In Sermon Illustrations: "Lack Of Discernment"

An Impressive Coat Of Wool

Contributed by John Harvey on Dec 7, 2006

Take for instance the story of Shrek. Now this is not about an ogre who is friends with a talking donkey, but about a wild sheep in New Zealand. Shrek was a young sheep when he escaped form his shepherd. This is not an uncommon occurrence, because sheep are notorious for wandering off. What is ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Chuck Swindoll Tells About A Study Of Teenagers ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Chuck Swindoll tells about a study of teenagers and peer pressure. The design of the study was simple. They brought groups of ten adolescents into a room for a test. Each group was instructed to raise their hands when the teacher pointed to the longest line on three separate charts. What one person ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

J. Ghandi Said It Best When He Said, "Our ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

J. GHANDI SAID IT BEST WHEN HE SAID, “OUR CIVILIZATION TODAY, IS LIKE A MONKEY WITH A BLOW TORCH IN A ROOM FULL OF DYNAMITE.” K. JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU A FRENCH CATHOLIC PHILOSOPHER WHO WRITES, "THE END OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS A MINOR EVENT COMPARED WITH WHAT WE BEHOLD. WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

I Feel Nudged Up Into Sharing This Experience. ...  PRO

Contributed by Samson Musyoki on Sep 25, 2007

I feel nudged up into sharing this experience. Usually, life brings with it its mysteries where at times you enjoy the Lord’s abundant provision while on other occasions you enjoy lack! In this particular day, we had no electricity in the house and there was no kerosene to light up the kerosene ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Some Will Be Saved. And We Must Keep Trying To ...

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 16, 2008

*Some will be saved. And we must keep trying to reach them, even though many will reject the message, just like they did here in Acts 28:24. *Wray Ivey was one of my mentors when we lived in Macon. He was our pastor at First Baptist Church in Macon, and a great guy. One Tuesday night Wray and I ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

A Friend Of Mine Pastors In The Bloor West ...  PRO

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Nov 2, 2008

A friend of mine pastors in the Bloor West village in Toronto and runs a "God at the Pub" where he holds open discussions on the Christian faith in a bar setting. He told me the other day that he has all sorts of people there who are not people of faith, but who have told him they want to model ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Wise Bible Teacher Once Said, "Sooner Or Later ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Mar 12, 2009

A wise Bible teacher once said, “Sooner or later God will bring self-sufficient people to the place where they have no resource but Him – no strength, no answers, nothing but Him. Without God’s help, they are sunk.” He then told of a despairing man who confessed to his pastor, “My life is really ...read more

Tags: Ot Kings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Too Soft On People?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2009

TOO SOFT ON PEOPLE? A preacher named Ron Rose told a woman who came into his office complaining that his sermons always being about forgiveness and grace. She said he needed to come down harder on the sinners and in her words, "nail them." After her rant, Ron asked, "So, you’ve got forgiveness ...read more

Scripture: John 1:15-17

Tags: Grace

If They Were Our ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 24, 2009

IF THEY WERE OUR OWN If you boy or my girl were in darkness – Were groping alone in the night, Soul—weary and helplessly seeking In vain for a glimmer of light, Thro’ the dangerous depths of a forest, Bewildered and frightened and lost, Would I be at home by the fireside Demurring and counting ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Something Beautiful

Contributed by Barry Edmondson on Feb 5, 2011

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL In 1502, in Florence, Italy there was a large block of marble given to a church in Santa Maria, the church immediately hired who they thought was a professional to sculpt this enormously huge piece of rock. The man was a professional and soon after commencing this great task ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Pentecostal

When I Was In The Navy, Sailors Told Each Other ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

When I was in the Navy, Sailors told each other all sorts of stories about what happened on various deployments or on liberty. They were called sea stories, and were often far from being true. In fact we used say that the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story was that a fairy tale begins ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

When To Pray For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 13, 2012

WHEN TO PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT I think about the pastor of the church that I went to couple of years in California, Pastor Chuck. A man came to him and said he wanted to make a large donation - one million dollar donation. The pastor said to that, “Wow – that is a lot of money. Let me go first and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Money

There's An Ancient Document From The Second ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Feb 16, 2002

There’s an ancient document from the second century called the "Epistle to Diognetus". It’s a letter from a Christian to a prominent pagan named Diognetus, in which the author, who is unknown, is describing and defending this strange new religion of Christianity. It reads, in part: "The Christians ...read more

Tags: Parable General, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Someone Named J. R. Illingworth Once Said, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

Someone named J. R. Illingworth once said, "Prayer has been defined to be a wish referred to God; and, if we could keep this thought before us, it would help us to acquire the habit of prayer by making us refer each wish, as it comes into our minds, to God, for His assistance in furtherance or ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Strange Inside And Out

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

STRANGE INSIDE AND OUT In May 2008, scientists finally completed analyzing the DNA of the platypus, a creature native to Australia that defies categorization under bird, reptile or mammal. The platypus is so odd that when the first specimens were sent to Europe in the 19th century, scientists ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:1-16, 1 Peter 2:11

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Graham: I Would Read The Bible More

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

GRAHAM: I WOULD READ THE BIBLE MORE In an interview with Newsweek on 14 Aug 2006, Billy Graham, then aged 88, was asked what would he do if he could live his life over again. The article writes: If he had his life to live over again, Graham says he would spend more time immersed in Scripture and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:3-13

Tags: Bible Study

Kokomo Tribune Writer Scott Smith Wrote An ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 3, 2009

Kokomo Tribune writer Scott Smith wrote an article for the Kokomo Tribune headlined, "Dam destruction part of Wildcat Creek’s revival." It reads: "The water upstream from the old Continental Steel dam looks almost stagnant. The streambed is deep, and the surface untroubled. But the lack of rills ...read more

Tags: Purity, Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Discipline, Brokenness, And Strength

Contributed by Pastor Gbenga Shadare on May 4, 2010

DISCIPLINE, BROKENNESS, AND STRENGTH Discipline is a virtue that is in short supply nowadays. We see men and women demonstrating a dangerous lack of self restraint and discipline. People do things just because they feel like it, ignoring the consequences. What there is no restraint, no discipline ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Independent/Bible

On November 15, 1993, 71-Year-Old Dr. Tom Amberry ...

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 9, 2011

On November 15, 1993, 71-year-old Dr. Tom Amberry stepped up to the line in a local gymnasium and sunk 2,750 free throws in a row. He walked away without a miss--they were closing the gym and asked him to leave. This amazing feat, which took 12 hours to accomplish, was witnessed by 10 people who ...read more

Tags: Power

Denomination: Baptist

Playing In The Dirt

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

PLAYING IN THE DIRT If you see a baby playing in the dirt, the baby may be dirty but you pretty much don’t make a big deal about it because it’s understood that babies play in dirt. Babies try to eat dirt. Babies scrub themselves in dirt. Dirt is a toy to a baby. But if you see a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-16

Tags: Growth In Christ