In Sermon Illustrations: "Giving In Love"

A Place In His Arms  PRO

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Dec 9, 2008

A PLACE IN HIS ARMS Monday I went to Redding to do my weekly shopping and to see my daughter, Monica and the grandkids. Monica is a single mom and works so hard at the bank, then has to come home and cook a meal for the kids and then entertain and care for them until bed time. Then she starts ...read more

Tags: Acceptance, God's Love, Adoption, Inclusion

Denomination: Holiness

Wiretap Into Your Home

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 22, 2020

The church is the bride of Christ. If we love the groom (Jesus), we will look for positive things to say about the bride (the church). Bob Russell tells a story about how years ago, when there were multiple party telephone lines, a preacher picked up the telephone to make a call but couldn’t get ...read more

Scripture: John 13:35, 2 Corinthians 11:28-29

Tags: Evangelism, Love For The Church, Speak Positively

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dogs Are Our Link To Paradise.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Nov 4, 2020

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where ...read more

Scripture: John 14:27, 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:10-20

Tags: Love, Calm, Endurance Of Being Ignored

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Funny Marriage Proposal

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

FUNNY LOVE STORY Ruth Chudrow stated that she met her husband “while I was working in a science library. He came in every week to read the latest journals and eventually decided to take out the librarian instead of the books. After a year and a half of dating, he showed up at the library and ...read more

Tags: Love, Marriage, Humor, Weddings, Proposals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Great Example Of Leadership

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 14, 2022

One of the best leaders and models of loving leadership was Dawson Trotman, who died after helping to rescue two drowning girls. Trotman died in Schroon Lake, New York. He died in an area that he was an expert in — he drowned. He was an expert swimmer. The last few moments of his life, he ...read more

Tags: Leadership, Mentoring, Love, Sacrifice, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Anti-Semitic Henry Ford

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 3, 2022

It was a sweltering August day in 1937 when the Cohen brothers entered the posh Dearborn, Michigan, offices of Henry Ford, the car maker. "Mr. Ford," announced Norman Cohen, the eldest of the three. "We have a remarkable invention that will revolutionize the automobile ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Love, Introduction, Friendliness, Joke, Antisemitism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Has To Judge All People But All Have A Choice!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 6, 2022

Genesis 6:11-22 Devotional v11-12.. original Hebrew word for “corrupt” alludes to “going to ruin” Why was the earth “going to ruin”? • Full of violence….. malicious (a desire to cause harm) and wrong • All the people “corrupted” their ways v13: God calls Noah! Why? – there are many ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:11-22

Tags: Love, Salvation, Flood, Judgment, Free Will  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God's View Of People

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 16, 2022

Genesis 8:15-22 Devotional After the flood had dried up, God instructed Noah (v15) and Noah obeyed (v16). Isn’t it interesting that we note birds from the ark but not fish…. Noah, did you keep fish in the ark??? – either he kept fish in the ark or God kept fish in the clouds or God recreated ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 8:15-22

Tags: People, Love, Worship, Sin, God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Meekness: Personal Restraint For The Sake Of Others

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 20, 2023

Years ago, a young man named George Atley was serving in the Central African Mission. He was attacked by a group of natives. He had with him a Winchester repeating rifle with ten loaded chambers. The group was completely at his mercy. He could have killed every one of them. But as he assessed the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:15, Psalm 37:11

Tags: Evangelism, Love, Missions, Meekness, Restraint  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Obedience And Acceptance

Contributed by Shawn Buser on Jan 19, 2024

"You aren't accepted because you obey, you obey because you are ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15, Isaiah 6:8

Tags: Faith, Love, Acceptance, Obedience, Works  (view more)  (view less)

Thin Skinned And Hard Hearted

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

Somebody smarter than me said the greatest problem in the local church is that we are not who we were designed by God to be. As Believers, we were made to be thick-skinned and tender hearted. That’s how we can “love one another fervently with a pure heart.” (1 Peter 1:22) Instead, we have become ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15-17, 1 Peter 1:22

Tags: Forgiveness, Fervent Love, Tender Hearted

Denomination: Methodist

Bloopers In The Bulletin

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jul 11, 2023

The following are actual church bulletin board bloopers found in churches across the United States. The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church. The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-7

Tags: Church, Humor, Secretaries, Failure, Pastors, Unconditional Love, Love For Others, Bloopers, Bulletin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Mcilhenry Tabasco Sauce Folks Have Adopted ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Jul 11, 2002

The McIlhenry Tabasco Sauce folks have adopted the Scoville Heat Unit scale to rate the spiciness of their sauce. To give you an idea, catsup would be about a zero on the Scoville heat unit scale. Their mild Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce would rate about 600 Scoville Heat Units; their medium ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Church General, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: United Methodist

What Mothers Cannot Do

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 19, 2022

I gave you life, but I cannot live it for you. I can teach you things but I cannot make you learn. I can give you directions but I cannot always be there to lead you. I can allow you freedom but I cannot account for it. I can take you to church but I cannot make you believe. I can teach ...read more

Tags: Mothers, Mother's Day, Parenting, Home, Education, Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Is A True Story, About A German Artist Named ...  PRO

Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 18, 2000

This is a true story, about a German artist named Albrecht Durer and one of his famous drawings, "The Praying Hands." Durer’s Father was a goldsmith and apprenticed him in his early years to learn the family trade, but Durer loved painting and really wanted to be a painter. So his father ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Christian Love, Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Anglican

The Man Who'd Die For Her—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 2, 2003

THE MAN WHO’D DIE FOR HER-- COMMUNION MEDITATION On the southern border of the empire of Cyrus, there lived a great chieftain named Cagular who tore to shreds and completely defeated the various detachments of Cyrus’ army sent to subdue him. Finally the emperor, amassing his whole army, marched ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:35-45, Isaiah 42:1-9

Tags: Romantic Love, Lord's Supper, Forgiveness In Jesus

From Godly To Rebellion?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 25, 2022

Genesis 10 – 11:9…. Look again at verses 10:5, 20, 31…. and 11:1…. What do you think is the explanation for this? – v32 gives the answer; all came from Noah (with his language, but the 3 sons went to all different areas of the world) The second half of Genesis 11 speaks of Abraham, from the line ...read more

Tags: Evil, God's Love, Rebellion, Godly, Mankind  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

God Does Not Change – Even In The Bad Times. I ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Jan 13, 2003

God does not change – even in the bad times. I think that is why Matt Redman writes that he is going to choose to say “Blessed be your name” Blessed be Your name, When the sun’s shining down on me When the world’s "all as it should be" Blessed be Your name Blessed be Your name, On the road ...read more

Tags: Human Body, God's Love, God's Provision, Endurance

Denomination: *other

The Story Is Told About 3 Brothers Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 11, 2001

ILL. The story is told about 3 brothers who started working at the same time for a fur company owned by an old friend of their father. After working there for more than a year, one son was still receiving the same salary as when he started, & seemed to be unhappy with his job. The second son ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Love Of The Disciples, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Many Years Ago, Executives Of The Time-Life ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Jones on Nov 1, 2000

Many years ago, executives of the Time-Life publishing organization discovered that the company’s profit margin had shrunk to an alarmingly low level. Consequently, they began an intensive effort to try to cut costs. Efficiency experts suggested that substantial savings could be effected in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Tags: Love, Mercy, God's Forgiveness, Endurance, Promises Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist