In Sermon Illustrations: "John Updike" showing 541-560 of 4,145

D. L. Moody Was A Great Evangelist Of His ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Burkey on May 23, 2005

D. L. Moody was a great evangelist of his generation. Think Billy Graham, and you begin to get an idea of his impact. He made this observation about eternal life, "Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25-26, John 11:18-27

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Lutheran

As A 5 Year Old I Would Pretend To Fall Asleep ...  PRO

Contributed by James Doyle on Aug 22, 2005

As a 5 year old I would pretend to fall asleep during the evening worship service! If I did, I knew my dad would carry me home. I would do this becasue we walked to and from church. It was about 1 each way. Being little wasn’t my problem. The length wasn’t my problem. I enjoyed the walk ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, John 14:1-10

Tags: Funerals Christian

Denomination: Baptist

Unfinished Flower Beds! (09.19.05--Grace ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 15, 2005

Unfinished Flower Beds! (09.19.05--Grace Walks!--John 17:17) When we purchased Beech Springs years ago, we arrived in a valley that was purposed by trees, trees and more trees. There was little lawn because the trees shaded it out. The trees fenced in the house and driveway so that there was scant ...read more

Scripture: John 17:17, John 17:6-19

Tags: Peace, Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran

As I Was Growing Up One Of My Favourite Books Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Oct 31, 2005

As I was growing up one of my favourite books was ‘The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.’ I can’t wait for 9 December 2005 when the new film hits our screens! (UK) Early on in the book I remember that Lucy finds her way to a fantasy world called Narnia. She meets a fawn called Tumnus, and while ...read more

Scripture: John 12:46, John 8:12

Tags: Narnia

Denomination: Anglican

The Branch Of The Vine Does Not Worry, And Toil, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2006

"The branch of the vine does not worry, and toil, and rush here to seek for sunshine, and there to find rain. No; it rests in union and communion with the vine; and at the right time, and in the right way, is the ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5-8, John 15:4-10

Tags: Jesus Christ

Some Years Ago A Christian Farmer Was Deeply ...  PRO

Contributed by Jimmy Chapman on Nov 12, 2006

Some years ago a Christian farmer was deeply concerned over an unsaved carpenter. The farmer sought to explain how that the finished work of Christ was sufficient for his soul to rest upon. But the carpenter persisted in the belief that he must do something himself. One day the farmer asked the ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30, John 19:26-27

Denomination: Baptist

Don Richardson Spent Several Frustrating Years ...  PRO

Contributed by John Weeks on Dec 9, 2006

Don Richardson spent several frustrating years among the Sawi tribe in New Guinea. He had come from America as an anthropologist/missionary, hoping to bring the Christian message to a nearly stone-age tribe. But his message kept colliding with the tribe’s unusual beliefs. Christian values of love ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, John 3:16

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Noted Chinese Christian, Watchmen Nee, Had ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 14, 2006

The noted Chinese Christian, Watchmen Nee, had this to say about knowing truth: “The normal Christian life must begin with a very definite ‘knowing,’ which is not just knowing something about the truth nor understanding some important doctrine. It’s not an intellectual knowledge at all, but an ...read more

Scripture: John 18:28-38, John 14:6

Denomination: Baptist

Jingle Bells  PRO

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Dec 23, 2006

JINGLE BELLS The two of them were best friends in seminary, studying together, helping each other financially when one or the other got in a pinch, they stood by each other through thick and thin. When they graduated from seminary both coincidentally received a church call within the same state: ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, John 14:1-3

Tags: Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Three Boys In The School Yard Were Bragging About ...  PRO

Contributed by Dale Johnsen on Dec 28, 2000

Three boys in the school yard were bragging about who had the better father. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, and they give him $100." The second boy says, "That’s nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16, John 3:1-36

Tags: Humility, Gifts Prophecy, Workplace

Denomination: Baptist

Many Years Ago Charles G. Finney Was Preaching In ...  PRO

Contributed by John Dobbs on Mar 2, 2001

Many years ago Charles G. Finney was preaching in Rochester, New York. Far up in the balcony was a brilliant and able lawyer. He was chief justice of the court of New York. As he listened to the minister, he became convicted of his need to follow Christ. "That man is speaking the truth," he said ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-26, John 15:1-11

Tags: Church Purpose Of, Confession Of Sin, Emotions

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

We Must Be Ready To Allow Ourselves To Be ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Mar 28, 2001

"We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and cancelling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. We may pass them by, preoccupied with our more important tasks, as the priest passed by the man who had fallen among ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-17, John 13:1-17

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Doing God's Will, Humility

Denomination: Baptist

A Twelve Year Old Boy Became A Christian During ...  PRO

Contributed by Jon Sigler on Jun 20, 2001

A twelve year old boy became a christian during a revival. The next week at school his friends questioned him about the experience. "Did you see a vision?" asked one friend. "Did you hear God speak?" asked another. The youngster answered no to all these questions. "Well, how did you know you were ...read more

Scripture: John 6:41-51, John 6:44-47

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation, Promises Of God, Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Holiness

We Must Be Wary Of Defining Friendship With God ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2001

We must be wary of defining friendship with God in terms of our relationships with one another. Friendship is a divine idea, and it must, therefore, ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13-15, John 15:14-15

Tags: Friendship General, Church Small Groups

An Old Lady Spent Much Of Her Summer Setting And ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 27, 2002

An old lady spent much of her summer setting and swinging in the old swing hanging on her front porch. Her husband had been dead several years and she had withdrawn from all but the closest family. Her lonely time grew and grew?? One spring day, the old lady went out in the garage and dug the old ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1, John 11:1-44

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Man Flew Into Chicago & Hired A Taxi To Take ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jul 2, 2002

A man flew into Chicago & hired a taxi to take him downtown. As he was riding along they came to a red light & the driver went right on through the red light. The man said, "Hey, the light was red. You’re supposed to stop." The driver said, "Yeah, I know, but my brother does it all the ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12, John 8:12

Tags: Holiness, Light, Shine, Darkness, Evangelism Fear Of  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If God Intended Man To Live On Bread, Why Didn't ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Jul 31, 2002

‘If God intended man to live on bread, why didn’t he create a bread tree?’ And the answer, in effect, is that God could have created a tree that produced crusty loaves of bread, but he prefers to offer us a grain and invite us to buy a field and plant the seed. He prefers that we till the soil ...read more

Scripture: John 6:54, John 6:51

Tags: Giving Yourself

Denomination: Methodist

In Middle Eastern Countries, It Was The Slaves ...  PRO

Contributed by Chad Wright on Mar 30, 2004

In Middle Eastern countries, it was the slaves who washed the feet of guests; here Christ took the place of a slave. He makes this clear to His disciples: if their Lord and Teacher has washed their feet, then they should wash one another’s feet, that is, serve each other in humility. This must have ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-38, John 13:1

Tags: Easter Maundy Thursday

Denomination: Lutheran

I Remember Our Friend Taylor Hendley Who Took ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 28, 2004

I remember our friend Taylor Hendley who took teams of missionaries to Russia when it first opened it’s doors to us. He described how people would walk from miles around (many all night) to come to worship in a small one-room church with no heat. How to accommodate as many people as ...read more

Scripture: John 12:1-11, John 12:9-11

Tags: Worship Definition

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In September, 1938, A Man Who Lived On Long ...

Contributed by Stephen Wright on Dec 12, 2004

In September, 1938, a man who lived on Long Island ordered a very fine barometer. When it arrived he was extremely disappointed to find that the dial was stuck, pointing to “Hurricane.” After shaking the barometer very vigorously several times, its new owner sat down and wrote a scorching letter to ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31, John 20:1-31

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Baptist