In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Commission"

Luther On Sweeping Streets Like Michelangelo

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 20, 2011

LUTHER ON SWEEPING STREETS LIKE MICHELANGELO Martin Luther was approached by a working man who wanted to know how he could serve God. Luther asked him, "What is your work now?" The man said, "I’m a shoemaker." Much to the cobbler’s surprise, Luther replied, "Then make good shoes and sell them at ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tags: Servanthood

Memory And Truth

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 27, 2011

MEMORY AND TRUTH Two middle-aged couples were enjoying friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other, "Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month?" "Outstanding," Fred replied. "They taught us all the latest psychological techniques, such as visualization, association and ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-32, John 8:51-59

Tags: Truth

More Accustomed To Action Than Talk  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Aug 11, 2011

MORE ACCUSTOMED TO ACTION THAN TALK All great enterprises begin at a critical moment--a moment when a decision is made and someone launches himself into a never-to-be-forgotten enterprise. PIZARRO, the noted Spanish explorer, faced such a moment. He languished with his men on a small island ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Luther's Confessions

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 8, 2011

LUTHER'S CONFESSIONS Before writing, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," before becoming a leader of the Reformation, before his 95 Theses, Martin Luther was a Catholic priest. One thing that did not change for him was a passionate conviction that Christians must repent and confess their sins. As a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9, Psalm 66:18

Tags: Confession, Repentance, Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Baptist

On A Practical Level I Really Do Like To Garden, ...

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Dec 30, 2011

On A practical level I really do like to garden, those of you who have listened to me preach for a while have probably heard me blather on about my vege garden, it’s looking great at present, I’ve got courgettes growing, tomatoes vines just starting to bear fruit, I’ve already harvested ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-27

Tags: Harvest, Growth, Born Again, Planting

Denomination: Salvation Army

Confined Christians

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Jan 10, 2012

CONFINED CHRISTIANS I met a young man not long ago who dives for exotic fish for aquariums. He told me that one of the most popular aquarium fish is the shark. He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium you put it in. Sharks can ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: *other

I Want To Be Pretty  PRO

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Jan 24, 2012

I WANT TO BE PRETTY "I want to be pretty." This is the title of a popular tv program that was airing when we lived in Poland. It was a reality tv show in which in every episode you follow the changes of two women who are the heroes of the program. Each of these women work with a team of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:30

Tags: Faith, Love, Beauty, Faithfulness, Patience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Facing The Music

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 19, 2012

FACING THE MUSIC Many years ago a man wanted to play in the Imperial Orchestra, but could not play a note. Since he was, however, a person of great wealth and influence, he demanded to be allowed to join the orchestra so that he could perform in front of the king. The conductor agreed to let him ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

American Knowledge Of Religion

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 5, 2012

AMERICAN KNOWLEDGE OF RELIGION A survey conducted by the Christian Science Monitor found that atheists and agnostics and Jews and Mormons were among the highest scoring groups who took a 32 question survey of religious knowledge. On average Americans scored 16 of 32 correct. Atheists and agnostics ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Religion

The Security Of A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

THE SECURITY OF A FORTRESS Deep in the Arabian desert is a small fortress. It stands on the edge of the desert. It was at this place that Thomas Lawrence, also known as “Lawrence of Arabia”, used to seek shelter. Though it wasn’t a beautiful place, it was a great place because of its security. It ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:1-3

Tags: Security

Standard Of Comparison  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

STANDARD OF COMPARISON Michael Green, in his book Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, shares a good lesson which I think is appropriate for beginning our message this evening. He states: All of us frequently compare ourselves favorably with someone else. We all think of someone whom we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16, Exodus 7:8-23

Tags: Holiness

Is There Hope For The Next Generation Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2013

IS THERE HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF EVANGELICALS? Russell Moore recounts a conversation with the evangelical theologian Carl Henry. As Moore and some of his friends were lamenting the miserable shape of the church, they asked Dr. Henry if he saw any hope in the coming generation of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-15, Acts 2:47, Romans 8:31-36, Proverbs 20:21, Luke 8:22-25, Matthew 16:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: God Brings Hope

Persuaded By The Mail

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2014

"I GIVE UP!" In the early 1960s, the publishers of Time Magazine were concerned about their declining circulation, so they designed a campaign to send out thousands of letters making an emotional appeal to potential subscribers. In the past, such mailings had been done manually, at a great cost in ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: God's Love, Surrender, Persuasion

Time

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jan 2, 2015

Where has the time gone? There is a time for everything but, that never seem to bother me when I was young. But as I get older I consider almost everything in time. It’s time to take my medicine, it’s time to go to the doctor, it’s time for this or time for that. One of the few things Brenda and I ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Tags: Accepted Time, Time, Fullness Of Time

Denomination: Baptist

Joni Eareckson Tada, A Paraplegic Confined To A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Joni Eareckson Tada, a paraplegic confined to a wheelchair, wrote the following poem by holding a pen between her teeth: When God wants to drill a man, and thrill a man and skill a man, When God wants to mold a man to play the noblest part, When He yearns with all His heart to build so great and ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Our Words Can Crush A Person's Spirit, And They ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Our words can crush a person’s spirit, and they can leave people feeling hurt and hopeless. For example, a middle-aged man had been fighting depression for most of his adult life. Several psychiatrists had agreed that the root problem was chemical and needed to be treated with anti-depressant ...read more

Tags: Ot Characters

In October 1947, There Was A Geologist By The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In October 1947, there was a geologist by the name of Dr. John Williamson who was doing some work in the country of Tanzania. One day, he found himself driving in a deserted area, slipping and sliding along a rain-soaked road. Suddenly his four-wheel drive vehicle sank up to its axles in the mud ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Wayne A. Lamb In 100 Meditations On Hope, Shares ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Wayne A. Lamb in 100 Meditations on Hope, shares this story: “In the midst of a storm, a little bird was clinging to the limb of a tree, seemingly calm and unafraid. As the wind tore at the limbs of the tree, the bird continued to look the storm in the face, as if to say, ‘Shake me off; I sill have ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry

One Night, A Group Of Thieves Broke Into A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One night, a group of thieves broke into a jewelry store. But rather than stealing anything, they simply switched all the price tags. The next day no one could tell what was valuable and what was cheap. The expensive jewels had suddenly become cheap, and the costume jewelry, which had been ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry

In 1863 The Emancipation Proclamation Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Norman Lawrence on Jul 3, 2007

In 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation was proclaimed in America. The word spread from Capitol Hill down into the valleys of Virginia, and the Carolinas, and evens into the plantations of Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama. The headlines read, ’Slavery Legally Abolished!’ However, the greater ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Tags: Stronghold

Denomination: Assembly Of God