In Sermon Illustrations: "Green"

The Impact Of Optimism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

THE IMPACT OF OPTIMISM Just a few years ago (2004), Fox News reported on a study that came from the Archives of General Psychiatry. Researchers studied 1,000 people aged 65-85 trying to determine the importance of a positive attitude in dealing with life. After almost 10 years of follow-up, these ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Tags: Attitude General

You Can Make Him Drink

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

YOU CAN MAKE HIM DRINK Howard Hendricks, one of my professors at Dallas Theological Seminary, sometimes talked about his days when he was a student at the same seminary. In one of those stories, he tells about the time he was invited to preach in west Texas. "You've all heard of Nowhere? Well," ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Tags: Evangelism How To

Reactions Can Be Worse Than Actions  PRO

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Sep 12, 2011

REACTIONS CAN BE WORSE THAN ACTIONS While in seminary, I worked at a local Christian radio station. Part of my duties was to take hourly meter readings from the transmitter and place them on a log sheet that was subject to FCC review. The building featured indoor/outdoor green carpet, and the day ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

The Imaginary Ball

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Feb 6, 2012

THE IMAGINARY BALL A golfer who had been playing badly went to a psychiatrist who told him to relax by playing a round of golf without a ball. "Do everything you would normally do, but use an imaginary ball." The golfer tried it the next day. He stepped up on the first tee, imagined he got a ...read more

Tags: Confidence

Cirrhosis Of The Giver

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 27, 2012

CIRRHOSIS OF THE GIVER The disease cirrhosis of the giver was discovered in A.D. 34 by the husband-wife team of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11). It is an acute condition that renders the patient’s hands immobile when he is called on to move them in the direction of his wallet or her purse, and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

God, You're In My Way.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

"GOD, YOU'RE IN MY WAY." A California pastor, Kyle Idleman, talks about his last move in his book, Not a Fan. In that move, he saved the heaviest piece of furniture for last -- the desk from his office. And as he was pushing and pulling the desk with all his might, his four-year-old son came over ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-8, Philippians 4:4-7

Tags: Anxiety

Albert Einstein On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

ALBERT EINSTEIN ON CREATION In his book on Albert Einstein, author Walter Isaacson told of a dinner party in Berlin where everybody assumed Einstein was an atheist and he said, “No, I have a deep feeling of faith, a deep religiosity that comes from my appreciation of the way the Lord made the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 19:1-6

Tags: Creation

Cirrhosis Of The Giver

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jan 23, 2013

CIRRHOSIS OF THE GIVER The disease cirrhosis of the giver was discovered in A.D. 34 by the husband-wife team of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11). It is an acute condition that renders the patient’s hands immobile when he is called on to move them in the direction of his wallet or her purse, and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7, Romans 12:1, Luke 9:23, Philippians 4:19

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

God Is Not An Assistant  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 23, 2013

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN ASSISTANT? Tim Keller, a pastor in Manhattan, New York, said that in 1970 a Sunday school teacher changed his life with a simple illustration. The teacher said, “Let’s assume the distance between the earth and the sun (92 million miles) was reduced to the thickness of this ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-3

Tags: God's Omnipotence

On Shepherds  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

What do we know about the shepherd's life? It's a full time commitment. Sheep are helpless to defend themselves against attack from their natural enemies: lions, bears, wolves, hyenas and foxes which can come in both the day and night so there is never a moment a shepherd can relax. Sheep must be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Shepherd, Shepherd's Life

Denomination: Methodist

The People With The Roses  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Johnson on Feb 23, 2002

THE PEOPLE WITH THE ROSES John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:38, 1 Samuel 16:7, Matthew 6:33, 1 Samuel 16:7, Matthew 13:24-43  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Compassion, Evangelism Fear Of, Great Commission, Heart, Love, The Organ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

These Shepherds Were Symbolic Of Jesus Christ The ...  PRO

Contributed by Frank Gallagher on Nov 26, 2000

These shepherds were symbolic of Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, who would also humbly follow God’s will. Their sheep represent us as believers, in several ways: - Sheep cannot clean themselves. Some animals such as a cat can do that, but not sheep. Likewise, we as unbelievers were not able to ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:2-22, Acts 1:8

Tags: People In Acts, God's Provision

Denomination: Independent/Bible

These Shepherds Were Symbolic Of Jesus Christ The ...  PRO

Contributed by Frank Gallagher on Sep 13, 2001

These shepherds were symbolic of Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd, who would also humbly follow God’s will. Their sheep represent us as believers, in several ways: - Sheep cannot clean themselves. Some animals such as a cat can do that, but not sheep. Likewise, we as unbelievers were not able to ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Independent/Bible

No Matter What  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 11, 2002

No Matter What Two long-time golfing buddies got to the course and decided they would play the ball where it lies, no matter what! On the 14th hole, one of them sliced his drive and it ended up on the cart path. As he reached down to pick up his ball to get relief, his friend said, "Wait a ...read more

Tags: Grace

Mega-Trends That Shape Future: The Brand Futures ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

Mega-Trends That Shape Future: The Brand Futures Group has identified 10 mega-trends that will define the next decade. (1.) Generation blur, new work and lifestyles for 30& 40 year olds. Life-stage, not demographics, will be the most important criterion for market segmentation. (2.) Evolution from ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Almost A Year Ago, I Went To One Of My ...

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Dec 28, 2006

Almost a year ago, I went to one of my grandparents’ old home places. It is amazing what happens to homes when they become vacant. The yards go to seed and weeds take over. In fact, their old home-place was surrounded by weeds that were almost chest high. No longer a smooth green lawn but ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Young Boy About Seven Years Old Went To ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Anthony on Dec 31, 2006

A young boy about seven years old went to Disneyland with his family, but in the excitement of going on all the rides, he was separated from them. He was having such a wonderful time that it was quite a while before he realized that he was lost. When he discovered the predicament he was in, he at ...read more

Denomination: Orthodox

God Knows His Own

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

GOD KNOWS HIS OWN The guillemot is a small arctic sea bird that lives on the rocky cliffs of northern coastal regions. These birds flock together by the thousands in comparatively small areas. Because of the crowded conditions, hundreds of females lay their pear-shaped eggs side by side on a ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience

I Am His!

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

"I AM HIS!" President Theodore Roosevelt, was a charismatic figure who made quite an impression on people. One journalist, William Allen White, wrote of his first meeting with Roosevelt in 1897: "He sounded in my heart the first trumpet call of the new time that was to be... I had never known ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Discipleship

Missionaries' Lives Spared From Marytrdom As They ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

Missionaries’ Lives Spared from Marytrdom As They Sang the Hymn, "Face to Face" Many years ago, a band of Chinese terrorists had captured Rev. and Mrs. Porteous, who were serving as missionaries in China with the old China Inland Mission. The terrorists led them to a lonely spot on a hill and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:17-39

Tags: Missions