In Sermon Illustrations: "Kind Acts"

How To Persuade A Burglar

Contributed by Larry Hinkle on Jun 12, 2020

An elderly Widow woke in the middle of the night, alerted by a noise> She tiptoed down steps to discover she had a Burglar in her home. She shouted at the intruder, “Stop in the name of the Lord, repent for the forgiveness of your sins. Acts 2:38!” the burglar immediately froze, raised both arms ...read more

Scripture: John 16:8, Acts 2:38, Hebrews 9:14

Tags: Persuasion, Communication, Conscience, Conviction

Denomination: Methodist

Unsung Heroes-These Men Of Damascus Saved Saul’s Life!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 22, 2021

Text, Acts 9:23-25, KJV: 23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. Thoughts: ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:23-25, 2 Corinthians 11:32-33

Tags: Persecution, Saul Of Tarsus, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Black Eye Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Sep 12, 2023

With football season in full swing, I often think of my high school football days. I wasn’t very good at all but, as the saying goes, the older I get the better I was. One of my few highlights from those days was a kickoff return. You may be thinking that my story is about a game winning return but ...read more

Scripture: Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 4:16

Tags: Trials, Persecutions, Persecution, Endurance, Trial, Ridicule  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

People Still Want To Be Invited To Church

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

Most Americans say they would visit a church if invited by a family member, neighbor or a friend. A recent study by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and LifeWay Research found that 67 percent of Americans say a personal invitation from a family member would be effective in getting them to ...read more

Scripture: John 20:21, Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Unchurched, Unbelievers, Wintessing, Evangelism, Church, Easter, Gospel, Missions, Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Ways To Pray For Lost Loved Ones

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

Praying for Unsaved Loved Ones “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16) 1. Pray that God will draw them to himself. “No one can come to me unless the Father … draws him.” (John 6:44) 2. Pray for the Holy Spirit to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, John 20:21

Tags: Prayer, Intercession, Burden, Lost, Unsaved, Unbelievers, Evangelism, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Gospel, Missions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Deconstruction, Deconstruction, Deconstruct, Decon....

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 20, 2024

One cannot insist that all truth claims are power plays, that all truth claims destroy freedom. C. S. Lewis writes in The Abolition of Man: “But you cannot go on ‘explaining away’ forever: you will find that you have explained explanation itself away. You cannot go on ‘seeing through’ things ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16, John 18:38, Acts 26:25

Tags: Doubt, Truth, Objective Truth, Deconstructing Faith

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Some Thoughts On The 4b Movement

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 15, 2024

Introduction: Ever since the November 2024 American elections, there seems to be more and more reference to the “4B” movement. That this movement began in South Korea a number of years ago seems to be of little importance to any number of American women. This is especially true of those American ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19, Romans 13:9, Acts 15:29

Tags: Women, Christian Living, 4b Movement

Denomination: Baptist

[042] A Message From A Poem – Christ In Me And I In Him

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 2, 2025

[042] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRIST IN ME AND I IN HIM I meant this to be a personal, yet touching poem. The title – Christ in me and I in Him” can be taken as a one-way dialogue between two people, the Lord and me. I am sharing with my Saviour the thoughts in my mind. (A personal chat). On ...read more

Scripture: John 12:24, Mark 6:49-50, Acts 18:9

Tags: Wheat, Prayer, Poem, Christ In Me, A Grain Of Wheat, Personal Chat  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Methodism A Dead Sect

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 5, 2025

The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, wrote this in “Thoughts Upon Methodism,” – “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist in either Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:5, Acts 2:1-13

Tags: John Wesley, Methodism, Power

Denomination: Methodist

[113]. A Message From A Poem – Have You Seen A Gouldian Finch?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 20, 2025

[113]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HAVE YOU SEEN A GOULDIAN FINCH? I keep finches including the gouldian finch, one of the most beautiful finches in the world, if not the most beautiful. If you have not seen one, go do a search on the internet. This poem covers a number of subjects. When you look ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8, Acts 17:30-31, John 1:3

Tags: Christian Poems, Gouldian Finches, Wise Designer, Creation, Evolution, Repent, Colors, Christian Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fasting Before The Great Awakening

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 22, 2011

FASTING BEFORE THE GREAT AWAKENING Jonathan Edwards was a man used by God in the First Great Awakening. I have read that he preached in a weak, squeaking, monotone voice and held his tiny manuscript so close to his face that people could not see his expressions. When he preached, "Sinners in the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:2-3, Matthew 9:14-15, Mark 2:18-20, Luke 5:33-35, Acts 14:23, Luke 2:37, Matthew 6:16-18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer, Fast

Denomination: Baptist

Tiffany Shared A Story With Me At Christmas. The ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 9, 2007

Tiffany shared a story with me at Christmas. The Starbucks she works in at Normal, Illinois last Christmas (2006) witnessed something amazing. A person in the drive thru lane one morning paid for the person behind them. It was a random act of kindness. But the amazing thing was the next person did ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Did You Hear About The Baptist Who Got Together ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2003

Did you hear about the Baptist Who got together and purchased their Pastor some rubber wadders so he wouldn’t get wet in the baptism pool so the Methodist heard ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40, Luke 12:32-45, Luke 14:25-33, Luke 16:19-31, Luke 17:11-19, Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 3:1-20, Acts 8:1-25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptism, Readiness

The American Businessman Was At The Pier Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 4, 2001

The American businessman was at the pier of a small costal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them. ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11, John 2:1, Acts 7:54-60, Ecclesiastes 5:18

Tags: Stand

A National Prayer Of Repentance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2002

A NATIONAL PRAYER OF REPENTANCE Joe Wright is the pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS. On January 23, 1996, He was asked to be the guest chaplain for the Kansas State House in Topeka. He prayed a prayer of repentance that was written by Bob Russell, pastor of Southeast Christian ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:34, Jonah 3:6-10, Jeremiah 18:7-14, Acts 2:1-13

Tags: Christian Liberty, Gambling, Prayer, Repentance, Men, Independence Day  (view more)  (view less)

Hostile Natives Surrounded His Missions ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Montgomery on Apr 17, 2008

Hostile natives surrounded his missions headquarters one night, intent on burning the Patons out and killing them. John Paton and his wife prayed all during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see that, unaccountably, the attackers had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 6:17, Luke 17:11-19, Acts 9:13-18

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Sunflower Is Probably The Most Amazing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

The Sunflower is probably the most amazing flowers God created. They literally follow the sun. No I don’t know about you, but one the most amazing things I have seen is a field of sunflowers. Watching one follow the sun through is cute. Watching hundreds in absolute unison follow the sun is ...read more

Scripture: John 20:19-31, Acts 4:32, John 17:11, Psalm 133:1

Tags: Relationships, Faith General

Coming Soon !?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 13, 2020

Many of us, I'm sure, remember hearing the words "Coming soon to a (fill in the blank) near you . . ."m intended to grab your attention. Well, sometimes that did indeed happen, as a lot of us want to find something new, maybe the latest and greatest thing to come our way. There are a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-3, Acts 1:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Immanence, Coming Soon, Return Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Small Decisions, Huge Consequences

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 3, 2022

1. We make small decisions all the time, and they can affect the direction of our lives. Take this true story: “When I was a kid, my mom, my cousin, my sister, and I were all about to go to my great grandma's house from my grandma's house. It was not a far drive so my mom allowed my sister ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 14:20-25, Hebrews 6:4-6, Acts 16:31, John 3:16

Tags: Providence, Choice, Consequences, Decisions, Important Choices  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Power Of Holy Spirit In You

Contributed by John Bright on May 24, 2022

There is NO COMPARISON between the power of satan and the power of the HOLY SPRIT IN YOU. The power of satan is like a little firecracker while the power of the Holy ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20, 2 Timothy 1:7, Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Satan, Power

Denomination: Methodist