In Sermon Illustrations: "John Updike" showing 1,281-1,300 of 4,148

The Falsities Of Mormon Author Betty Eadie

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2010

THE FALSITIES OF MORMON AUTHOR BETTY EADIE The idea of hell and judgment are nowhere to be found in Betty Eadie’s bestseller, Embraced By The Light, on the N.Y. Times bestseller list for more than 40 weeks, including 5 weeks as #1. In November 1973 Eadie allegedly died after undergoing a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-3

Tags: False Teaching

A Young Lady Was Sunbathing On The Beach When A ...  PRO

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 21, 2010

A young lady was sunbathing on the beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her, "Do you believe in God?" She was surprised by the question but she replied, "Why, yes, I do." Then he asked her: "Do you go to church every Sunday?" Again, her ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-25, Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Brethren

There's An App For That

Contributed by Ken Pell on Feb 10, 2011

THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT So is your sin and guilt getting the better of you? Well, now "There’s an app for that." CBS News reports (February 9, 2011) a new application for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch called the "Confession Booth app. All you do is confess to your iPhone! It sells for $1.99 ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9-10

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Nazarene

The Voice Of The Shepherd  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2011

THE VOICE OF THE SHEPHERD There once was a shepherd that lived in the Scottish highlands. This shepherd had a daughter and he would take her with him when he went out on the moors to take care of the sheep. The thing that the little girl liked best was to hear the call of shepherd. His voice ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-18, Mark 4:26-34

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Out-Of-Whack Priorities

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2011

OUT-OF-WHACK PRIORITIES USA Today ran an article on October 25th, 1995 that is a great illustration about priorities. It reads... "Ronald Warwick, captain of the luxury cruise ship Queen Elizabeth II, questioned a passenger who paid full fare for his dog to join them on an around-the-world ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Tags: Worldliness

The Destiny Of Materialism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2011

THE DESTINY OF MATERIALISM The lure of wealth, or what we might call the magnetism of materialism. “Finns [people from Finland] who can’t get enough of winter swarmed to the northern town of Kemi for the opening of a sprawling ice castle that features a theatre, a playground, an art gallery, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Tags: Materialism

God Made Himself Understandable  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

GOD MADE HIMSELF UNDERSTANDABLE I read of a story from the famous Danish philosopher from the mid 1800s, a Christian theologian named Soren Kierkegaard. It is a familiar story, a story rewritten by many over the ages in many different forms, yet it is still relevant today. Here’s what he wrote: A ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14, Habakkuk 1:1-5

Tags: Christmas, Understandable

Not Encouraging

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2011

NOT ENCOURAGING A young couple, very much in love, were getting married in church. However, the bride was very nervous about the big occasion and so the preacher chose one verse that he felt would be a great encouragement to them. The verse was 1 John 4:18 which says: "There is no fear in love. ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Weddings

One Rascal Among Honest Men

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2011

ONE RASCAL AMONG HONEST MEN A king visited a slave ship, and there was a slave galley where they chain men to the oars and they row and a man beats the drum and another man has a lash to make them row. And they would take the prisoners of the state and put them to use, pulling on the oars. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:8-10

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Hope Of Maria

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

HOPE OF MARIA Hope weans God’s people from seeking and trusting this world. The story is told of Maria. She lived in a small town in southern Kentucky. She did not see or hear from her husband for years. Edward was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean war and captured when the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:2-3

Tags: Pleasing God, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Giving Up The World

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2011

GIVING UP THE WORLD A man once said to D. L. Moody, "Now that I am converted, must I give up to the world?" "No," answered the evangelist, "you need not give up the world; if you give a ringing testimony for the Son of God the world will give you up pretty quick. They ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Tags: Christian Witness

Sarah's Vase  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 21, 2011

SARAH'S VASE Just like life comes in the place of death, so honor comes in the place of service. Pediatrician David Cerqueira tells the story of a little girl in his wife's Sunday School class. His wife had prepared a lesson on being useful and told the children that everyone can be useful in ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-26, Mark 14:1-9

Tags: Servanthood

The Night Before

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Aug 1, 2011

THE NIGHT BEFORE Jesus saw what was coming by way of the cross...Jesus saw the beating of the Roman whip with the metal attached to the ends that would rip the skin from the victims back. Beaten beyond recognition and could barely see to carry an old wooden cross to die on. That night before: He ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-26, Luke 22:44

Tags: Jesus, Blood, Prayer, Gethsemane, Forgive, Blood Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Works-Driven Rituals

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

WORKS-DRIVEN RITUALS Every year a great throng of people make pilgrimage to the Shrine of Guadalupe in Mexico, a site where supposedly the Virgin Mary once stood...however unlikely that is. They go there hoping to get her attention, and to get her to intervene for them with her son Jesus. They ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-10

Tags: Action

Thomas Campbell And The Restoration Movement  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

THOMAS CAMPBELL AND THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT Back in early 1800's there was a preacher in Western Pennsylvania named Thomas Campbell. He was a preacher for the Old-light, Anti-burger, Seceder Presbyterian Church. Each of those phrases described a political division within the Presbyterian Church ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27-30, John 17:17-23

Tags: Divisions

Bad News, Then Good News  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

BAD NEWS, THEN GOOD NEWS Nearly 20 years ago at the height of Operation Desert Storm, Ruth Dillow received a very sad message from the Pentagon. The message stated that her son, Clayton had stepped on a landmine in Kuwait and was killed. Ruth later wrote these words, "I can't begin to describe my ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-20, Matthew 28:8

Tags: Emmaus Road, Post Easter, Easter Resurrection

I Could Have Done More  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 18, 2011

I COULD HAVE DONE MORE The film Schindler's List chronicled the heroic efforts of a German industrialist named Oskar Schindler. Through his unselfish activities, over a thousand Jews on the trains to Auschwitz were saved. After Schindler found out what was happening at Auschwitz, he began a ...read more

Scripture: John 15:9-17, Luke 16:9

Tags: Stewardship, Illustration

Who Do You Say I Am—in England?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 9, 2011

WHO DO YOU SAY I AM--IN ENGLAND? A teaching assistant accused of looting. An 11 year old girl appears in court and admits breaking windows in Nottingham. Teenagers appear before Magistrates with no parent in attendance. Magistrates ask, "Where are their parents?" Two girls interviewed by the BBC ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:4-10

Tags: Sin Exposed

Unusual Laws In Kansas

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2011

Unusual Laws in Kansas Laws are important in any society in order to keep peace and order. But there are laws and then there are laws. Here are some laws that are still on the books in our state of Kansas. • In Derby, it is illegal to hit a vending machine that stole your money. • In Dodge City, it ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:4

Tags: Law, Ten Commandments

Nolan Ryan Didn't Change Me  PRO

Contributed by Tim White on Feb 1, 2012

NOLAN RYAN DIDN'T CHANGE ME In 1991, Ryan, our son, age 6 at the time, played Challenger Baseball, a modified version of the game for disabled children. At the end of the season, each child received an official Challenger baseball for his or her participation. We asked Ryan what he wanted to do ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:6-7

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Baptist