In Sermon Illustrations: "God Is Love"

Thank God For Blessed Subtractions!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 10, 2023

Three local pastors were discussing their Easter Sunday results with one another on the Monday after Easter. The Methodist minister said, "Easter services worked out great for us! We gained four new additions at First Methodist!" Praise God! The Baptist preacher grinned ...read more

Tags: Arrogance, Bragging, Preachers, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Easter, Revival, Church Growth, Pride, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The God Who Is Three In One

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are mentioned by Jesus in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The Trinity is seen clearly at the Baptism of Jesus in Matthew 3. The Father speaks from Heaven. The Son is baptized by John. The Spirit descends upon Jesus to anoint His ministry. The Father is ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Son, Trinity, Godhead, Triune, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In God's Time

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 20, 2023

The little boy walked home from Sunday School and the family were sitting around the old pot-bellied stove talking. The boy told his dad and Pa about the lesson. The boy was so excited. He told them he had gone to the altar and accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. The boy said he was going to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Tags: Time, Serve

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Church That Voted God Out!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

The story is told about a poor woman who lived across the tracks and wanted to join a very fashionable church. She talked to the pastor about it, but he sought to discourage her. He suggested she go home and think about it carefully for a week. At the end of the week she came back. He said, “Go ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-12

Tags: Church, Revival, Favoritism, Pastors, Membership, Partiality  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You All Ears For God?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

A missionary translator was endeavoring to find a word for “obedience” in the native language. This was a virtue seldom practiced among the people into whose language he wanted to translate the New Testament. As he returned home from the village one day, he whistled for his dog and it came ...read more

Tags: Obedience, Voice Of God, Hearing God, Listening, Hearers Of The Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

So God Made A Farmer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 6, 2024

In James chapter 5, we see a comparison between the patient farmer in the field waiting for his crops and the waiting believer in Christ preparing to meet the Lord at His return. Paul Harvey did a masterful job of describing the life of the farmer years ago. And on the 8th day, God looked down ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-12, 1 Thessalonians 5:13-18

Tags: Patience, Return Of Christ, Prophets, Farmers, Waiting, Job, End Times, Prophecy, Second Coming, Last Days, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

God's Judgement

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 23, 2025

I don’t believe that God’s Judgement should be our main focus, but I also believe it’s wrong to never mention the Judgement of God. Remember, God must judge humanity because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Our God is a Holy God who also wants us to be holy. (1 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:5, Romans 3:23, 1 Peter 1:16

Tags: Grace, Holy Spirit, Judgment, Holiness

Denomination: Methodist

A Light Thing In The Sight Of God

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

A LIGHT THING IN THE SIGHT OF GOD When they were building the Brooklyn Bridge, they encountered a problem. The place where one of the buttresses needed to be placed was occupied by a sunken ship. They couldn’t move it. They tried several things, but couldn’t get it to budge. Finally, an engineer ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 3:11-18, 2 Kings 3:9-11

Tags: God In The Hardships

Object Talk: On Fire For God

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Sep 15, 2008

Object Talk: On Fire for God [We had a display made of wooden stick matches; they pictured a fairly elaborate cross. People would take a matchstick with them and pray if they desired.] I want to give you something. It is a symbol to remind you to give God control of the spiritual area of your ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Church Of God

God Is Looking For People With Conviciton

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

GOD IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH CONVICITON DEF: an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence In the events of the bridge collaple here in Minneapolis this past week, you have probably heard of countless examples of people acting with conviction. * Ed Nelson M.P.D. - when you ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

In Experiencing God, Knowing And Doing The Will ...

Contributed by Steve Gallimore on Dec 14, 2008

In Experiencing God, Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Henry Blackaby makes this powerful statement: "The Bible is the record of God accomplishing His purposes through His people. It is not the record of His people's walk with Him. It's a difference of focus. The focus of the Bible is God. The ...read more

Tags: Experience

Denomination: Baptist

God Ain't Dead.

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

"GOD AIN'T DEAD." James DeLoach tells of a painting of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family's sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with ...read more

Tags: Christmas

God Did Not Walk Away

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

GOD DID NOT WALK AWAY Simon Wiesenthal wrote The Sunflower in 1969. It speaks of the pain he experienced at the hands of the Nazis during WWII. He describes being taken from a Nazi death-camp to a makeshift hospital. He was ushered by a nurse to the side of a Nazi soldier, who asked to have a ...read more

Tags: Christmas

How Great Is Our God

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jan 12, 2009

HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD If this doesn't inspire you worship God with every millimeter of your being, if thinking about this ginormous God does not compel you to shout for joy and sing His praises with all of your being, then I don't know what will. Probably nothing. Chris Tomlin wrote these words ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Church Of God

Our Star-Breathing God

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jan 12, 2009

OUR STAR-BREATHING GOD Here is one for our Browns fans. The biggest star that we have seen--Canis Major or The Big Dog. If you take our golf ball earth, then this star would be in comparison the size of Mt. Everest. Seven quadrillion earths would fit into it...that is enough golf balls to cover ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Church Of God

God Forgives Without Conditions

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jan 26, 2009

GOD FORGIVES WITHOUT CONDITIONS I once heard a story about Camelot when King Arthur was away. Guinevere, his wife, was unfaithful with Sir Lancelot. When King Arthur returned, he found out about the affair and had his wife placed in a convent for life. Towards the end of the story in a beautiful ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Wesleyan

Lewis Ran From God

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jan 26, 2009

LEWIS RAN FROM GOD C. S. Lewis, the author of Prince Caspian, did not rejoice to find Jesus. He had been running from Him for his entire life. After a long search into what Christianity was and whether it could be trusted as truth, he said of himself: "The fox had been dislodged from Hegelian ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Mennonite

God Restores Banged-Up ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

GOD RESTORES BANGED-UP PEOPLE Gary Inrig’s story in his book, Quality Friendships: Years ago, one family had a son who was in the Korean War. They had not heard from him for 10 months and were very concerned. Time went on and the war ended. Finally their son called home. The mother was excited. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Restoration

Power Comes From God

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 10, 2009

POWER COMES FROM GOD There is an interesting account about Thomas Aquinas visiting Pope Innocent II in the 12th century. The great theologian and philosopher came upon the pope auditing some of the Vatican's treasure. The pope stated, "No more must the church say with Peter that of silver and gold ...read more

Tags: Power

Denomination: *other