to make the other day. She was driving to the airport when a bottle of coke that she had in the back seat exploded! Coke went everywhere! Of course that startled her, and she was ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Heard A Story About A Woman Who Was Doing Her ...  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 13, 2005

I heard a story about a woman who was doing her last-minute Christmas shopping at a crowded mall. She was tired of fighting the crowds. She was tired of standing in lines. She was tired of fighting her way down long aisles looking for a gift that had sold out days before. Her arms were full of ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

11 Internet Direct Mail Tips: Robert Bly, Writing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

11 Internet Direct Mail Tips: Robert Bly, writing it the 6/12 issue of DM News notes the following techniques that seem to be successful in e-marketing. · Use short statements that tease the reader. · Use incentives, discount, gift, free shipping, etc. · Free money is a powerful offer. · With a ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

In The Movie, A Knight's Tale, The Main Character ...  PRO

Contributed by John Shearhart on Feb 11, 2006

In the movie, A Knight’s Tale, the main character William Thatcher and his friends are starving. William is a gifted jouster, and has potential to make enough money jousting to feed everyone, but he is not of noble blood. Only nobility is allowed to joust competitively. The team of friends ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

A Box Of Kisses

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Dec 7, 2006

A BOX OF KISSES Some time ago, a father punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became angry when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible