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

What Do Americans Love More Than Money?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

WHAT DO AMERICANS LOVE MORE THAN MONEY? Most Americans love money, but we love something even more: security. According to a 2009 survey by the Pew Research Center, 59 percent of U.S. adults prefer a job that offers better security over one that offers higher pay but less stability (33 percent). ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Tags: Security

[123]. A Message From A Poem – He Will Receive Us To Himself

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[123]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE WILL RECEIVE US TO HIMSELF Time for confession. It is no secret that the theme that occurs in a few of my poems (sometimes only a brief mention) is that of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in Person for all His disciples. That coming is soon and is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Tags: Jesus Receives Us, Received To Him, Caught Up, The Coming Of The Lord, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christian Influencers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Christian Influencers Rank Greatest Influence On The Church (Barna) Ranked by U.S. Pastors Most Influential Christians In America (The Church Report) 1 Billy Graham (34%) George W. Bush 2 Rick Warren (26% Mel Gibson 3 George Bush (14%) Billy Graham 4 James Dobson (11%) Rick Warren 5 Bill ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Linus On Love For People

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2010

LINUS ON LOVE FOR PEOPLE Perhaps you've seen this Peanuts cartoon: Linus announces to his cranky sister, Lucy, that he's going to be a doctor. "You, a doctor?" she asks. "How can you be a doctor? You don't love mankind." Linus replies, "I do too love mankind. It's ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Tags: Christian Love

How's Your Faith?  PRO

Contributed by Clarence Clough on Jan 29, 2005

"How’s Your Faith?" by Victor Knowles-- Paul was concerned about their faith. Five times in ten verses he mentions their faith. How is yours? Notice the different degrees of faith. Which is yours? I. Dead Faith (James 2:17,20,26), II. Little Faith (Matthew 6:30), III. Weak Faith (Rom. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-10

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Church Of God

His Last Thoughts Were Of His Children

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2010

HIS LAST THOUGHTS WERE OF HIS CHILDREN A Union sergeant was killed on the first day of fighting in Gettysburg. He was just one of more than 3,000 Union soldiers who died in the three-day conflict. When his body was found later that week, lying in a secluded spot in Gettysburg, he was holding a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1-2

Tags: Love, Father's Day

Does Your God Bleed?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2011

DOES YOUR GOD BLEED? A little boy went up to a missionary Sunday School leader in a pagan country. The boy said, "I like what you say about the God of the Bible but I can’t see him. But if I go to the temple I can see my God." The missionary said to the little boy, "Listen, does your God ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:19-20, 1 Peter 3:1-12

Tags: Blood Of Christ

How Do We Know That Jesus Is The Son Of God?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

As we approach the last of the last days, we see an alarming trend among many pastors to drift away from the basic truths of Scripture. We should not be surprised. Jesus promised this day would come (Matthew 24, II Timothy 3). So, how do we know for sure from Scripture that Jesus is the very ...read more

Tags: Deity, Son Of God, Apostasy, Jesus, Truth, Last Days, Heresy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Leadership: What God Looks For In His Leaders

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Mar 25, 2004

When God was looking for a leader for His people He required “a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will” (Acts 13:22; I Sam. 13:14; Why? - Amos 3:3). “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (I Sam. 16:7). As God was searching the hearts of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11, Amos 3:3, 1 Samuel 16:7

Tags: Leadership, God's Word Essential

Denomination: Baptist

Joseph: The Portrait Of Christ (Bible Gateway)

Contributed by William Akehurst on Jan 4, 2025

Joseph: the Portrait of CHRIST (Bible Gateway) The Life of Joseph Genesis 30:24 – Genesis 50:26 1. A shepherd. 2. Loved by his father. 3. Sent unto his brethren 4. Hated by his brothers. 5. Prophesied his coming glory. 6. Rejected by his brothers. 7. Endured unjust punishment from his brothers. 8. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 30:24, Genesis 50:26

Tags: Jesus, Joseph, Comparison

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Isaiah's Prophecies And The Dead Sea Scrolls

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jan 14, 2017

There was a time when skeptics claimed that the prophecies in Isaiah 53 were too detailed, too specific, too accurate to be mere coincidence. I agreed. But then the skeptics argued that the ONLY logical explanation was that Isaiah was written after the gospels and patterned the suffering Servant ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:1-12

Tags: Dead Sea Scrolls, Prophecy, Reliability Of Bible, Fulfilled Prophecy

Denomination: Baptist

[102]. A Message From A Poem – God Sends No One To Hell

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 9, 2025

[102]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GOD SENDS NO ONE TO HELL The Introduction for this poem is longer than average. So as not to be misunderstood, the title of the poem does not mean God has no control over hell. He certainly does but just so that you don’t miss the message of the poem, I need to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:4, Revelation 19:20, Matthew 25:41, Isaiah 30:33, John 3:16, Mark 9:47-48, Revelation 20:14, Matthew 25:31  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Poetry, Sheep And Goats, The Second Coming, The Lake Of Fire, Christian Poems, Wheat And The Tares, Hell, Gehenna, Lazarus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

New Rules Barna Research Group Has Identified The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 6, 2006

New Rules Barna Research Group has identified the following New Rules for the next generation. Some will encourage you, others will cause alarm. 1. Personal relationships count. Institutions don’t. 2. The process is more important than the product. 3. Aggressively pursue diversity among ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Is Heaven Real?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

The Bible uses the word heaven 532 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word for "heaven" is shamayim and is plural meaning "heights," "elevations." It is found in the first verse of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" and in Gen 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Methodist

Steven Curtis Chapman: Still Blessing His Name

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 19, 2011

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN: STILL BLESSING HIS NAME On May 17, 2008, Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his family suffered a devastating loss. Their five-year-old adopted daughter, Maria Sue, was struck and killed when Chapman's seventeen-year-old son was backing his SUV out of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:10-11

Tags: God In The Hardships

In '97, 30% Of Adults Claimed To Be Pentecostal ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2008

In ’97, 30% of adults claimed to be Pentecostal Christians compared to 36% in ’07. While just 8% of the U.S. population is evangelical, 49% of evangelical adults fit the charismatic definition. 51% of all born-agains are charismatic as are 46% of all adults who attend a Protestant church. 23% of ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

The Holiday And Party Decorations Market Topped ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

The holiday and party decorations market topped $14.1 billion in ‘03. Christmas generated $7.6 billion alone. (Foster ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Miracle Mandy

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 5, 2012

MIRACLE MANDY The doctor told Marsha Mark and her husband they would never have biological children. In their disappointment, Marsha clung to a friend's words: "Somehow, God is going to use your struggle with infertility for his glory." Marsha began to pray for a glimpse of that glory. "I asked ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-20

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

Charlie "Tremendous” Jones Has Come ...  PRO

Contributed by James May on Apr 12, 2001

Charlie “Tremendous” Jones has come up with a way to tell his entire life history in 15 seconds or less. He says, “I am not what I used to be, I am not what I shall be, but, by the Grace of God and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Tags: Grace, Peace, Discipleship

Denomination: Independent/Bible

J. I. Packer On The Goal Of Theology  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

J. I. PACKER ON THE GOAL OF THEOLOGY 'And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent' (John 17:3) The well known Christian author, Jim Packer, lectures in systematic theology at Regent's College in Vancouver. One of his former students says ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tags: Worship General