In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Expectations"

Seamless Retailers 68% Of All Shoppers Now Move ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 17, 2006

Seamless Retailers 68% of all shoppers now move interchangeably between physical stores, online stores, and catalogs. Consumers see a retailer as a single, seamless entity, whether they visit a store, Web site, talk to a rep on the phone, or look through a ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

The Helmet's Purpose

Contributed by David Tack on Nov 18, 2011

THE HELMET'S PURPOSE The Purpose of a soldier’s helmet is designed specifically to protect the head during battle. The hope (expectation) of our completed salvation is to our minds what a helmet was to a Roman combat soldier. It protects our minds, which is where one of our greatest ...read more

Tags: War

Denomination: Baptist

We Wish You A Merry...chrismukah?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Dec 16, 2005

We Wish You a Merry...Chrismukah? Continuing the current trend of large-scale mergers and acquisitions, it was announced today at a press conference that Christmas and Hanukkah will merge. An industry source said that the deal had been in the works about 1300 years. While details were not ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In The Year 135 Montanus, A Second Century ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In the year 135 Montanus, a second century Christian, proclaimed himself to be a prophet and prophesied that the New Jerusalem would descend from heaven to earth and take root in what is now Turkey. He was wrong. In 204 a Roman Christian named Hippolytus records that a bishop was convinced that ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Peace With God First

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on May 8, 2008

PEACE WITH GOD FIRST D. M. Lloyd Jones writes, "If you are ansious to obtain some benefits from the Queen of England, the first thing you have to discuss is, 'How can I get into Buckingham Palace? What have I to do to get admission? Then how do I approach this great personage?' It is too obvious ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

Forgotten How To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

FORGOTTEN HOW TO FISH? I read an interesting story about a group of pelicans in California. If you’ve ever seen pelicans in action, you know they’re great fishermen, or fisher-birds. These pelicans were hanging out near a fleet of fishing boats. The fishermen on the boats would pull into the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:7-14

Tags: Servanthood, God's Direction

Rome, Who Only 1 Year Old, Picked Up A Plastic ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jun 13, 2010

Rome, who only 1 year old, picked up a plastic spade and began playing it, pretending it was a guitar. It has the right shape. Anything can become a guitar in his hands. He has seen guitars at Church and as he danced he made sounds like he was playing one of the upbeat worship songs. We danced and ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ownership Of The Gift  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 27, 2012

OWNERSHIP OF THE GIFT A humanitarian group in Africa, noticing the filthy water, sewage, and disease, built clean water and sewage system for a village. Months later, they visited the village, but it was back to square one with filthy water, sewage and disease. [from Pickthebrain.com] The chief ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:20

Tags: Stewardship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Changing Lifestyles Present New Challenge To ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2002

Changing lifestyles present new challenge to churches Increasingly segmented lifestyles, religious pluralism and even the "worship wars" within today’s church are among the most significant challenges Robert E. Reccord sees ahead for evangelical Christians in the 21st century. Reccord, president ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 998:3-5

Tags: Worship Definition, Sharing My Testimony, Leisure, Pleasure, Media, Entertainment, Church Practices  (view more)  (view less)

Growth Takes Time

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 18, 2018

GROWTH IS RARELY AN ACCIDENT, GROWTH HAS A PLAN… GROWTH REQUIRES EFFORT… THE MORE EFFORT THE MORE THE GROWTH WILL THRIVE… Blessed is he who expects nothing for he shall get exactly what he expected. Les Brown tells a wonderful illustration that we need to consider… There is a tree that grows in ...read more

Tags: Plan, Growth

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Father’s Reaction To The Prodigal Son ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Mallory on Mar 23, 2001

THE FATHER’S REACTION TO THE PRODIGAL SON AND HIS ELDER SON MIRRORS THE ANSWER ABRAHAM LINCOLN GAVE TO A QUESTION HE WAS ASKED ABOUT HOW HE WOULD TREAT THE ALL THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS ONCE THE CIVIL WAR WAS OVER. EXPECTING VENGEANCE AND EVEN THOUGHTS OF EXECUTION BECAUSE OF ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:14-16

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Parable Prodigal Son, Grace

Denomination: Free Methodist

Maybe You Think About My Preaching Sometimes Like ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Aug 20, 2004

Maybe you think about my preaching sometimes like this minister I heard about. He gave an unusual sermon one day, using a peanut to make several important points about the wisdom of God in nature. One of his members greeted him at the door and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

Tags: Worship Benefits

Denomination: Methodist

Mennonites Merge: In A Vote Eclipsing All ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2006

Mennonites Merge: In a vote eclipsing all expectations, the Mennonite Church (based in Elkhart, Ind.) and the General Conference Mennonite Church (based in Newton, Kan.) merged to form the Mennonite Church USA. The new denomination brings together the 125,000 members of the two groups. Over ...read more

Tags: Church General

Mud-Gazing?" Luke 12:13-15 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 3, 2005

“Mud-Gazing?” Luke 12:13-15 Key verse(s) 13:“Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Do you sing because you are happy; or are you happy because you sing? You’ve met the person. They always seem to have a positive attitude about nearly ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-15

Tags: Peace, Joy, Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran

Bruce Wilkinson Has Written An Excellent Little ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Mar 10, 2001

Bruce Wilkinson has written an excellent little book called The Prayer of Jabez. In the book, Wilkinson explains the reluctance believers have toward having a greater influence for Christ in their world. He explains this reluctance by using two mathematic equations. The first equation ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Prayer How To, God's Omnipotence, Tongue

Denomination: *other

Duke University Did A Study On "Peace Of Mind." ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Hensley on Jul 20, 2002

Duke University did a study on “peace of mind.” Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are: 1. The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness. 2. Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself, Finding Fulfillment, Peace

Denomination: Baptist

Duke University Study  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Dec 11, 2003

INTRODUCTION... A Duke University Study A group at Duke University did a study on “peace of mind.” Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are: 1. The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness. 2. Not living in the ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Finding Peace Of Mind

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 12, 2007

Finding Peace Of Mind Duke University did a study on “peace of mind.” Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are: · The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness. · Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Stages Of The Christian Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2009

THE STAGES OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE Several years ago I heard someone describe the Christian experience as similar to that of a piano player, and suddenly the commands of the Bible made more sense and seemed less daunting. When a person begins playing piano, do we expect them to play a piece by ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Growth In Christ

The Noahide Commands

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 31, 2009

THE NOAHIDE COMMANDS A Pagan could become > An Alien Believer > A God-fearer > A Jew (proselyte) A pagan would be an idolater or worship many gods, or one not serving the true God. An alien believer would be a gentile who wanted to be saved, repented from his sins and turned to the God of ...read more

Tags: Israel

Denomination: Independent/Bible