In Sermon Illustrations: "Keys Of Death And Hades"

God's Plan For Pain!" Matthew 16:21-28 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 6, 2005

“God’s Plan for Pain!” Matthew 16:21-28 Key verse(s): 25:“‘For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.’” “And whatever you do, make sure you don’t hurt yourself!” The tractor tire was heavy; definitely a two man job. Perched on the back of his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:21-28

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

A Little Boy's Knots!" Revelations 19:11-17 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 15, 2005

“A Little Boy’s Knots!” Revelations 19:11-17 Key verse(s): 16:“On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KINGS OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” There’s something about being rescued this is so completely satisfying. A number of years ago (pre-cell phone days) I was driving along the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:11-17

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness, God Cares, Protector, Provider, Strengthen  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Secret Of The Fifth Man!" Mark 2:1-5 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 12, 2005

“Secret of the Fifth Man!” Mark 2:1-5 Key verse(s) 3:“Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.” Five people passed the beggar but only one stopped to help. The will it seems to get somewhere on time, a preoccupation with self, easily thwarted a fragile affection that ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-5, Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Compassion, Romantic Love

Denomination: Lutheran

A Fair Piece To Go!" Zechariah 12:10-14 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 16, 2005

“A Fair Piece to Go!” Zechariah 12:10-14 Key verse(s) 10:“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication.” Restlessness! When we were children it was not unusual for us to be restless. In fact, it was that restlessness that often got ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 12:10-14

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers, Holy Spirit Attributes, Cleansing

Denomination: Lutheran

Letting Go Of The Branch!" Luke 1:5-15 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 31, 2005

“Letting Go of the Branch!” Luke 1:5-15 Key verse(s) 13“But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” Trusting in God is fine, as long as it is something you believe He can do. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-15, 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

We Had A Car Key Made For Our Son... The First ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Waite on Feb 4, 2006

We had a car key made for our son... The first time he wanted to go out on his own he put the key in the ignition, and it started, then promptly stalled. So he came and asked for help. I put my car key in the ignition, and it started, and kept running. So I started to leave, thinking nothing ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Free Methodist

138 Years Ago Today Marked A Key Event In Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Peter Schmidt on Nov 13, 2003

138 years ago today marked a key event in our nation’s history. The date was July 1st, 1863. The location was a small town in Pennsylvania, a town at that time not known for much except a shoe factory that was there. Today, the name of this town represents the bloodiest and one of the most ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Lutheran

Curious About Trouble!" Exodus 14: 10-15 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 28, 2004

“Curious About Trouble!” Exodus 14: 10-15 Key verse(s): 11 “As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:10-15

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

Living The Impossible Dream!" Job 40: 1-5: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 3, 2004

“Living the Impossible Dream!” Job 40: 1-5: Key verse(s): 2 “‘Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!’” Sooner or later everyone reads or hears about Cervantes’ story of Don Quixote. Cervantes is thrown in prison in Seville. Finding himself ...read more

Scripture: Job 39:1-5

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

Belly Up To The Bar?" Romans 13: 1-7: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 18, 2004

“Belly Up to the Bar?” Romans 13: 1-7: Key verse(s): 4a “For he is God’s servant to do you good.” About a decade ago an assembly of Christian leaders came up with this summary of what it means to be a Christian citizen: “It is impossible for a believer to be a good Christian and a bad citizen ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

Tags: Men's Day

Denomination: Lutheran

A Sword And A Tear!" 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 24, 2004

“A Sword and a Tear!” 2 Timothy 2: 22-26: Key verse(s): 24-25a “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:22-26

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion

Denomination: Lutheran

A More Powerful Medication!" Genesis 3: 6-19 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 28, 2004

“A More Powerful Medication!” Genesis 3: 6-19 Key verse(s): 8b: “... and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” I am an asthmatic. Asthmatics often have problems breathing because they are hyper-sensitive to the environment around them. When a foreign substance is ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:6-19

Tags: God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

Getting To The Good Stuff!" Exodus 6: 1-12 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 11, 2004

“Getting to The Good Stuff!” Exodus 6: 1-12 Key verse(s): 12: “But Moses said to the Lord, ‘If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips’.” When I was a boy I had the rather thankless job of feeding a herd of our neighbor’s ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 6:1-12

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

No Parts Left Over!" Psalm 37: 25-26 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 14, 2004

“No Parts Left Over!” Psalm 37: 25-26 Key verse(s): 25: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” When I was a boy I received one of those expensive model cars for Christmas. It was not your typical model with only about a hundred ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:25-26, Psalm 37:25-40, Psalm 37:1-2

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Lutheran

Unca Frank's Christmas!" Isaiah 9: 6-7 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 20, 2004

“Unca Frank’s Christmas!” Isaiah 9: 6-7 Key verse(s): 6a: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Franklin Chaney was by all accounts what you would call a crank. For years he had lived alone in his upper flat, Vera having gone to be with the Lord many years past. He was pretty set in ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Lutheran

An Ever-Rolling Stream!" Genesis 6: 1-3 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 30, 2004

“An Ever-Rolling Stream!” Genesis 6: 1-3 Key verse(s): 3: “Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for hie is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.’” “It can wait until tomorrow!” Despite that old adage, “Never put off to tomorrow the things that you can do ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-3

Tags: New Year's Day, New Year

Denomination: Lutheran

The Other Side Of The Road!" Luke 17: 1-4 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 18, 2005

“The Other Side of The Road!” Luke 17: 1-4 Key verse(s): 3:“So watch yourselves. ‘If you brother sin, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.’” There but by the grace of god go I! From youth on I was taught the valuable resource of this adage. Along with “Don’t pout or your face will stay ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:1-4

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Lutheran

The Trenches Of Life!" 1 Peter 3: 13-22 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 19, 2005

“The Trenches of Life!” 1 Peter 3: 13-22 Key verse(s): 16:“. . . keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” If you don’t want to be shot at, don’t supply your enemies with the ammunition! Sounds like ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-22, 1 Peter 3:13-22

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Running Home To Mama!" Matthew 5:25-26 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 1, 2005

“Running Home to Mama!” Matthew 5:25-26 Key verse(s): 25:“‘Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking your to court.’” There is a point of departure where disagreement becomes conflict. It’s that point of departure that is most critical in the process of making friends or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:25-26

Tags: Character

Denomination: Lutheran

Before His Death In 1981, American Writer William ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 20, 2005

Before his death in 1981, American writer William Saroyan telephoned in to the Associated Press this final, very Saroyan-like observation: “Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception ...read more

Tags: Death