In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Expectations"

A Class Would Consist Of No More Than 20 People. ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Aug 25, 2007

A Class would consist of no more than 20 people. Today an ideal size is between four and twelve. Wesley had three “General Rules of the Methodist Class Meetings” for which each class member was expected to give a verbal account as to their personal progress the past week. These three “General ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

It's A Rather Famous Painting By An Artist Whose ...

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Sep 25, 2007

It’s a rather famous painting by an artist whose name was Holman Hunt. The original is hung in St Paul’s Cathedral in London. If you look at it closely there’s something rather odd about it. Can you spot it? It’s unusual because it’s a door with no handle! Now what’s the reason for this? The ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

People Often Study And Follow The Teachings Of ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 11, 2007

People often study and follow the teachings of writers, philosophers, politicians and professors without getting to know the PERSON behind the philosophy. Some people even think personal morality doesn’t matter. I heard about a Harvard Professor named Bertrand Russell. While he was a Professor ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Advertisers And Marketers, Struggling To Keep Up ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

Advertisers and Marketers, struggling to keep up with changing consumer habits, are about to make massive investments in new digital and out-of-home media platforms, forecasts research company PQ Media. Companies will spend more than $160.8 billion in ’12 (up 82% from ’08) on 18 emerging markets, ...read more

Tags: Technology

Os Guinness On A Christian Worldview

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

OS GUINNESS ON A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW Os Guinness says that a Christian worldview involves believers thinking about anything and everything in a manner that is consistently shaped, directed, and restrained by the truth of God's Word and God's Spirit. Such a Christian worldview encompasses core ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Pressing Through The Pain

Contributed by Brian Matherlee on Sep 4, 2008

Pressing Through the Pain Too many young Christians expect endurance to come quickly and easily. We bought a trampoline this summer for the girls. I love it too. The first time I got on that thing I thought I would have a heart attack. I've been using my legs for 40 years, but they were on ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Kingdom Of God Is Like A Vw Beetle. It Is One ...

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Mar 27, 2009

The kingdom of God is like a VW Beetle. It is one of the smallest cars you will ever see. It is not very comfortable or powerful. It is not very stylish or practical. It is very cheap and not impressive in any way. There is no status with owning one. And yet, it is one of the most recognizable cars ...read more

Tags: Parable General

Denomination: Mennonite

You Can't Study All The Time

Contributed by Simon Taylor on May 29, 2009

YOU CAN'T STUDY ALL THE TIME The best way I can explain what I mean is looking at my teacher training. As most of you know, I was at once time a student teacher. A lot of what we do is theory – child development, teaching methods, and so on. Even when you graduate you’re expected to keep up my ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Independent/Bible

In 1540 Martin Luther's Friend And Assistant, ...

Contributed by Paul Green on Jul 13, 2009

In 1540 Martin Luther’s friend and assistant, Frederick Myconius, became sick and he was expected to die. As he lay there on his death bed he wrote a farewell letter to Luther. And when Luther got it he sent back the reply: ‘I command thee in the name of God to live, because I still have need of ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, Answered Prayer

Denomination: Baptist

When A Man Learned That An Elderly Woman Could ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 4, 2010

"When a man learned that an elderly woman could no longer buy her medicine and pay her rent, he came to her rescue. He took her into his home and treated her as if she were his mother. He gave her a bedroom, prepared the food for her meals, bought her medicine, and transported her whenever she ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Man Found A Cocoon Of The ...

Contributed by Timothy Brown on Feb 7, 2010

Illustration: A man found a cocoon of the emperor moth and took it home to watch it emerge. One day a small opening appeared, and for several hours the moth struggled but couldn't seem to force its body past a certain point. Deciding something was wrong, the man took scissors and snipped the ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Baptist

Keep Your Fire Hot  PRO

Contributed by John Perry on Feb 8, 2010

Keep Your Fire Hot A pastor went to visit a man who had been absent from church for some time. When the pastor arrived at the house of his wayward parishioner he found him sitting by a fire of glowing coals. The man fully expected his pastor to rebuke him for his tardy attendance at services. But ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Tags: Church General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Billy Graham's Daughter On 9/11

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

BILLY GRAHAM'S DAUGHTER ON 9/11 Just after 9/11, Billy Graham’s daughter, Anne, was interviewed by the Early Show on CBS. The interviewer asked, "How could God let something like this happen?" She answered, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this just as we are, but for years we’ve been ...read more

Scripture: Judges 11:7

Tags: America

Planting The Wrong Seeds

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jun 4, 2011

PLANTING THE WRONG SEEDS Some time ago the Reader’s Digest magazine told a story about a company who mailed out some special advertising business post cards. Glued to the postcard was a mustard seed. The card also contained the following words: "If you have faith as small as this mustard seed in ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Brethren

A Jealous Wife  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

A JEALOUS WIFE A man worked in an office with several attractive ladies. His wife, constantly jealous, had a list of questions ready every day. Then she would examine his coat. If she found a blond hair she would accuse, "You’re having an affair with a blond woman." If she found a red hair, black ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:19

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

A Dog Jog

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Dec 17, 2012

My dogs like to go on jogs with me. The older dog, Yogi (name after the bear), is a sheep herding dog and loves to run. He is older now and he cannot run as fast, and cannot hear either. So his passion for running and loss of hearing often gets him lost. I realized that if we are going to run ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, Dog

Denomination: Pentecostal

What I Saw At The Abortion Clinic

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 20, 2014

"What I Saw at the Abortion Clinic" by Richard Selzer. In this article he talks about witnessing a 19 week old fetus being aborted by an injection procedure no longer in use. He described the abortionist sliding the needle of the syringe into the woman's belly, and then, he writes, "I see ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 11:5

Tags: Abortion, Womb

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why Peter Wanted To Walk On The Water

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 7, 2022

Peter said to Jesus, "Command me to come to You on the water !" He wasn't getting out of the boat until the Lord called him to do that. Don't go and jump out of your boat and then expect a miracle from Jesus if He hasn't called you out of the boat in the first ...read more

Tags: Faith, Fear, Jesus, Obedience, Peter, Miracles, God's Voice  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Listen To The World

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 13, 2025

I also believe we are at a unique time in history where most folks today would identify with these three descriptions: • “Living in darkness” • “Not a people” • “Without mercy” Have you noticed this in folks? They are desperately trying to fit in and be a part of some group. These groups seem ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Tags: Evangelism, Anxiety, Listen, Hoplessness

Denomination: Methodist

Be Found Faithful

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 31, 2025

There is a story of a choir director who was so stressed out because at least one or more members of the choir were absent at every rehearsal for a concert. Finally came the last rehearsal and he announced: “I want to personally thank the pianist for being the only person in this entire church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Tags: Faithfulness, Choir, Unfaithfulness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ