In Sermon Illustrations: "John 1:1-28:90"

The Culture Of Complaint  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2010

THE CULTURE OF COMPLAINT In 1991, Robert Hughes, an art critic, wrote a book called The Culture of Complaint. His thesis is that we live in a culture in which we perceive ourselves as being entitled to having all our wants and desires fulfilled. When that doesn't happen, we become "victims," we ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:1-21

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Le Crocodile

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010

LE CROCODILE Rene Lacoste, the world's top tennis player in the late 1920s, won seven major singles titles during his career, including multiple victories at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the French Open. His friends called him "Le Crocodile," an apt term for his tenacious play on the court. ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: *other

Ortberg On God's Presence

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 7, 2011

ORTBERG ON GOD'S PRESENCE John Ortberg’s quote about God’s Presence: "Now let us bring God into the picture. The reality with God is that we are never speaking or acting in his absence. The psalmist said, 'Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go to the ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christians Still Persecuted

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

CHRISTIANS STILL PERSECUTED * Last year (July 2009), Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo, a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City was told that she would help a doctor perform an abortion or be fired. Even though the hospital knew it was against her Christian values. * In September of 2009 at Pace ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:9-11

Tags: Persecution

The Kindness Of Abraham Lincoln

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Apr 13, 2011

THE KINDNESS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN Despite his busy schedule during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln often visited the hospitals to cheer the wounded. On one occasion he saw a young fellow who was near death. "Is there anything I can do for you?" asked the compassionate President. "Please write a ...read more

Tags: Kindness

Denomination: *other

De-Sanctified Churches

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2011

DE-SANCTIFIED CHURCHES Not too long ago, a real estate listing in Dallas had the simple headline: "Converted Church." In other words, what had once been a church facility is now somebody's house. The listing under the heading had this description: "The altar has been adapted for use as a granite ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Loved, To Be Love

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Apr 22, 2011

LOVED, TO BE LOVE One of the neatest gifts I've ever received was this little, hand towel. I was given this during my seminary commencement, and have cherished it ever since. The towel has a little saying on it: "Blessed to be a blessing" Isaiah 61:1. Isaiah 61:1-2 says: "The Spirit of the ...read more

Tags: Easter Maundy Thursday

Denomination: Lutheran

Lincoln Writes A Letter

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jul 24, 2011

LINCOLN WRITES A LETTER Despite his busy schedule during the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln often visited the hospitals to cheer the wounded. On one occasion he saw a young fellow who was near death. "Is there anything I can do for you?" asked the compassionate President. "Please write a letter to ...read more

Tags: Kindness

Denomination: Nazarene

Supreme Sacrifice

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2011

SUPREME SACRIFICE In January 2001, Seiko Sakamoto, a Japanese plasterer in a Tokyo subway station, fell into the path of an oncoming train. Lee Su Hyun, a Korean student in Japan, leaped down on the tracks to save Sakamoto. Both Hyun and Sakamoto were killed. This selfless act by the Korean ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:7-9, Hebrews 1:3-4

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

The Key Called Promise

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

THE KEY CALLED PROMISE In John Bunyan's great allegory, Pilgrim's Progress, the incident is related of how Christian decides to leave the Main Highway and follow another Path which seemed easier. But this Path leads him into the territory of Giant Despair who owns Doubting Castle. Eventually he ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:13-20

Tags: Promises Of God

Return To The Right Path

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

RETURN TO THE RIGHT PATH In one section of John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Christian and Hopeful are walking the King's Highway to the Celestial City. The path, once smooth and easy, becomes rough and hard. Then they come to an attractive place called Bypath Meadow. They climb over a fence into ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-28

Tags: Doubt

One Body To The Death

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

ONE BODY TO THE DEATH On February 19, 1945, near the end of WWII, 800 American ships amassed to assault the island of Iwo Jima with its two strategic air strips 600 miles south of Tokyo. The Marines had fought a total of 43 months in the Pacific in World War II and in this one-month assault on Iwo ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Once You Are A Christian, God Intends To Use You ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Once you are a Christian, God intends to use you for His goals. God has a MINISTRY for you in His Church and a MISSION for you in the world! Regardless of your job of career, you are called by God to FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN SERVICE! If you are not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse are ...read more

Tags: Samson

There Is A Delightful Scene In Prince Caspian, ...

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 14, 2008

There is a delightful scene in Prince Caspian, the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia Series. The children are trying to find their way to Caspian’s camp, and they come to the edge of a deep gorge. The way ahead isn’t clear, but then Lucy cries out, “Look! Look! Look!” “Where? What?” ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

One Of Our Good Friends Had The Unique Experience ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on May 9, 2008

One of our good friends had the unique experience of growing up as the son of a county sheriff. His father, who was the sheriff of Marlin County for many years, passed away last year. It was at this time that he told us of an incident which had happened many years before: A gentleman who had been ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Would You Consider Abortion...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jul 20, 2008

WOULD YOU CONSIDER ABORTION... Would you consider abortion in the following situations? (1) There’s a preacher and wife who are very, very, poor. They already have 14 kids. Now she finds out she’s pregnant with number 15. They’re living in tremendous poverty. Considering their poverty and the ...read more

Tags: Abortion

Denomination: Other

Jesus's Presence In The Ordinary

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Jul 22, 2008

JESUS'S PRESENCE IN THE ORDINARY Dr. Dale E. Turner writing for Health Action News in July 1993 tells an interesting story of John W. Gardner, founding Chairman of Common Cause. Turner quotes Gardner as saying that it is “a rare and high privilege to help people understand the difference they can ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Denomination: Salvation Army

Stephen Kuusisto Grew Up Feeling A Stigma About ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 5, 2008

"Stephen Kuusisto grew up feeling a stigma about being legally blind. For him, sight consisted of a kaleidoscope of shapes, colors, and shadows. Privately he would press his face close to the page of a book and memorize street names in an exhausting attempt to appear more able to see than he really ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Forgiveness Quotations

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

FORGIVENESS QUOTATIONS The late great English religious writer and philanthropist, Hannah More (1745 - 1833) once said: "Forgiveness is the economy of the heart...forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits." The late great American Protestant theologian, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Make Sure We Were Abiding

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

MAKE SURE WE WERE ABIDING Stuart Briscoe, author and long-time pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, tells about the time he traveled to Poland during the cold war. He was involved in several weeks of itinerant ministry, and one winter day his sponsors drove him in the dead of night ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13

Tags: Jesus Teachings