In Sermon Illustrations: "Hope deferred"

Never Sin!!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 30, 2020

john Wesley visited General Oglethorpe when he was governor of the colony of Georgia. The general mentioned an incident involving a man who had angered him and remarked, "I shall never forgive ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Mercy, Forgiveness, Sin, Judgment, Beatitudes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

General Douglas Macarthur Wrote: People Grow ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 11, 2004

General Douglas MacArthur wrote: People grow old by deserting their ideas. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest, wrinkles the soul. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubts; as young as your ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I'll Never Forgive Them

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 21, 2009

I'LL NEVER FORGIVE THEM The story is told about a man who went to John Wesley and said, "I can never forgive that person. Never." John Wesley replied, "Then I hope you ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Destroyed Temple Is No Longer Regarded As ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 18, 2010

"The destroyed Temple is no longer regarded as the place of God’s earthly presence. The Temple built of stone has ceased to express the hope of Christians; its curtain is torn forever. Christians [now] look toward the east, the rising sun. This is ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Catholic

Unexpected Answer

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 26, 2021

My sister didn’t do as well on her driver’s-ed test as she’d hoped. It might have had something to do with how she completed this sentence: “When the ______ is dead, the car won’t start.” She ...read more

Tags: Spiritual, Power, Leadership, Animation, Empowered, Fiath  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Unwanted  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Oct 30, 2000

Mother Teresea “We have drugs for people with diseases like leprosy. But these drugs do not treat the main problem, the disease of being unwanted. That’s what my sisters hope to provide. The sick and poor suffer even more from rejection than ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Church, Giving General, Poverty

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Elton Trueblood Wrote, "It Used To Be That ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 26, 2001

Elton Trueblood wrote, "It used to be that Christianity was a revolutionary faith that turned the world upside down. But today Christians sit in Sunday morning church services looking at their watches, wondering what time dinner will be served, or thinking about the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Church Purpose Of, Book Of Revelation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Lost Forever

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 19, 2004

An Englishman once remarked: You need not tell me there is no hell, for I already feel my soul slipping into its fires! Wretches, cease your idle talk about there being hope for me! I know I am lost ...read more

Tags: Hell

Denomination: Baptist

David Livingstone Once Said, "I Place No Value ...

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Nov 12, 2004

David Livingstone once said, “I place no value on anything I have or may possess, except in relation to the kingdom of God. If anything will advance the interests of the kingdom, it shall be given away or kept, only as by giving or keeping it I ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 31:25-54

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

Every Day Is The Best Day Of The Year. He Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Every day is the best day of the year. He is rich who owns the day. And no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded by fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Tomorrow is a new day. ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Saturday Night Live Had A Skit With Hans And ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Jan 23, 2009

Saturday Night Live had a skit with Hans and Frans, dressed in oversized stuffed sweatshirts to look like body builders with larger muscles. They would say (with a German accent), "We want to pump you up!" Some Christians live that ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal

Fans Of Jesus

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 5, 2013

FANS OF JESUS Fans of Jesus sooner or later find themselves exhausted. Fans grow tired or trying to maintain an outer appearance that doesn’t match an inner passion. They find themselves weary of trying to keep all the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:13-36

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Katie Fisher, 17, Entered The Madison County ...  PRO

Contributed by David Dewitt on Feb 4, 2001

Katie Fisher, 17, entered the Madison County Ohio Junior Livestock Sale hoping the lamb she had for sale would get a good price. For months Katie had been battling cancer. She had endured hospital stays and been through chemotherapy a number of times. Before the lamb went on the block, the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 49:22-24

Tags: Giving General, Compassion, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Church Of God

A Father's Forgiveness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2002

A FATHER'S FORGIVENESS In his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace , Phillip Yancey tells the story of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway grew up in a very devout evangelical family, and yet there he never experienced the grace of Christ. He lived a libertine life that most of us would call "dissolute"… ...read more

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son, Forgiveness For Others, Father's Day

Life Examples: Abraham: The Man Of Endurance ...  PRO

Contributed by Nathan Parker on Mar 10, 2007

Life Examples: Abraham: The Man of Endurance (Gen. 21:1-3) Call Abraham not only a man of faith (Gal. 3:9), but a man of endurance. The starting gun sounded when God promised Abraham a son in his old age, and Abraham "believed in the LORD" (Gen. 15:5-6). Buy a year came and went, and no child ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 21:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Depression Antidote

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

DEPRESSION ANTIDOTE Pastor and author Warren Wiersbe draws our attention to the 51 references of the writer (psalmist) to himself, his interests, desires, feelings, questions and plans. Wiersbe advises that a healthy antidote to depression is to stop looking at self and look at God; second, to ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

God Ain't Dead.

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

"GOD AIN'T DEAD." James DeLoach tells of a painting of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family's sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with ...read more

Tags: Christmas

One Way To Win: Bet It All

Contributed by Mark Eberly on May 12, 2009

ONE WAY TO WIN: BET IT ALL God has the answers that we need. I often see people not trusting in God and truly seeking His face. Worshiping with others and seeking out the answers that we are looking for is often done superficially. We show up once or twice and wonder why "church" doesn't seem to ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Church Of God

Disturb Us, O Lord  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 8, 2011

DISTURB US, O LORD Sir Frances Drake: "Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Christian Values

William Carey And His Crop  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Apr 20, 2009

WILLIAM CAREY AND HIS CROP William Carey arrived in India in 1793 with a burden to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who had never heard the name. For seven years he proclaimed the gospel message faithfully week after week, month after month, with not a single native of India converted ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Other