In Sermon Illustrations: "Life Challenge"

Spurgeon On Experiencing Fullness In Heaven

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2013

SPURGEON ON EXPERIENCING FULLNESS IN HEAVEN The renowned 19th-century English preacher C. H. Spurgeon told this story about King Cyrus, the man who conquered Babylon and freed the Jews from captivity: A visitor who was admiring Cyrus' gardens said it gave him much pleasure. "Ah," said Cyrus, ...read more

Scripture: John 4:34-38

Tags: Husbands Love, Evangelism Urgency

Do Not Trust Your Eyes

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 12, 2013

DO NOT TRUST YOUR EYES The enemy's strategy is to be invisible, so we have to always be on guard. Mike Slaughter tells the story of his mission trip back to Darfur and traveling from their compound in Ed Daein to Adilla Town, which is a six-hour round trip over rough desert terrain. On this ...read more

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Methodist

Somebody Help The Boy

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 28, 2013

SOMEBODY HELP THE BOY I was at home alone with Ryan one morning when I suddenly realized that it had been approximately two minutes since my little explorer had made any noise. (When one babysits with Ryan, silence is definitely not golden.) I immediately began looking for him, searching each room ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:20

Tags: Marriage, Parenting

Denomination: Baptist

What Are You Feeding On?  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 9, 2014

WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING ON? I really enjoy visiting Yellowstone. In fact, one of these days, when Jesus comes back, I've got dubs on Yellowstone! Come and visit me for a while! Once when I was visiting the greatest national park in America, I heard a story about bears that was amazing. In the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:1-13, Exodus 12:1-51

Tags: Sanctification, Lamb Of God, Spiritual Growth, Growth In Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is Heaven Real?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

The Bible uses the word heaven 532 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word for "heaven" is shamayim and is plural meaning "heights," "elevations." It is found in the first verse of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" and in Gen 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Methodist

Bitter & Better - The Two 'b's

Contributed by Paddick Van Zyl on Jul 21, 2014

When the water at Marah was bitter, Moses had to cast a tree into the water stream to sweeten the water or make it drinkable. The words: Bitter and Better both start with a B and end with Tter. The only difference is: the letter I and E. Bitter has the focus on I, me, myself, flesh. Better has ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27

Tags: Water, Sweet, Bitter

Denomination: Pentecostal

Feed Them

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Sep 12, 2016

The thing is that Jesus did perform the miracle, but he didn’t feed the five thousand. You may be thinking here; Andrew you’re just being a bit silly about this. But for Jesus disciples this was one of those great learning moments. The disciples rock up with a problem and Jesus says we'll solve it, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:35-44

Tags: Equipped For Service, Miracle, Hands On, Service, Feeding 5000  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Freedom

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

In the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, VA, there’s a special display for a rickety, home-made aluminum kayak. This tiny, makeshift boat seems oddly out of place in the midst of displays for impressive Navy vessels and artifacts from significant battles on the sea. But a bronze plaque tells museum ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Freedom, Persecution

Denomination: Methodist

Follow The Light

Contributed by Tim Baker on Jan 5, 2018

When I flew airplanes regularly landing at night was very different than daylight. I would use the instruments to guide me to the airport over most of the trip, but since I was a VFR pilot I would use my eyes outside of the cockpit to land the plane. In the daylight using your eyes to land was ...read more

Tags: Light, Light And Darkness, Light For Our Path

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do All Roads Lead To God?

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

Main Idea: Jesus is the only one way to heaven. Verse: Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NKJV). Illustration: I once heard someone say, “All religions ultimately lead to God.” But, think about this question logically. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Salvation, Religious Beliefs

Denomination: Charismatic

Do You Weep Over Your Sin?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 15, 2020

A young pastor visited Dundee, Scotland, shortly after Robert Murray McCheyne died at age thirty. Many people had come to Christ because of McCheyne's ministry, and the visitor wanted to know the secret of his great influence. The old sexton of McCheyne's church led the preacher into ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Confession Of Sin, Sermon On The Mount, Mourning Over Sin, Prayer, Revival, Repentance, Beatitudes, Pastors, Brokenness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Coronavirus And Our Need For The Transcendent

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 21, 2020

Children, as Jesus said, Don't be afraid. Your family is probably founded on some kind of faith. Listen to your parents and other adults whom you trust, and know that nearly everyone is working hard to get us through this trouble. ? In fifty years you will remember this crisis as one of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:27

Tags: Fear, Forgiveness, Pandemic, Covid 19

Denomination: Catholic

The Power Of Singing

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 14, 2020

Its been observed that Singing Together Shapes Community. ***Songs are one way that a community has its identity and one way that individuals find their identity within a community. (therefore old songs –passed on to the next generation- help create community bonds) Baseball has a song – during ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Community, Church, Worship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Circuit Riders

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

In the early years, Circuit riders were most often lay preachers without formal education. They were young, poor, and, for the most part, single. Traveling thousands of miles a year. Though circuit riders eventually represented many different denominations but none were more aggressive or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35

Tags: Personal Sacrifice, Teaching And Preaching

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Your Cheatin' Heart

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Aug 12, 2020

Your Cheatin’ Heart is a song written and recorded in 1952 by country music singer and songwriter Hank Williams. However, the song was released after his death in 1953. Your Cheatin’ Heart is considered one of the greatest songs of country music. The song is a slow ballad, telling an ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-27

Tags: Obedience, Compromise

Denomination: Baptist

Faith Of A Child

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on Aug 16, 2020

How do we find rest through the chaotic mess the accuser continually throws at society? By coming, believing and trusting with the faith of a child! By trusting in our God given measure of faith and realizing everything is going to be alright, because God says it will and that’s enough! Growing ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:6

Tags: Faith, Expectation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Eragon Vs. Galbatorix

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Sep 17, 2020

Years ago I read through a children’s series called Eragon. Eragon was going to face a strong and evil sorcerer named Galbatorix who had taken over the land through murder and violence. Finally, after battle upon battle to get to him, Eragon was able to confront Galbatorix deep within his lair. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:15

Tags: Sin, Confrontation

Denomination: Lutheran

Fountain Of Youth

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Nov 6, 2020

The fountain of youth has been told in stories since medieval times. The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring that restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. Many have gone on conquests to find this mythical spring of water, but all have failed. In 1565, a Spanish explorer ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Tags: Everlasting Fountain Of Youth, Everlasting Fountain

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Caesar Ruled.....but God Overruled!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 20, 2020

"Augustus Caesar was ruling, but God was in charge, for He used Caesar's edict to move Mary and Joseph eighty miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem to fulfill His Word. Rome took a census every fourteen years for both military and tax purposes, and each Jewish male had to return to the city of ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-12

Tags: Mary, Messiah, Christmas, Prophecy, History, Sovereignty Of God, Augustus Caesar  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Defaced From Family Will

Contributed by Ron Freeman, Evangelist on Mar 14, 2021

I was told by a wonderful woman who had married a negro man after falling in love with him during the 1940s. She met him in Pittsburg, PA, and later moved to Chicago, IL for the safety of their family. Her father was filled with bitterness and anger and defaced her from the will. He disowned her ...read more

Scripture: James 2:8-9, Matthew 22:37-40

Tags: Prince Harry, Racism, Transgression, Respect Of Persons, Royal Law Of Love, Family Will, Meghan Markle, Sin, Bigotry, Brotherly Love, Prejudice, Hatred  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ