In Sermon Illustrations: "Living Stone"

Foot Of The Cross

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

AT THE CROSS Many years ago, I got a job at a paper mill. There was an older man working there who was a very dedicate Christian. My first few weeks there they had me working with him, He was the greatest guy I’d ever known. He asks me if I was a Christian, I replied that I was. One day I let words ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Tags: Commitment, Shame

Denomination: Pentecostal

Stop Offering A Comfortable Christian Message

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Most evangelistic appeals today pitch the gospel as the way to have an abundant life. “Jesus came to offer you abundant life. Trust in Him and He will give you peace, joy, and a truly happy life.” While all of those claims are true if properly defined, what the salesman hasn’t told the potential ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:12, Luke 9:23, Galatians 2:20, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 1:16  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Commitment, Discipleship, Truth, Suffering, Greasy Grace, Comfortable Christianity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Great Quotes On The Sovereignty Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 8, 2021

R.C. SPROUL: “If there is one single molecule in this universe running around loose, totally free of God’s sovereignty, then we have no guarantee that a single promise of God will ever be fulfilled.” MATT CHANDLER: “Trying to figure out God is like trying to catch a fish in the Pacific Ocean ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 4:34-35

Tags: Lord, Will Of God, Sovereignty Of God, Attributes Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Steinway Pianos Are Crafted

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

THE POUNDER ROOM The Steinway piano has been preferred by keyboard masters such as Rachmaninoff, Horowitz, Cliburn, and Liszt and for good reason. It is a skillfully crafted instrument that produces phenomenal sound. Steinway pianos are built today the same way they were 140 years ago when Henry ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Tags: Discipline, Trials, Tests Of Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Priest And The Levite (Parable Of The Good Samaritan)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 20, 2022

Keathley makes several interesting points that the Priest and Levite mentioned in the Parable of the Prodigal Son were leaving Jerusalem and could not use the excuse that they did not want to touch the man and be unclean for worship. Why? They had already accomplished their duties and were heading ...read more

Tags: Priest, Parables, Hypocrisy, Pharisees, Kindness, Levite, Good Samaritan  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Soap And Salvation

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 2, 2022

A skeptic sneeringly said, "The gospel has lost its power. While thousands profess Christ, nothing much is happening as a result." But it's not the fault of the gospel. It's because people make a profession but have no possession. It's not enough to acknowledge the truth of ...read more

Tags: Cleansinig, New Creations, Word Of God, Lost, Unsaved, Professors, Unbelievers, Possessors, Salvation, Gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

His Rightful Place

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Apr 11, 2022

I have a dog named Simba. I named him Simba because he is the color of a lion and he has the personality of a lion even though he is a chihuahua. One afternoon, we were really tired and I decided to take a quick nap with Simba. Simba has a certain place on the bed beside me where he always lays. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33, Luke 10:41

Tags: Putting God First, Resting, Making Room For God, Making Time For God

Denomination: Charismatic

Self Control - The Conductor Of Your Orchestra!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

Let’s face it. We’ve been created with a multitude of moods, passions, and desires. They all need managing. They must be under control or they will end up controlling us. Lewis Smedes says that self-control is like the “conductor of a symphony orchestra.” Under the conductor’s baton the multitude ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Spirit Filled Life, Holy Spirit, Lust, Spiritual Warfare, Fruit Of The Spirit, Spiritual Victory, Desires  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Funny Prayers

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

I found this collection of funny prayers on-line: • Lord, I ask that you give me the superpower to eat as much pizza as I want without gaining any weight. It would truly be a miracle and make my life complete. Amen. • Lord, I ask that you make all the calories in donuts and ice cream disappear, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:5

Tags: Holy Spirit, Food, Prayer, Flesh

Denomination: Methodist

Why The Grasshoppers?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 3, 2026

THERE WAS A SUCCESSFUL CORN FARMER THAT LEARNS ABOUT THE VALLEY. In the mid-west there was a very successful corn farmer. He grew many acres of corn and made his living by selling corn. One spring he plowed, fertilized and planted hundreds of acres of corn. Later that year a swarm of millions of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-5

Tags: Restoration, Valleys

Denomination: Assembly Of God

One Of The Best Ways To Bear Everlasting Fruit Is ...

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Apr 19, 2010

One of the best ways to bear everlasting fruit is to share your Christian testimony with other people. This morning we have a YouTube clip with part Drew Brees’ Christian testimony. Drew gave this testimony earlier this season in an interview with Jill Ewert from the Fellowship of Christian ...read more

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Last Week, Bernie Came To The Church Door. He ...  PRO

Contributed by Bill Sullivan on Oct 9, 2002

Last week, Bernie came to the church door. He showed up about five minutes before I was getting ready to leave for an appointment, and my first response to his arrival was, oh, no, not now. Bernie had been drinking – I could smell it on his breath. He was sweating profusely and was a little bit ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13-20

Tags: Fellowship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Surrender All – Judson W. Van Deventer, 1896

Contributed by Richard Goble on Mar 19, 2008

I Surrender All – Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896 Van DeVenter beautifully describes the process of absolute surrender in his timeless hymn I Surrender All. If I may impose my perception of this hymn, I would suggest that He reveals the struggle involved in surrendering all that he is to the Lord. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Preschool; Kindergarten; Primary And Elementary ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Sep 12, 2008

Preschool; Kindergarten; primary and elementary education; Middle School and Junior High; High School and Technical/Trade School; College and University; and postgraduate work are all the American Way of learning. From 3 – 4 years of age through the teenage years into early adulthood and sometime ...read more

Tags: School

Denomination: *other

Elizabeth Griscom: Freedom Creates Courage  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

ELIZABETH GRISCOM: FREEDOM CREATES COURAGE On January 1, 1752, Samuel and Rebecca Griscom gave birth to a baby girl they named Elizabeth. Elizabeth grew up a Quaker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After completing her formal education, Elizabeth went on to work as an apprentice to John Webster, a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:18-19

Tags: Independence Day

Generations And The Bible  PRO

Contributed by Billy Nale on Oct 19, 2009

GENERATIONS AND THE BIBLE A new research report from the Barna Group examines recent nationwide studies on how different generations of American adults view and use the Bible. For the purposes of this research, the Mosaic generation refers to adults who are currently ages 18 to 25; Busters are ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Timothy 4:12-16

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Baptist

Testimony Of Iris Blue

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2013

TESTIMONY OF IRIS BUE God is still welcoming prostitutes and publicans into His kingdom. Iris Blue grew up in Houston, Texas. She lived a rebellious life and got involved in drugs, alcohol and prostitution when she was a teenager. When she was seventeen she was arrested and spent seven years in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:28-32

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Love Is The Pursuit Of Relationships.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Oct 28, 2014

Love eh, the most excellent way, how do we sum this up. What is the main point I’d like to make about love? Well it’s this, “Love is the pursuit of relationships.” Well what would that look like? Let me tell you about a couple of young men who were born in the same town back early in the last ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21

Tags: Gain, Relationships, Damage, Family Relationships

Denomination: Salvation Army

[046]. A Message From A Poem – Christians In Response

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 6, 2025

[046]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CHRISTIANS IN RESPONSE This is another poem where I make use of rhyming patterns. Each line has an internal rhyme separated by one syllable. Here it is explained – “My life was SPENT, and WENT its way, with worldly discord gained.” The rhyming scheme for the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19, Revelation 5:11-13

Tags: Praise, Christians, Response, Poetry, Poem, Death Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[051]. Message From A Poem – Convention Hymn – From The Old To The New

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 7, 2025

[051]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CONVENTION HYMN (WRITTEN THEN) – FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW This was written during the Easter Keswick Convention at Atherton on the Atherton Tablelands in North Queensland, in the spare time I had there with all the organisation to do. These Conventions are ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:20-21, Romans 13:11-14, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:1-3

Tags: Poem, Salvation, Hymn, Hope, Redemption, Poetry  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational