In Sermon Illustrations: "Luke 14:18-19:19"

Discipleship Calls For Wholehearted Commitment To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 31, 2009

Discipleship Calls for Wholehearted Commitment to Christ “I have seen the most horrible things, but I have met people who are still full of faith in spite of what they have endured.” That was the opening statement to a gathering of leaders and supporters of Samaritan’s Purse, the organization led ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33

Tags: Missions

Elizabeth Elliot On His Sufficient Grace For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

Elizabeth Elliot on His Sufficient Grace for Discipleship It’s the anticipation of that “glory of victory” that helps us to persevere in the hard times. It’s the assurance of that coming crown that helps us bear our cross today. Just one year after her husband was slain in Ecuador, along with ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:26-27

Tags: Discipleship, Count The Cost

Atheist Thankful For A Beautiful ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2009

Atheist Thankful for a Beautiful Morning One morning a woman who was a known atheist stepped out of her home on the hillside and was taken back by what a beautiful morning it was. The Cook Inlet sparkled, the air was fresh and crisp, the sky was a blue as she had ever seen it and Denali loomed over ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:17-19

Tags: Thanks, Thanksgiving Holiday

Homeless Man Comes Home To His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 1, 2010

Homeless Man Comes Home to His Mother In 1988 there was a story in the LA Times entitled “A Mother’s Search for Russell Love.” It told of a woman in Houston named Beverly Elliott. She had not seen her son, Russell Love, for four years and had not heard from him in two years; but she knew he was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son

The Greedy Little Monkey

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 28, 2022

I once heard about how animal catchers used to catch wild monkeys for zoos. I was told that they would set an empty glass pop bottle in an open field with a peanut dropped into it. Then they'd hide in the bushes and wait. After a while, a monkey would sneak up to the pop bottle, squeeze its paw ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35, 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Money, Greed, Discipleship, Riches, Kingdom, Parables  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be A Christian But Don't Act Like One!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 28, 2022

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Satan, Discipleship, Kingdom Of God, Hypocrites

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Parable Of The Pearl

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 28, 2022

Once there was a man who collected and traded in pearls. He had a fine collection of his own. But one day, while he was away on business, he spotted a beautiful pearl in a Jeweler's window. It was a pearl such as he had never seen, perfect in shape, size, and color. He thought to himself, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Sacrifice, Commitment, Discipleship, Kingdom Of God, Decisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lost & Found

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 29, 2022

Melissa Highsmith was kidnapped by a babysitter in 1971 at the tender age of 22 months. Over the next 51 years, Highsmith's family and the police searched for her without success. Finally, with the use of DNA technology, her identity was confirmed and she was reunited with her family. Melissa ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10, Luke 15:1-7

Tags: Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Saved, The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Four Descriptions Of A Life Without Christ

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 2, 2023

Satan hates God and everything and everyone in the Kingdom of God. He fights the Kingdom on a daily basis and will continue to try to stop the Gospel from spreading (I Thess. 2:18, Ephesians 6:11-12). Paul described the condition of all of those who are unbelievers and living in the Kingdom of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10, 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Acts 16:31, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 4:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Satan, Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Unsaved, Spiritual Blindness, Unbelievers, Perishing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mothers - How We Relate Through The Years

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 8, 2023

Moments with mothers ... and with grandmothers.... Often become the foundation ...of memories ... that in turn ... become stories ... that are shared within the family... for many years. And as Children ... I have found ... we relate....... to our mothers ...differently .... through the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:4, Matthew 19:19, Mark 7:10, Luke 18:20, John 19:25-27  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Children, Mom, Mothers Day, Mothers, Memories, Motherhood  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Sinner's Friend

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 6, 2023

There's the story told by Watchman Nee, the Chinese evangelist where he was talking to another Christian in his home. They were downstairs, as was his friend's son. The friend's wife and mother were in an upstairs room. All at once the little boy wanted something and called out to his ...read more

Scripture: John 4:1-26, Luke 19:1-10, John 1:14

Tags: Evangelism, Incarnation, Friend Of Sinners

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

I Don't Believe In Hell

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jul 5, 2023

Illustration: “I don’t believe in Hell.” The fact that a lot of people have a tough time believing in a literal Hell was brought home to me in a very meaningful way. When I pastored in Chino, CA we lived in a parsonage right next to the Church. I soon noticed that a certain man was walking up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:43-45, Luke 16:23

Tags: Hell, Salvation, Facing Death

Denomination: Baptist

Conviction Of Sin

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Aug 28, 2023

“The new believer will often rest for days or months in the peace which follows the initial decision, but after a while they begin to become aware of “the ground of their heart, which God before would not disclose unto them lest the soul should fail before Him, and the spirit which He had made. Now ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:8, Luke 5:27, Luke 19:8, Matthew 8:8

Tags: Repentance, Conviction, Conversion

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Rocks In The Road

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 4, 2023

In 1996 staff members at Bridger Wilderness Area collected the following comment cards: · Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill. · Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the areas of these pests. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:28-33, John 6:60, Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Discipleship, Obstacles, Narrow Gate, Cost Of Discipleship

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Popularity

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 4, 2023

Great multitudes will follow as long as there is no price to be paid, no contract to sign, no commands to obey, no orders to follow, no sacrifices to surrender, no gifts to offer, no commitments to keep, no burdens to bear, no suffering to share, no hardship to handle, no effort to exert, no pills ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:28-33, John 6:60, Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Discipleship, Cost, Entertainment, Popularity, Crowd, Followers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Doing Your Duty With A Little Faith

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Sep 16, 2023

Don Gullett was the greatest athlete eastern Kentucky has ever seen. He excelled in all sports. He was so good that he was recruited by the University of Kentucky in all three sports….Basketball, Football, and Baseball. In Basketball he averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds a game; I personally ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10, 2 Timothy 1:3-12

Tags: Faith, Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Losing Someone Or Something Is Very Heartbreaking

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Oct 17, 2023

In the midst of an unforgiving tempest, a cataclysmic convergence of nature's wrath struck with an unforgiving fury. Banda Aceh, Indonesia, and the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands found themselves entangled in the merciless grip of a relentless tsunami. At that fateful moment, I stood as the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 91:1-4, Isaiah 41:10, Galatians 6:2, Matthew 25:35-36, Luke 15:11-32, Psalm 107:28-30, Philippians 4:6-7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Love, Tsunami Survival Tale, Banda Aceh, Andaman, Nicobar, Heartbreaking, Church, Earthquake, Care, Indonesia, Panicking, Islands  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The True Story Of Denise And Diane

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Dec 31, 2023

The Story of Denise and Diane One Sunday morning many years ago, as I pastored in Massachusetts, a lady attended our church for the first time. At the end of the service, at the time of the invitation, she came to the altar. I noticed that one of our ladies prayed with her. After the service, as I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 18:1-2, 2 Kings 20:1-6, Luke 16:1-2, James 4:14, Proverbs 27:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Ready To God, Mysterious Ways Of God, Life, Preparation, The Gospel, Cancer, New Years, Preparing For Death, Holy Spirit, Heaven, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Helping Hands

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2024

Dr. Wright shares this story which I believe is appropriate for us to think about this morning as we close: In a small European village was a town square that held a special statue. This statue of Jesus was the pride and joy of this small town, But World War II arrived, and soon the bombs began ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-25, James 1:27

Tags: Serving, Helping

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[007]. A Message From A Poem - A Shepherd Left His Comfort Zone

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 1, 2024

[007]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - A SHEPHERD LEFT HIS COMFORT ZONE Shepherds and sheep feature quite often in the biblical record and Jesus used parables and illustrations involving sheep. This poem was developed from a comment a Convention speaker made when teaching on the Lost Sheep. The ...read more

Scripture: John 10:9, John 10:10-11, John 10:14-15, Luke 15:4-6

Tags: Love, Night, Sheep, Lost Sheep, Crucified, The Good Shepherd, Jesus Our Shepherd, Jesus Died For The Sheep, 100 Sheep  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational