In Sermon Illustrations: "Living Hope"

God Knows His Own

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

GOD KNOWS HIS OWN The guillemot is a small arctic sea bird that lives on the rocky cliffs of northern coastal regions. These birds flock together by the thousands in comparatively small areas. Because of the crowded conditions, hundreds of females lay their pear-shaped eggs side by side on a ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience

He Took The Lashes

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

HE TOOK THE LASHES Cliff Barrows tells of the time his two young children did something wrong. Although they were gently warned, they repeated the offense and needed to be disciplined. Cliff's tender heart was pained at the thought of having to punish the ones he loved. So he called Bobby and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:24

Tags: Atonement

One Time Many Years Ago, The King Of Hungary ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Sep 11, 2008

One time many years ago, the king of Hungary found himself depressed and unhappy. He sent for his brother, a good-natured but rather indifferent prince. The king said to him, "I am a great sinner; I fear to meet God." But the prince only laughed at him. This didn’t help the king’s disposition any. ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Tore Down The ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Sep 19, 2008

Love Tore Down The Wall Some years ago, a couple decided they could not live together anymore. They separated and started divorce proceedings. Dr. J. Mike Minnix, Editor, PastorLife.com. Through their lawyers, they agreed to meet at the home and divide the property. As they went through the home ...read more

Tags: Memories

Denomination: Baptist

In The First Half Of The 17th Century, Germany ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Oct 14, 2008

In the first half of the 17th century, Germany was in the midst of wars and famine and pestilence. In the city of Eilenburg lived a pastor by the name of Martin Rinkart. During one especially oppressive period, Rinkart conducted up to 50 funerals a day as a plague swept through the town and as the ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Other

Payer Is The Strongest Form Of Abiding That There ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Payer is the strongest form of abiding that there is. -- A retired teacher was giving her little nephew some help with his schools work. He was normally a good, attentive child, but on this occasion he could not fix his mind on his work. Suddenly he said, "Aunt Sally, may I kneel down and ask God ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Prayer Is The Strongest Form Of Abiding That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 27, 2008

Prayer is the strongest form of abiding that there is. -- A retired teacher was giving her little nephew some help with his schools work. He was normally a good, attentive child, but on this occasion he could not fix his mind on his work. Suddenly he said, "Aunt Sally, may I kneel down and ask God ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

You Are My Favorite ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

YOU ARE MY FAVORITE PART Dave Stone wrote in "If Jesus Lived in My Neighborhood" about his uncle Greg, who is a quadriplegic. A few years ago, Uncle Greg was able to attend a special-needs camp at Country Lake Christian Retreat in southern Indiana. A man named John was assigned to be with Uncle ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Everyone Dies…all Flesh Is Grass…what Did You ...

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Mar 16, 2009

“Everyone dies…all flesh is grass…what did you expect? Did you really think that Christ would blunt the spear-points, deflect the lash, cause the chains to melt away when they touched your skin? Did you expect to walk in sunlight and not feel the heat, or to go without water and not grow thirsty? ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Orthodox

Spiritual Growth Takes Time  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

SPIRITUAL GROWTH TAKES TIME There was once a farmer who went to town to purchase seeds for his farm. As he was returning home one of the squash seeds he had purchased fell from his pocket onto the ground. It happened that within a few feet was another seed of a different type. The place where the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:12-13

Tags: Spiritual Growth, Growth In Christ

Because You're My ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

"BECAUSE YOU’RE MY DAD!" Author Tim Hansel writes: One day, while my son Zac and I were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs, I heard a voice from above me yell, "Hey Dad! Catch me!" I turned around to see Zac joyfully jumping off a rock straight at me. He had jumped and then yelled ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 20:7

Tags: Trust

Not Happy With The View

Contributed by Bill Love on Jul 29, 2009

NOT HAPPY WITH THE VIEW A young salesman lands a job selling new windows door to door. On his first day of the job he comes across this sweet older lady who agrees to purchase a beautiful new window in her living room. A few days after the job was completed the salesmen gets a call from the lady ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

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

A Lady In The North Of England Said That Every ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Aug 6, 2009

A lady in the north of England said that every time she got down before God to pray, five bottles of wine came up before her mind. She had taken them wrongfully one time when she was a housekeeper, and had not been able to pray since. She was advised to make restitution. "But the person is dead," ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Pentecostal

Mother Hen Sacrifices Her Life To Protect Chicks ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2009

Mother Hen Sacrifices Her Life To Protect Chicks During Fire in Yellowstone National Park, National Geographic Article There was an article in National Geographic several years ago provided a penetrating picture of God’s wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park in the US, forest ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Animals, God's Protection

A Parable Is Told Of A Community Of Ducks ...

Contributed by Tim Adams on Dec 1, 2009

A parable is told of a community of ducks waddling off to duck church one Sunday to hear their duck preacher. After they waddled into the duck sanctuary, the service began and the duck preacher spoke eloquently of how God had given the ducks wings with which to fly. He pounded the pulpit with his ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Baptist

God's Provision: The Holy Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

GOD'S PROVISION: THE HOLY SPIRIT Without the Holy Spirit the church could not exist. It is He who inspired the writers of Scripture, and He who dwells in every Christian, giving us life in Christ. All our efforts are dust and ashes apart from Him. A young man asked an old rich man how he made his ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-25

Tags: God's Provision

Clean House

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 9, 2009

CLEAN HOUSE This summer Susan and I discovered a reality show called CLEAN HOUSE (Style Channel). Have some of you seen it? It's a show where a team of people come in help people with a hopelessly messy house by cleaning it out. The host is a comedian named Niecy Nash. When she first enters the ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Church's Identity And Purpose

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2009

THE CHURCH'S IDENTITY AND PURPOSE In his book, The Family of God, Batsell Barrett Baxter says the following: "There are some who think of the church as an organization like other organizations. It is true that the church is an organization, but it is not primarily an organization. Rather, it is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 1:21-23

Tags: Church Purpose Of

There Is A Statement That Says

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Dec 21, 2009

There is a statement that says “Perception is reality.” I think that means that one’s understanding is taken as reality, even when it is perverted and false. Here’s an example: Some early studies concerned with prejudice show that we’re quite capable of reordering our perceptions of the world ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Pentecostal