In Sermon Illustrations: "Luke 9:23-25"

The Following Ad Once Appeared In A London ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Nov 12, 2001

The following ad once appeared in a London newspaper: "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful." The ad was signed by Sir Ernest Shackleton, Antarctic explorer. Amazingly, the ad drew thousands of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:57-62, Luke 9:23-24

Tags: Look Back, Fulfillment, Call Of The Disciples, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Day A Man Was Talking To His Grandson ...

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jul 2, 2002

ILL. One day a man was talking to his grandson right after he had graduated from high school. And he asked, "My boy, what are your plans? What are you going to do with your life?" The grandson said, "I plan to go to college & then graduate from college. His grandfather ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26, Luke 9:25

Tags: Eternity, Graduation, Future, Life, Planning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Is It Worth The Price?  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Oct 1, 2002

IS IT WORTH THE PRICE? Paul J. Meyer wrote in Unlocking Your Legacy: "Cost and self-sacrifice do not make something hard. Nobody feels sorry for the athlete who wins an Olympic medal, even though the person paid an incredible price through grueling effort behind the scenes, denying himself or ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:20-25

Tags: Hardship Of Life, Finding Fulfillment, Kingdom Of God

Denomination: *other

It Was Pentecost Sunday. As The Congregation ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Mar 23, 2004

IT WAS PENTECOST SUNDAY. As the congregation filed into church, the ushers handed each person a bright red carnation to symbolize the festive spirit of the day. The people listened attentively to the reading of the Pentecost story from the Book of Acts about how the disciples had heard “what ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7, Philippians 4:19, Luke 9:23, Romans 12:1

Tags: Gifts Giving, Giving General, Stewardship, Tithes, Tithing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Wesleyan

We Must First Embrace Our Own Old Identity, As ...

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 20, 2006

We must first embrace our own old identity, as Jesus said, “if any man will come after me, let him deny himself . . . “ We must embrace it and deny it, then by faith accept our spiritual identity in Jesus Christ. The analogy is given, for purposes of illustrating, of a fifteen year old, unmarried ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Denomination: Baptist

Gollum And The Ring

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 15, 2010

GOLLUM AND THE RING Many of us are familiar with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We cannot help but remember the character named Gollum. He was a hideous, pathetic creature who was possessed by the power of the ring. In fact, the ring was the reason for his hideous appearance. His obsession ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:25

Tags: Immortality

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Spinning A Web: Andy's Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

SPINNING A WEB: ANDY'S STORY Andy Fastow was a brilliant kid in the high school graduating class in New Providence, New Jersey. He was one of the really good kids. In fact, he was the student body president of his senior class. He went on to get a great education and a fantastic job. He climbed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-26

Tags: Lies

Risks And Expectations

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

RISKS AND EXPECTATIONS Sohio, the Alaskan subsidiary of Standard Oil of Ohio, drilled a well in the Beaufort Sea in 1983, hoping to tap a geological formation holding several billion barrels of oil. Instead, they hit water, and $120 million went a glimmering. The oil companies know the risk. They ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-26

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Instructions Are Life Or Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

INSTRUCTIONS ARE LIFE OR DEATH Imagine with me if you can. You're rafting down the Ocoee, splashing through a huge rapid when all of a sudden, you find yourself flying over the front of the boat. You're tossing and turning in the waves, and your mind and body are telling you to get stabilized. Our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-27

Tags: Discipleship, Mothers

How Well Do You Obey?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

HOW WELL DO YOU OBEY? How we admire the obedience a dog shows to its master! Archibald Rutledge wrote that one day he met a man whose dog had just been killed in a forest fire. Heartbroken, the man explained to Rutledge how it happened. Because he worked out-of-doors, he often took his dog with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23, Luke 9:23-27, Jeremiah 7:21-24

Tags: Obedience

God Is Not An Editor

Contributed by David Tack on Oct 17, 2012

GOD IS NOT AN EDITOR "God is looking for common ordinary people like you and me who are willing to let Him use as He sees fit. He wants to write our story, He doesn’t want to be our editor. But, we want to write the story and then we call God in as our editor. When the story gets messy then we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

Cirrhosis Of The Giver

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jan 23, 2013

CIRRHOSIS OF THE GIVER The disease cirrhosis of the giver was discovered in A.D. 34 by the husband-wife team of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11). It is an acute condition that renders the patient’s hands immobile when he is called on to move them in the direction of his wallet or her purse, and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7, Romans 12:1, Luke 9:23, Philippians 4:19

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

Many Of Us Are Quick To Say, 'yes, I'm A ...

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Feb 11, 2013

"Many of us are quick to say, ’Yes, I’m a follower of Jesus,’ but I’m not sure we really understand what we are saying. To quote Inigo Montoya, ’I do not think that means ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:18-25

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Jesus Was Never Interested In Having Fans. ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Feb 11, 2013

"Jesus was never interested in having fans. When he defines what kind of relationship he wants, "Enthusiastic Admirer" isn’t an option. My concern is that many of our churches in America have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums. And every week all the fans come to the stadium where ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:18-25

Tags: Redemption, Jesus Christ, Saved

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fans Often Confuse Their Admiration For ...

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Feb 11, 2013

"Fans often confuse their admiration for devotion. They mistake their knowledge of Jesus for intimacy with Jesus. Fans assume their good intentions make up ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:18-25

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

No Salvation Without Surrender  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Feb 18, 2013

NO SALVATION WITHOUT SURRENDER So in case some left it out or forgot to mention it when they explained what it meant to be a Christian, let me be clear: There is no forgiveness without repentance. There is no salvation without surrender. There is no life ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-18, Luke 9:24

Tags: Commitment, Surrender, Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

No Believing Without Following

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 12, 2013

John 3:16 and Luke 9:23 have to go together in order for there to be an accurate understanding of the gospel’s invitation. John 3:16 emphasizes believing. Luke 9:23 focuses on following. Those two things must necessarily go together. There is no believing ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Obedience, Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Kyle Idleman On Carrying Your Cross

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 18, 2013

There is no comfortable way to carry a cross; I don’t care how you position it. I often talk to people who are convinced that some suffering or pain in their lives is an indication that they must not be following Jesus. After all, if they are following Jesus, the Son of God, doesn’t it follow ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Commitment To Christ, Carrying Your Cross

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Kyle Idleman On Dying To Self

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 18, 2013

What’s it look like to die every day? Well, dying to yourself today may mean spending your lunch hour serving food to the homeless at the shelter down the street from your office. It may mean the next time you talk to your neighbor, instead of playing it safe and keeping comfortable you bring ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Dying To Self, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Padded Cross  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Mar 25, 2013

THE PADDED CROSS Well, here I am, Lord. You said, "Take up your cross," and I'm here to do it. It's not easy, You know, this self-denial thing. I mean to go through with it, through...yes, Sir. I'll bet you wish more people were willing to be disciples like me. I've counted the cost and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ