In Sermon Illustrations: "Gods Ownership"

Recently I Read About A Pastor Who Had A Thorn. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

Recently I read about a Pastor who had a thorn. He had just started - getting involved in teaching and preaching and sensing that it might be some area of calling for him. It was on a Sunday morning at this church and five minutes into his message he started to get dizzy and woozy and the room ...read more

Tom Dooley Was A Young Doctor Who Organized ...

Contributed by Richard Goble on Mar 20, 2008

Tom Dooley was a young doctor who organized hospitals, raised money, and literally poured out his life in the service of the afflicted peoples of Southeast Asia. Here was a man whose deep relationship with God motivated him to abandon a soft career in the United States for a desperately difficult ...read more

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Baptist

Infinity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

INFINITY Let me introduce you to a person called Michael Rae. In his own words, he is on a path to immortality which involves a near-abstinence level of food, the dedication of an accountant to approve every calorie, and an obsession with death. The youthful, 38-year-old research assistant ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:27-31

Tags: Immortality

Xmas Or Christmas?

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Dec 15, 2008

Xmas or CHRISTmas ? I used to get annoyed when I saw the word 'Xmas' as an abbreviation for 'Christmas' as it seemed to take something of the wonder out of the story of Jesus coming to our world as a baby in order to become the Saviour of the World. It was all part of the commercialising this ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Sandbar Faith

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

SANDBAR FAITH Have you ever stepped on ground that seemed unsteady, but you really had to go on, just to get where you were going? Just recently we took a trip up to the (northern part of South Korea) Hwacho'n area and then down to the Chuncho'n areas. We stopped at a nice restaurant where they ...read more

Tags: Faith

Without One Plea  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WITHOUT ONE PLEA Charlotte Elliott was a sickly English woman who had developed a long history of refusing to do things she was asked to do because of her illness. Her brother, who was a pastor, had been particularly persistent in trying to get her out of herself, trying to get her involved in ...read more

Scripture: John 8:3-11, John 4:1-26

Tags: Healing, Brokenness, Trials And Difficulties, Used

They Sent Me To Finish  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

THEY SENT ME TO FINISH With all the pomp and prestige that the Chinese government went to in order to put their best foot forward, there was one person who they honored who stood out. He is now in his seventies, but China brought him to Bejing as an honored guest. Why? The odd thing is that John ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:24

Tags: Endurance

Knowledge And Discipline Win The Game

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 17, 2009

KNOWLEDGE AND DISCIPLINE WIN THE GAME Did you watch the Illinois vs. Arizona basketball game of the 2005 NCAA tournament in March 2005? Illinois was losing by fifteen points with only 2:50 seconds left. The coach had a meeting with the players to pump them up to continue to contend for the ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

The Titanic And The Importance Preparing Ourselves For Growth

Contributed by David Simpson on Apr 17, 2018

Growth is a natural part of growing up! The Lord wants us to grow up…to feed on Him and get growing! Ephesians 4:15 "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." Col. 1:10 "And we pray this in order that you may live a life ...read more

Tags: Immaturity, Be Prepared, Growth, Preparation, Maturity, Selfishness, Disaster  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

Is Venom In Our Veins

Contributed by Matt Neace on Oct 5, 2018

Describing the new movie, Venom, Greg Morse writes: He was a journalist once. Eddie Brock investigated corruption, fought on behalf of the oppressed, and tried to make a difference in the world. He was trying to take down evil - until he was "taken" by it. An alien, a symbiote, a hungry beast ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:15-20, Romans 8:20-21, John 1:5

Tags: Human Condition, Human Nature, Sin Nature, Sin, Evil, Satan, Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Deeper

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Mar 18, 2020

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. WE NEED A GREATER REVELATION OF WHO JESUS IS. DEEPER, DEEPER --- MORE, MORE ABOUT JESUS. WE CAN FIND THE GREATER THAN… My Mom ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5, 2 Timothy 1:12

Tags: More, Deeper

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Am I An Enabler?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 7, 2023

Text, Galatians 6:6, KIV: 6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Not long ago I had lunch with a pastor friend. We talked about several different things but when I mentioned something I had seen on Sermon Central, he was alarmed! He asked me, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:6

Tags: Communication, Humor, Pastors

Denomination: Baptist

Each Child Is Different - I Learned That The Hard Way

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

God the Father Loves His Children ... and He is also quick to .... encourage His children. (Long Pause) I learned that ...as a parent ... the hard way. As a father ... you want the best for your children ... you want them to succeed. To succeed ... at everything they do. Kristin ... our first ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Colossians 4:8, Proverbs 8:31, Proverbs 4:1

Tags: Example, Relationship, Fathers, Parent, Children, Father's Day, Encouragement, Parenting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

A Drastic Decline Among Americans Who Live With A Biblical Worldview

Contributed by Timothy Lueking on Mar 30, 2023

The year was 1999 and George Barna just wrapped up his latest study on the status of the Worldview of American adults. He was shocked to discover that only 12% of American adults were living their life with a Biblical worldview. He knew that if this trend did not change then it would mean a rapid ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:6, Matthew 9:37-38

Tags: Evangelism, Harvest, Statistics, Biblical Worldview, American Adults  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[144]. A Message From A Poem – In The Manger Laid – Christmas Poem

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 27, 2025

[144]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN THE MANGER LAID – CHRISTMAS POEM This was written as a simple Christmas poem. There is not much I want to say about it. My thoughts were that the poem can be used on cards or greetings, or for children’s pageants and that sort of thing. It is not meant to be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:6-7, Luke 2:15-16, 1 John 4:2

Tags: Birth Of Jesus, Shepherds, Christian Poetry, Christmas Poem, Poem For Christmas, Mary, Christmas, Manger  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The One Question I Didn't Want To Hear

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

Before my second senior year at Texas Tech I interned as a graphic designer at a church in Las Vegas. A close family friend named Jud Wilhite was the senior pastor there, and he had offered me an internship during a family trip. Well, several years after that internship, I had kept in touch with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19, Luke 14:23

Tags: Evangelism, Calling

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Union With Christ

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 12, 2026

“Scripture uses metaphors that further support the reality of our union with Christ: Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches (John 15:5). Jesus is the Head, and we are His body (Colossians 1:18). Jesus is the Cornerstone, and we are the living stones built upon Him (1 Peter 2:4–7). He is the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5, 1 John 2:3-6

Tags: Justification, Sanctification, Glorification, John Piper, Union With Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

I Think Of Eric Liddell. The Movie Chariots Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Nov 21, 2000

I think of Eric Liddell. The movie Chariots of Fire depicts how his sister Jenny tried to persuade Eric to give up his running, and go to China with her to be a missionary. He said, "No, God has made me fast and called me to run." It would have been wrong at that point to be a missionary. Of ...read more

Tags: Workplace, Discipleship, Commandments Sabbath

Denomination: Baptist

A Mother Noticed That It Was About Time For ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mccutchen on Jan 29, 2001

A mother noticed that it was about time for school to dismiss and since it looked like it would rain, she drove toward the school to pick up her eight-year-old daughter. She turned down the street to see her daughter running towards her down the sidewalk. A lightning bolt flashed and the little ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Author And Teacher, Dr. Howard Hendricks Tells ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 4, 2001

Author and teacher, Dr. Howard Hendricks tells the story of a young man who strayed from the Lord but was finally brought back by the help of a friend who really loved him. When there was full repentance and restoration, Dr. Hendricks asked this Christian how it felt away from the Lord. The young ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35, Matthew 18:15-17

Tags: Friendship General, Church Small Groups, Christian Love