In Sermon Illustrations: "Hearts Desires"

There Are Some People That We Might Consider To ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Feb 10, 2003

There are some people that we might consider to be a freak because of their disfigured appearance. Consider the story of John Merrick who was known more by his disfigured appearance and labeled as the "Elephant man". "John Merrick was born in Leicester, England in 1862. He suffered from a severe ...read more

Tags: Friendship New Friends, Forgiveness General, Compassion

Denomination: United Methodist

Those Who Don't Understand The Food That God ...  PRO

Contributed by Eric Stefanski on Aug 3, 2003

Those who don’t understand the food that God gives, those who don’t see how deep their need is for it, also consider the Gospel and Sacrament as ’fleeting’, and they seek some new ’rush’ in worship, desiring an emotional high, no matter how lacking in nutrition such a meal is. It’s like the ...read more

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Lutheran

I Think The Challenge Was Put Very Nicely By The ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 22, 2003

I think the challenge was put very nicely by the ’Sunday Times’ journalist Matthew Parris – a man, who by his own confession, is not a Christian. Parris wrote: ’The New Testament offers a picture of God, who does not sound at all vague. He has sent His Son to earth. He has distinct plans for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:45-46

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Anglican

I Think The Challenge Was Put Very Nicely By The ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on May 1, 2004

I think the challenge was put very nicely by the ’Sunday Times’ journalist Matthew Parris – a man, who by his own confession, is not a Christian. Parris wrote: ’The New Testament offers a picture of God, who does not sound at all vague. He has sent His Son to earth. He has distinct plans for each ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Anglican

That Skimming Torpedo!" Jonah 4: 1-11 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 23, 2004

“That Skimming Torpedo!” Jonah 4: 1-11 Key verse(s): 1: “But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.” Jealousy is different in another way. It is the one anger emotion that can be launched with a smiling face. We tend to put a lot of planning into it before we launch it. There is ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

Everyone Is Familiar With Sherlock Holmes, ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Nov 18, 2006

“ Everyone is familiar with Sherlock Holmes, his faithful companion Dr. Watson, and Holmes’s keen power of observation that solved countless crimes. Yet few of us know that Holmes thought deduction and observation were even more necessary to religion. Tucked away in "The Adventure of the Naval ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Denomination: Methodist

In ‘the Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe' ...  PRO

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 10, 2005

In ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ Edmund’s love for ‘Turkish Delight’ caused him to betray his family. He fell into the trap set by the Witch and since it tasted so good he became obsessed with getting more ‘Turkish Delight’. The temptation of luscious ‘Turkish Delight’ became stronger even ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:19, Matthew 5:7

Tags: Narnia

Denomination: Anglican

Build Me A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Build Me A Bridge A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish." The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:7

Tags: Marriage General

One Of The Great Paradoxes Of The Christian Faith ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 7, 2010

One of the great paradoxes of the Christian faith is that God wants us to talk to Him about everything that is going on in our lives, even though He already knows everything. So why pray? If you’ve ever wrestled with that question, perhaps the thoughts of the 19th-century preacher, R. A. Torrey, ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

The Culture Of Complaint  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2010

THE CULTURE OF COMPLAINT In 1991, Robert Hughes, an art critic, wrote a book called The Culture of Complaint. His thesis is that we live in a culture in which we perceive ourselves as being entitled to having all our wants and desires fulfilled. When that doesn't happen, we become "victims," we ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:1-21

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Not Pure Enough

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Feb 6, 2011

NOT PURE ENOUGH Back in the 1600's a man named Roger Williams who left England and came over to join the Puritans. He was a very gifted preacher and many churches asked him to come fill their pulpits. But Williams had one major flaw - an overwhelming desire to have purist doctrine he could manage. ...read more

Tags: Purity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Bone Or A Steak?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

A BONE OR A STEAK? Which is better, a bone or a steak? Think of it this way. It’s easy to give a dog a bone, but it’s almost impossible to take a bone away from a dog. Even our little Schnauzer, Betsy, the world’s friendliest dog, will growl at me if I try to take a bone away from her. But ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Testimony Of Charles Spurgeon  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

TESTIMONY OF CHARLES SPURGEON Charles Spurgeon, credited as the greatest preacher in the history of the English World, read a copy of Pilgrim’s Progress while plundering through his grandfather’s belongings. Through this book he became aware of his sinfulness and depravity. He carried this guilt ...read more

Scripture: John 3:14

Tags: Salvation

Go Back! You're Too Young

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2011

GO BACK! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG Wilbur E. Nelson told the story of his father who was the senior elder in his church for many years. He said: "When I was a boy, eleven years of age, an evangelist held a series of meetings in our church. One night he asked every Christian to come forward and also asked ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Tags: Children

What Is Not God's Will

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 7, 2011

WHAT IS NOT GOD'S WILL Sometimes we want things we know is not God's will. Jay Kesler wrote of a time when he caused an auto accident. He prayed that it did not happen, but it did. I know how the young Jay Kesler felt. I've done things that I wanted to undo and said things that I wanted to ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

I Want To Go Home

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 11, 2011

I WANT TO GO HOME Fred Smith, an influential Christian businessman was seriously ill in the summer of 2004. He was hospitalized, semiconscious, and not expected to live. Periodically he would mutter, "I want to go home, I want to go home." After an emotional family conference, the family ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

The Straightest Path  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 12, 2012

THE STRAIGHTEST PATH Two boys were playing in the snow one day, when one said to the other, "Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow." His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started. One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along without taking his eyes off ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-15

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

To Whoever Finds This...i Love You  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 19, 2012

TO WHOEVER FINDS THIS...I LOVE YOU Several years ago there was a girl in an orphanage. She was unattractive and had mannerisms that were not very attractive either, and so she was disliked and shunned by the other children and was not liked by her teachers. The head of the institution looked for ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:30-40

Tags: Kids, Child, Children, God's Love

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

C.s. Lewis On The Difference Between Heaven And Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2014

LEWIS: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL C. S. Lewis once provided a powerful image of the difference between heaven and hell. He described hungry people sitting at a huge banquet loaded with delicious food. Every person had a meter-long fork and knife attached to their hands (that’s about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Tags: Jesus Parables, Wedding Banquet, Heaven And Hell

The Rotten Egg

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: No matter how many good things you have done, one sin is enough to send you to hell. Verses: “There is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:12 NKJV). “For the greatness of your iniquity Your skirts have been uncovered, Your heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 13:22-23

Tags: Sin, Good Works

Denomination: Charismatic