In Sermon Illustrations: "Hearts"

It Always Seems To Me That Christmas Is A Time ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"It always seems to me that Christmas is a time of magic. Each December we celebrate a Prince, the Prince of Peace, born in utter poverty. And the fact of his birth makes hearts turn warmest at the coldest time of the year...One of the great messages of this season is that its never too late to ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Thoughts On The Submission Of The Christian Wife

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 21, 2023

Means to follow your husband as he follows Christ. Intended to bless and protect the wife, not to enslave her. Does not mean that she is without voice in decision – making (Gethsemane). Never to be used by the man by force. Never to be used as an excuse for evil. Should always reflect the way ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Wives, Marriage, Leadership, Submission, Husbands  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Longer Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2009

LONGER LIFE Average U.S. life expectancy has risen to an all-time record of 78.1 years for babies born in 2006, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What’s more, the death rate for 11 of the top 15 causes of death (including heart disease, cancer and stroke) slowed in 2006. White ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:31

Tags: Aging

What Makes A Christian

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Sep 28, 2009

WHAT MAKES A CHRISTIAN "The true Christian desires less and less of the things and comforts and pursuits and goals of this world, and desires more and more the things that are eternal, that are pleasing to God, that are divine in nature. What do you witness in the people around you who claim to be ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Orthodox

William Temple's Definition Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 30, 2009

William Temple’s Definition of Worship In summing up how all this comes together in giving worship, William Temple said: The world can be saved by one thing and that is worship. For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Worship Definition

Who Shapes Who?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2009

WHO SHAPES WHO? Written by Irenaeus from the 2nd Century. From God’s Hands: "It is not you who shape God; it is God that shapes you. If then you are the work of God, await the hand of the Artist who does all things in due season. Offer the Potter your heart, soft and tractable, and keep the form ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:21

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

To Realize The Value Of One Year, Ask A Student ...

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 26, 2010

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade. To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the businessman whose flight was delayed an hour. To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask the man who had ...read more

Tags: Time

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Two Tombstones

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2010

TWO TOMBSTONES A tombstone in a small English village reads, "Here lies a miser who lived for himself, And cared for nothing but gathering wealth. Now where he is or how he fares, Nobody knows and nobody cares." In contrast, a plain tombstone in the courtyard at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Tags: Christian Love

A Few Need To ...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 7, 2010

A Few Need to Die Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong. (p. 30) It is unfortunate but true that sometimes the only way a ministry can move forward is by conducting a few funerals. A pastor friend of mine pleaded with his church board to build a new educational [building] to house an exploding Sunday ...read more

Tags: Sin Punishment Of

Denomination: Baptist

Monstrous Preaching

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Sep 11, 2010

"MONSTROUS" PREACHING In the 18th Century, Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntington invited the Duchess of Buckingham to come and hear George Whitfield preach. After listening to Whitfield, the Duchess wrote to the Countess of Huntington about the Gospel that Whitefield and his fellow "Methodists" ...read more

Tags: Pride, Arrogance

Denomination: Anglican

Raptured?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 16, 2014

Herbert Washington, whom co-workers at Significant Plastics Inc. say was unduly concerned with the rapture and the second coming of Christ, suffered a serious heart attack when co-workers pretended they’d been caught away without him. "We didn’t mean to scare him to death," said one woman. "He’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Second Coming, Rapture

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Creche And The Second Coming

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Marques Silva writes, “In college I was surprised when a close friend explained her family crèche. It wasn’t the style or the model that caused me to pause. It was the addition of a figurine that I had neither seen nor considered before. This particular set included not only the baby Jesus but an ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Second Coming, Creche

Denomination: Methodist

God's Sunlight

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Aug 28, 2021

How is it that the sunlight gives us such joy? Why does this radiance when it falls on the earth fill us with the joy of living? The whole sky is blue, the fields are green, the houses all white, and our enchanted eyes drink in those bright colors which bring delight to our souls. And then there ...read more

Scripture: James 1:17-27

Tags: Feeling God's Present, Not Feeling God's Presents

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Heaven, A Permanent Place  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Heaven, A Permanent Place Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Heaven, A Personal Place

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Heaven, A Personal Place Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bamboo Servant  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE BAMBOO SERVANT Once upon a time, in the heart of an ancient Kingdom, there was a beautiful garden. And there, in the cool of the day, the Master of the garden would walk. Of all the plants of the garden, the most beautiful and beloved was a gracious and noble bamboo. Year after year, Bamboo ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Boosegumps

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 13, 2025

Good morning, boys and girls. Have you ever felt something wonderful inside—like tiny happy bubbles that make you want to smile from the inside out? Not like bubbles in a 7-Up or soda can—these are bubbles that only your heart can feel. I call them Boosegumps. Now, if you were to go to a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:13

Tags: Service, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Conversion, Kindness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Trust

Contributed by Ken Henson on Nov 3, 2018

Proverbs 3:5-8 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding for support. 6 In all your habits acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight 7 Don’t look at yourself as wise—fear God and leave evil 8 It will bring health to umbilical cord and refreshment ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-8

Tags: Not Relying On Self, Belief, Trust, Relying On God

Denomination: *other

After 25 Years As A Missionary In Africa, Samuel ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jan 7, 2006

After 25 years as a missionary in Africa, Samuel Morrison was coming home on the same ocean liner that brought Teddy Roosevelt back from an African hunting expedition. The dock where the great ship pulled into New York Harbor was jammed with what looked like the entire population of New York City. ...read more

Tags: Appreciation, Heaven

Denomination: Pentecostal

In The Days When The Great Evangelist Moody Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Manuel Amparo on May 9, 2006

In the days when the great evangelist Moody was preaching in Chicago, a man, partially under the influence of liquor, seeing the warm lights of Moody’s tabernacle, staggered up the steps to the front door. Upon opening it, he saw no one within, but he did see the motto hanging above the pulpit: ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:16

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist