In Sermon Illustrations: "Hard Work"

Your Time On Earth

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

You’re going to spend about 150,000 hours of your life working, which is about 40% of your waking hours. The average American spends 46 hours a week at work. If you’re a professional, you spend an average of 52 hours a week working and if you’re a small business owner/operator you work an average ...read more

Tags: Life, Work, Business, Time Management, Time  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Faking It

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 8, 2021

One of my wife’s third graders was wearing a Fitbit watch, which prompted my wife to ask, “Are you tracking your steps?” “No,” said the little girl. “I wear this for Mommy so ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:1-13

Tags: Deception, Torah, Works Righteousness, Religious But Lost

Denomination: Independent/Bible

An Illustration About Ephesians 2:9

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 30, 2022

The author of this illustration is G. M. Landis. I have no idea who this person is or was. I had bought a Bible at a thrift store and the piece of paper with this illustration was inside the front cover (this was a hardcover Bible). The illustration itself appears to have been written for a daily ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:9

Tags: Grace, Salvation, Works, G M Landis

Denomination: Baptist

Saving Private Ryan Tells Us About Our Need For Grace

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 24, 2022

Saving Private Ryan is one of my favorite World War II movies. Three out of four brothers are killed in action, and then a search is launched to find the fourth, Private James Ryan, so that he is not killed, leaving his mother childless. Eight men are sent out to find Private Ryan, who is missing ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Death, Grace, Fear, Salvation, Legalism, Works  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You've Got To Earn This!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

Saving Private Ryan is one of the best World War II movies. Three out of four brothers are killed in action, and then a search is launched to find the fourth, Private James Ryan, so that he is not killed, leaving his mother childless. Eight men are sent out to find Private Ryan, who is missing ...read more

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Merit, Works, Grace, Law  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Holy Office?

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Apr 21, 2023

When a Christian – the temple of the Holy Spirit – walks into an office at IBM, IBM becomes a spiritual place. Tim Downs, Finding ...read more

Scripture: John 4:31-38, Colossians 3:23

Tags: Work, Tim Downs, Finding Common Ground

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When I Grow Up

Contributed by Kelvin Mckisic on Jun 26, 2023

A photographer was snapping pictures of first graders at an elementary school, making small talk to put his subjects at ease. “What are you going to be when you ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:1-3, Ecclesiastes 2:17, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Rest, Stress, Responsibility, Work, Busyness, Weariness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

W.e. Vines Defines True Saving Faith

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 13, 2024

W E Vines defines genuine saving faith as consisting of the following: (1) A firm conviction which produces full acknowledgment of God's revelation of Truth - (2 Thess. 2:11 -"in order that they all may be judged who did not believe [pisteuo] the truth, but took pleasure in ...read more

Scripture: John 1:12, 2 Thessalonians 2:11

Tags: Works, Believing, Faith, Salvation, Truth, Assurance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Third Grader's Explanation Of God  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Apr 4, 2001

A THIRD GRADERS EXPLANATION OF GOD Written by Danny Dutton, age 8, from Chula Vista, California, for his third grade homework assignment to "Explain God." One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on ...read more

Scripture: Mark 7:1-23, Galatians 5:1-26

Tags: God The Father, Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Everything We Do Needs To Be A Part Of Our ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 13, 2007

Everything we do needs to be a part of our service to God. A young boy by the name of James had a desire to be the most famous manufacturer and salesman of cheese in the world. He planned on becoming rich and famous by making and selling cheese and began with a little buggy pulled by a pony named ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Watched A Documentary A Few Weeks Ago About ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I watched a documentary a few weeks ago about Wal-Mart. I found something very interest out about Sam Walton the founder of Wal-Mart. He had one vision – one goal. You know what that vision was – to capture the consumer market of America. Let me ask you – how many of you have ever shopped at a ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Bad Experiences With Christians

Contributed by Nigel Heath on Apr 4, 2009

BAD EXPERIENCES WITH CHRISTIANS A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with the Rt. Hon. Adam Ingram MP. I dared to ask him about something I had heard to see if it was true. I had been told that Adam Ingram as a young man had attended the BTI (Bible Training Institute) Bible College in Glasgow. ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Baptist

I Remember Years Ago That A Man Wrote A Nasty ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 4, 2010

I remember years ago that a man wrote a nasty letter to me and included in it a curse and all kinds of false accusations. To this day, I don’t know why he wrote it. It was so vicious and untrue, but he had built up a case against me and it all bubbled out in this letter. It included distorted views ...read more

Tags: Confrontation, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Teens Read: According To A Poll Conducted By ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2006

Teens Read: According to a poll conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates for the National Education Association, teens rate reading higher in importance in terms of its impact on their future success than they do math, writing, science, and even computers. The survey asked 12-18-year-olds ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

The Wall Separating Church And Economics Is Being ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

The Wall Separating Church And Economics is being breached. “More and more scholars have been using conventional economic methods to understand the way in which religion relates to the rest of society, and to the economy in particular,” says George Mason University professor Laurence R. Iannaccone. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:15-16

Tags: Christian Values

Two Types Of Lives!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 29, 2022

Genesis 4:6-26 Cain had an unrighteous heart and sinned against God in many ways including taking the life of his brother; but what can we learn from God as He related to Cain, from the following verses: v6-7: God gave instructions how and why to repent. v9: God was specific in confronting in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-26

Tags: People, Pride, Godly, Creativity, Ungodly, Provisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

St. John Of The Cross (1542-1591) Said, "A ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 25, 2001

St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) said, "A Christian should always remember that the value of his good works is not based on their number and excellence, but on ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will, Faith Vs. Works, Christian Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Some One Has Said, There Are Three Kinds Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Apr 17, 2001

Some one has said, there are three kinds of givers -- the flint, the sponge and the honeycomb. To get anything out of a flint you must hammer it. And then you get only chips and sparks. To get water out of a sponge you must squeeze it, and the more you use pressure, the more you ...read more

Scripture: Job 7:1-7, Genesis 23:1-20, Genesis 23:1-12, Genesis 26:1-23

Tags: Labor, Giving General, Dirty, Church Practices, Work  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

You Cannot Go On Being A Good Egg Forever. You ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2001

You cannot go on being a good egg forever. You must either hatch or ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Apologetics General, Commitment To Christ

Sophomore  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 24, 2002

Do you know the meaning of the word "sophomore?" The word sophomore comes from two Greek words "sophos" and "moros." "Sophos" means to be wise. "Moros" is the word from which we get the world "moron." "Moros" means stupid, blockhead, or fool. So the word "sophomore" means wise fool. And ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-28

Tags: Mother Theresa, God's Omniscience, Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational