In Sermon Illustrations: "Heavenly Things"

God "Subdues" Our Sins

Contributed by Charles Jones on Apr 11, 2013

GOD "SUBDUES" OUR SINS The word "subdue" is such a powerful word. In the Hebrew, it is the word "kabash" (kaw-bash) meaning to "tread down, disregard, conquer, bring into subjection". The Hebrew word for "cast" is "shalak" (shaw-lak) which means "to hurl, to throw away". What an amazing ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Following What You Can't See

Contributed by Richard Wimpey on May 19, 2015

Last year I atteneded a miracle league softball game that my grandaughter Addie was playing in. It was amazing to watch all the children with disabilities play ball. Many of the parents would tell the kids when to swing the bat to help them connect with the ball. As one little girl hit the ball I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:28-29

Tags: Holy Spirit, Blind Faith, Blind

Denomination: Baptist

The Intruder

Contributed by James Dorman on May 11, 2017

One night I was certain that I was about to become the victim of a home invasion. Something had awakened me. I heard a strange noise and became even more alert. As I slowly looked around with my heart thumping I saw him! He was standing there looking at me. I wasn’t sure what to do. I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:6-7

Tags: Fear, Perception

Denomination: Baptist

The Billionaire’s Happiness

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

Jack Ma has a lot to be happy about. He is the founder and executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, a tech company in China. Among the things going his way: - His company went public in September 2014 and its worth shot up to $25 billion. - He is the richest man in China. - His company is the ...read more

Tags: Money, Wealth, Contentment, China

Denomination: Baptist

We Saw Your Smoke Signal!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

I read a story about a shipwreck. When the sole survivor reached a small, uninhabited island, he prayed for God to rescue him, but help didn't come. Eventually he built a hut out of driftwood for protection from the elements. One day he returned from scavenging for food and found his hut in ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Will Of God, God's Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Humanism

Contributed by Richard Tow on Nov 17, 2020

"During the construction of Emerson Hall at Harvard University, president Charles Eliot invited psychologist and philosopher William James to suggest a suitable inscription for the stone lintel over the doors of the philosophy department. After some reflection, James sent Eliot a line from ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:20, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Jude 1:25, Ephesians 3:21, 2 Corinthians 10:17, Romans 16:27, Psalm 8:4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Glory, Man, God, Doxology, Glorifying, Perspective, Pride, Worldview, Orientation, Humanism, Boast  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Losing

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 13, 2021

Read a book by Pat Conroy entitled My Losing Season. In that book Conroy recounts the season in 1967 when he played point guard for the Citadel college basketball team. In his book Conroy contrasts the lessons from winning from those learned from losing. “Winning,” he writes, “makes you think ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:35, John 12:23-33, John 12:25

Tags: Character, Winning, Losing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Marriage Insight

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 15, 2021

Destructive to marriage is the self fulfillment ethic that assumes marriage and the family are primarily institutions of personal fulfillment, necessary for us to become whole or happy. The assumption is that there is someone just right for us to marry and that if we look closely enough we will ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-33

Tags: Relationships, Love, Marriage

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Remember When I Was A Young Marine Going ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Apr 14, 2007

I remember when I was a young Marine going through basic training in San Diego, California. One of the most challenging parts of the training was a several mile hike wearing full equipment with a rifle and a rucksack (backpack) in excess of 26 pounds, which culminated in climbing to the top of a ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

I'm Going To Tell You A Metaphoric Story Based ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2007

I’m going to tell you a metaphoric story based upon a metaphor written by Silvia Hartmann. There was a merchant ship at sea. It was a beautiful day. The sea was calm, the sun was warm, and the breeze was full and refreshing. A nor’easter blows and a storm engulfs the ship. The Captain looks to ...read more

A Few Blocks Below My College Was A Restaurant ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on May 11, 2007

A few blocks below my college was a restaurant that served only breakfast – and it was a great breakfast, cheap. What made this breakfast unique was that, except for the manager, everything was handled by mentally handicapped folks. They were the cooks, the waiters and waitresses, the busboy, the ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

World Renowned Evangelist Luis Palau, Shares ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

World renowned evangelist Luis Palau, shares this personal testimony in his sermon “Go to the Ends of the Earth.” “My family and team have gone to over sixty countries declaring the glory of God. When I first went to the Muslim-, Hindu-, and Buddhist-majority nations, I trembled to do the right ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Reader's Digest Told Of A Factory Worker Who ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Reader’s Digest told of a factory worker who refused to sign up for group insurance. The problem was no policy could be issued until all employees signed up. Yet he held out stubbornly. The foreman begged him to sign; the shop foreman pleaded with him; the plant superintendent and general manager ...read more

Tags: World Religions

Mary Crowley Lived In The 1930s – The Time Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Mary Crowley lived in the 1930s – the time of the Great Depression. Her husband left her with a young daughter to raise. Nobody told Mary she couldn’t get a job during the Depression, so she went out and got one. In time she founded a very successful company called Home Interiors and Gifts, and ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Management, Boss

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Illustration- Management, Boss A man entered a pet shop, wanting to buy a parrot. The shop owner pointed out three identical parrots on a perch and said, "The parrot to the left costs 500 dollars." "Why does that parrot cost so much?" the man wondered. The owner replied, "Well, it knows how to use ...read more

Tags: Knowing God's Will

A Newspaper Columnist Named George Crane Told ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A newspaper columnist named George Crane told once of a woman who was full of hatred toward her husband. Someone counseled the woman to act as if she really loved her husband, to tell him how much he meant to her, to praise him for every decent trait, to be kind, considerate, and generous whenever ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Ted Engstrom Gives A Succinct Definition Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Ted Engstrom gives a succinct definition of integrity: Simply put, Integrity is doing what you said you would do. It means you keep your promises. When you promised to be faithful to your mate, integrity says you’ll stay with that person no matter what -- for better or for worse, for richer or ...read more

Tags: Faith

June 11, 2001, Timothy Mcvey, The Home-Grown ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

June 11, 2001, Timothy McVey, the home-grown terrorist who bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was executed. His final statement to the world was this poem. As he faced his executioner, he still wanted the same thing Adam and Eve wanted. To be master of his own fate—captain of his ...read more

Tags: Apologetics The Bible

Have You Ever Lost Something? Not Just Misplaced ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Have you ever lost something? Not just misplaced something – have you ever really lost something? I know most of the time when I lose something – I can’t find my wallet, can’t find my keys – I usually yell for my wife. She’s the best at looking and finding stuff. I lose things she finds them – it ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

During The Battle Of Waterloo, A Man Stood On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

During the Battle of Waterloo, a man stood on top of a great cathedral in London. He was like a man who stands on an aircraft carrier, and holds signal flags. The whole city of London was anxious to know how things were going. All were wondering if the Duke of Wellington could defeat Napoleon. The ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ