In Sermon Illustrations: "Loving Neighbor"

Vesuvius: Check The Map

Contributed by Rob O'neal on Jul 7, 2009

VESUVIUS: CHECK THE MAP The people of the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum lived at the bottom of a mountain. They loved the mountain, because they believed it was a place where gods dwelt. The land was fertile, and the harbor was good, so the city prospered and grew. Then in 62 and 63 AD, ...read more

Tags: Security

Denomination: Congregational

Different Views Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Different Views of Time You may not realize it, but your appreciation of time this morning goes well beyond the challenges of adjusting to daylight-savings time. There was a time when time was a relatively simple thing. People were born, grew up, grew old and died. Days, seasons and years past. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-16

Tags: Time

A U.s. Volunteer Nurse Does What She Can In Haiti ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2010

A U.S. Volunteer Nurse Does What She Can In Haiti After an Earthquake John Wesley had this for his rule of life: Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can. We ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:14

Tags: Compassion

I've Been Reading A Book By Francine Rivers ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Mar 30, 2010

I've been reading a book by Francine Rivers lately about an old woman called Leota who loves the Lord and has an amazing impact upon the lives of other people in her life, yet is rejected and hated by her own daughter, Eleanor. Throughout the book there seems to be NO HOPE for this estranged ...read more

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, Confidence In Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Was Talking To A Man On Friday About Our ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on May 17, 2010

I was talking to a man on Friday about our Church. He said he didn’t like our way of doing Church. I asked him what he meant and he said that he could not see how a Church could have a band out the front and what appeared to him to be a concert going on and so many people. He said "That’s not my ...read more

Tags: Finances, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Coat Of Christ  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

THE COAT OF CHRIST Many years ago, an evangelist by the name of Jakov arrived at a village in Serbia. He met an elderly man there named Cimmerman, and Jakov began to talk to him of the love of Christ. Cimmerman abruptly interrupted Jakov and told him that he wished to have nothing to do with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16, Romans 5:5-11

Tags: Christian Witness

Response To Hurting People  PRO

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 3, 2011

RESPONSE TO HURTING PEOPLE In his book Soul Talk, Larry Crabb writes: "Which is worse? A church program to build community that doesn’t get off the ground or one person sitting every Sunday in the back of the church who remains unknown? A Sunday school class that once drew hundreds but has now ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Baptist

Demolition Derby And The Surrender Stick

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2011

DEMOLITION DERBY AND THE SURRENDER STICK Lydia and I went to the Demolition Derby at the 4-H Fair this past week and had a blast. I loved watching drivers take aim at each other with the attempt to demolish or disable one another. We saw some great smash ups and did a lot of laughing. I don't know ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Receiving A Wonderful Gift

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 16, 2011

RECEIVING A WONDERFUL GIFT The only son of a very wealthy man had his 21st birthday on Christmas Day. His mother gave him some gold cufflinks and engraved gold pens. His uncle and aunt bought him a set of TaylorMade R9 golf clubs that combined Flight Control Technology and Moveable Weight ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Anglican

Hezekiah's Story

Contributed by Bret Toman on Dec 22, 2011

HEZEKIAH'S STORY Laos 2001. Hezekiah's life had been so transformed that he had to tell someone. When he returned to the village he grew up in, he told the 35 relatives and villagers who met him and demanded to know why he had converted to Christianity, "Jesus is the only way I can be saved from ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Baptist

There Is Good In All

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

THERE IS GOOD IN ALL Norman Vincent Peale tells the story of one Christmas when he was 15 and his father, a physician turned minister, received a call from a brothel in the red light district. The madam had a girl who was dying and was calling for a minister. Quietly, his father explained to his ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Methodist

The Basis Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

THE BASIS OF ACCEPTANCE Oprah Winfrey said, “I discovered I didn’t feel worthy of love unless I was accomplishing something. I suddenly realized I have never felt I could be loved for just being.” Madonna said, “My drive in life is from this horrible fear of being mediocre. That’s always been ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

Jesus Freak: Hezekiah

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

JESUS FREAK: HEZEKIAH Laos 2001. Hezekiah’s life had been so transformed that he had to tell someone. When he returned to the village he grew up in, he told the 35 relatives and villagers who met him and demanded to know why he had converted to Christianity, "Jesus is the only way I can be saved ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Baptist

What Does "All" Mean?

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 14, 2013

WHAT DOES "ALL" MEAN? I know people who are carrying around a load of guilt over the past and they're loaded down with this extra weight God doesn't want them to have. I remember a lady in my church in Wiesbaden I'll call Jill. Jill had rebelled against her parents, had been on drugs, had had ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Commitment Or Surrender What's The Difference

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jun 26, 2023

Adrian Rogers tells the story of his meeting with Josef T’son who had suffered greatly under communism. Adrian said: “Josef, tell me about American Christianity.” Josef responded: “Adrian, I had rather not.” “No, I want to know.” “Well, Adrian, since you have asked me, I’ll tell you. The key ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:9

Tags: Serving Christ, Commitment, Surrender

Denomination: Baptist

What Have They Done For You Lately

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Oct 4, 2023

I heard an illustration from Pastor Tony Evans that I altered some to fit us here in Arkansas • We love our Razorbacks, we make time for our Razorbacks • Especially Razorback football • Me and my wife love football • But, have you ever thought about how much time we devote to football? • The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Razorbacks, Ask, Seek, Knock

Denomination: Baptist

2. Swindoll States: But When "Grace And Truth ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 1, 2005

2. Swindoll states: But when “grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ,” a long-awaited revolution of the heart began to set religious captives free. Fear-full bondage motivated by guilt was replaced with a fresh motivation to follow Him in truth simply out of deep devotion and delight. ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Can You Be So Calm?  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 10, 2005

HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM? Years ago a military officer and his wife were aboard a ship that was caught in a raging ocean storm. Seeing the frantic look in her eyes, the man tried unsuccessfully to remove her fears. Suddenly she grasped his sleeve and cried, "How can you be so calm?" He stepped ...read more

Tags: Doubt, Faith General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dr. Mcghee Told The Story Of The Little ...

Contributed by Larry Jacobs on Jul 15, 2005

Illus: Dr. McGhee told the story of the little homeless girl in London that crept into one of the large churches and sat in the back while the service was taking place. The pastor was preaching on Luke 15:1,2. At the end of the service (when all had left but the pastor) she went down to the ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

Les And Leslie Parrot Share In Their Book ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Nov 16, 2005

Les and Leslie Parrot share in their book Relationships this thought: “Recently a pioneering band of researchers studied the age-old mystery of what makes people happy. Their answer is not what you might expect. What appears consistently at the top of the charts is not success, wealth, achievement, ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational