In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus Parables"

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

George Wilson Was Sentenced To Hang After He Was ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

George Wilson was sentenced to hang after he was convicted of killing a guard while robbing a federal payroll from a train. Public sentiment against capital punishment led to an eventual pardon by President Andrew Jackson. Unbelievably, Wilson refused to accept the pardon. Can you do that? The case ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ, Kill Sin

Scarab Beetles  PRO

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on Apr 29, 2008

SCARAB BEETLES Many people find beetles and bugs somewhat creepy, but if here’s one beetle in the world that could turn you into a beetle lover - the jewel scarab. Jewel scarabs live in the jungles of Honduras and have the shape of your regular Christmas beetle. But their colours are so dazzling ...read more

Scripture: John 3:3-21

Tags: Christmas, Jesus, Born Again

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

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

That's My King!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 20, 2022

THAT’S MY KING! “He’s enduringly strong, He’s entirely sincere, He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. He’s God’s Son. He’s a sinner’s savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He’s unparalleled. He’s ...read more

Tags: Jesus, King, Preachers, Lord

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

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

A Pastor Was Preparing A Christmas Message And ...  PRO

Contributed by Harold Miller on Dec 15, 2000

A pastor was preparing a Christmas message and fell asleep in his study at the church. He dreamed that he was in a world into which Jesus had never come. He walked out on the streets, but no church spires pointed to heaven. He was summoned by a weeping child to visit her dying mother, but on ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-11

Tags: God Brings Hope, Forgiveness In Jesus, Jesus Is The Way, Christmas Advent

Denomination: Mennonite

Infinitely Important  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Apr 25, 2001

INFINITELY IMPORTANT "Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be ...read more

Tags: Christianity, Cs Lewis, Apologetics General, Parable General, Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

By The Seeds You Plant  PRO

Contributed by Dru Ashwell on Dec 16, 2001

BY THE SEEDS YOU PLANT "Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:1

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed, Sharing Your Faith, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In The Film The Matrix, We Are Taken To The Year ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 6, 2002

In the film The Matrix, we are taken to the year 2199. The world has been taken over and is being run by AI: artificial intelligence. Harvested humans live in a computer generated dreamworld of artificial reality, never understanding that they are captives of an evil empire. But there are a few ...read more

Tags: Kingdom, Kingdom Of God, Parable Sower And Seed, Supernatural, Deception  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

With Our Arms About Their Knees  PRO

Contributed by Joseph Colebank Ii on Jan 19, 2005

WITH OUR ARMS ABOUT THEIR KNEES “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that…. The saving of souls, if a man has once gained love to perishing sinners and his blessed Master, wil be an all-absorbing passion to him. It will so carry him away, that he ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Parable Sower And Seed, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Baptist

You Are Grounded!!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

THE PRODIGAL SON'S RETURN... We were sitting in Church a few weeks ago while the minister delivered a sermon based on the timeless story of the prodigal son. When he got to the point where the father sees his son returning and races out to meet him, the minister said loudly and with ...read more

Tags: Parables, Prodigal Son, Jokes, Prodigals, Children, Parents, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seminary Students Who Would Not Stop To Help

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 20, 2022

In her book Kindness: Reaching Out to Others, Phyllis J. Le Peau relates this story: “Some seminary students were asked to preach on the story of the Good Samaritan. When the hour arrived for their sermon, each one was deliberately delayed en route to class. As the students raced across campus, ...read more

Tags: Parables, Hypocrisy, Levite, Good Samaritan, Jerusalem, Jericho, Priest  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Last Sermon D.l. Moody Preached

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 4, 2022

D.L. Moody was one of the greatest preachers in American history. On November 23, 1899 in the Civic Auditorium in Kansas City, Moody became very sick as he preached. “I must have souls in Kansas City,” he had told the students at his school in Chicago. “Never have I wanted so much to lead men and ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Faithfulness, Parables, Moody, Preach The Word, Great Supper  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Words "It Is Finished" Are Also A Cry Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Garth Wehrfritz- Hanson on Apr 11, 2003

The words “It is finished” are also a cry of victory in the sense that Jesus completed, he accomplished what God had sent him in this world to do. In this sense, it is like the athlete who enters a marathon race with the single-minded intention of both reaching the finishing line and coming in ...read more

Tags: Run Hard, Worry, Following Jesus, Jesus Christ, Easter Good Friday  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran