In Sermon Illustrations: "Hidden Agenda"

If There Is One Emotion That I Have Been Familiar ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Jun 3, 2008

If there is one emotion that I have been familiar with, it is anger. I lived with anger for most of my childhood and teenage years. It became quite comfortable and familiar so much as that most other responses such as disappointment and fear became masked by my anger. Now what I am telling you ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Church Of God

Deprived Of God's Light

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

DEPRIVED OF GOD’S LIGHT I was reading in one of the CIA espionage or spy books I love to read, and the writer was discussing the strange effects we suffer when we are deprived of sunlight during the winter months. Drs. Michael Terman and Jamie Rifkin wrote: "During the cold war with Russia, B-52 ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

The Lamp Under The Bed  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Feb 25, 2013

THE LAMP UNDER THE BED I heard about a couple who received a set of two horrible bedside table lamps as a wedding present from a distant aunt. Since the lamps were so ugly, this couple didn't want to actually use them, so they put them in storage and bought a nicer set themselves. That worked for ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Life You've Always Wanted, John Orteberg ...  PRO

Contributed by Chip Monck on Feb 15, 2005

The Life You've Always Wanted, John Orteberg writes; Sometime ago I was giving a bath to our 3 children. I had a custom of bathing together, more to save time than anything else. I knew that eventually I would have to stop group bathing, but for the time being it seemed efficient. Johnny was ...read more

Tags: Worship Definition

Denomination: Wesleyan

But Proffering Our Physical Lives As Living ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Aug 11, 2009

But proffering our physical lives as living sacrifices, we get the benefit of living life to its fullest because we are in agreement with God as to priorities and purpose. We aren’t really giving up our lives. We are learning to stand beside ourselves and see ourselves as God sees us. We see our ...read more

Tags: Faith, Sacrifices

Denomination: *other

Difficult People Are Like Tools  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 25, 2010

Difficult People Are Like Tools Some difficult people are like the tools in your tool shed: A. Measuring tape: These people always let us know that we don’t quite measure up. These perfectionists feel compelled to set the standards for everyone else. In short, they judge by their own ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Chuck Swindoll Tells About A Couple Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Aug 14, 2001

ILL. Chuck Swindoll tells about a couple who went into a crowded fried chicken franchise & ordered a picnic box to go. In the rush of business a clerk accidentally handed them the picnic box in which the manager had hidden the deposit he was about to take to the bank. Fearful of being robbed, he ...read more

Tags: Government

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

At One Time, There Was A Young Man Who Was A ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Apr 10, 2002

At one time, there was a young man who was a friend to many with musical abilities and talents. It was unfortunate that he was not musically talented as they were. You would think the story ended there, but it did not. This young man had a talent that was somewhat hidden from his peers and even ...read more

Tags: God's Holiness, Gifts General

Denomination: United Methodist

I've Been Reading The Book By Don Richardson, ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Jun 24, 2003

I’ve been reading the book by Don Richardson, "Eternity In Their Hearts." In the book, Richardson tells of how God implants His plan for mankind’s eternity into their culture. In one section, he wrote about the difficulty missionaries had in communicating the good news of Jesus Christ to the ...read more

Tags: God The Father

Denomination: *other

In An Interview With Robert Morse He Talked About ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 5, 2006

In an interview with Robert Morse he talked about his resentment for a particular period of his ministry. Robert and his family were missionaries to Burma. During this period, he and his family were kicked out of Burma. Some of the children were sick, and one lady was about to have a baby. ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ready Or Not, Here I Come!

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 2, 2007

Ready Or Not, Here I Come! As children we used to play a game called “Hide and Seek.” The object of the game was for someone to be “It” while the others ran to hide. Whoever was “It” had to hide their eyes, count to a predetermined number, and then go and find all the hiders. The hiders, meanwhile, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Real Treasure  PRO

Contributed by Richard Goble on Dec 30, 2007

Real Treasure An old farmer who was about to die called his two sons to his bedside and said, "My boys, my farm and the fields are yours in equal shares. I leave you a little ready money but the bulk of my wealth is hidden somewhere in the ground, not more than eighteen inches from the surface. I ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Why Circumcision? Why Not A Tattoo On The Arm Or ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Apr 10, 2010

WHY CIRCUMCISION? Why not a tattoo on the arm or something similar? Circumcision was a hidden sign. It seems to me it has something to do with the promise of Abraham having many descendants, being fruitful and multiplying. The sign reaffirms God's promise right at the very place where the sexual ...read more

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Yanov Torah

Contributed by Perry Greene on Mar 13, 2013

THE YANOV TORAH During World War II, Jewish inmates of the Yanov labor camp in occupied Poland defied their Nazi guards, secretly conducting religious services inside their darkened barracks. To observe their ritual, the Jews had cut religious scrolls into sections, bound the parchment pieces ...read more

Tags: The Word, Bible Study, Scripture

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Honey Bee — Mr. Burger

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 27, 2006

Honey Bee - Mr Burger Instinctive behaviors can be extremely complex even in relatively simple animals, for example, the remarkable navigational and communication skills possessed by honey bees. A worker bee may fly a quarter of a mile or more from the hive in search of flowers that are a good ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

An Industrial Titan Remembered His Farm Boyhood. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

An industrial titan remembered his farm boyhood. It was his chore to go to the barn in the dark to secure the farm animals before the family bedtime. He dreaded what lurked in the shadows on the way to the distant barn. His father gave him unforgettable advice. The lantern from the farmhouse would ...read more

Tags: Workplace Evangelism

Hiding The Word Of God

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jan 10, 2012

HIDING THE WORD OF GOD During World War II, Jewish inmates of the Yanov labor camp in occupied Poland defied their Nazi guards, secretly conducting religious services inside their darkened barracks. To observe their ritual, the Jews had cut religious scrolls into sections, bound the parchment ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Mystery

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

Paul talks about a Mystery hidden in God. Let me tell you about a great mystery story: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Senior, was a doctor. As such he was very interested in the use of ether. In order to know how his patients felt under its influence, he once had a dose administered to himself. As he was ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:26-27

Tags: Mystery, Mystery Found

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Parallels Between Jesus And The Manna In The Wilderness

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 18, 2024

The manna that fell in the Wilderness can be compared to Christ in 5 specific ways: CAME FROM HEAVEN: Manna, as described in the Old Testament, serves as a symbolic representation of Christ. Let me explain further. Heavenly Origin: Manna was a miraculous food provided by God to sustain the ...read more

Tags: Christ, Bread Of Life, Manna, Typology

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"the Reflection Of Light"

Contributed by Jessie Manuel on Feb 24, 2025

Imagine a light bulb illuminating a dark room. When you first turn on that light, it overwhelms the darkness and reveals details that were previously hidden. In many ways, this is akin to how the glory of God transformed Moses. Now, consider a moment when you’ve been outdoors on a sunny day, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 34:29-35

Tags: Transformation, New Beginnings

Denomination: Methodist