In Sermon Illustrations: "Listen To God"

The Gradual Road To Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2011

THE GRADUAL ROAD TO HELL In C.S. Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters, we read the story of an older demon counseling a younger demon. At one point in the book, we read these words: "You will say that these are very small sins, and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-15

Tags: Sin Deceptive, Risk Of Sin

No King But Jesus

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

NO KING BUT JESUS Did you know that the colonialists wanted to make George Washington a king? But he refused. Because George and many of the colonists believed that there was only one king, and it was not King George III. On April 22, 1774, before the Revolutionary War, a report was sent to King ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:37

Tags: Jesus Christ

If Crumbs Of Joy Now, What Next?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2012

IF CRUMBS OF JOY NOW, WHAT NEXT? A widely respected man known as "Uncle Johnson" died in Michigan at the incredible age of 120. Perhaps his advanced years could be credited in part to the cheerful outlook that characterized his life. One day while at work in his garden, he was singing songs of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, 1 Corinthians 2:2

Tags: Joy

Worship Warrior  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 17, 2012

WORSHIP WARRIOR I like the way songwriter and worship leader, Brian Doerksen, puts it. He says, "Becoming a worshipper means becoming a warrior... And by toning that down...we have sent men and women away from the church in droves. It's time to call them back," Doerksen says, "as worshiping ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Worship Definition

The Blue And Red Spigots

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Sep 13, 2012

THE BLUE AND RED SPIGOTS John Michael Cussick (Surfing for God, 104) took out two brass spigots. One has a red knob and the other has a blue knob. The red knob represents how we often look at the Christian life. The assumption is that the source from which the water flows is a cesspool and so we ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Joining For The Perks

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Nov 13, 2012

JOINING FOR THE PERKS Lay down our lives? You mean total sacrifice? Partial commitment is not allowed. I remember a man in a church I attended long ago who had a grandson who was in the Army and his grandson was about to be deployed into a war zone. This man got up in church and with tears ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Nazarene

Blind Man Climbs Everest

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 3, 2012

Erik Weihenmeyer has led a remarkable life. He is the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest (2001). In 2008, he climbed his seventh summit highest peak on each continent). He has written books and produced a film of some of his accomplishments entitled, “Farther Than the Eye Can ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Storage Wars. ...

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 6, 2012

I enjoy watching a TV show called Storage Wars. In this reality show people bid on storage units that have been abandoned after having five minutes to look at them from the doorway. I enjoy watching because many times they find some great treasures worth a lot of money buried in all the other ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

Who Am I?

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Dec 15, 2012

QUOTE John Newton: • “I am not what I could be, • I am not what 1 should be, • But I am not what I used to be" • How imperfect and deficient I am! • I am not what I wish to be, • Although I abhor that which is evil and would cleave to what is good. • I am not what I hope to be, • But soon ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Brethren

Plenty Of Time

Contributed by Perry Greene on Feb 13, 2013

PLENTY OF TIME William Sangster was a hard-driving 19th Century preacher. He wrote about his life, "A busy life, no time to think. No time for rich, rewarding meditation and prayer. No interior life. No quietness and poise. Hence, rush invades restlessness. Repetition. No new thoughts of ...read more

Tags: Affliction, Time, Abiding In Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Is The Bible Relevant?

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 19, 2013

IS THE BIBLE RELEVANT? "As far as reliability is concerned, it's only fair to note that the Bible contains the best documented text of any volume in human history. Perhaps the most amazing support comes from the Dead Sea scrolls which were discovered in 1947 after lying in the Qumran caves for ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Grace And Matthew

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 12, 2013

GRACE AND MATTHEW These days people don't know Matthew as a failure and embarrassment who sold his soul to the Romans for a job. We know Matthew as a follower of Jesus who wrote the first book of the New Testament. It's important to understand that the grace of God doesn't simply invite us to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-31

Tags: Grace, Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Meaning Of Life. The Wasted Years Of Life. ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 23, 2013

The meaning of life. The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: grace. We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:32

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Staying On The Path  PRO

Contributed by Scott Bradford on Jun 20, 2013

TWO MILES OF DITCH I was headed home late from a wedding reception and had about a two hour drive when a friend said to me, "Remember that for every mile you drive there are two miles of ditch". I was in the car before that really sunk in, and then it hit me, for every path we walk, there are ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-14, John 21:15-17

Tags: Disciples, Journey, Backslide, Faith Journey

Denomination: United Methodist

Forgiveness For Everyone?

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Lloyd Prator writes, “Take Adolph Hitler or better Joseph Stalin because he killed more people. What if, at the last minute, as Stalin lay dying, he turned his heart to Jesus and confessed his sins? Suppose he repented at the last minute, repented of the 14 million Russians Stalin killed… Would he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Forgiveness, Repentance

Denomination: Methodist

One Day As My Two Year Old Daughter And I Had ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2007

One day as my two year old daughter and I had finished our shopping at the mall, I was walking ahead of her continually asking her to "hurry up." I wanted to get home, but she was enjoying all the sights and sounds. As she walked right behind me, I looked back to see my daughter had stopped to ...read more

C.s. Lewis Said, "The Gospel Means We Can Stop ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

C.S. Lewis said, “The gospel means we can stop lying to ourselves. The sweet sound of amazing grace saves us from the necessity of self-deception. It keeps us from denying that though Christ was victorious, the battle with lust, greed, and pride still rages within us. As a sinner who has been ...read more

Tags: Faith, Pretend, Self-Deception, Boasting In Weakness

Some Time Ago I Spoke At Horn Creek Lodge In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Some time ago I spoke at Horn Creek Lodge in Horn Creek, Colorado not too far from Colorado Springs. If you have never been there you need to go. It is a great place to spend a week. The mountains are at your front door and the deer walk up to your back door. The food is delicious and the ...read more

Tags: World Religions

A Few Years Ago Jack Eckerd, Founder Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A few years ago Jack Eckerd, founder of the Eckerd drugstore chain, committed his life to Christ. Shortly afterward, as he walked through one of his stores, he noticed the magazine racks with their glossy copies of "Playboy" and "Penthouse." Although Eckerd was retired from active management, he ...read more

Tags: Grace

Starved To Death  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Somewhere recently I read of a tribe of natives in a South American jungle who learned that the leaves of certain trees would give them extra energy and strength and would keep them from getting hungry. So they began to eat them regularly. They seemed strong, energetic and seldom got hungry. A few ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To