In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Expectations"

When George Washington Prayed For America

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

When George Washington was inaugurated in New York City in front of the Federal Hall, he walked to the St. Paul Church and prayed for our country in front of the church. He declared, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Judgment, Repentance, George Washington, America, Prayer, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Irony

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 3, 2021

One definition of the word irony is, “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result.” • It is ironic, for example, that the most shop-lifted book is the Bible. • Every year ABC cuts down A Charlie Brown Christmas—a movie about ...read more

Tags: Rejection, Irony, Pedigree, Sibling Rivalry, Humble Pie, Family Strife, Leadership  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Leadership Journal Recently Had A Cartoon Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Mar 10, 2002

Leadership journal recently had a cartoon of a young skateboarder who greats the Pastor after the service with skateboard in hand. "Church was cool! Especially ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Church Practices, Money

Denomination: Church Of God

A Person Who Is Angry On The Right Grounds, ...

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 18, 2000

A person who is angry on the right grounds, against the right persons, in the right manner, at the right moment, and for the right length of time deserves ...read more

Tags: Anger, Christian Disciplines, Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Person Who Is Angry On The Right Grounds, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

A person who is angry on the right grounds, against the right persons, in the right manner, at the right moment, and for the right length of time deserves ...read more

Tags: Anger

The Palm-Tree Grows Best Beneath A Ponderous ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The palm-tree grows best beneath a ponderous weight, and even so the character of man. The petty pangs of small daily cares have often bent ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

What Happened To Our Nation On A September Day ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

What happened to our nation on a September day set in motion the first great struggle of a new century. The enemies who struck us are determined and they are resourceful. They will not be stopped by a ...read more

Tags: War

I Never Made A Sacrifice. We Ought Not To Talk ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

I never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of sacrifice when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His ...read more

Tags: Cross

The Man Who Doesnt Relax And Hoot A Few Hoots ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The man who doesnt relax and hoot a few hoots voluntarily, now and then, is in great danger of hooting hoots and standing on his head for the edification of ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Will Rogers Said, "You Can Summarize American ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

Will Rogers said, "You can summarize American History into two great movements: the passing of the Buffalo and The passing of the buck." (From a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:24-25

Tags: America, Others, Seeing Jesus

Being Filled With The Power Of The Spirit Begins ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 12, 2013

Being filled with the power of the Spirit begins with an honest acknowledgement of our own weakness. The truth is that most of us go to great lengths to ...read more

Scripture: John 16:5-15

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Chuck Swindoll In His Book, Improving Your Serve, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

Chuck Swindoll in his book, Improving Your Serve, gives a memorable illustration: Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-13

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Discipleship, Faith

Let’s Play ‘let’s ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on Jul 11, 2001

Let’s play ‘Let’s Pretend’. Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 26:1-16, James 2:11

Tags: Discipleship, Faith, Bible Study

Denomination: Pentecostal

Critical Thinking With Being Critical!" Matthew ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 12, 2004

“Critical Thinking With Being Critical!” Matthew 7: 1-5 Key verse(s): 1-2 “‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’” Chuck Swindoll tells a humorous but rather sobering tale of the other side of the coin, the flip side that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Let's Play ‘let's Pretend'. Let's Pretend That ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 13, 2004

Let’s play ‘Let’s Pretend’. Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 17:1-13, James 1:22, John 19:30-31, John 11:1-45, John 11:45-57  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Birthing Of America By Gray W. Clark: Why Is ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 12, 2007

The Birthing of America by Gray W. Clark: Why is it important to reexamine, in a Christian publication, the founding of America? Because the prevailing view of the birth of America is stilted. This stilted view has led Christians into rebellion. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (11 Samuel ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let's Play 'let's Pretend'. Let's Pretend That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 31, 2008

Let's play 'Let's Pretend'. Let's pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I'm the owner and I'm interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Tags: Action

Give Thanks In All ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Give Thanks in All Circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:18) Washington, D.C. October 3, 1863 By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation. The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Take A Young Man From A Wealthy Family, Strip Him ...

Contributed by Tobin Crenshaw on Aug 15, 2010

Take a young man from a wealthy family, strip him of all of his money until he finds himself homeless and has to beg on the street, hold him in a cell as a prisoner of war in a foreign land, and turn his family against him and what are the odds you would give for him to impact the world? Or ...read more

Tags: Sports, Trust God

Denomination: Brethren

The Son And The Rose

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 22, 2011

THE SON AND THE ROSE Arnold Prater, in his book You Can Have Joy! tells about a man in a little English village named John Deckard. He was a clerk in a textile factory. A modest and quiet man, he lived in an ordinary little house at the edge of town with his wife and his six-year-old son, Rob. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4

Tags: Parenting