In Sermon Illustrations: "Jonah 3 1 5 10"

Tony Campolo Says That His Wife Is A Brilliant ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 21, 2001

Tony Campolo says that his wife is a brilliant woman. She has a PHD & is capable of pursuing a very profitable career. But she elected to stay home with her children when they were young. Her decision didn’t bother her at all except when other women would ask, “What do you do?” She would ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-16, Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Conviction, Children, Mothers, Mother's Day, Motherhood, Parenting, Temptation, Sacrifice, Tithes  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Former Under Secretary Of The Interior John C. ...  PRO

Contributed by Tj Tipton on Mar 29, 2001

Former Under Secretary of the Interior John C. Whitaker is reminded of how easy it is to get an out-of-perspective feeling about one’s importance in government whenever he thinks of an 85-year-old woman who has lived her life in one spot in Nova Scotia. The population there swells to nine in summer ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-6, Proverbs 25:6-7

Tags: Temptation Pride, College, Daughter, Humility, Independence Day, Perspective  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Possums And The Grave  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Apr 13, 2001

POSSUMS AND THE GRAVE I have heard that possums are smart animals. You wouldn’t think so because you hardly ever see one except when it’s dead on the road. There’s a joke that goes, “why did the chicken cross the road? To prove to the possum that it could be done!” But possums, it turns out, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 8:10-15, Luke 24:13-24

Tags: Volunteer, Victory, Resurrection, Service, Servant, Missions, Go, Easter, Easter Resurrection, Death  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

A Year Or So Ago Time Magazine Published A Review ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Apr 16, 2001

A year or so ago Time Magazine published a review of the movie, “The Birdcage.” The review said that while the movie is based on the plot of Robin Williams & Nathan Lane playing a homosexual couple, & Gene Hackman playing a conservative politician who messes up their gay lifestyle, that the movie ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Romans 1:18-32

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Holiness, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Devil Has A Plan For Your Life: Doubt - To ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Nov 30, 2001

The devil has a plan for your life: Doubt - To make you question God’s word and His goodness; Discouragement - To make you look at your problems rather than at God; Diversion - To make the wrong things seems attractive so that you will want them more than the right things; Defeat - To make you feel ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8-9, Luke 7:18-35

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Humble Memorial  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 19, 2002

A HUMBLE MEMORIAL In 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple into his office and asked what he could do. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, Genesis 1:1

Tags: Emotions, Parable Great Banquet, Humility

An Elderly Man Was Desperately Ill. Knowing The ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Dec 10, 2001

An elderly man was desperately ill. Knowing the time for his departure was near, he called for his closest friends to come see him one last time. Attending him were his doctor, his pastor and his business manager. The old man said, “I know you can’t take it with you, but who knows for sure? ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:6-10, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Tags: Money

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

On A Rather Insignificant Sphere  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 28, 2002

ON A RATHER INSIGNIFICANT SPHERE A senior angel is showing a very young angel around the splendors of the universe. They view whirling galaxies and blazing suns, and then flit across the infinite distances of space until at last they enter one particular galaxy of 500 billion stars. As the two ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:6-8, 1 Peter 1:12

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Baptist

For Everyone—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Troy Mason on Aug 23, 2002

FOR EVERYONE-COMMUNION MEDITATION James W. Moore of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Houston tells a story about one of his minister friends. His name is Tom and he does a fascinating thing each month. Even though he has an extremely busy schedule he still makes the time each month to go down ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:24-25, Luke 22:19

Tags: Lord's Supper, Reverence, Worth, Communion, Church Practices  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Sodium Is An Extremely Active Element Found ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Platt on Nov 1, 2002

Sodium is an extremely active element found naturally only in combined form; it always links itself to another element. Chlorine, on the other hand, is the poisonous gas that gives bleach its offensive odor. When sodium and chlorine are combined, the result is sodium chloride - common table salt ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15, Ephesians 4:15

Tags: Apologetics General, Christian Values, Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Slow And Steady  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 28, 2003

SLOW AND STEADY The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but transformation, a process that might be slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:4-8, 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Teenage Boy Was Seriously Injured An Automobile ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wilkerson on Oct 21, 2003

A teenage boy was seriously injured an automobile accident. The doctors did all they could to repair the damages to the boy’s body but despite their fast medical knowledge they were unable to completely restore his legs. He was informed that he would eventually walk, but only with the aid of ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:4-5, John 16:33

Tags: Healing, God's Forgiveness, Christian Liberty, Determination, Overcome, Trial, Struggles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Paul And The Philippians Remembered And ...  PRO

Contributed by Garth Wehrfritz- Hanson on Dec 1, 2003

Paul and the Philippians remembered and supported one another in prayer. A joyful, loving, and caring church is one which keeps each other in prayer. Oftentimes, we fail to be a joyful, loving, caring Christian community because we fail to remember and support each other in prayer. There are many ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13, 1 John 5:13-15

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Unity

Denomination: Lutheran

Red Devil Tool Company Of Union, N.j. Has As ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Dec 7, 2003

Red Devil Tool Company of Union, N.J. has as their slogan, “It’s easy with the devil.” Of course, they are boasting that their tools transform difficult tasks into simple ones. Those knowing God’s word understand the desire and ambition of Satan, how he seeks to destroy mankind. He makes sin ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:3, Matthew 13:1

Tags: Sin Punishment Of, Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

What's God Got To Do With It?  PRO

Contributed by John Harvey on Feb 12, 2004

WHAT'S GOD GOT TO DO WITH IT? If you “Google” the word love, and you have to be very careful doing this, you will find all sorts of websites,120,000,000 to be exact. Here are some examples that you will find: I love Dogs.com I love Cats.com (Although this one is a plea to spay or ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Galatians 5:20-22

Tags: Love, Romantic Love

Denomination: Baptist

The Lost Sheep—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 25, 2004

THE LOST SHEEP- COMMUNION MEDITATION Have you heard the story of Shrek, the merino sheep that had evaded capture and shearing for 6 years? When he was finally discovered in his high mountain cave of New Zealand by musterer Ann Scanlan, he was almost unrecognizable as a sheep. The first thing his ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10, 1 Peter 2:24-25

Tags: Lord's Supper, Parable Lost Sheep

Alexander M. Sanders, Jr., Is The Chief Judge Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Jun 11, 2004

Alexander M. Sanders, Jr., is the Chief Judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals. When his daughter Zoe graduated from the Univ. of South Carolina in 1992, he told this story that happened what she was just three years old. Sanders came home from work one day to find his home – and especially ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Philippians 4:4

Tags: Children, Commandments Murder

Denomination: Baptist

Distractions  PRO

Contributed by Brad Beaman on Jul 14, 2004

Illustration: Distractions We can become distracted and look away from the goal of becoming like Christ. If you saw the movie Chariots of Fire, then maybe you remember the great runner Abraham. He had won so many races. His coach held up such discipline. But he finally lost one of the races ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Discipleship, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

A Number Of Years Ago, Dr. Waltke, A Seminary ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Richards on Sep 23, 2004

A number of years ago, Dr. Waltke, a seminary professor, & three pastors, one of which was Charles Swindol toured the mother church of the First Church of Christ Scientist in downtown Boston. The four were unknown to the elderly lady who was going to give them a tour. They didn’t tell her who they ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-16, Proverbs 3:27

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

Billy Graham Tells The Story About A Little Child ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Nov 11, 2004

Billy Graham tells the story about a little child the was playing with a very valuable vase. He put his hand into it and could not withdraw it. His father too, tried his best to get it out, to no avail. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, “Now my son, make one more try. ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:11-13, 1 Corinthians 3:1-22

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Faith, Freedom, Materialism, Surrender, Worldly  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan