In Sermon Illustrations: "Good Shepherd"

If I'd Known You Had Him...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Apr 19, 2011

IF I'D KNOWN YOU HAD HIM... Madeline Rockwell wrote of her grandparents: "My Grandmother was a ball of fire, while Grandpa was slow and deliberate. One night they were awakened by a commotion in the chicken house. Grandma sprang out of bed, ran to the chicken house and found the cause of the ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

I Can't Remember

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2011

I CAN'T REMEMBER An elderly man moved into a retirement community. It wasn't long until he had made a number of friends among the other residents. There was one lady he was especially attracted to and she was attracted to him, also. They spent a lot of time together. Finally one evening he ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:10-14

Tags: Aging

The Wedding Problem

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jun 22, 2011

THE WEDDING PROBLEM Mary Campbell of Elgin, Illinois that had to say "I do" three times at three different weddings before she finally became Mrs. Randy Peterson. The couple took out their wedding license in Kane County and made all the arrangements for their wedding at a church in Ontarioville. ...read more

Tags: Weddings

Journaling Experiment

Contributed by Brad Henry on Jul 26, 2011

JOURNALING EXPERIMENT Please try this experiment. Take out a piece of paper and on the left side of the paper write down all the things that you are burdened with. On the right side of the paper write down all the things that God has either protected you from or trials that He has gotten you ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Jewish Blessings

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 19, 2011

JEWISH BLESSINGS David Stern relates in hid Jewish NT Commentary, pp.115-116 that there are many blessings given by the Hebrew people. There are blessings for wine (Matthew 26.27-29); for bread (14.19); The Talmud (circa 5th century CE) had specific formulas for dozens of blessings that the people ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Two Adversaries

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 2, 2012

THE TWO ADVERSARIES Robert Biggs, 69, who often hikes in the Whisky Flats area, came across a mother bear and her cubs, which were about 40 feet from where he was standing. After watching the bear family for a few minutes he decided to leave them alone and turned to walk back up the trail. As he ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Drop That Baby!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

"DROP THAT BABY!" A pastor called on a lady from his church and found her very despondent and feeling that God had forsaken her. Looking at the baby in the woman’s arms, the pastor said to her, "Drop that baby on the floor." Startled by the suggestion, she looked at him in disbelief. "Well," he ...read more

Scripture: John 10:22-30

Tags: God In The Hardships

Downward Trends In U.s. Christianity

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

DOWNWARD TRENDS IN U.S. CHRISTIANITY In George Barna's new book on U.S. Christians called Futurecast, he tracks annual changes from 1991 to 2011 and shows that all the major trend lines of religious belief and behavior ran downward except two: More people claim they have accepted Jesus as their ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-16

Tags: Church Practices

Your Sins Have Been Your Downfall, Is Where The ...

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Aug 18, 2012

"Your sins have been your downfall", is where the tar starts sticking to the tyres. Most people generally don’t like the whole “s” word thing. For some reason there is an issue with the human brain that tells us to kick up stink when we are having a good time, a pleasurable time and someone, some ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Repentance, Sin Bondage To, Sin And Grace

Denomination: Salvation Army

Model Kylie Bisutti, 21, Has Decided To Leave ...

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Aug 27, 2012

Model Kylie Bisutti, 21, has decided to leave Victoria’s Secret because it clashes with her Christian beliefs. “I just became so convicted of honoring the Lord and my body and wanting to be a role model for other women out there who look up to me,” Bisutti said today on “Good Morning ...read more

Tags: Conscience

Denomination: Baptist

Tearing Down The Name Of Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 19, 2014

TEARING DOWN THE NAME OF JESUS When I was in college at Dallas Baptist University, I drove through Dallas on the way to my classes. I would always see a huge sign of a dynamic church in the area that said, "Lifting Up the Name of Jesus!" It was very impressive. One day while I was driving to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Discipleship, Hypocrisy, Conviction, Name Of Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Disguised

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Aug 15, 2018

I live in Arkansas. I LOVE when autumn comes and fall leaves drift down on autumn breezes. But in Arkansas, you have to be careful about those leaves on the ground because some of them conceal SERPENTS. There are lots of Copperhead Snakes here. Copperheads are venomous Pit Vipers that strike you ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:14, Genesis 4:7, Genesis 3:1, Proverbs 23:27, Proverbs 22:14, Ecclesiastes 7:26  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Deceive, Disguise, Discerning, Affairs, Snares, Sin, Deception, Serpent, Adultery  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Romans Road To Salvation

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 24, 2019

The Romans Road to Salvation 1. I consider myself a good person. All have sinned & fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 2. Is sin that big of a deal? The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 3. Why would Jesus die in my ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23, Romans 10:9

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, The Cross

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Assumptions And Arrogance

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 12, 2019

Four people—a pilot, a professor, a pastor, and a hiker—were flying in a small plane when the engines died. The pilot said, “There are only three parachutes. Since this is my plane, I’m taking one of them.” He put it on and jumped out. The professor said, “I’m brilliant and the world needs me, so ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:13-20

Tags: Mistakes, Arrogance, Assumptions, Snob, False Confidence, Errors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Gossip Test

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 1, 2021

Another basic concept – sin creates spiritual blindness. Let me illustrate with my favorite sin to talk about… GOSSIP. I’ll stop right here and make sure you know how I define gossip. Before you tell someone a story about another person (even disguised as a prayer request), it needs to pass all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-45

Tags: Sin, Gossip, Spiritual Blindness

Denomination: Methodist

This Is How My Kingdom Will Come  PRO

Contributed by Richard Francis on May 19, 2007

Jesus is saying this is how my kingdom will come Consider the meaning here: The kingdom starts from a small beginning, the leaven is small but it changes the whole, the death of one man in the overall sea of humanity is small, but it changes everything The kingdom works unseen, you cannot see the ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Twelve Rules For A Happy Marriage

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Twelve Rules for a Happy Marriage. 1. Never both be angry at once. 2. Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire. 3. Remember that it takes two to make an argument. The one who is wrong is the one who will be doing most of the talking. 4. Yield to the wishes of the other--as an ...read more

Tags: Marriage Commitment

Attributes Of A Servant…  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Attributes of a Servant… 1. Humility In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Because I Have Been Given Much

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Because I Have Been Given Much By Grace Nowell Crowell Because I have been given much, I too must give Because of Thy great bounty Lord, each day I live. I shall divide my gifts from Thee With every brother that I see Who has need of help from me. Because I have been sheltered, fed, by Thy good ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Years Ago, There Was A Wicked Emperor By The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Years ago, there was a wicked emperor by the name of Dionysius. He discovered that near to where he lived was a cave shaped in the form of a funnel with an opening right at the surface. Dionysus used this cave as a workshop for his slaves. He put all the slaves in caves and then he’d go up and put ...read more

Tags: Faith