In Sermon Illustrations: "Lift Him Up"

10 Most Used Excuses

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 20, 2010

10 MOST USED EXCUSES 1. I forgot. 2. No one told me to go ahead. 3. I didn't think it was that important. 4. Wait until the boss comes back and ask him. 5. I didn't know you were in a hurry for it. 6. That's the way we've always done it. 7. That's not in my department. 8. How was I to know ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: *other

Why Do You Ask?

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 24, 2010

WHY DO YOU ASK? A vicar was walking along the road when a lady stopped him and this question. "Vicar" she asked. "What do you think about cremation?" Without hesitation the vicar replied, "You know the scriptural principle don't you?" "No" the lady replied. "You bury treasure but you burn ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Brethren

Only One Happy New Year

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 29, 2010

ONLY ONE HAPPY NEW YEAR One New Year’s Eve at London’s Garrick Club, British dramatist Frederick Lonsdale was asked by Seymour Hicks to be reconciled with a fellow member. The two had quarrelled in the past and never restored their friendship. Hicks said to Lonsdale, "You must get reconciled. It ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Brethren

The Organist At St Paul's Cathedral (London) ...

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 30, 2010

The organist at St Paul's Cathedral (London) caught sight of Felix Mendelssohn (German composer, 1809-47) in the congregation. He sent the great composer a note inviting him to play the organ after the service. Mendelssohn agreed. The congregation, already shuffling out of the pews to go home, ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

Denomination: Brethren

The Man Whose Heart Is Pure

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 9, 2011

THE MAN WHOSE HEART IS PURE Charles Spurgeon: “The man whose heart is pure, will be able to see God in nature. When the heart is clean, he will hear God's footfall everywhere in the garden of the earth in the cool of the day. He will hear God's voice in the tempest, sounding in peal on peal from ...read more

Tags: Purity

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

An Image Of Themselves

Contributed by David Parks on Feb 21, 2012

AN IMAGE OF THEMSELVES Have you heard of the controversial exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Art? It is the Rembrandt and the Face of Christ exhibit. Rembrandt’s depictions of Jesus were even more controversial in the 17th century. His familiarity with the Jewish community in his native ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 6:16

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Don't Want To Be One!

Contributed by Christopher Gregas on Sep 8, 2012

I DON'T WANT TO BE ONE! There was a pastor that was giving a "children’s sermon" to all the young children. And as they sate before him, a bright-eyed three-year-old girl listened intently as he explained that God wanted them all to get along and love each other. "God wants us all to be one," he ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Latched Of Sandals

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 14, 2012

Albert Barnes’ commentary for John 1:27: “The latchet of sandals was the string or thong by which they were fastened to the feet. To unloose them was the office of a servant, and John means, therefore, that he was unworthy to perform the lowest office for the Messiah. This was remarkable humility. ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Nicodemus Was Ready To Take His Relationship With ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Feb 18, 2013

Nicodemus was ready to take his relationship with Jesus to another level, but it wasn’t that easy. It never is. There would be much to lose if he went public as a follower of Jesus. What would people think if they found out that Nicodemus was an admirer of this homeless-carpenter-turned-rabbi ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-18

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Last Night I Had The Privilege Of Writing "paid ...

Contributed by David Tack on Jul 21, 2013

“Last night I had the privilege of writing "paid in full" on someone’s bill. It felt great to see them smile and walk out with no debt on their shoulders. I wondered if that’s how Jesus felt when He went to the Father on my behalf and took my debt that I could have never paid and put ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10

Tags: Redemption, Remission

Denomination: Baptist

Indian Martyr

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Oct 31, 2020

Devasahayam Pillai was the first Indian martyr to be beatified. He was born in Nilakandan Pillai (1712-1752) into a Hindu family in the Kingdom of Travancore. Pillai, an upper-caste Hindu nair convert to Christianity, was a member of the royal service and was close to King Marthanda Varma, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:6

Tags: Saints, Santihood, Santihood Lives

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Would Jesus Do?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 15, 2020

One woman writes: Our fourth grader celebrated his birthday on crutches, so he couldn’t carry the cupcakes into school without help. I asked our sixth-grader, Noah, to help his brother carry them in. I could,” he said, but I’d prefer not to. ”Spotting a teaching moment, my husband asked Noah, What ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 4:2, Ephesians 4:31, Ephesians 3:17, Galatians 5:23

Tags: Kindness, Helpful, Christlike

Denomination: Independent/Bible

We Died Before We Came Here

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 6, 2022

When James Calvert went as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the captain of the ship sought to turn him back, crying out “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages” Calvert only replied, “We died before we came here.” In ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:1-11

Tags: Discipleship, Missions, Christian Life, Dying To Self, Crucified With Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stay Plugged In

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Jan 24, 2023

A friend of mine emailed me something so true about staying connected ... When God made trees he spoke to the earth. When God made fish he spoke to the water. When God made man he said let us make man in our image. He breathed life from Him into us. These three things are alive. however they ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5

Tags: Connected To God, Where We Draw Power, Our Connection To God, We Can't Live Without God, If We Disconnect  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Come As You Are

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Nov 21, 2024

A friend of mine in Louisiana had his 11 year old nephew for the weekend just after the uncle had had a close call with death and gotten released from the hospital. On Sunday morning, his nephew approached him. “Come on, Uncle, let’s go to church!” “But Dom, you don’t have any church clothes ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:18, Matthew 11:27, Romans 5:8

Tags: Come As You Are, God Loves All People

Denomination: Charismatic

Courageous Husband?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 22, 2025

A woman and her husband interrupted their vacation to go to the dentist. "I want a tooth pulled, and I don't want Novacaine because I'm in a big hurry," the woman said. "Just extract the tooth as quickly as possible, and we'll be on our way." The dentist was quite ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:22-33

Tags: Marriage, Compassion, Courage, Hurry, Double Standard  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Loving Congregation

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

This is the greatest need we have in the local congregation today – to be seen as a place where love for on another is present. What does that look like? A quote from St. Francis of Assisi: “Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and an ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35, 1 Peter 4:8

Tags: Love, St Francis Of Assisi

Denomination: Methodist

Aunt Bessie's Pickled Beets!" 2 Corinthians ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 19, 2005

“Aunt Bessie’s Pickled Beets!” 2 Corinthians 7:2-13 Key verse(s): 10:“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” The worst part of doing wrong is being found out. We’ve all been caught doing wrong in life; especially when we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:2-13, Luke 17:5-10

Tags: Crucifixion

Denomination: Lutheran

Let Me Close With This Story, At First You May ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 31, 2002

Let me close with this story, at first you may not catch my point, but hang in there, when I land you will see a wonderful point. I had been teaching in Virginia, and I resigned my position and accepted a pastorate of a mission work in eastern Kentucky. The area was very poor, and the little church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Tags: Funerals Christian, Death

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Inspiration Of The Bible Proved

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Nov 12, 2007

Inspiration of the Bible Back in the 1930's Harry Rimmer had a debate on the authority and Divine inspiration of the Bible. His atheist opponent opened his arguments with the following statement. "Rimmer is going to try to prove the inspiration of the Bible by referring to the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 48:3-5, John 14:29

Tags: Prophesy, Inspiration Of Bible, Prophetic Types

Denomination: Baptist