In Sermon Illustrations: "Influence For Christ"

First Step To ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

First Step to Spiritual Revival The need for turning to God has never been more urgent than today. The latest fads of social Christianity and religious programs have been unable to deliver Americans from their economic concerns, fear of terrorist attacks and moral decline. Many in America have ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 7:14-15

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Kurtis Warner: Christlike Love  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

KURTIS WARNER: CHRISTLIKE LOVE You never know when an encouraging act of kindness will bring about change in a person’s life for the better. In a supermarket, Kurtis, the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the intercom asking for a carry out at checkout register 4. Kurtis ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35

Tags: Christian Love

Airplane Traveler Who Knows His Bible Well, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 23, 2009

Airplane Traveler Who Knows His Bible Well, Finally Understands the Goal of the Gospel--To Know Christ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” *There is no eternal life in trying to keep God’s rules, because you can’t keep them ...read more

Scripture: John 17:3

Tags: Evangelism, Christian Witness

Auto Body Repair Ministry--I Have A Friend Back ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Feb 9, 2010

- AUTO BODY REPAIR MINISTRY--I have a friend back home, Michael. Michael is without a doubt a man with a call from Jesus Christ into ministry. Michael ministry is owning and running an auto body repair shop. Running an auto body repair shop may sound like the farthest thing there is from a church, ...read more

Tags: Workplace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gift Of Honor  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2011

GIFT OF HONOR Football practice was over, and Denny was sore from head to toe. Slowly he climbed the graffiti-laden stairway of the aging apartment building. Suddenly, his mother’s chilling screams pierced the cold, still air. He had heard the sound many times before. Still, a sickening knot ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12

Tags: Power Source, Forgiveness For Others

Grace And George Williams

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

GRACE AND GEORGE WILLIAMS Max Ellerbusch tells the story of the Friday six days before Christmas. He was working feverishly in his instrument repair shop so he could have all of the Christmas holiday at home with the family when the call came. His 5-year-old Craig had been fatally struck by a car. ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Methodist

Howard Hughes Vs. Jim Elliot

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

HOWARD HUGHES VS. JIM ELLIOT Howard Hughes' last years were spent in isolation, hidden on the top floor of the Xanadu Hotel in the Bahamas. One biographer wrote about Hughes' appearance before he died: "He was emaciated, practically skeletal, with only 120 pounds stretched over his six-foot, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-28

Tags: Discipleship

The Message Of The Straight Jacket

Contributed by Christopher Roberts (Barrister) on Jan 22, 2013

THE MESSAGE OF THE STRAIGHT JACKET Satan employs a number of tactics against us, which most often God uses for our greater good. One of those tactics is to place a straight jacket of circumstance upon us, something that we are unable to deal with ourselves. Such a straight jacket might relate to a ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Christian Church

Euodia And Syntyche - Conflict At Philippi

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 24, 2016

EUODIA AND SYNTYCHE We can’t help wondering what caused disharmony between two women in the church at Philippi, but we will not find the answer--only that Paul urged these women to live in harmony. That’s all we know. Yet until the Lord shall return, Bible-readers everywhere will know there was ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:2-3

Tags: Disagreement, Agree, Argument, Conflict

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Payment For The Parts

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 20, 2020

One of the worst things that could happen to anybody is a car accident. My oldest son had this happen recently. He was okay, just a few bruises, but the car was totaled. Not good. A day or so later, he and I went to the garage where the car had been towed. We took turns removing his personal ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:23

Tags: Salvage, Accidents, Recycling

Denomination: Baptist

A Collector’s Item?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 23, 2020

Hard to believe, but I may have a collector’s item! In my own house! Now, before you start sending me “Can I see it?” types of emails, maybe I should explain just what this “collector’s item” really is. Really, it wasn’t that much of a collectible, even from a couple of years ago. It’s only ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20, Colossians 3:2

Tags: Stewardship, Collector's Items

Denomination: Baptist

The Difference Maker

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Sep 16, 2020

My pastor, Wana Archer, tells about a time when he was a teenager and worked at a restaurant for .25 cents/hour. In this restaurant, there was a gambling machine that looked like a pinball machine. A player would deposit a nickel and get one shot to hit the jackpot or win some money. He noticed ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Obedience

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes-These Men Of Damascus Saved Saul’s Life!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 22, 2021

Text, Acts 9:23-25, KJV: 23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. Thoughts: ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:23-25, 2 Corinthians 11:32-33

Tags: Persecution, Saul Of Tarsus, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Joanna, Wife Of Herod’s Steward

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 22, 2022

Introduction: Joanna is only mentioned in two verses of Scripture. What she did for Jesus and the disciples truly shows she was an unsung heroine. Text: Luke 8:3, KJV: 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:3, Luke 24:10-11

Tags: Jesus, Joanna, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

The Answer To Death, Citation: Robert Russell, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Aug 1, 2003

[The Answer to Death, Citation: Robert Russell, "Resurrection Promises," Preaching Today, Tape No. 151.] Professional golfer Paul Azinger was diagnosed with cancer at age 33. He had just won a PGA championship and had ten tournament victories to his credit. He wrote, "A genuine feeling of fear ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Kids Were Lost And I Didn't Even Know It." ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Sep 16, 2003

“My kids were lost and I didn’t even know it.” ... When I was in school in Dallas my 2 kids 6 & 9, spent the afternoon with a pastor friend of mine Garris Baggett and his wife. Janet and I were at work and didn’t even know the kids had wandered off until we got home late that night. Evidently the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Baptist

Dr. Ronald Meeks, A Biblical Studies Teacher At ...  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Mcdaniel on Nov 15, 2003

Dr. Ronald Meeks, a Biblical Studies teacher at Blue Mountain Community College in Blue Mountain, MS, writes: I have not had the opportunity to travel much, but several years ago my dad won a trip to Italy through his business and he asked me to go along. A highlight of the trip was visiting ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

Tags: Creation, God's Forgiveness, God The Father

Some Time Ago I Saw A Travelogue On Television ...

Contributed by Ronald Keller on Nov 24, 2003

“Some time ago I saw a travelogue on television concerning a group of explorers who were searching in Africa for a vanishing tribe. In the course of their travels they came across some natives who for centuries had made their home on the banks of this one particular river. This in itself did not ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General, Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Love

Denomination: Nazarene

On The Evening Of April 25, 1958, A Young Korean ...

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Mar 29, 2004

On the evening of April 25, 1958, a young Korean exchange student, a leader in student Christian affairs in the University of Pennsylvania, left his flat and went to the corner to post a letter to his parents in Pusan. Turning from the mailbox he stepped into the path of eleven leather-jacketed ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Independent/Bible

In Conspiracy Of Kindness, Steve Sjogren ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on May 23, 2004

In CONSPIRACY OF KINDNESS, Steve Sjogren (pronounced “SHOW-GREN”) tells the true story of Joe Delaney and his eight-year-old son, Jared, who were playing catch in their backyard. “Jared asked, ‘Dad, is there a God?’ “Joe replied that he went to church only a few times when he was a kid; he really ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Friendship New Friends

Denomination: Methodist