In Sermon Illustrations: "Grace At Meals"

Stop The Bleeding But Heal The Wound! ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2005

Stop the Bleeding But Heal the Wound! (10.07.05--Beginning Again!--Genesis 16:7-10) There is one good rule for starting over. If something’s broken, don’t try to fix it with anything less than your best effort. The odds are that the more you try to “band-aid” things, the longer it will take for ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:7-10

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

Because The City Of Pergamum Was The Capital Of ...

Contributed by Darren Mccormick on Nov 7, 2006

Because the city of Pergamum was the capital of Asia it was the administrative home of the Roman Governor. Roman governors were divided into two categories those who had the “Right of the Sword” and those who didn’t. Those who had the “Right of the Sword” literally had the power of life and death, ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Little ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

Little Mirrors Robert Fulghum, in his book, It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It, tells how he found purpose in life. Fulghum, a former Episcopal priest, took a course on Greek culture at an Orthodox retreat center on the Island of Crete. A man named Alexander Papaderos built the center. After ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Fear In The Work Cubicle

Contributed by Troy Borst on Apr 4, 2015

IN THE WORK CUBICLE (p) It’s a normal day at the office. You got to work 5 minutes late like usual. You find your normal parking place open and you whip your car into the spot and grab all that you need from the passenger seat. You are soon in the elevator heading to your floor. The elevator ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Workplace, Sharing Christ, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sifted Like Wheat

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 15, 2016

A rooster’s crow announced the dawn. This dawn was not the sunrise, still hours away, but the dawn of Peter’s realization of what he had done. Like the first rays of the sun slicing through the night’s darkness, Peter awakened to his sin and its gravity. It cut him to the core of his being, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31-32

Tags: Peter, Betrayal Of Christ, Sifted, Rehabilitation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Beginning Again  PRO

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 29, 2016

BEGINNING AGAIN The opening lines of a poem by Louisa Fletcher express this plaintive wish: I wish that there were some wonderful place Called the "Land of Beginning Again," Where all our mistakes, and all our heartaches, And all of our poor selfish grief Could be dropped like a shabby old coat ...read more

Scripture: John 3:3-8

Tags: Resolution, Born Again, New Year, New Start

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Praying For Unity

Contributed by Jw Worcester on Feb 8, 2021

As I think of the unity of God’s Gospel to us, I’m reminded of the unity I’ve experienced over the years with other saints on short term mission trips, volunteer positions at a crisis pregnancy center and a “Rescue Mission”, Promise Keepers (Men’s nationwide Ministry), and the Urban-Suburban ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Tags: Self Image, Reflecting Christ

Unsung Heroes: The Devout Men Who Buried Stephen

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 25, 2021

Text, Acts 8:1-2, KJV: 1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:1-2

Tags: Martyrdom, Stephen, Devout Men

Denomination: Baptist

Max Lucado, In No Wonder They Call Him The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Max Lucado, in No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, tells the story of Maria and her daughter Christina. Longing to leave her poor Brazilian neighborhood, Christina wanted to see the world. Discontent living at home having only a pallet on the floor, a washbasin, and a wood-burning stove, she ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4-8

Tags: Commitment To Christ

A Letter Written By Seminary Professor, Dr. R. ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Nov 3, 2007

A letter written by seminary professor, Dr. R. Scott Clark who teaches at Westminster Seminary California: “Ironically, I warned the students in the doctrine of God class Wednesday and Thursday of last week that they must preach and teach the doctrine of providence to their people before their ...read more

Denomination: Other

There Was Once A Water Carrier In India Whose Job ...

Contributed by Jay Winters on Dec 24, 2007

There was once a water carrier in India whose job it was to bring water from the river to his master’s house. Day after day, he would take two pots on a long pole down to the river, fill them up, and bring them back to his master’s house. One fateful day, the water carrier stumbled and fell. When ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

A Few Years Ago The Special Olympics Were Being ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Sickling on Jan 3, 2008

A few years ago the Special Olympics were being held in Seattle, Washington. Nine physically or mentally challenged runners lined up at the starting line for the 100 meter run. At the sound of the gun, all the runners began to run as fast as they could. That is all, “except for one boy who ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:1-4

Denomination: Baptist

I Recently Came Across A Chinese Parable That ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Jun 19, 2008

I recently came across a Chinese parable that eludes to our thoughts for today’s text. It’s a tale about a water-bearer and his two pots of clay. An elderly peasant had two large clay pots. One of the pots had a crack down its side to a point about half way. The other pot, perfect! Each had been ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: *other

The Way Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Way of Cain by Henry Morris, Ph.D. USED BY PERMISSION (© 2007 by ICR. All Rights Reserved. http://icr.org) "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain" (Proverbs 25:14) Cain initially was a religious man, evidently proud of his achievements as a "tiller of the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:4

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness... Or Holiness?  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Happiness... or Holiness? We Christians have sometimes made a mistake when leading others to Christ in allowing (or encouraging) them to believe that, once they are born-again children of God, there will no longer be any trials in their lives. This may be especially true when they come to ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 8:10

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are the Poor In Spirit Seldom in history have so few words been spoken with so much meaning. The Beatitudes of our Lord are powerful, holding before believers and unbelievers alike a descriptive picture of the true disciple of Christ. The Beatitudes cover the glorious hope and are a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:3

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Not Long Ago My Family And I Were On Vacation At ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Mar 14, 2009

Not long ago my family and I were on vacation at Disney World in Florida. Everything at Disney World is of course of a very inflated price and occasionally of an inflated value. One morning we were waiting for a transport shuttle to take us from our Disney resort where we were staying to one of ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Christian Church

Delete Or Repeat

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Dec 27, 2022

Delete or Repeat Choosing What We Carry Forward Picture your life as a computer desktop crowded with files. Each one represents a memory, a habit, a choice, or an experience. Some files are useful and frequently opened. Others are outdated, damaged, or simply take up space—slowing everything ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-15, Isaiah 43:18-19, 1 John 1:8-9, Philippians 3:12-14, 2 Corinthians 5:17  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Future, Goals, New Year, Tomorrow, Commitments, Starting The Year  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Baby's Smile

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Dec 28, 2022

The Baby’s Smile “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.” John 16:21 We are in the last few days of the year. Most of our thoughts on Christmas is that it is ...read more

Scripture: John 16:21

Tags: Smile, Hope, Cross, Baby Jesus, After Christmas, Cradle To The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Misapplied Scriptures: "There Is But A Step Between Me And Death”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 24, 2023

Introduction: This verse, on the surface, seems pretty straightforward. The problem is that some well-meaning folks have used it in a different sense. Let’s take a deeper look: Text: 1 Samuel 20:3, KJV: 3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 20:3

Tags: David, Death, Jonathan, Misapplied Scriptures

Denomination: Baptist