In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Expectations"

Believing The Ancient Record

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

BELIEVING THE ANCIENT RECORD On January 6, 1822, Heinrich Schliemann was born. He would one day achieve world renown and great wealth. When Heinrich Schliemann was seven years old, a picture of ancient Troy in flames captured his imagination. Contrary to what many people believed, Heinrich argued ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Brethren

You Are The One On Trial

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 17, 2017

Some people come to the Bible or to any work of great literature without the capacity to understand what is in it. They are like a person who comes to a well for a drink of water, only to find that there is no bucket to draw the water out of the well. When people say, "I don’t get anything out ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Unbelief, Mocking God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ralph Barton, A Successful Cartoonist, Left This ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Ralph Barton, a successful cartoonist, left this note pinned to his pillow as he took his own life: “I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife, and from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Dan Kimball, The Pastor Of Graceland In Santa ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 22, 2000

Dan Kimball, the pastor of Graceland in Santa Cruz, CA recently told me, " The great thing about postmodernism is the vacuum that exists for truth, ...read more

Tags: Truth, Truth Absolute, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

William A. Ward Has Said, "The Mediocre Teacher ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jun 23, 2001

William A. Ward has said, "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Communication General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The U.s. Household Savings Rate Now Averages 0.8% ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

The U.S. household savings rate now averages 0.8% of disposable income, the lowest since the Great Depression. (Foster ...read more

Tags: Money

Power Tends To Corrupt, And Absolute Power ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 7, 2006

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad man. John Emerich ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

An Essential Aspect Of Creativity Is Not Being ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail. Scientists made a great invention by calling their activities hypotheses and experiments. They made it permissible to ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Humor Is Not A Postscript Or An Incidental ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Humor is not a postscript or an incidental afterthought; it is a serious and weighty part of the world's economy. One feels increasingly the height of the faculty in which it arises, the nobility of the ...read more

Tags: Humor

Beauty Is A Form Of Genius Is Higher, Indeed, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Beauty is a form of genius is higher, indeed, than genius, as it needs no explanation. It is of the great facts in the world like sunlight, or springtime, or the ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love

The Sages Do Not Consider That Making No ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The sages do not consider that making no mistakes is a blessing. They believe, rather, that the great virtue of man lies in his ability to correct his ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

The Real Difference Between Men Is Energy. A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The real difference between men is energy. A strong will, a settled purpose, an invincible determination, can accomplish almost anything; and in this ...read more

Tags: Human Body

It Is Easy In The World To Live After The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd ...read more

Tags: Suffering Loneliness

Today Is A Day Which We Never Had Before, Which ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Today is a day which we never had before, which we shall never have again. It rose from the great ocean of eternity, and ...read more

Tags: Present

Caught

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 28, 2012

Caught in this conflict, man is obliged to wrestle constantly if he is to cling to what is good, nor can he achieve his own integrity ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Catholic

Superficiality: The Curse Of Our Age

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Oct 20, 2013

"Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a great number of intelligent ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Disciplines Meditation, Spiritual Discipline

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Genghis Khan's Hawk  PRO

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on Apr 29, 2008

GENGHIS KHAN'S HAWK One morning Genghis Khan, the great king and warrior, rode out into the woods to have a day’s sport. Many of his friends were with him. They rode out gaily, carrying their bows and arrows. Behind them came the servants with the hounds. It was a merry hunting party. The woods ...read more

Tags: Bitterness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Robert Schuller Tells A Story About A Banker Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Gibney on Aug 7, 2002

Robert Schuller tells a story about a banker who always tossed a coin in the cup of a legless beggar who sat on the street outside the bank. But, unlike most people, the banker would always insist on getting one of the pencils the man had beside him. "You are a merchant," the banker would say, "and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24

Tags: Gifts Encouragement, Miraculous

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In His Book "Good Morning Merry Sunshine" Chicago ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 3, 2002

In his book "Good Morning Merry Sunshine" Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene chronicles his infoant daughter’s first year of life. When little Amanda began crawling he records: This is something I’m having trouble getting used to. I will be in bed reading a book or watching TV. And I will ...read more

Tags: Worship Definition, Church Practices

Is God Behind This War?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2003

’Is God behind this war?’ Staff Sgt. Larry Hill works with the 123rd Signal Battalion. He’s from Atlanta, and has two young sons. His wife is expecting a baby girl in June. He was told he would never see combat, but has spent the last several days fighting through ambushes with the 3-7th. He sits ...read more

Tags: War