In Sermon Illustrations: "Gods Sovereignty"

Our Mission-Minded God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 10, 2023

Notice how all three members of the Trinity are involved in Missions: The Father is the first missionary, who goes out of himself in creating the world and sending the Son for our salvation. The Son is the second missionary, who redeems humanity and all creation through his life, death, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Acts, Evangelism, Church, Missions, Revival, Witnessing, Great Commission  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Assurance

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

Have you ever been in a store and see a child that has gotten separated from his parents? The fear is very evident on the child's face as well as the parents’ face. It's a horrible feeling when the child turns around and can't find his parents. They frantically look through every ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:15-22

Tags: Assurance, God's Plan

Denomination: Baptist

Thank You, God, For Rattlesnakes!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 26, 2023

There was a farmer who had three sons: Ron, Don and Little John. All had their names on the church roll, but none ever attended church or had time for God. Then one day Don was bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor was called and did all he could to help Don, but the outlook for his recovery was very ...read more

Tags: Judgment, Repentance, Spiritual Fruit, Brokenness, Unfaithfulness, Backsliding, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Currency

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 19, 2023

Jesus might have asked, when presented with the coin with Caesar's image on it: "Whose image do you bear, whose image is stamped on you?” And the answer would have been - or should - have been: "We are carrying God’s image, we are carrying God’s name.” He coined us in his image. He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:34-40, Matthew 22:19-21

Tags: Coin, Image Of God, Jesus The Stranger, Circulation, Joseph G Donders  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God Prepares Us For Heaven

Contributed by Guy Glass on May 5, 2023

Dr. Billy Graham tells of a friend of his who went through the Depression in the 1920s, losing a job, a fortune, a wife, and a home. But he was a believer in Jesus Christ, and he tenaciously held to his faith even though he was naturally depressed and cast down by circumstances. One day in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Tags: Persecution, Heaven, Depression

Denomination: Baptist

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

We Are Not A Political Kingdom

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

Various groups of people expected the Messiah to come, but they did not anticipate His coming humbly and meekly. Yet those were the very attitudes that Jesus, the one whom John the Baptist had announced as the Messiah, was both teaching and practicing. The idea of a meek Messiah leading meek people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Humility, Prayer, Politics, Meekness, Righteousness, Beatitudes, Government, Brokenness, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Hand Upon Our President, Pt. ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

“God’s Hand Upon Our President, Pt. 1” Proverbs 21:1 says; “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Proverbs 21 is a powerful truth that must be grasped so Christians may pray in faith that God is fully able to put into effect His ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:1

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Tells Man Who He Is. God Tells Us That He ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

God tells man who he is. God tells us that He created man in His image. So ...read more

Tags: Creation

Defining Moments Of Faith  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Dec 23, 2002

DEFINING MOMENTS OF FAITH Several years ago Jeff Strueker was a US Army Ranger posted in Mogadishu, Somalia. Today he is a master of divinity student at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. For him Oct 3-4, 1993 were the defining moments of his life. He was one of the ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith General, Peace, Rest, Sovereignty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A.w. Tozer Attempted To Reconcile These ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 21, 2001

A.W. Tozer attempted to reconcile these seemingly contradictory ideas of God choosing or calling us and our choosing God with this illustration: "An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it. This is at least ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-10

Tags: Certainty, God's Sovereign Will, God's Omniscience, Sovereign

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Oath

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 7, 2010

The "Oath of Allegiance" taken by all who choose to become naturalized citizens of the United States follows. Immediately after saying the oath one's citizenship is in effect. "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Nazarene

Was The Church Chosen To Replace The Fallen Angels?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 24, 2024

Augustine believed that God created the order of angels to exist in a perfect harmonic balance with one another which was subsequently lost due to the fall of Satan (and those who followed Satan in his rebellion). This showed the tragedy which developed as a result of Satan’s rebellion. Not only ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 12:1-4

Tags: Spirits, Sovereignty Of God, Devils, Worship, Heaven, Satan, Angels, Demons, Rebellion, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational