In Sermon Illustrations: "Knowing Christ" showing 7,981-8,000 of 14,153

Someone The Shepherd Brought Home  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 22, 2013

Someone the Shepherd Brought Home Carl Ketcherside served with and was instrumental in a strict branch of the Restoration Movement. However, the Lord made a lot of changes in his life. In his later years he moved to St. Louis and ministered among the down and out. At this time, Ketcherside ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 34:1-31

Tags: Good Shepherd, False Shepherds, Great Shepherd

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Tearing Down The Name Of Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 19, 2014

TEARING DOWN THE NAME OF JESUS When I was in college at Dallas Baptist University, I drove through Dallas on the way to my classes. I would always see a huge sign of a dynamic church in the area that said, "Lifting Up the Name of Jesus!" It was very impressive. One day while I was driving to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Discipleship, Hypocrisy, Conviction, Name Of Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Relationship We Share

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jun 2, 2014

While many people hunger for family closeness, we often miss the opportunities that stand immediately before us. Tammy Harris of Roanoke, Virginia, began searching for her biological mother when she turned 21. A year of searching proved fruitless. Tammy did not realize, however, that her ...read more

Scripture: Mark 3:34-35

Tags: Family, Church Family

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forget The Gps!

Contributed by Robert Harmon on Oct 4, 2014

My brother Curtis had come home from Italy to visit us, and attended worship at the congregation where I served. Afterword, he wanted to go to Mammoth Cave and show his wife and son one of the natural wonders of the US. We tagged along, and I told him I knew the way. He said, “Naw, we’ll use the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 17:11-12

Tags: Direction, Apologetics, Bible Study, Bible Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forgetting What Is Past And Straining Toward The Future

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Oct 8, 2017

Commentator Gordon Fee recalls the famous “miracle mile,” the first time two milers ran under four minutes in the same race. Roger Bannister and John Landy competed in Vancouver, B.C. in 1954. Landy had led all the way, but coming off the final turn toward the finish line he looked over his ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Tags: Forgetting The Past, Heavenward Calling, Future Oriented

Denomination: Baptist

Reconciliation

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: The word “reconciliation” in the Biblical context means “bringing God and man together.” Verse: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18 NKJV). Illustration: The preacher ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Salvation, Reconciliation, Ministers Of A New Covenant

Denomination: Charismatic

Your Two Dirty Pennies Are An Insult

Contributed by David Goering on Aug 14, 2018

Suppose somebody befriended you in your town and offered to buy you a big beautiful house, and told you that you could choose the house you wanted. Then when he was handing you the title deed you reached in your pocket and pulled out two pennys, and when you did they accidentally fell out of your ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Free Gift, It Is Finished, Salvation, Righteousness, Good Works  (view more)  (view less)

Give Thanks In Everything

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 6, 2020

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) If it is the will of God that we should give thanks in everything, then we should reduce our complain lest we go against His will. COMPLAINING IS CONTRARY TO THANKSGIVING. In ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Complain

Denomination: Pentecostal

How Do You Give Without Enabling?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 2, 2022

How do you give biblically and with a Christ-like approach to needy people, yet not enable the person to become co-dependent on your giving heart? (1) Learn to distinguish between DIVINE appointments and drive-by-guiltings (Luke 10:33/ 1 Timothy 5:8/ Deuteronomy 15:11 and Galatians 6:10/ ...read more

Tags: Needs, Enabling, Wisdom, Discernment, Giving, Finances, Tithing, Good Samaritan, Sacrifice  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Buried With A Fire Extinguisher!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 6, 2022

An interesting newspaper clipping from 1999 told of a British man who was quite a character. Two or three days AFTER his funeral his friends started getting signed postcards from him. The cards said "wish you were here" and were addressed from ...read more

Tags: Hell, Death, Eternity, Judgment, Deceived  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Being Persecuted

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

As we live our Christian lives there are a lot of questions that are related to the Christian Life that don't really fall into life and death categories. Questions like: what's your favorite version of the bible? How can I be a better group member? Or the BIG ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION: if a ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18-25

Tags: Persecution, Suffering

Denomination: Baptist

The Spotless Puppy

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 19, 2023

A minister said that once he had a small, white Highland terrier puppy which he kept spotlessly clean by frequent washing, brushing, and powdering. One night a winter storm dropped a fresh blanket of snow on the countryside, and the next morning the whole world seemed to glisten under the splendor ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Roman Road, Sinners, Justification, Holiness, Adam, Conviction, Sinful Nature, Second Adam, Jesus, Sin, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Am More Alive Than Ever - D. James Kennedy

Contributed by Timothy Lueking on Apr 3, 2023

D. James Kennedy wrote a book called "Skeptics Answered" and in this book, he made this observation that has always stuck with me. It reminds me of a quote from D.L. Moody many years before. Kennedy wrote, "There will, in fact, come a time when some of you will probably be standing ...read more

Scripture: John 11:25-26

Tags: Death, Easter, Resurrection, Life, Eternal Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Genesis In The New Testament

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

There are at least 165 passages in Genesis that are either directly quoted or clearly referred to in the New Testament. Many of these are alluded to more than once, so that there are at least two hundred quotations or allusions to Genesis in the New Testament There exist over one hundred ...read more

Tags: Abel, New Testament, Eve, Genesis, Moses, Adam, Cain, Old Testament  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

But There's One Thing That Hasn't Changed - And ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 29, 2000

But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed - and that’s the heart of man. C S Lewis put it rather well in an ironic parody of the hymn "Lead us Heavenly Father." His version reads, "Lead us evolution, lead us up the future’s endless stair; / Chop us, change us, prod us, weed ...read more

Tags: Evolution

Denomination: Baptist

Next Time You’re In An Airport Notice The ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Feb 1, 2001

Next time you’re in an airport notice the difference between passengers who have confirmed tickets and those on standby (Hybels, Too Busy Not to Pray 113). Those who have confirmed tickets are relaxed, their confident and expectant. Those on standby hang around the ticket counter, they pace and ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-16, Genesis 4:1, 1 John 5:11-13

Tags: Faith, Confusion, Assurance Of Salvation, Born Again, God Brings Hope, Forgiveness In Jesus, Uncertainty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Used The Famous Gene Kelly Scene From Singing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 24, 2001

I used the famous Gene Kelly scene from Singing in the Rain as an illustration of Romans 5:17. The Sermon title was Singing in the Reign. Kelly’s dance was full of the child-like love we can feel and experience in knowing that God has freely given us His abundance of grace and the free gift of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-8, Romans 5:17, Psalm 51:1-21, Galatians 2:15-21, Psalm 51:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Grace

Mamie Adams Always Went To A Branch Post Office ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Hensley on May 3, 2001

Mamie Adams always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long. Someone pointed out that there was no need to wait in line because there was a stamp ...read more

Tags: Worship, Going To Church, Christian Love, Compassion

Denomination: Baptist

A Father, Walking Past His 5 Year Old ...  PRO

Contributed by David Deborde on May 31, 2001

A father, walking past his 5 year old daughter’s room one night, proudly noticed she was on her knees in prayer. Listening in, he heard this curious prayer- "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"- repeated several times. When she was finished, he asked her what it meant: "God is really smart," she ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:26

Tags: Prayer How To, Prayer General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pastor, I Have A Besetting Sin, And I Want Your ...  PRO

Contributed by Clark Frailey on May 3, 2002

Pastor, I have a besetting sin, and I want your help. I come to church on Sunday and can’t help thinking I’m the prettiest girl in the congregation. I know I ought not think that, but I can’t help it. I want you to help me with it." The pastor replied, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:3-5

Tags: Humility, Temptation Pride, Help

Denomination: Baptist