In Sermon Illustrations: "John Updike" showing 661-680 of 4,145

Years Ago, William Edward Perry, A Famous English ...  PRO

Contributed by James O. Davis on Dec 5, 2001

Years ago, William Edward Perry, a famous English explorer, mapped out most of the Souther Polar Cap. Many of his maps are still being used today by those who travel to that desolate, sub-zero continent. On one particular expedition, he and his crew having completed mapping an uncharted region, ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

Tags: Knowing God's Will, God's Omniscience, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Assembly Of God

My Liberty As A Christian Should Always Be ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

My liberty as a Christian should always be supremely shackled by the love I am commanded to have towards ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35

Tags: Growth In Christ, Jesus Teachings

Indian Jones And The Last Crusade Is One Of My ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Jan 22, 2002

Indian Jones and the Last Crusade is one of my favorite movies—it’s great entertainment but it packs a powerful punch of a message about finding happiness and joy [Show the clip toward the end of the movie when Elsa has fallen to her death grasping for the grail and then Indiana nearly dies as he ...read more

Scripture: John 10:10

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Fulfillment, God's Provision

Denomination: United Methodist

An Overwhelming Thirst  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jan 28, 2002

AN OVERWHELMING THIRST During the liberation of Palestine in WWI, a combined force of British, Australian, and New Zealand soldiers was closely pursuing the Turks as they retreated from the desert. As the allied troops moved northward past Beersheba they began to outdistance their water-carrying ...read more

Scripture: John 7:37-38

Tags: Discipleship, Lordship Of Christ, Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In An April, 1988 Edition Of Sports Illustrated, ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Feb 11, 2002

In an April, 1988 edition of Sports Illustrated, their was a story titled “Ali and His Entourage”. Sports writer Gary Smith went to Ali’s farmhouse to interview the three-time world champion. On the floor leaning against the walls, were mementos of Ali in his prime. Photos and portraits of the ...read more

Scripture: John 6:27

Tags: God Brings Purpose, Finding Fulfillment, Dance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Precious Blood  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 18, 2002

PRECIOUS BLOOD Several years ago in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, George and Vera Bajenksi’s lives were changed forever. February 16, 1989. A very normal Thursday morning. The phone rang at 9:15 a.m. "There’s been an accident..." It involved their son Ben. As they approached the intersection of ...read more

Scripture: John 18:28-40

Tags: Easter Good Friday, Blood, Lord's Supper, Jesus Christ

Awl For The Good  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 25, 2002

AWL FOR THE GOOD In 1809, Simon Renee Braille and his wife Monique welcomed their fourth child into the world-- a lively boy named Louis. They lived in a small stone house near Paris where Braille was the local harness maker. Leather working tools are dangerous, so the toddler had been ...read more

Scripture: John 9:1-41

Tags: Grace, God's Omniscience, God In The Hardships

Missing The Circus  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Johnson on Mar 6, 2002

MISSING THE CIRCUS A little boy who lived far out in the country in the late 1800s had reached the age of twelve and had never in all his life seen a circus. You can imagine his excitement, when one day a poster went up at school announcing that on the next Saturday a traveling circus was coming ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Tags: Fulfillment, Abundant, Lukewarm, Life, Risk  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Many Prophets  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Feb 20, 2002

MANY PROPHETS Take a short trip to the B’Hai Temple. You’ll find a variety of pictures on the walls. Pictures of Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, Mohammed and others. The message of the B’Hai faith is this: Jesus is just one of many prophets. It’s increasingly popular to think that today, even ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: Universalism, World Religions, Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Americans First  PRO

Contributed by B. D. B Moses on Mar 21, 2002

AMERICANS FIRST During the time of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, Greg Livingstone was asked to give a "missions minute" at a large evangelical church on the East Coast. Since he had only one minute to speak, he decided to ask them only two questions. The first one was, "How many of you are praying ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, World Religions, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Baptist

Just For You  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2002

JUST FOR YOU In Peggy Noonan’s book When Character Was King, she tells about a meeting between President George W. Bush and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. It was their first meeting as world leaders and Bush wanted to be sure they connected-- that they looked for depth of soul and ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Crucifixion, Easter Resurrection, Jesus Christ

Nicky Gumbel Tells This Story In Alpha Of Two Men ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on May 7, 2002

Nicky Gumbel tells this story in Alpha of two men who grew up as best friends, except that their lives took divergent paths. One became a judge, and the other a criminal. At one point the criminal ends up in the Judge’s court. He is obviously guilty, but he was the judge’s friend. If the judge ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1

Tags: Redemption, Salvation, Grace

Denomination: *other

I Can't Always Remember Everything  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2002

I CAN'T ALWAYS REMEMBER EVERYTHING Remembering is sometimes hard work. There were three old sisters who lived together. One sister got up to go to bed, and half way up the stairs she stopped and asked "was I going up or was I coming down" One sister replied with a hint of aggravation, "you were ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-14

Tags: Holidays Civic

Sophomore  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 24, 2002

Do you know the meaning of the word "sophomore?" The word sophomore comes from two Greek words "sophos" and "moros." "Sophos" means to be wise. "Moros" is the word from which we get the world "moron." "Moros" means stupid, blockhead, or fool. So the word "sophomore" means wise fool. And ...read more

Scripture: John 1:6-28

Tags: Mother Theresa, God's Omniscience, Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Young Boy Was Observed By A Minister In Church ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 25, 2002

A young boy was observed by a minister in church praying very fervently; but much to the preacher’s surprise, he was also heard to say from time to time: "Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo." So preacher approached the boy after he had apparently finished his prayer and said, "Son, I was very pleased to see you ...read more

Scripture: John 14:12-14

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer How To, Prayer, God's Provision, God The Father, Children, Desperation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In Our Southern Baptist Convention We Pass ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 5, 2002

In our Southern Baptist Convention we pass resolutions every year. A resolution is a position statement, on certain moral and ethical issues that arise. One of the things that the Southern Baptist Convention did a few years ago was to pass a resolution about Jesus being the only way to salvation. ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: Universalism, Apologetics Jesus, Apologetics The Bible

Denomination: Baptist

There Was A Great Theologian Who Came To The Usa ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 6, 2002

There was a great theologian who came to the USA from England and was being interviewed by a group of seminary students. The question was asked, “What is the most profound thought that ever occupied your mind.” The answer was, “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.” You may go ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: Amazing Love, Ultimate Gift, Unconditional Love, Love For God

Denomination: Baptist

Once I Visited A New Age Bookstore. The Owner ...  PRO

Contributed by Gregg Strawbridge on Jul 8, 2002

Once I visited a new age bookstore. The owner said Christianity, Islam, Buddism, Sikhism, Agnosticism are all the same in substance because truth is relative--“what is true for you.” I could not get her to test her theory by standing in the road and chanting, "the truck is going hit ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: World Religions, Universalism, Bible Truth

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Authentic Worship  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 12, 2002

AUTHENTIC WORSHIP In his article ’Celebrating God in Authentic Worship’, pastor Glenn Wagner (Calvary Church, Charlotte, NC) points out: "I believe that one of the most evangelistic tools the church possesses, one desperately needed in today’s society, is authentic worship. People want to know, ...read more

Scripture: John 4:24

Tags: Church Practices, Worship Purpose

Is There A Difference?  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Jul 26, 2002

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? In their recent book "Unveiling Islam," Emir and Ergun Caner, former Sunni Muslims cite the major differences between Islam and Christianity as the "personalness" of God, and "grace as opposed to works." "Jesus Christ ... is ultimately personal and wants to have a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: World Religions, God's Forgiveness, Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational