In Sermon Illustrations: "Heavenly Places"

Predestination  PRO

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Mar 19, 2012

PREDESTINATION Rather than predetermining a person’s FATE, predestination predetermines a believer’s FOCUS—that is, God’s eternal purposes, goals and privileges for him. Every instance of the word “predestinate” in the New Testament refers to some purpose, goal or privilege that God has ...read more

Tags: Election

Denomination: Baptist

How Leprosy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2012

HOW LEPROSY WORKS According to the Jewish Encylopedia: Priests were in charge of the diagnosis of all diseases. They were not allowed to live in a community that didn’t have a doctor. Those who were diagnosed with the curable strain of leprosy had to appear before a priest every 7 days. Once ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 12:4-15

Tags: Affliction

A Father's Legacy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2012

A FATHER’S LEGACY Ken Hemphill tells the story of what took place at his church when he was pastor of FBC of Norfolk. He was out on the sidewalk welcoming people as they got out of their cars. About 3rd in line was a father & his teenage son. The father had a golf shirt on, and he evidently was ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Father's Day

Inspiration: Ten Feet At A Time

Contributed by Dave Clark on Dec 11, 2012

INSPIRATION: TEN FEET AT A TIME Being a provoker doesn’t mean you have to be a perfect person, it just means you have to be a person doing your best in the situations where you find yourself. Several years ago after a devastating California earthquake, the news camera panned a devastated ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:1

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ

There Was A Little Canadian Bird Who Decided Not ...

Contributed by Sylvester Fergusson on Jan 26, 2013

There was a little Canadian bird who decided not to fly south for the winter. "If other animals can stay," he reasoned, "why can't I?" Against the better advice of his elders, the little bird stubbornly decided to stay. Very soon, however, he realized his mistake. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:8

Tags: Preparation, Procrastination, Temptation Pride, Presumptiousness

Denomination: Adventist

Remove The Hate — Be Pure  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Mar 30, 2013

REMOVE THE HATE -- BE PURE "And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood (Hebrews 13:2)." Three years ago, Chris Simpson led a white pride march. Two years ago, he abandoned the white supremacist movement. This past April (2012), he was ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Nazarene

Praying To People

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 28, 2013

PRAYING TO PEOPLE Two young boys were spending the night at their grandparents. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers when the youngest one began praying at the top of his lungs. "I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE... I PRAY FOR A NEW PLAYSTATION... I PRAY FOR A NEW VCR..." ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Hilarious Baptism Experience!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 2, 2014

I remember the time I came to the platform to officiate in a formal wedding. I had just come out of the bathroom and didn't realize until I was in front of all those people that stuck to my shoe and trailing behind was an eight-foot stream of toilet paper I remember the time I looked down in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Baptism, Easter, Humor, Pastors

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In This Society Of Today People Are Fearful O...

Contributed by Chinita Richardson on Jun 22, 2016

In this society of today people are fearful of a lot of things. We are afraid to shake each other’s hands. Our cars, homes and work places are filled with sanitizing lotions of all brands. We are afraid to eat certain foods at certain times of the year according to what the trend is at the time. We ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9

Tags: Moses, New Life

Denomination: Methodist

Joy And Peace From A Child

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Dr. Bryant Kirkland, pastor of 5th Ave. Pres. Church in NY was traveling to do a series of sermons on the west coast. He needed time on that 3 hour flight to study and prepare, so he buckled down and let everyone near me feel the tension. His body language said, "Don't bother me, I'm a busy man ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Tags: Peace, Joy, Christ Child

Denomination: Methodist

Putting Away Childish Things

Contributed by Rick Boyne on May 6, 2018

When I was a little boy, I had a whole set of Tonka Toy cars, trucks, dump trucks, tractors, and even an excavator! It seems like we always had a pile of dirt to play in, or at the very least our gravel driveway. I could play with them in the mud; I could play with them in the garage; I could play ...read more

Tags: Maturity, Toys, Growing Up

Denomination: Baptist

"Example Of Ministry Team Work

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Aug 25, 2018

It is a story about the friends of Herman Ostry, who lived near Bruno, Nebraska, and what did for him. From what I was told, a number of years ago Herman purchased a piece of property and put up a barn. Thins went well until the nearby creek flooded and put the floor of Herman’s new barn under 29 ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9, Romans 16:1-2

Tags: Serve One Another, Team Work

Denomination: Lutheran

Dual Citizenship In The Kingdom Of God And The Kingdom Of Darkness?

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Feb 12, 2019

Try to imagine this. It is the year 1944 and Germany is at war with England. Now suppose you have dual citizenship in both Germany and England and you are living in Germany. How will you be treated? Conversely, suppose you have dual citizenship in both Germany and England and you are living in ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:4-10, Matthew 6:24, Romans 6:22-23, 1 John 1:6

Tags: Carnal Christian, Sinful Life, Holilness, Righteous Christian, Alive In Christ, Living In Sin, Living In Darkness, In Christ, Living In Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

A Story Of Adoption From India

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jun 24, 2019

In Bihar, India there is a man named Augustine Jubakumar. He leads a missions called Gospel Echoing Missionary Society. (Gems). In 2015 I had the privilege to visit India and teach in several bible schools and preach in several churches. GEMS includes schools, orphanages, bible schools, a hospital ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:4-7

Tags: Love, Salvation, Adoption

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Been In The Hog All The Time

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Aug 21, 2019

The elder son of an old farmer left home and traveled to New York. He went there to attend a notable Butcher’s College. After graduation, he returned home only to find his father in the middle of hog killing and cutting. He asked his father if he might help him. The father replied: son I’ve been ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, John 5:39, Acts 17:11

Tags: Faith, Baptism, Holy Ghost, Remission Of Sins, One Faith, One Baptism, Rightly Divide Word Of Truth, Cut It Out Right, All Kinds Of Cuts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Jesus Is Watching You!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 18, 2020

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shone his flashlight around, looking for valuables, and when he picked up a CD player to place in his sack, a strange, disembodied voice echoed from the dark saying, "Jesus is watching you". He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Honesty, Jokes, Omnipresence Of God, Jesus Is Watching

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Surrender

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 28, 2020

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. When the 101st Airborne was surrounded in WWII the Germans asked them to surrender. General Anthony McAuliffe replied, "Nuts!" The Germans tried to figure what that meant and while they ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:29

Tags: Ministry, Victory, Surrender, Defeat, Calling  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Hyperbole

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

I had to have a tooth removed last Thursday. It took me FOREVER to get an appointment. Once I got there and got back in the room where they were going to extract my tooth I felt like I was in an operating room not a dentist office. I remember back in the ‘80’s when I got two eye teeth removed they ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33, 1 John 4:7-9

Tags: Hyperbole, Stretching Truth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Conscience Or The Holy Spirit?

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

pilot vertigo: My Division Officer in the Navy was also a Naval aviator. On his way home from a mission over Afghanistan he got vertigo (a dizzy confused state of mind caused by the inner ear). His senses were confused. The biggest was his sense of flight. Which can be deadly when landing on an ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Tags: Feelings, Facts, What Is Conscience, What Is Holy Spirit

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Good Race

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Mar 7, 2021

Many years ago, I coached the High School Swimming team. I had several athletes that went to College on scholarships; but the athlete I was thinking about while I was preparing this sermon, went on to compete in Triathlons. A Triathlon is a 1 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride, and a 6 mile run. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:7

Tags: Freedom, Endurance

Denomination: Baptist