In Sermon Illustrations: "Loving Jesus"

The Monkey In The Quicksand

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: You cannot pull yourself out of sin. Verse: “…no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law…” (Romans 3:20 NIV). Illustration: A little monkey fell in the quicksand. As he was sinking into the sand, a monkey on the bank started giving him advice. He said, ...read more

Tags: Need For Christ, Sin, Salvation

Denomination: Charismatic

The Called

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 15, 2019

The Called are those who have been summoned by God. Called to salvation (Rom. 8:30) Called both Jews and Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:24) Called "with a holy calling" (2 Timothy 1:9) Called with a heavenly calling (Heb. 3:1) Called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1Pet. 2:9) Called to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:30

Tags: Election, Calling, God's Sovreignty

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Starving For God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 23, 2020

BEATITUDE #4 - "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." “What Jesus is talking about is no mere reference to hunger which could be satisfied by a mid-morning snack. The thought is that of STARVATION. Are you longing for God like that? ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Beatitudes, Hungry For God, Thirsting For God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Want To Quit?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

There was a story of a British soldier in the First World War who lost heart for the battle and deserted. Trying to reach the coast for a boat to England that night, he ended up wandering in the pitch black night, hopelessly lost. In the darkness he came across what he thought was a signpost. It ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2, Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Fear, Commitment, Endurance, Apostasy, Perserverance, Quitting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Soldier For Life

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 2, 2021

While I am honored and privileged to have served in my country's military, my desire now is to serve honorably in the army of Jesus Christ. I want to be able to serve on the battlefield, I want to live the life of a warrior. I am too old to serve my country, but I pray for many years to do ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Tags: Obedience, Victory, Warfare, Weapons

Denomination: Baptist

Born To Trouble.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 30, 2021

Dietrich Bonhoeffer died in a German concentration camp right before it was liberated. This is what he wrote: In me there is darkness, but with you there is light; I am lonely, but you do not leave me; I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help; I am restless, but with You there is peace. ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:1-10

Tags: Hope, Despair, Despair Can Have Help

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Bible Characters Who Prayed

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

BIBLE CHARACTERS WHO PRAYED: * Abraham prayed and God gave him a son. • Moses prayed, and the Israelites were delivered from Egypt. • Joshua prayed and the sun stood still in the valley of Aijalon • Gideon prayed, and He defeated the Midites with three hundred men. • Hannah prayed, and God gave ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Miracles, Bible Characters, Answers To Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Parable Of The Sower

Contributed by Polimetla Joy on Jan 30, 2023

In this parable, Jesus teaches about the importance of having a receptive heart to receive the word of God. He explains how the seed (word of God) can fall on different types of soil, representing different hearts. Some seed falls on the wayside, representing those who hear the word and do not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-9, Luke 8:4-8

Tags: Scripture, Word Of God, Hearing, Responding

Thank God For Blessed Subtractions!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 10, 2023

Three local pastors were discussing their Easter Sunday results with one another on the Monday after Easter. The Methodist minister said, "Easter services worked out great for us! We gained four new additions at First Methodist!" Praise God! The Baptist preacher grinned ...read more

Tags: Arrogance, Bragging, Preachers, Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Easter, Revival, Church Growth, Pride, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rest In Peace Until I Come

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Aug 7, 2023

The wife ... of a man who had recently died ... assumed ... they were well off financially, ... so she gave him a very nice funeral ... and a fancy tombstone that read, ... Rest in Peace. However, ... when the estate was settled ... she was informed by their attorney ... that he had wasted all ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9-10, Mark 2:23-28, Exodus 34:21, Matthew 11:28

Tags: Peace, Sabbath, Rest

Denomination: Anglican

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Girolamo Savonarola

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

At the very start of his ministry there, Savonarola noticed an elderly woman who used to come and pray regularily before that statue of the Virgin Mary. One day, he took an elderly priest aside who had been serving in the cathedral for many years and said, "Look how devoted this woman is. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Tags: Girolamo Savonarola, Faith

Denomination: Anglican

Angus Mcgillivray Gave It All  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2002

ANGUS MCGILLIVRAY GAVE IT ALL In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai, there is a story that never fails to move me. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers. The man’s ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Trapping The Ball!" Psalm 25: 16-21 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 4, 2004

“Trapping the Ball!” Psalm 25: 16-21 Key verse(s): 21 “May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.” Integrity! Perhaps it is one of the loneliest words in the English language. For many it creates the image of one standing alone, apart from the others, because just the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:16-21

Tags: Character

Denomination: Lutheran

Staring Down The Critic's Barrel!" Proverbs 9: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 17, 2005

“Staring Down the Critic’s Barrel!” Proverbs 9: 7-10 Key verse(s): 8b:“. . . rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” The Bible tells us that “rebuke a wise man and he will love you.” Love? What happened to getting the emotional revenge that is so satisfying? There doesn’t seem to be a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:7-10, Psalm 82:3-4, Philippians 2:13-14

Tags: Grace, Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Mother's Day Is Fast Approaching And My Mind Went ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2007

MOTHER’S DAY IS FAST APPROACHING and my mind went back many years ago to a TV program called, I Remember Moma (I guess I’m showing my age now). It was broadcast from 1949 to 1957 on CBS. It was a 30 minute show in black and white about a Norwegian-American family living in San Francisco in ...read more

What A Difference A Change Makes  PRO

Contributed by Bob Soulliere on May 5, 2007

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A CHANGE MAKES Once upon a time there was a prince who fell in love with a fair maiden. But his enemy captured the fair maiden and held her captive in a tower. Now the prince had a plan to rescue her, so he recruited the help of two small animals to send a message to the maiden. ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

John Todd--Heaven Is Very Real. Here Is One Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

JOHN TODD--Heaven is very real. Here is one of the loveliest stories I have ever read: In October of 1800 a boy named John Todd was born in Rutland, Vermont. Shortly afterward, the family moved to the little village of Killingsworth. And there, when John was only six years old, both his parents ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

All Because Of Angus

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

ALL BECAUSE OF ANGUS In Ernest Gordon’s true account of life in a World War II Japanese prison camp, Through the Valley of the Kwai, there is a story that never fails to move me. It is about a man who through giving it all away literally transformed a whole camp of soldiers. The man's name was ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13

Tags: Christian Witness

Grace: Jean Valjean From Les Miserables

Contributed by C Jordan on Feb 6, 2013

GRACE: JEAN VALJEAN FROM LES MISERABLES The story of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables is a great example of grace. * I read the book many years ago. Liza and I just saw the movie adaptation of the musical. * "Les Misérables is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1

Tags: Grace

Denomination: *other