In Sermon Illustrations: "Greatness"

Humility Vs. Humiliation

Contributed by Bobby Stults on Feb 9, 2011

HUMILITY VS. HUMILIATION Have you ever thought about the difference between 'humility' and 'humiliation'? There is a significant difference. Humility is the voluntary and willful choice to accept one’s place and position, whereas, humiliation is the forcing of an unwilling participant into their ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Baptist

Heel Grabber

Contributed by Alan Vaughn on Mar 26, 2011

HEEL GRABBER Have you ever gone to someone's house and they have this little dog and he thinks he is the great avenger or something. He runs up and barks at you just to run away when you reach down to pet him. Then you think he has run away and he’s not paying any attention to you, and you turn ...read more

Tags: Jealousy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Man Whose Heart Is Pure

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 9, 2011

THE MAN WHOSE HEART IS PURE Charles Spurgeon: “The man whose heart is pure, will be able to see God in nature. When the heart is clean, he will hear God's footfall everywhere in the garden of the earth in the cool of the day. He will hear God's voice in the tempest, sounding in peal on peal from ...read more

Tags: Purity

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Are You Ready?

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 11, 2011

ARE YOU READY? Are you ready to dwell in the “house of the Lord forever”? If not then ask yourself why? Most of us cling on to something that is sinful just because we are comfortable here. That is like asking a baby to experience life outside the womb. They would say “No Way” I have a great ...read more

Tags: Heaven

In Appreciation

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Sep 17, 2011

IN APPRECIATION In Enterprise, Alabama, you will see one of the most unusual monuments ever built. It is a monument to honor the boll weevil, the little insect that nearly destroyed the cotton on which the town's economy depended. Why a monument to so destructive an insect? Because before the ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Baptist

Telling Lies

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jan 19, 2012

TELLING LIES A grandmother was looking after her two little grandchildren, a 7-year-old girl, and a 5-year-old boy. Both of them had been really naughty. But as the time approached for their mother to pick them up, the little girl said to her grandmother, "Are you going to tell Mummy?" The ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Brethren

Praying He Prayed  PRO

Contributed by Charles Jones on Mar 28, 2012

"PRAYING HE PRAYED" The Characteristic of the prayer of Elijah was his FERVENCY. He prayed fervently. He used that particular Hebrew idiom - "praying he prayed." In other words when he prayed he got down to business. Remember that the prayer of a righteous man is of great force when energized - ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Pentecostal

There Was An Ot Professor Who Taught Young People ...

Contributed by Ken Henson on Jul 5, 2012

There was an OT professor who taught young people that were preparing for the ministry. At the beginning of the class he would take off his coat and bow. He would bow to the class of his students. Some of his faculty members were upset at this gesture. And he said, "I bow to them because you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-9

Tags: Humility, Luther

Denomination: *other

The Age Of The Temple

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 23, 2012

THE AGE OF THE TEMPLE A tourist is traveling with a guide through one of the thickest jungles in South America, when he comes across an ancient Mayan temple. The tourist is entranced by the temple, and asks the guide for details. To this, the guide states that archaeologists are carrying out ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Free To Be Your Slave

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Sep 5, 2012

FREE TO BE YOUR SLAVE Elisabeth Elliot wrote a beautiful prayer, in "A Lamp for My Feet": "Lord, break the chains that hold me to myself; free me to be Your happy slave – that is, to be the happy foot washer of anyone today who needs his feet washed, his supper cooked, his faults overlooked, his ...read more

Tags: Kindness

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Dec 28, 2012

Television executives tried to reject The Charlie Brown Christmas story because it has the true story of Christmas. Charlie Brown has picked out an ugly tree, everyone laughs at him including Snoopy, and he screams out for someone to tell him the real meaning of Christmas. Linus begins to recite ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Pentecostal

Last Night I Had The Privilege Of Writing "paid ...

Contributed by David Tack on Jul 21, 2013

“Last night I had the privilege of writing "paid in full" on someone’s bill. It felt great to see them smile and walk out with no debt on their shoulders. I wondered if that’s how Jesus felt when He went to the Father on my behalf and took my debt that I could have never paid and put ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10

Tags: Redemption, Remission

Denomination: Baptist

Spiritual Health Test

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 30, 2020

There are seven questions for self discovery that the great theologian A.W. Tozer encourages us to consider. These questions, if answered honestly, speak volumes about our spiritual health. They are: What do I want most? What do I think about most? How do I use the money that God has given ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Revival, Beatitudes, Spiritual Maturity, Spiritual Health

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Living In Light Of Eternity

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2021

Over the triple doorways of the Cathedral of Milan there are three inscriptions spanning the splendid arches. Over one is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath is the legend, “All that which pleases is but for a moment.” Over the other is sculptured a cross, and there are the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: Eternity, Heaven, Materialism, Judgment Seat Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Enthronement Of Jesus

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 5, 2026

Enthronement is foreign to us in the United States. We have discussed all the Hallmark movies featuring a reluctant prince who does not want to be enthroned. In the past and in the present, if you live in a culture where there is great political intrigue and folks are trying to take the throne by ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 110:1

Tags: Jesus, Promise, Enthronement

Denomination: Methodist

The Misconception Of A New Year

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 31, 2022

Christmas is the best time of the year, especially when it involves family. It's the one time of the year that families get together to celebrate together. Of course, at least from my perspective, it is also the most hectic time of the year. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage has an ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Reality, New Year

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In 1899 Four Newspaper Reporters From Denver, ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Feb 11, 2001

In 1899 four newspaper reporters from Denver, CO, set out to tear down the Great Wall of China. They almost succeeded. Literally. The four met by chance one Saturday night, in a Denver railway depot. Al Stevens, Jack Tournay, John Lewis, Hal Wilshire. They represented the four Denver papers: the ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-18

Tags: Faith, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

The Greatest Love Of All  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Greatest Love of All "For this reason I kneel before the Father... that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power... to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19

Tags: Hardship, God's Love, Endure

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[038] A Message From A Poem – Can They Really Know?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 26, 2025

[038] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CAN THEY REALLY KNOW? This poem is derived from thinking about the songs of several decades ago, (50-70 years) especially in the American Southern Gospel Quartets. Needless to say I love those old singers especially The Cathedrals. The poem is quite simple and is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 20:1-15, Ephesians 2:4-7

Tags: Hell, Grace, Glory, Heaven, Know, We Can Know  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Cape Of Good Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jan 21, 2001

THE CAPE OF GOOD HEAVEN I can still recall a geography lesson from elementary school in which we learned that the southernmost point of Africa is a point, which for centuries has experienced tremendous storms. For many years no one even knew what lay beyond that cape, for no ship attempting to ...read more

Tags: Humanity Of Christ, Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ