In Sermon Illustrations: "Give Your Time"

John Piper's Reading Plan

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

JOHN PIPER'S READING PLAN John Piper is a well-known Christian author and pastor. He tells about a plan that he says has changed his life. Suppose you read about 250 words a minute, and you resolved to devote just 15 minutes a day to some serious theological reading to deepen your understanding ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 17:18-20

Tags: Learning

People Matter

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Apr 13, 2012

PEOPLE MATTER During my second month of nursing school, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: 'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely, this was some kind of joke. I had seen ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Christian Church

A Boy Asked His Father, "How Much Do You Make In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A boy asked his father, "How much do you make in an hour?" The father got mad and answered roughly, "Don’t bother me." He was tired and irritable after a tough day at work, but the boy insisted. "Please, how much do you make?" The father said in a bad tone of voice, "six pounds." Then his son ...read more

Tags: Descriptions Of God

I'll Never Forget My Brother Ken's 1971 Pontiac ...

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Jan 2, 2008

I’ll never forget my brother Ken’s 1971 Pontiac Safari station wagon. Besides being dark brown colored and handling like a boat, it had an exhaust leak so it made some very interesting sounds. It just wasn’t a “chick magnet” kind of car. Well, when you’re a freshman in college, you’re happy just ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Being One With Other Christians Is Much Like A ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 8, 2008

Being one with other Christians is much like a biological body. In any flesh-and-bones body, there are a variety of cells. There are nerve cells, blood cells, muscle cells, and many others, each having a distinct function. The body operates smoothly, not because the cells get together and vote on ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Other

Skating, Not Sliding

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

SKATING, NOT SLIDING I enjoyed a Charles Schultz cartoon that showed Snoopy sliding along the frozen pond on his little bare paws. He’s havin’ a great time. He’s smiling and has his little skullcap on. Lucy walks up and slides out onto the pond with her skates on, and Snoopy doing a little twirl, ...read more

Tags: Joy

Courage V. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

COURAGE V. JUDGMENT I heard a story this week about a bull that loved to chew his cud while sitting beneath a shade tree. That particular tree was located just a stone’s throw from a set of railroad tracks. And every time that train came blowing by, it would disturb his afternoon nap and frustrate ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Things You Will Never Hear In Most Churches!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2022

THINGS YOU WILL NEVER HEAR IN MOST CHURCHES! "Hey! It’s my turn to sit on the front pew!" "I was so excited, I never even noticed your sermon went over time 25 minutes!" "Personally, I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf." "I volunteer to be the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:14

Tags: Church, Complaining, Pastors, Laziness, Church Members, Gossip, Murmuring, Division  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It's Not The Piano's Fault

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 9, 2011

IT'S NOT THE PIANO'S FAULT One man gets nothing but discord out of a piano; another gets harmony. No one claims the piano is at fault. Life is about the same. The discord is there, but so is the harmony. Study to play it correctly, and it will give forth the beauty; play it ...read more

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Baptist

Second Thoughts Can Be Dangerous To My Health

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 30, 2024

Many things in life can be rather dangerous. For me, the most dangerous things in my life are thoughts. I thought about this one day, and by the end of the day, I was in deep trouble. Thoughts have a way of doing that with me. My New Year’s resolution one year was to have one thought per day. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Obedience, Opinion, Thoughts

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Forgive Means "Let Go"  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jul 14, 2011

Forgive Means "Let Go" In the last few days there was an item on the news about residents in a local neighborhood finding a bobcat in their yard. A story we sometimes hear is about an alligator being found in a drainage ditch. We haven’t heard that this year, with the drought, but sometimes we ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:25

Tags: Forgiveness, Stand, Grievances, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Baptist

The Christmas Flower

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Dec 8, 2023

“The Legend of Pepita’s Poinsettia” Thank you much, my pretty friend, For the beauty you display; Those colors of green and red Enhances our Christmas day. Great is your reputation- You’re like the Christmas Star, For you are highly regarded, No matter where you are. You are called ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 7:14

Tags: Christmas Decorations, Christmas Flowers, Christmas, Flowers, Birth Of Christ, Poinsettia, Decorations, Legends  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Do You Believe?

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 13, 2019

DO YOU BELIEVE? That the bible is the inspired word of God That God created the everything in 6 days That God rested on day 7 That God created man and put him in the garden of Eden (a perfect Place) That God took a rib from Adam and made Eve to be a helper and companion to Adam That Satan entered ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25-26

Tags: Faith, Believe

Denomination: Pentecostal

Understanding Mortification  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Understanding Mortification Romans 8:13 says, "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (King James) Mortification is the special ministry that enables the child of God to overcome those evil desires that could ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:13

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Love A Mystery When It's A Mystery

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 1, 2020

Because of the situation we are in these days, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I have spent some significant time watching mysteries. We enjoy a mystery movie. I have always loved mysteries. I have read all of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. I have read the Father ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 25:14

Tags: Mystery, Wager

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Spirit Of Power That We Receive Is Not Like ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

The Spirit of Power that we receive is not like the human power that we recognize as strong. It’s a power unlike anything we can do on our own. A young man growing up in the wrong part of Houston became a bully. He would get in fights in school, in the neighborhood, and began mugging people to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:49, Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 28:19, Luke 9:57-67, Zechariah 4:6, Psalm 33:16-18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Friend, Friendship

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

My Son Died, Don't You Care  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 11, 2007

Illustration: My Son Died, Don’t You Care An Unknown author wrote this story: The day is over, you are driving home. You tune in your radio. You hear a little blurb about a little village in India where some villagers have died suddenly, strangely, of a flu that has never been seen before. It’s ...read more

Tags: Difference, Impact

Denomination: Other

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

A School Superintendent Told His Assistant ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 21, 2002

A school superintendent told his assistant superintendent the following: "Next Thursday at 10:30am, Haley’s Comet will appear over this area. This is an event which occurs only once every 75 years. Call the school principals and have them assemble their teachers and classes on their athletic fields ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Ignoring The Warnings  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Feb 24, 2005

Ignoring the Warnings. Several years ago, a close frind gave me a old hand bill. It was one of thousands that were supposed be dropped over Japan before the first Atomic bombs were droped. One side was a picture of bombers dropping thier deadly cargo. The other side was in Japanese and the third ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:9-14

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ