In Sermon Illustrations: "God Speaks"

The Church--A Hospital For Sinners (The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

The Church--A Hospital for Sinners (The Ragamuffin Gospel) "The Ragamuffin Gospel was written with a specific reading audience in mind. This book is not for the super-spiritual...It is not for legalists who would rather surrender control of their souls to rules rather than run the risk of living ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:10-13

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The Next Plague In Exodus 9 Is A Severe ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 25, 2009

The next plague in Exodus 9 is a severe electrical thunderstorm with hail. I remember as a kid looking out over the field near our house and seeing a brown cloud of what looked like dust billowing it’s way towards me. The sky took on a brown tinge that seemed to paint the whole atmosphere and ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Way Back In January Of 2002 We Taught William ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 3, 2010

Way back in January of 2002 we taught William Fay’s approach to sharing the gospel. It was called “Share Jesus Without Fear.” A part of those sessions dealt with handling objections. "There are many religions in the world. How can you know the right one?" Response: "All religions can be divided ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Woman Steals From Church And Blames Satan

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

WOMAN STEALS FROM CHURCH AND BLAMES SATAN In March 2009, a 62-year old woman was charged with stealing more than $73,000 from her church in the state of Washington. When the detectives interrogated her, she told them: "Satan had a big part in the theft." It sounds like she was saying that the ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-15

Tags: Temptation Resisting

Gold In Heaven

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jun 16, 2011

GOLD IN HEAVEN There was a rich man who was distressed on hearing he could take none of his riches to heaven. He pleaded with God to make an exception. Finally, God said, "Okay, whatever you can fit into a garbage bag can be brought in." The man immediately thought of gold. He joyfully went and ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dr. David Nichols States, "There Must Be A ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 2, 2012

Dr. David Nichols states, "There must be a difference between the knowledge that comes from the gathering of information, and that which comes by revelation. The Pharisees and Sadducees had the best information anyone could have in their day. If you asked them, they would tell you they were in ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Spirit Of Poverty

Contributed by Charles Jones on Jun 30, 2012

THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY If: You justify your lack and make excuses. You are afraid to give under the direction of the Holy Spirit. You govern your finances with a lack of trust and don't believe God is your source. Your are suspicious that those around you may take your money. When things ...read more

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Holy Spirit Compared To Hydroelectric ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2012

THE HOLY SPIRIT COMPARED TO HYDROELECTRIC POWER As Christians we may be compared with a reservoir for producing electrical power, like one of those you see when you drive to Niagara Falls. When we accept Christ, construction of our reservoir is complete. We now have the potential to be useful and ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Grits And Grace

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2012

GRITS AND GRACE How blessed is the person whose sin God does not take into account. Even if you don’t deserve it; God provides for you. True story. Two pastors were on their way to Atlanta, Georgia for a large Christian men’s gathering. One of them had never been in the south before. After ...read more

Scripture: Acts 15:6-11

Tags: Grace

When We All Get To Heaven (Quotes By David Platt)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 8, 2016

WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN... “I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, ’I wish you would have kept more for yourself.’ I’m confident that God will take care of me.” ¯ David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream “We ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism, Heaven, Witnessing, Great Commission

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Order Of Worship Spelling Mistake

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 10, 2018

I was looking at the order of worship in a bulletin for another church recently when I noticed a spelling mistake. After the sermon, they had listed that they would have an “Alter Call.” That’s a mistake because the front of a church is referred to as an “altar.” Then I thought for a moment ...read more

Tags: Worship, Change, Transformation, Spelling

Denomination: Baptist

Romans 1:22

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Romans 1:22 Life is so much vanity. We live on the brink of insanity. This is so very, very odd For creation is in the image of God. We plod along in our sin Knowing that we cannot win. Our souls so easily we sell To that pawnbroker of Hell. Instead of singing, "How Great Thou ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:22

Tags: Sin, Vanity, Hypocrisy, Religion, Traditions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Give Thanks In Everything

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 6, 2020

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) If it is the will of God that we should give thanks in everything, then we should reduce our complain lest we go against His will. COMPLAINING IS CONTRARY TO THANKSGIVING. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Complain

Denomination: Pentecostal

C S Lewis - The Choice

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Sep 19, 2022

I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Jesus. “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15

Tags: Jesus, Jesus Divinity, Nature Of Jesus, Moral Teacher

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Factor In Fallenness

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

A few years ago, our congregation joined with many churches in the area praying for a 6-year-old boy with extremely aggressive form of brain cancer. Of course, we prayed for a full healing so that the boy could have a long life. He died within 6 months. His parents grew in their faith of a God ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4, 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Healing, Prayer, Suffering, Fallenness

Denomination: Methodist

Jonathan Goforth

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

The reason we preach the Gospel is because we love God our heavenly Father and not to gain brownie points in heaven. Yes it will be hard work at times. Story: The well known Canadian missionary, Jonathan Goforth told this story about the joy that God has - when we are faithful in doing what he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Father's Joy, Goforth

Denomination: Anglican

The Ice Storm Train (1917)

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Dec 4, 2025

In December 1917, a massive ice storm paralyzed New England. A passenger train froze on the tracks outside Hartford, leaving hundreds stranded in subzero temperatures. The passengers had no food, no heat, and no way home on Christmas Eve. Then something remarkable happened. Families living along ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:33-40

Tags: Christmas, Helping Others, Incarnation, Humanity, Trains  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Hat In Hand Thankfulness!" 1 Thessalonians 5: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 24, 2004

“Hat In Hand Thankfulness!” 1 Thessalonians 5: 12-28 Key verse(s): 18: “. . . give thanks under all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Thanksgiving! It is easy to forget, especially when our lives are so filled with other things. Perhaps that’s why we have a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Lutheran

Lord Have Mercy Me

Contributed by D. Marie Hamilton on May 21, 2011

LORD HAVE MERCY ME I am a huge fan of the Christian band Mercy Me. They are my favorite band of all time! My favorite CD is Almost There. Those worship and praise songs inspire me to stay in the race even when I want to quit because working for the Lord can be overwhelming. I'm strengthen by ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-25

Tags: Mercy

Denomination: Methodist

There's A Story About A Wealthy Christian Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Apr 13, 2002

There’s a story about a wealthy Christian who somehow got obsessed with the idea of taking some of his wealth to heaven. Now he knew the Bible clearly teaches that you can’t take it with you. But so obsessed was he with this desire that he just prayed & prayed & prayed that God would give him ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Methodist