In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus Forgives"

"Knowing" Christ  PRO

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jan 6, 2013

"KNOWING" CHRIST In today's world of Smart Phones, tablets and instant Internet access, there are many things that we can "know." If someone asks the questions, "how long is the Verrazano Bridge," a nimble person with a 4 G connection and an Iphone can ask Siri, "How long is the Verrazano ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:10

Tags: Jesus Christ, Knowing God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cotton Pickin' Son Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

We were having our weekly AWANA meeting at our church when something really funny happened. The children were sharing their Bible verse for the week -- John 3:16. One of our little boys was struggling with remembering the words. He was asked, "Can’t you remember John 3:16?" The boy struggled to ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-18

Tags: Jesus, Salvation, Bible Study

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Does Your God Bleed?  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 4, 2014

DOES YOUR GOD BLEED? A little boy went up to a missionary Sunday School leader in another country. The boy said, "I like what you say about the God of the Bible but I can’t see him. But if I go to the temple I can see my God." The missionary said to the little boy, "Son, may I ask you a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Salvation, Cross, Blood Of Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Is Dead, But I Spoke To Him This Morning!

Contributed by Silas Eke on Feb 28, 2015

Once Billy Graham was challenged when giving a message on the reality of God and His Son Jesus Christ; somebody said to him. “Hi, Billy, you talk very much about God as if He lives. He is dead. He has no more power in the affairs of men.” ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-28

Tags: Christ's Death, Jesus Is Alive

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Infinite Can Penetrate The Finite!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 1, 2016

Herbert Spencer, one of the popularizes of agnosticism over a century ago, observed accurately that a bird has never been known to fly out of space. Therefore, he concluded by analogy that it is impossible for the finite to penetrate the infinite. Even if God does exist, we can never know Him ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Jesus, Creator, Infinite, Agnosticism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Einstein Was So Brilliant

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 19, 2016

WHY EINSTEIN WAS SO BRILLIANT "As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.... ..No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-17

Tags: Jesus, Wisdom, Atheism, History

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dr Cephas Mashiyach

Contributed by Dr. David Hallum on Sep 28, 2016

Dr Cephas Mashiyach Suppose I were to tell you about a fabulous preacher that I encountered by the name of Dr Cephas Mashiyach? The power of his preaching and his dynamic sermons is unsurpassed. People come from miles around everywhere he goes. Then I told you that Dr Mashiyach was available to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:1-26

Tags: Rejection, Rejection Of Jesus, Acceptence

Denomination: Baptist

Grab The Rope

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Aug 1, 2018

Main Idea: To be saved, you must let go of what you are trusting in and grab onto Jesus. Verse: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:30-31 NKJV). Illustration: One time there was a man who ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:30-31

Tags: Trust In Jesus, Faith, Salvation

Denomination: Charismatic

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

Unsung Heroines-Anna The Prophetess

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 24, 2022

Introduction: Only a few women were considered true prophetesses in the Bible. Isaiah’s wife was called one of these (Isaiah 8:3), and Miriam, Moses’ sister, was another (Exodus 15:20). Deborah was not only a judge, but also a prophetess (Judges 4:4) and Huldah was the prophetess who gave Josiah’s ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:36-38

Tags: Jesus Christ, Anna, Prophetesses

Denomination: Baptist

The Wave

Contributed by Gregory Artz on Nov 5, 2022

In elections there is a term “The Wave”. This term means that a large change is coming, and one side is going to have substantial losses in the upcoming election. In the news you will hear about an upcoming “Blue Wave” or a “Red Wave”. However, as Christians, we will choose to trust in the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:20, Matthew 8:23-27

Tags: Heavenly Citizenship, Sovereignty Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

You Cannot Swim To Hawaii

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 20, 2024

If you put three swimmers on the coast of California and ask them to swim to Hawaii, the Olympic swimmer might swim 500 miles before she dies. The second swimmer might be a good swimmer and swim 25 miles before he dies. The last swimmer does not know how to swim very well and swims only one mile ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 29:29, John 8:58, Matthew 25:31-33

Tags: Jesus Is The Way, Other Religions

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Unwanted Items-The Unwanted Salary

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 11, 2025

Unwanted items-the unwanted salary Introduction: Have you ever been so angry with your employer that you threw your pay away? Something like that happened in the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20)! (Full disclosure: Sermon Central has previously accepted a message on this text in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-15

Tags: Jesus, Money, Unwanted Things

Denomination: Baptist

There Is A Story About A Little Girl Who Proudly ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

There is a story about a little girl who proudly wore a shiny cross on a chain around her neck. One day she was approached by a man who said to her, "Little girl, don't you know that the cross Jesus died on wasn't beautiful like the one you're wearing? It was an ugly, wooden thing." To which the ...read more

Tags: Jesus, Children, Change, Sanctification

[078]. A Message From A Poem – Failure Leads To Hurt And Sorrow

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 12, 2025

[078]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FAILURE LEADS TO HURT AND SORROW This poem was written one Sunday morning while waiting for a church service to start. It flowed quickly. It was around the time I was speaking on a series in the life of Peter. Identify yourselves if you have never failed the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-10

Tags: Hurt, Forgiveness, Sin, Failure, Sorrow  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Strength Won't Do It

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 30, 2011

STRENGTH WON'T DO IT My Dad died in Dec 04. He was the strongest man I ever knew...he was the most honest man I ever knew….he was a good farmer...good mechanic ...good Dad...good husband...but he wasn't strong enough to defeat death. If I could write down the good deeds my Dad done in his life on ...read more

Tags: Sin, Work, Judgment, Saved, Forgive  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Five Thousand Fishes And Two Thousand Loves?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

• A young preacher graduated from Bible College and was invited back to his home congregation to preach a sermon. He wanted to make a good impression. He did his best to prepare to preach to his home church. He wrote his sermon word for word and memorized it. He had a very dramatic beginning to the ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-14

Tags: Jesus, Miracles, Sermons, Preacher Jokes

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Day A Young Minister Was Being Escorted ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Jun 4, 2005

“One day a young minister was being escorted through a coal mine. At the entrance of one of the dim passageways, he spied a beautiful white flower growing out of the black earth. ‘How can it blossom in such purity and radiance in this dirty mine?’ the preached asked. ‘Throw some coal dust on it ...read more

Tags: Holiness, Forgiveness General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Methodist

Trading Places

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 7, 2014

Several years ago, a Baptist camp in Texas was having the annual softball game between counselors and campers on the last day of church camp. The teams divided up and went at each other. After the game started, a teenager in center field chased a long fly ball and hurt his ankle. His pastor was ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Tags: Atonement, Forgiveness, Cross, Blood Of Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Next Time You’re In An Airport Notice The ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Feb 1, 2001

Next time you’re in an airport notice the difference between passengers who have confirmed tickets and those on standby (Hybels, Too Busy Not to Pray 113). Those who have confirmed tickets are relaxed, their confident and expectant. Those on standby hang around the ticket counter, they pace and ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-16, Genesis 4:1, 1 John 5:11-13

Tags: Faith, Confusion, Assurance Of Salvation, Born Again, God Brings Hope, Forgiveness In Jesus, Uncertainty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational