In Sermon Illustrations: "Mark 7 1 8 14 15 21 23"

Love Is Action  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2001

LOVE IS ACTION In his book, Dad, The Family Coach, Dave Simmons tells of an act of sacrificial love that occurred in a shopping mall. One day he took his eight year old Helen and five year old Brandon to the Cloverdale Mall. He needed to buy some tools in Sears. When they pulled into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:7, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

I Have A Dream That One Day On The Red Hills Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Jan 9, 2001

"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.. ...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-20, 1 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: One Body, Unconditional Love, Racism

Denomination: Lutheran

My Wife And I Recently Visited With A Couple Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Howard Harden on Jan 18, 2001

My wife and I recently visited with a couple who were the proud parents of a baby boy, just over a year old. As soon as we entered their home, we noticed that everything about this house was dedicated to protecting their baby. There were plastic plugs in the electrical outlets to keep the baby from ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:9, 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Tags: Home, God's Provision, Evil, Trinity

Denomination: Baptist

A Fellow Stopped At A Gas Station And, After ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 19, 2005

A fellow stopped at a gas station and, after filling the tank on his car, he paid the bill and bought a soft drink. He stood by his car to drink his cola and he watched a couple of men working along the roadside. One man would dig a hole two or three feet deep and then move on. The other man ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:6, 1 Corinthians 3:6

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A.j. Gordon Was The Great Baptist Pastor Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Dec 3, 2006

A.J. Gordon was the great Baptist pastor of the Clarendon Church in Boston, Massachusetts. One day he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christian Education Recognized The Inspired ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Christian education recognized the inspired Word of God, not only as its text and the sum of its message, but also as the source of the principles by ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:1-16, 1 Timothy 4:12-16

Tags: Christian Values

The Real Trouble With This World Of Ours Is Not ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The real trouble with this world of ours is not that it is an unreasonable one. The trouble is that it ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, 1 John 2:3-17

Tags: Worldliness

Hearing God  PRO

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on May 19, 2009

HEARING GOD In his devotional book, "My Utmost For His Highest" Oswald Chambers writes, "Get into the habit of saying, 'Speak, Lord,' and life will become a romance. Every time circumstances press in on you say, 'Speak, Lord,' and make time to listen. Chastening is more than a means of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:9, 1 Samuel 3:1-21

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Three Stone-Carriers  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 3, 2011

THE THREE STONE-CARRIERS Many years ago in a church in England, a preacher entered the pulpit and said: "Brethren, before I preach, allow me to tell this story. Many years have passed since I was in this place. On that evening there came three young men, not only with the intention of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18, 1 Chronicles 16:22

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If Crumbs Of Joy Now, What Next?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2012

IF CRUMBS OF JOY NOW, WHAT NEXT? A widely respected man known as "Uncle Johnson" died in Michigan at the incredible age of 120. Perhaps his advanced years could be credited in part to the cheerful outlook that characterized his life. One day while at work in his garden, he was singing songs of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9-16, 1 Corinthians 2:2

Tags: Joy

Marriage: Preparation Is Key  PRO

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jan 12, 2013

MARRIAGE: PREPARATION IS KEY "Promises are no substitute for preparation in marriage. Just because you say 'I Do' does not make you able. Just because you say 'I Do' does not make you capable. It only makes you accountable. And when you are accountable for something you are not capable of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:1-7, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Tags: Love, Marriage, Wedding, Promise, Marriage Struggle  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How Does Adoption Change Things? ...  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 1, 2008

Illustration: How does adoption change things? Here’s a secular example: In 1952 a probation officer in New York City tried to find an organization that would assist in the adoption of a twelve-year-old boy. Although the child had a religious background, none of the major denominations would assist ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, 1 John 2:25-26

Denomination: Other

The Goal Of Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

Spiritual Gifts were documented in Class Meetings within the Wesleyan tradition. It was there that members shared their lives – the successes and the struggles. They would search the Scriptures for answers, and they would pray for each other. Those prayers included listening for a Word from the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Tags: Small Groups, Class Meeting, Love, Spiritual Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

Holy Communion

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 30, 2025

Hugh Price Hughes (9 February 1847 – 17 November 1902), was a Welsh Methodist clergyman and he wrote this: I was struck even then at the way in which the most exalted were reduced to their simple humanity. Then, again, at the Holy Communion, all men are absolutely equal. One table for rich ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

Tags: Holy Communion, Equal, Iron Duke

Denomination: Anglican

Ashamed When It Counted The Most

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2019

Ashamed when it counted the most My two sisters, when they were somewhat younger, liked to play the piano and took lessons for some time. I like music, too, but not all the practicing that went along with it! We found out there was going to be a “recital” where all of the students in their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 1 John 2:28

Tags: Christian Life, Shame, Rewards

Denomination: Baptist

It’s Closer Than I Thought!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 7, 2020

My wife and her parents used a certain brand of ketchup for many things over a long period of time. They hadn’t had any of it, though, in maybe 30 years or so. They believed this brand wasn’t available, locally, so they never got around to finding any more of it. Now, I grew up in a different part ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: God's Will, Discovery, Sharing

Denomination: Baptist

They Took It Away!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 3, 2020

My parents used to operate a true “Mom and Pop” grocery store before I started school. I still remember some of the good times—and some of the bad times, too, unfortunately—from those days gone by. Some of the items they had for sale were plastic models. These were mostly Revell, Lindberg, or ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:18

Tags: The Will Of God, Take It Or Leave It

Denomination: Baptist

The Man Of God Who Spoke To Ahab, King Of Israel

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 25, 2020

The man of God who spoke to Ahab, king of Israel Text: 1 Kings 20:28 And there came a man of God (identity unknown), and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 20:28, 1 Kings 16:31

Tags: Ahab, Man Of God

Denomination: Baptist

Enticed By A False Prophet

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 26, 2021

Shortly after Jeanie and I were married, we were fresh out of Bible College and I was doing some teaching. The associate pastor of our church approached us in private with a very flattering word. He said that God had told him to gather an elite circle of you couples for him and his wife to mentor. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:29, 1 John 2:27

Tags: Prophecy, False Prophets, Deception

Denomination: Charismatic

Missing The Point

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 2, 2021

A minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon. Four worms were placed into four separate jars: The first worm was put into a container of alcohol. The second worm was put into a container of cigarette smoke. The third worm was put into a container of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 1 Corinthians 10:1-5

Tags: Error, Perspective, Failure, Interpretation, Conclusion, Misunderstanding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible