In Sermon Illustrations: "John 14 8 17 25 27"

Healing And Health

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Divine healing can be a touchy subject in the Church. Most will agree that it’s God’s intention or desire for His children to walk in health and wholeness. Do you agree? Also, we live in a fallen world. Do you agree? So, our bodies are caught in the middle. Why aren’t we talking more about how ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:19-20

Tags: Healing, Sickness, Fallen World

Denomination: Methodist

Power Of Forgiveness

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Our sins, transgressions, and iniquities can manifest in our physical bodies. In Matthew 9:2, Jesus tells a paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven. Take up your bed and go." He got up! In 30+ years of ministry, I have seen plenty of folks receive healing from physical problems caused ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:2, Ephesians 4:32

Tags: Forgiveness, Healing

Denomination: Methodist

Repent For Better Health

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 10, 2025

Since this is the season of Lent, it’s a good time to repent of the unhealthy habits we have developed over the years. That means we tell God: “You’re right, and I’m wrong.” That’s the beginning of repentance. Then we need to make a plan. There’s an old saying: Those who fail to plan, plan to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-6, Acts 3:19

Tags: Diet, Food, Repent, Health, Sleep, Exercise, Bible Reading  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Christ Died For You!

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

There’s an old saying: If you were the only one, Jesus would have still died on that cross. Here’s how a couple of folks put it: “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” St. Augustine of Hippo(354-430 AD) “When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Salvation, Personal

Denomination: Methodist

Be Careful Who You Accuse

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

Miss Abigale was the one church member sure to stick her nose into everyone’s business. One day, she accused George, a new member and a man of few words. She told him, in front of others, that he must be a drunk because his truck had been seen in front of the town’s only bar. George did not ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 6:16-19

Tags: Gossip, Revenge

Denomination: Methodist

Death By Crucifixion

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

This a medical description of what happens: DEATH BY CRUCIFIXION: SLOW SUFFOCATION 1 - Shallowness of breathing causes small areas of lung collapse. 2 - Decreased oxygen and increased carbon dioxide cause acidic conditions in the tissues. 3 - Fluid builds up in the lungs. Makes the situation in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:32-56

Tags: Crucifixion, Slow, Suffocation

Denomination: Methodist

Blood Of The Lamb

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

All the Passover lambs were killed by bleeding and the blood was collected in a bowl. Then, it was applied to the door on the two sides and the top. Exodus 12:7 “And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.” They had ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:7

Tags: Sins, Transgressions, Iniquities, Blood, Lamb  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

The Golden Calf

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

In Exodus 32, the people are complaining that Moses has been gone for too long. They go to Aaron and say, “Make us a god.” To this, Aaron replies, “NO WAY!” Not really, that’s what he should have told them. What really happened: Exodus 32:2 “ And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:2-6

Tags: Golden Calf, Fertility Idol, Idol

Denomination: Methodist

Modern Day Idols

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

Iniquities are on the inside. They are driving forces that manifest as sins and transgressions. In the Old Testament, idolatry was connected to the gods of those folks around Israel. Those gods had names like Baal and Asherah. These gods were worshiped by temple prostitutes and through the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:9-20, Jeremiah 10:1-16

Tags: Football, Idols, Ji Packer

Denomination: Methodist

Eating Ashes

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 6, 2025

In Isaiah 44:20, we read: “He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” The deceived heart is a word picture of iniquity. It’s on the inside, but it steers what happens on the outside. It’s like the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:20

Tags: Ashes, Pica, Steering Wheel

Denomination: Methodist

Jesus Loves Me—and I Love Jesus!

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 8, 2025

Sociology professor Anthony Campolo recalls a deeply moving incident that happened in a Christian junior high camp where he served. One of the campers, a boy with spastic paralysis, was the object of heartless ridicule. When he would ask a question, the boys would deliberately answer in a halting, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

Jesus Understands Us

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

If Jesus, "has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows,” then He understands what we are going through. Jesus understands our times of weakness. Jesus understands our times of fear. Jesus understands our times of worry. Jesus understands our times of doubt. Jesus understands our ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4

Tags: Fear, Doubt, Worry

Denomination: Methodist

Blood From Jesus' Brow

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

The Gospel of Luke gives us an accurate description of a very real and yet uncommon medical condition: hematidrosis. It occurs during times of great mental and emotional stress. There are tiny blood vessels that surround all our sweat glands, especially on our brows. When a person is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:39-44

Tags: Hematidrosis, Battle, Sins, Garden Of Gethsemane, Maundy Thursday, Transgressions, Iniquities  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Have To Die To Go To Heaven

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

Remember, all the bodies are going to die. Jesus had a body. What happened on the cross? He died. So will we. Amen – the end. That would be a terrible place to end a sermon but it reminds me of a Sunday School story. The teacher asked the children, “If I sold my house and car and gave all my ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:2, Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Heaven, Sunday School

Denomination: Methodist

For Thou Art With Me

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

In Psalm 23:4, we read: “4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” I often to talk to folks who are grieving the loss of a loved one to remember the “FIVE LITTLE WORDS” of Psalm 23:4 – For… thou… art… with… me. Jesus died so that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4

Tags: God With Us, Fear

Denomination: Methodist

The Reason For Evangelism

Contributed by John Bright on May 15, 2025

The Reason for Evangelism The “WHY” might be the most important missing part for choosing to not share a personal testimony and the Good News with other folks. I recently read the book, “Five Little Words to Change a Life,” by Nick and Rozanne Savoca (2022). Nick shares an experience that uses a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Evangelism, Prodigal Son

Denomination: Methodist

Installing Husband 1.0  PRO

Contributed by Kent Kessler on Aug 30, 2007

INSTALLING HUSBAND 1.0 Dear Tech Support, Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance -- particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. In addition, Husband 1.0 ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Agony Claws My Mind. I Am A Statistic. When I ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2001

Agony claws my mind. I am a statistic. When I first got here, I felt very much alone. I was overwhelmed by grief, and I expected to find sympathy. I found no sympathy. I saw only thousands of others whose bodies were as badly mangled as mine. I was given a number and places in a category. This was ...read more

Tags: Death Nearness, Death

Christianity Is In Its Very Essence A ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Apr 13, 2009

Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

No One Stands Taller In The Climb To Success ...

Contributed by Bradley Kellum on Sep 8, 2009

"No one stands taller in the climb to success than when he bends over to help up someone else." ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Baptist