In Sermon Illustrations: "Love For Others"

How God's Children Change, Citation: Craig ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 3, 2001

[How God’s Children Change, Citation: Craig Barnes, author and pastor of National Presbyterian Church, Washington, D.C.; from sermon "The Blessed Trinity" (5-30-99)] When I was a child, my minister father brought home a 12-year-old boy named Roger, whose parents had died from a drug overdose. ...read more

Scripture: John 1:12-13

Tags: God, Care, Watch, Love, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fred Craddock, Who Taught At Candler School Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Sep 18, 2005

Fred Craddock, who taught at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, once said: “To give my life for Christ appears glorious. To pour myself out for others ... to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom — I’ll do it. I’m ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory. We think giving our all to ...read more

Scripture: Acts 11:1-18, Acts 9:36

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Call Of The Disciples, Discipleship

Denomination: Methodist

What Is That In Thine Hand?  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Aug 19, 2001

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. told the story: I remember years ago I was holding a meeting in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. I was in that big amphitheater there that accommodates about ten thousand people. The people told me a story. They said a few nights before I was there they advertised in the paper that a man ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

That Holy Communion Moment At The Hospital

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

Note: this happened to me personally - you can reference Jim Butcher of Madison WV. Some of you have heard me share this story over the last few weeks, but I think it’s worth sharing again for those who haven’t had the chance to hear it. In early March, Patti Price asked me to bring communion to ...read more

Tags: Love, Communion, Marriage, Old Age

Denomination: Baptist

Hospitality To Strangers  PRO

Contributed by Susan Babb, Osl on Oct 9, 2008

A. Friend – some years ago B. Sunday worship service, church like ours C. Service begun – member of congregation began worship, no pastor yet D. Man dressed shabbily in a heavy overcoat and wild hair and who could of used a bath came into service 1. Trouble finding a seat, pretty ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:35-45, Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Love, Acceptance, Compassion, Hospitality, Christlikeness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Farmall Hospitality!" 3 John 1-8 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 17, 2004

“Farmall Hospitality!” 3 John 1-8 Key verse(s): 5: “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.” I’m a Corvair man! That means that I drive old, forty years or more, cars with air-cooled engines and no shoulder harnesses. Since I’ve ...read more

Scripture: 3 John 1:1-8

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Christian Love, Prosperous

Denomination: Lutheran

You Turn On The Tv Set To See A Large Family ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Feb 26, 2002

You turn on the TV set to see a large family sitting at a long dining room table. A man and a woman sit at opposite ends of the table, with three boys on one side and three girls on the other. Then another woman appears from the kitchen wearing a blue blouse and a white apron. She’s also wearing ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:15-24

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Servanthood, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reflections On John 3:16

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 22, 2008

Reflections on John 3:16 John 3:16 will help answer the question of why Paul called this the most excellent way. This passage is the most famous and the most familiar passage of the Bible. It is quoted the most and it's reference numbers are seen at football games, parades, graffiti, and the like. ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tremendous Quote On Self-Esteem

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

TREMENDOUS QUOTE ON SELF-ESTEEM “For a very long time I considered low self-esteem to be some kind of virtue. But now I realize that the real sin is to deny God’s first love for me....because without claiming that first love and that original goodness for myself, I lose touch with my true self and ...read more

Tags: Lost, Loving God, Self Esteem, Prodigal Son, God's Love For Me  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gordon Mcdonald Tells This Story: "A Nigerian ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Dec 12, 2004

Gordon McDonald tells this story: “A Nigerian woman who is a physician at a great teaching hospital in the United States came out of the crowd today to say something kind about the lecture I had just given. She introduced herself using an American name. ‘What’s your African name?’ I asked. She ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Methodist

[039] A Message From A Poem – Can We Understand His Goodness?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 28, 2025

[039] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – CAN WE UNDERSTAND HIS GOODNESS? This poem is one of my absolute top favourites. It just flowed and I attribute it to the Lord’s presence when I wrote it. I think it came to me late one night as a happy rhythm and flowed quite well so that it was written quicker ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9-10, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Malachi 3:2-4

Tags: Love, Salvation, Goodness, Poetry, Understand  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Junk-Food Addictions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

JUNK-FOOD ADDICTIONS If we’re going to get our appetite back for the pure, spiritual milk of God’s Word, then we need to get rid of the junk food of broken relationships. We need to put away those wrong attitudes of the heart that keep us from loving each other. The five things listed here are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Growth In Christ

Sitting At A Railroad Crossing, Waiting For A ...  PRO

Contributed by Jon Daniels on May 23, 2004

Sitting at a railroad crossing, waiting for a freight train to pass through town, one can see lots of interesting graffiti. Some of it can be quite artistic. Some of it expresses anger or rage; some expresses a person’s love for another; some expresses gang affiliation. Some of it is lewd, while ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tags: Christian Love, Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Baptist

A Couple Of Kids Were In Their Attic Reading Old ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 14, 2001

A couple of kids were in their attic reading old letters their parents had written years ago. The boy said to the girl: "These ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Romantic Love, Communication General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Some Of You Have Seen My Darling Daughter, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2004

Some of you have seen my darling daughter, Elaina. Others of you who are brave enough to venture into the nursery have seen Elaina the Terrible. Her cute features contort, her laughing disposition is clouded and her soft voice becomes a raging roar as she lets out cries at seeminly unnatural ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Love, Promises Of God

There's A Story Told Of A Husband And Wife Both ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 18, 2000

There’s a story told of a husband and wife both of who were doctors - one a doctor of theology and the other a doctor of medicine. When their doorbell was rung and the maid answered, the inquirer would often ask for "the doctor". The maid’s ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General, Forgiveness General, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

Most Of Us Are Selfish. We Come To Marriage ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 31, 2015

Most of us are selfish. We come to marriage like a tick on a dog. A tick gets on a dog and sucks the blood out of that dog. The tick contributes nothing to the dog. The problem in marriage is sometimes we have two ticks and no dog. We have two people draining the life out of one another, with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:3-6

Tags: Marriage, Selfish, Selfish Love, Marriage Improvement

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Corny Valentine's Puns

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Q: What did the cucumber say to the pickle on Valentine's Day?" A: "You mean a great DILL to me." Q: What Valentine card did the light bulb say to the other light bulb? A: I love you a WATT! Q: What is a ram's favorite song on February 14th? A: I only have ...read more

Tags: Love, Humor, Laughter, Valentine's Day, Puns  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Misusing The Good

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 23, 2019

The Gospel does not alter God's promises for Israel. It is not meant for that, just as a laser light has specific purposes but can be misused. Laser pointers are not toys. [https://phys.org/newsstory below:] Concern is growing over the safe use of small, battery powered, hand held lasers. For ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:1-20

Tags: Israel, The Gospel, Damage, Ignorance, Mischief, Charlatans, Expense Of Others, Wreckless  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Great Christmas Illustration

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 19, 2022

Jesus came to offer Himself for the sins of the world. o He was born in another man’s stable. o He was laid in another man’s manger. o He would preach in another man’s boat. o He would ride into Jerusalem on another man’s colt. o He would eat His last supper in another man’s upper room. o He ...read more

Tags: Messiah, Christmas, Sacrifice, Jesus, Birth Of Christ, Others, One Another  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational