In Sermon Illustrations: "In The Beginning"

Dare To Be Different

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT A number of years ago I was traveling in the western part of North Carolina, near the town of Bryson City. I had not had my license very long and had been given specific instructions by my family members concerning the road that I would find once I left the main highway. I was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12-14

Tags: Holiness

A Lot Of Christians Have A Tendency To Think That ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 9, 2009

A lot of Christians have a tendency to think that --- even though it was God’s Grace and Mercy that saved us --- now that we are saved, it’s all up to us to get on with the business of struggling to “live the Christian life” on our own power. We rev up our own dedication, will power, grit, and ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Lion And The Dog  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 24, 2011

THE LION AND THE DOG D.L. Moody one time saw a man beat his dog at a zoo one time because he was mad at him. He had made a bet and boasted about him being so obedient and when he tried to get the dog to so something he wanted, it wouldn’t do it and he lost his bet. He got so mad at that dog and ...read more

Scripture: Titus 3:3-7

Tags: Salvation

Six Thousand Years

Contributed by John Putty on Apr 14, 2011

SIX THOUSAND YEARS Early Christian writers held that at the end of 6,000 years of history, Christ would return and reign for 1,000 years (referred to as the Millennium). These included Barnabas (c. A.D. 100), Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (c. A.D. 150), Lactantius (c. A.D. 325), and Methodius, Bishop ...read more

Tags: Rapture

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Tozer: Salvation Demands Obedience

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jun 16, 2011

TOZER: SALVATION DEMANDS OBEDIENCE A. W. Tozer was a man of God who was troubled with the idea that Christian profession does not demand obedience to Christ. He said: "[Years ago] no one would ever dare to rise in a meeting and say, 'I am a Christian' if he had not surrendered his whole being to ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How Not To Achieve Virtue

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jul 4, 2011

HOW NOT TO ACHIEVE VIRTUE How do we move from vice to virtue? Let me tell you first of all how not to... Even ancient pagans, those who never heard the Bible, recognized that living in vice was deadly and destructive. They were far ahead of our modern culture that is foolishly accepting vices ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Lutheran

On Habits

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 7, 2012

ON HABITS Someone Once Said... * Thoughts produce acts, acts produce habits, and habits produce character.--Anonymous * If we realize the extent to which we are mere walking bundles of habits, we would give more heed to their own formation.--William James* * First we ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:2

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

Athanasius Contends For The Deity Of Christ  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

ATHANASIUS CONTENDS FOR THE DEITY OF CHRIST If Jesus is something less than God, he has no right and no power to forgive our sins. If Jesus can’t forgive our sins, we have no hope. Yes, the doctrine of the deity of Christ is worth contending for. And there is nobody God used more to contend for ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-9

Tags: Doctrine

We Are The World Was A Benefit Single For Victims ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 23, 2012

We are the World was a benefit single for victims of famine in Africa. It raised over $63 million, which was distributed to Ethiopia, Sudan, and other impoverished countries. On the morning of April 5, 1985 (Good Friday of that year), "We Are the World" received worldwide coverage. At 10:25 am, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-58

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Given The Farm  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2014

The story is told of a farmhand who had worked for a married couple for several years. As time went on, the couple grew older and older and they couldn't do as much they had and the farm was beginning to look a little shabby. The paint on the barn was peeling. The fences had holes in them and slats ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:14-17, Romans 8:14

Tags: Servanthood, Attitude General, Heirs Of God, Co-Heirs With Christ

Is Heaven Real?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

The Bible uses the word heaven 532 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word for "heaven" is shamayim and is plural meaning "heights," "elevations." It is found in the first verse of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" and in Gen 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Methodist

Marriage

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Feb 29, 2016

A story from Warsaw, Ohio, is catching some attention today (August 13, 2014). It seems the dancers at Foxhole nightclub decided to picket a church that had been hassling them for years. Apparently the members and pastor of New Beginnings Ministries felt called by God to try to rid their community ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:1-39

Tags: Sex, Intimacy In Marriage

Denomination: Baptist

Power For Holy Living

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2022

Ludwig Nommensen traveled to begin mission work with a tribe in southeast Asia. The village chief welcomed Ludwig and said, "You have 2 years to learn our customs and convince us you have a message worth hearing." After 2 years, the tribal leader asked the missionary how Christianity ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-47

Tags: Holy Spirit, Law, Obedience, Power

God Hears Our Singing With Ears Of Love

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Oct 16, 2022

Let me give you an illustration. It’s from the movie “The Music Man”. Have you seen that movie? “Ya got trouble, my friend, I say, trouble right here in River City.” In that movie, the con man Harold Hill has been selling band instruments, promising the townspeople that he will teach their children ...read more

Tags: Singing, Love

Denomination: Baptist

Who's In Charge?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 3, 2023

One of the most disturbing movies ever produced is Francis Ford Coppola’s classic reflection on the Vietnam War, Apocalypse Now. The film tracks an American officer who is sent upriver into the heart of the war-torn countryside in order to find and eventually assassinate a renegade commander who ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:1-17

Tags: Four Horsemen, God's Sovereignty, Apocalypse, Wrath

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Silent Night Holy Night

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Dec 20, 2023

"Silent Night" is one of the most beloved Christmas carols, known for its serene and tranquil melody. The story behind the song begins in the small Austrian village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg in 1818. The lyrics were written by Joseph Mohr, a young priest, and the music was composed by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:4-20

Tags: Stille Nacht, Silent Night Holy Night, Christmas, Christmas Season, Carols, Birth Of Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Crying In The Wilderness -Billy Graham Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 3, 2025

In 1948, ...a remarkable religious phenomenon occurred... in the United States. It began in a tent ... near Hollywood California, ...under the preaching ... of a young evangelist. The crowds were sparse at first ... but as the preaching continued, ... the crowds began to grow. At first, ... ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-7, John 1:19-21, Malachi 4:5, John 3:30, John 1:25, Deuteronomy 18:15-19  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptizing, Evangelism, Witness, Wilderness, Baptize, Crying  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Be Careful What You Smile About

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 20, 2021

Dr. James L. Snyder I am a student of smileology and have been just about all my life. If you can't smile at something, it's not worth thinking about. Of course, certain things in life are serious, but not that many. Too many people take everything seriously and ruin their life. These are ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-5

Tags: Humor, Facebook, Lockedout

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

And Then It’s Monday… Again

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 26, 2025

I'm not sure if it's just me getting old or something altogether different. Time seems to go by fast. My father used to say, "The older you get the faster time goes." I'm finally beginning to understand what he meant by that. At the time, I laughed at him and didn't ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-15

Tags: Time, Monday

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Gospel Perspective On Thanks  PRO

Contributed by Rex S. Wignall on Nov 28, 2002

The Gospel Perspective on Thanks Because of the great sacrifice Jesus made for each of us on the cross, Christians should have an additional, very personal perspective on thanks. Max Lucado shares this moving story of sacrifice to remind us what Jesus has done in giving His life for us: It’s ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: United Methodist