In Sermon Illustrations: "John"

Lord Jesus, Receive My Spirit, And Put An End At ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 9, 2007

Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and put an end at Thy good pleasure to this my miserable life; for justice and truth are not to be found among the sons of men…Be merciful unto me, O Lord…Now after many battles, I find nothing in me but vanity and corruption. For in quietness I am negligent, in ...read more

Tags: Gift

Denomination: Baptist

God Is Looking For People With Conviciton

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

GOD IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH CONVICITON DEF: an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence In the events of the bridge collaple here in Minneapolis this past week, you have probably heard of countless examples of people acting with conviction. * Ed Nelson M.P.D. - when you ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Charles Simeon Devoted The Hours From Four Till ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Charles Simeon devoted the hours from four till eight in the morning to God. John Wesley spent two hours daily in prayer. He began at four in the morning. Of him, one who knew him well wrote: "He thought prayer to be more his business than anything else." Martin Luther said: "If I fail to spend ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Forgiveness Sets Me Free.

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

"FORGIVENESS SETS ME FREE." Kenneth Hart, a psychology professor at the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada), studied sixty-six recovering alcoholics. The individuals had one thing in common: They were all angry with someone. Teaching forgiveness, Hart found, is one way to break the cycle that ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness

Living And Waiting To Live

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

LIVING AND WAITING TO LIVE Most of us tend to think that happiness is just around the corner. JOY will come one of these days--when things get better...when we finally get out of school...or get a better job...or get married...or get our kids raised and out of the house...or after we get that ...read more

Tags: Joy

It's In Your Hands

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2017

A young student in China decided to play a trick on his elderly teacher one day. He caught a small bird and cupped it in his hands behind his back. He then approached the sage with this plan in mind. He would ask the old man what he had in his hand. If he answered correctly, he would then ask ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:15

Tags: Eternity, Decision, Commitment, Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The First And Second Great Revival

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 24, 2018

The first recorded revival in Christian history happened from a prayer meeting that took place with a handful of disciples in the upper room (Acts 1:14). The result of that prayer meeting was that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:2-4, Acts 4:23-24

Tags: Revival, Prayer

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Sacrifice These Men Made For Freedom

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2021

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families. Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Tags: Sacrifice, Freedom, America, Declaration Of Independence, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of Embraced Sacrifice Is Greater Than The Power Of Coercion

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 8, 2022

"The cross has become the most widely recognized symbol in the world. It marks more graves, graces more jewelry, and sits atop more churches than any other design. The making of the sign of the cross is known from basilicas to baseball diamonds. Finding a logo has become big business, but no ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:32-42, Mark 15:21-41

Tags: Sacrifice, The Cross, Symbols

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 3, 2025

It’s Christmas Eve in 1818, in the little village of Oberndorf near Salzburg. St. Nicholas Church will soon be full. Father Joseph Mohr has words for a new carol—but no melody. He walks through the snow to the nearby village of Arnsdorf and asks his friend, schoolteacher Franz Gruber, “Could you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-14, Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2

Tags: Worship, Peace, Incarnation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Some Time Ago I Was Reading About The 18th ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Gibson on Nov 23, 2000

Some time ago I was reading about the 18th century German sculptor Johann Heinrich von Dannecker. His skills were impressive. He could bring stone to life with his tools. At the height of his powers, he wanted to do something special with his gifts -- he wanted to shape a statue of Christ that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-8

Tags: Divinity Of Christ, Workplace Integrity

Denomination: *other

This Sunday School Teacher Was Not One Of The ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Jan 7, 2007

This Sunday school teacher was not one of the ordinary type. Mere literal instruction on Sunday did not satisfy his ideal of the teacher’s duty. He knew his boys, and, if he knew them, it was because be studied them, because he became acquainted with their occupations and aims, visiting them during ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

A Californian Magazine Ran A Survey Of Over 600 ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 19, 2007

"A Californian magazine ran a survey of over 600 ex-Muslims who now follow Jesus, and concludes: "Although dreams appear to play a minor role in the conversion of Westerners, over 25% of these ex-Muslims affirmed that dreams and visions played a vital role in their conversions…" [source: ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

One Life At A Time: Rudy's Story

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

ONE LIFE AT A TIME: RUDY'S STORY Rudy Rasmus learned the family business from his father when he was just five years old. His dad brought home a set of blueprints and unveiled his business plans. He said, "This a motel and other people's husbands are going to come and give us money to spend time ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-31

Tags: Conversion, Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Methodist

Last Year, A Particularly Dark Film Came Out ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 16, 2007

Last year, a particularly dark film came out entitled Children of Men. It is about the world in the year 2027 where no children have been born for 18 years. Imagine a world like that. A world with no need for toys. Churches with no children or youth. The doors of Kenyon College closing ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Caterpillar Ugly, Butterfly Beautiful  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Caterpillar Ugly, Butterfly Beautiful It is a well-known fact that a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. The butterfly can truthfully say as he looks at the caterpillar, "Such was I, but now I am changed." Every Christian has once been a sinner, living for self and the momentary pleasures ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Peter 4:7-11

Tags: Resurrection, Salvation, New Life, Born Again, Christian Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Are Not A Political Kingdom

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

Various groups of people expected the Messiah to come, but they did not anticipate His coming humbly and meekly. Yet those were the very attitudes that Jesus, the one whom John the Baptist had announced as the Messiah, was both teaching and practicing. The idea of a meek Messiah leading meek people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Humility, Prayer, Politics, Meekness, Righteousness, Beatitudes, Government, Brokenness, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Weeping Over Others

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2020

Do you weep for your family, friends, church, nation and world? 1) Jesus did- Jesus wept over the sins of others, over their bitter consequences in judgment and death, and over Jerusalem which would not receive him. Jesus was a Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53). Why? Because he took our sins upon ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Intercession, Beatitudes, Lost, Weeping, Mourning, Evangelism, Prayer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Day Of The Fire Storm!  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 1, 2005

My Story: The Day of the fire storm! I was at Boy Scout Camp when I discovered the terrible damage a fire storm could do to my life. It was a lazy afternoon very hot and dry. John and I were sent back to camp to start dinner for the guys. When I got back to camp I discovered that the camp fire ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[242]. A Message From A Poem – It’s All In The Saviour’s Hands

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Dec 23, 2025

[242]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IT’S ALL IN THE SAVIOUR’S HANDS This poem came about simply by thinking of the hands of Jesus when He took the bread at the Passover on the betrayal night. That led to thinking of other incidences and that’s how the poem resulted. Each stanza covers one incident. ...read more

Scripture: John 20:25, Acts 2:23, John 13:3-14, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, Matthew 14:15-20, Luke 9:12-17, Matthew 14:25-31, Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 5:22-24, Mark 5:35-43  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Peter Sinks In The Water, Stretched Out Hand, Poll Tax, Sick Daughter, Nails, Foot Washing, Feeding The 5000, Christian Poems, Passover Bread, 5 Loaves And 2 Fishes, Bread, Resurrection, Cross, Jairus, Denarius  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational