In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus Is Light"

What Is The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2009

What is the Church? They tell me the story that long ago there was a small church, in a small town, in a small county, where a small congregation had tried for years to get the biggest “sinner” in town, Sam, to come to church. Sam the sinner would have nothing to do with the church. He wouldn’t ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Wycliffe Bible Translator Chet Bitterman's Death ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2009

Wycliffe Bible Translator Chet Bitterman’s Death Motivated Others for Missionary Service Jesus Himself said that the end would come only after the “gospel of the Kingdom” is “preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations” (Matthew 24:14). As His coming approaches, Jesus wants the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:14

Tags: Missions, Bible Translation

Everywhere I Look People Offer Me Rewards If I ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 29, 2010

Everywhere I look people offer me rewards if I buy this or shop at their store, or buy petrol at certain petrol stations. I am rewarded on my credit card if I buy a certain amount using their card. People at the Super Market ask me “Do you have a rewards Card?” Buy one get one free. We bought a ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unsung Heroines

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2011

UNSUNG HEROINES In Tom Brokaw’s book "The Greatest Generation Speaks," Veronica Mackey Hulick tells of her service during World War II. Veronica was 20 when she joined the Navy WAVES [Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service]. She and about 1500 other bright young women worked for hours at ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:35, Mark 9:33-35

Tags: Servanthood

You Can't Come In...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

"YOU CAN'T COME IN..." There was once a town drunk who gave his heart to Jesus Christ. He immediately stopped drinking and began to look for a church and had purposed in his heart that he would attend the first church he found. Determined to turn his life around he found a church and went in. He ...read more

Scripture: James 2:1-13

Tags: Hypocrisy

Love Is Face To Face

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 6, 2012

LOVE IS FACE-TO-FACE By Erwin Raphael McManus in SOUL CRAVINGS – PREQUEL, pp. 28ff: "I once met a girl named Kim, and I fell in love. I pursued her with my love and pursed her with my love until I felt my love had captured her heart. So I asked her to be my wife, and she said no." I could feel ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Galilee, Feeding 5000, Five Thousand

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Pressure, Heat And Agitation

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

PRESSURE, HEAT AND AGITATION Ever since the 1920s, Yoo-hoo has been making a permanent mark in the history of soft drinks. The story starts in the beginning of the 20th century, when the Olivieri family of New Jersey ran a small business producing Tru-Fruit flavors by squeezing fresh fruit. Mr. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-3

Tags: Stress

Denomination: Christian Church

The Pastor From ...

Contributed by Ken Pell on Mar 23, 2013

THE PASTOR FROM KENYA Ramez Attalah, general director at The Bible Society of Egypt, attended an international conference or Christian leaders in 1974. He was thrilled to be with top-notch leaders from around the globe—sharing and reading interesting papers on important subjects--but the most ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Nazarene

Covetousness And The Emperor's New Grove

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

COVETOUSNESS AND THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROVE In Disney's thirty-ninth animated film, "The Emperor's New Groove," self-proclaimed "King of the World" Kuzco (COOS-coh), who had an evil female advisor named Yzma (EEZ-muh), made plans to demolish an entire village to build a new water park. At the highest ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 21:1-29

Tags: Greed

A Lesson From A Pair Of Brothers

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 3, 2019

Scripture: Mat 18:1-3, NASB 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-3

Tags: Children, Wonder

Denomination: Baptist

The Only Thing Left Was The Sign

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 14, 2020

A number of years ago, I drove by a small shopping center in a Midwestern city. The display of signs stated there was everything from a bookstore to a pet shop to—my favorite—a hobby shop! I’ve been interested in model trains and aircraft for many years, and thought this would be a good place to ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:5

Tags: Forsaken Things, Closed Churches

Denomination: Baptist

Teach Discipline?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 18, 2021

PARENTS MUST LEARN AND TEACH WHAT GODLY SELF DISCIPLINE CAN DO FOR THEIR HOME AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN. COME LET US CONSIDER WHAT SELF DISCIPLINE CAN DO TO CHANGE THE VALUE OF ONE’S DAILY LIFE… (Unknown, adapted) Place a guitar in my hands and it is worth $300. Put a guitar in the hands of B.B. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 3:2-5, Exodus 4:2

Tags: Growth, Change, Effort

Denomination: Assembly Of God

What Mothers Cannot Do

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 19, 2022

I gave you life, but I cannot live it for you. I can teach you things but I cannot make you learn. I can give you directions but I cannot always be there to lead you. I can allow you freedom but I cannot account for it. I can take you to church but I cannot make you believe. I can teach ...read more

Tags: Mothers, Mother's Day, Parenting, Home, Education, Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Most Incredible Birthday Miracle

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 20, 2022

I heard a missionary from Brazil tell an amazing story of the faithfulness of God at an Evangelism Conference in Dallas several years ago. He said that there was a woman named Maria in his country who was an unbeliever who was celebrating her 30th birthday. On that day, she looked up to Heaven ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Missions, Prayer, Miracles, Testimony, Will Of God, Waiting On God, Faithfulness Of God, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ordinary Joe – An Unsung Hero

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 24, 2023

Ordinary Joe – An Unsung Hero There are many characters in the cast of the Christmas story that have gripped the Church’s imagination but there’s one that has rarely had a place in the spotlight. Joseph. There’s the Magi, exotic and somehow still gleaming in their silks after the long, dusty road ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:14-21, Luke 1:27, Luke 3:23-30

Tags: Angel, Christmas, Angels, Joseph, Simeon, Genealogy, Mary And Joseph  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Can I Get A Witness?

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Feb 23, 2024

Can I Get a Witness? Raised to Testify! Lazarus doesn’t have a recorded sermon in Scripture, but he had something just as powerful: a life that pointed to Jesus. In John 11, his very presence became a testimony that Christ is Lord over death. After Lazarus was raised, people didn’t have to be ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15, Mark 16:15, Jeremiah 1:7-8, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:9-17, Romans 1:15-17  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Witness, Friendship, Testimony, Witnessing, Lifestyle, Friend Sunday, Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Fear Does Not Mean Cowardice

Contributed by Saumiman Saud on Feb 21, 2025

FEAR DOES NOT MEAN COWARDICE My Father in Heaven, I feel sinful, sometimes I get angry because I'm accused of being a coward. Honestly, I sometimes feel afraid to fight back, but deep in my heart, I want peace and friendship, not conflict and hostility. Forgive me, forgive me, O Lord. In the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:33

Tags: Fear, Cowardice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[256]. A Message From A Poem – The Bride’s Song

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 8, 2026

[256]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE BRIDE’S SONG The Bride of Christ is the Church. It is also The Pearl of Greatest Price. Those who belong to Christ are members of the Church of the Bride. Not all who are in a church belong to the Church universal. Those redeemed members – truly saved – ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:20, 1 John 4:19, Revelation 19:7-8

Tags: The Church Is The Bride, The Song Of The Bride, Sing, The Bride Of Christ, Christian Poetry, Sing Praises, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

But Some Of Us Continue To Carry The Heavy Burden ...  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Feb 25, 2005

But some of us continue to carry the heavy burden of tying to be “good enough.” I heard a modern Parable that illustrates this. In the Parable, the driver of a wagon was on his way to market when he overtook an old man carrying a heavy load. Taking compassion on him, the driver invited the old ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Leader, Elder, Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Because The Time's Going To Come When You Will ...

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Mar 19, 2005

Because the time’s going to come when you will pass from this earth, and you will stand face to face with God. I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen at that point, but here’s one possibility. I’ve asked my daughter, Dani, to help me with this. Here’s what I think might happen: You’re ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Wesleyan