In Sermon Illustrations: "Knew The Shepherd"

John Piper On Minimizing Doctrine

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

JOHN PIPER ON MINIMIZING DOCTRINE I think John Piper put it best in his book, Contending For Our All. He wrote: "To the emerging church that would like to minimize doctrine, Athanasius would say, 'Our young people in Alexandria die for doctrine about Christ. What do your young people die for?' ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:9

Tags: Doctrine

Sacrificial Love

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 13, 2014

Watchman Nee, a Chinese evangelist, tells of a Christian he once knew in China. He was a rice farmer, and his fields lay high on a mountain. Every day he pumped water into the paddies of new rice. And every morning he returned to find that an unbelieving neighbor who lived down the hill had ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:21

Tags: Evil, Overcome, Good, Unbeliever

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Memorial Day - Never Forget The Cost Of Freedom

Contributed by David Simpson on May 24, 2018

Needless to say, protecting our freedom has come at a great cost. President Franklin Roosevelt said: “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” Our Lord Jesus Christ knew that we all have trouble remembering things, even important ...read more

Tags: The Lords Supper, Freedom, Memorial Day

Denomination: Christian Church

Be Prepared

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

BE PREPARED A few minutes before 8 AM on Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japanese carrier-based airplanes struck Pearl Harbor. In a raid lasting less than two hours, they sank or seriously damaged eight battleships and 13 other naval vessels. Almost 200 American aircraft were destroyed, and approximately ...read more

Scripture: Amos 4:12

Tags: Complacency, Be Prepared

Denomination: Pentecostal

Framed

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 11, 2019

A cow and a chicken were framed and thrown into prison. They knew they had to get out to bring the criminals to justice so they spent weeks designing escape plans. Finally, a month after they had been thrown in, they escaped in the middle of the night. However, they weren't silent enough and ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 39:1-23

Tags: Framed, Accused

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Door Is Always Unlocked When You Come Home...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

J. C. Ryle tells of a mother whose daughter ran away and lived a life of sin. For a long time, no one knew where she was, but she finally came back, turned to Christ in repentance, and believed in Him. Someone asked the mother what she had done to bring her daughter back and she replied, “I prayed ...read more

Tags: Parables, Rebellion, Lost, Lost Sheep, Prodigal Son, Daughters, Parents, Mothers, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Means Business

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on May 28, 2022

Little Johnny was going to a public school and he was doing very poorly in math. So his mother decided to put him into a Catholic school. When she got his report card at the end of the term, his grades in math had improved tremendously. So she asked him why. He replied, "When I saw that ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Cross, Hope In Jesus, Sin's Penalty, Law Upheld

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Churches Closed Due To Lack Of Power!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 10, 2023

Bill Crowder gives us a pithy Illustration of Need for Power. The first winter that my wife Marlene and I were married was marked by severe blizzards. I can vividly remember one Sunday when we awoke to find that the electricity had been knocked out by an ice storm. Huddled around a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Church, Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Power, Acts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Because He Loved Them

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Mar 14, 2023

Because He Loved Them They tried to shame Him. They tried to destroy Him. They tried to ruin Him. He died for them! They despised Him. They mocked Him. They humiliated Him. He died for them! They stripped Him. They spat in His face. They beat Him. He died for them! They made Him bear the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 10:9-10

Tags: Easter, Crucifixion, Salvation, Redemption, God's Love, Greater Love, Poems Of God's Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Power In Holy Communion

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Apr 18, 2023

I've been thinking about holy moments, how Christ has surprised me by his presence. One of those moments came when I visited and had Communion with a member who was dying of cancer. Near the end of the visit I asked her how I could pray or for what she would like me to pray for. She expressed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35

Tags: Power In Prayer, Power In Holy Communion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Door To The Father's House Is Always Open (Father's Day Story)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 7, 2023

JC. Ryle tells of a mother whose daughter ran away and lived a life of sin. For a long time, no one knew where she was, but she finally came back, turned to Christ in repentance, and believed in Him. Someone asked the mother what she had done to bring her daughter back and she replied, “I prayed ...read more

Tags: Fathers, Families, Children, Father's Day, Prayer, Mothers, Prodigal Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Standing Where The Fire Has Already Been!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

“Many years ago, a father and his daughter were walking through the grass on the Canadian prairie. In the distance, they saw a prairie fire, and they realized that it would soon engulf them. The father knew there was only one way of escape: they would quickly begin a fire right where they were and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:9

Tags: Reconciliation, Assurance, Blood Of Jesus, Roman Road, Wrath Of God, Holiness Of God, Forgiveness, Satan, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hank Aaron And Yogi Berra

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at the time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playing in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Tags: Goals, Distractions

A Paradigm For Giving.

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Dec 24, 2024

A PARADIGM FOR GIVING. 2 Corinthians 8:9. This is the key verse in my sermon on 'The Grace of Giving' (2 Corinthians 8:7-15). The Apostle reminds the Corinthians of what they already know: “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.” How that He was “rich” but made Himself “poor” that we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:9

Tags: Grace, Giving

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In Steven Spielberg's Film About A Slave Ship ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Aug 29, 2004

In Steven Spielberg’s film about a slave ship called Amistad, the Africans revolt and are subsequently imprisoned. The African prisoners are given a Bible with pictures in it by the abolitionists. The Africans had no idea what the book was, and they could not read in their own language, let ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Methodist

Christmas: A Season Of Stress?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 2, 2004

Christmas: A Season of Stress? The picture the Bible gives us of the first Christmas is one of peace and serenity. You can see it with your mind’s eye: There are the shepherds, gathered around a campfire under a clear, starlit sky, quietly talking among themselves about their flocks, their ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12

Tags: Christmas

A.j. Gordon Was The Great Baptist Pastor Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Dec 3, 2006

A.J. Gordon was the great Baptist pastor of the Clarendon Church in Boston, Massachusetts. One day he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Contentedness Is Blessedness, (Hebrews "Be ...

Contributed by Matthew Mobley on Mar 28, 2008

Contentedness is blessedness, (Hebrews “be content with what you have”, Paul “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation”) but in this life it is hard to find contentment. It is difficult to be content when we are bombarded by images and slogans and advertisements that’s ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

God's Hand Upon Our President, Pt. ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

“God’s Hand Upon Our President, Pt. 1” Proverbs 21:1 says; “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.” Proverbs 21 is a powerful truth that must be grasped so Christians may pray in faith that God is fully able to put into effect His ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:1

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Will You Do With Jesus This Christmas?

Contributed by David Tack on Dec 2, 2011

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS THIS CHRISTMAS? Many years ago in the countryside of Bethlehem the townsfolk prepared for just another day, though this day was quite extraordinary. The shepherds were out tending to their sheep and the Jewish nation was feeling the restraints of Roman oppression. ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist