In Sermon Illustrations: "Mark Chapter 4 Verses 35 Through 31"

I'll Give You My First Paycheck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

I'LL GIVE YOU MY FIRST PAYCHECK Craig C. had been an alcoholic for more than a dozen years. He'd lost everything he had, including his wife and son, due to his selfishness and addiction. Things began to change after he gave his life to Christ, but he still fell regularly into his old habits. It ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Trust

Aiming At The Right Target  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

AIMING AT THE RIGHT TARGET Some of our deeds are of great value, especially those done in dependence upon God for His glory and honor. Some of our deeds are worthless. They accomplish nothing of eternal value and will be quickly forgotten after we are gone. Matt Emmons had the gold medal in ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-16

Tags: Goals

Statistics On Loneliness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2011

STATISTICS ON LONELINESS This week I read an article by Medical News Today about the health effects of loneliness. Quoting the article, it states that "there is evidence that the risk of developing and dying from heart disease can depend on the strength of one's social network of friends and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Let Me Relate A Bizarre Yet True Story, Before I ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Oct 25, 2011

Let me relate a bizarre yet true story, before I get started with my main theme. Before that… those of us who don’t know about, Charlie Chaplin, let’s put up our hands? Well, not many hands would go up, for most of us know that he was a huge movie star in the silent-picture era sending many (and ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: *other

What Happens At Home

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

WHAT HAPPENS AT HOME Howard Hendricks used to say to us men in seminary preparing to lead churches, "If your Christianity isn't working at home, don't export it." It was his way of saying, "If you can't make your faith work in your own family, then please don't try to make it work in the family of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:4-5

Tags: Parenting

The Master And The Child  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 17, 2012

THE MASTER AND THE CHILD The folklore surrounding Poland's famous concert pianist and prime minister, Ignace Paderewski, includes a story, which though fictional, provides a true picture of what God can do with us: A mother, wishing to encourage her young son's progress at the piano, bought ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: God In The Hardships

Peace

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Lucinda Norman writes of her experience Christmas shopping at the mall. People had been pushing, elbowing and cutting in front of her all day. During a 10 minute extra 10% off special, one woman grabbed a lace table cloth from her hands, looked her in the eye and said, “Mine!” She yanked it back ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Tags: Christmas, Stress, Peace, Shopping

Denomination: Methodist

The Laws Of Spiritual Motion!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Aug 13, 2017

THE LAWS OF SPIRITUAL MOTION!!! The Fundamental Laws of motion designed by the all-wise God (discovered and revealed to us by Sir Issac Newton) says that we move forward whilst walking or running not just by exerting the force on earth with our feet by ourselves but by the propulsive force which ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2

Tags: Persecution, Action Reaction

Denomination: *other

20 Beautiful One-Liners You Can Use

Contributed by Tony Abram on Mar 28, 2019

20 Beautiful One-liners you can use. 1. Give God what's right - not what's left. 2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end - God's way leads to an endless hope. 3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing. 4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone. 5. Are you ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Sharing, One Liners, Testimony, Speaking

Life-Spans

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jul 2, 2021

LIFE-SPANS A lightening bolt lasts 45 to 55 microseconds. The average running shoe worn by the average runner on an average surface will last 350 to 500 miles. A hard pencil can write up to 30,000 words or draw a line more than 30 miles long. Most ball-point pens ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:10, John 3:16

Tags: Long Life, Longevity, Promise

Unplugging From The Matrix

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Dec 30, 2021

Have you ever wondered why sin has such an appeal, stranglehold and blindness quality to it? Trinity a character, heroine and Neo’s sidekick from the Matrix saga but in Matrix 4 she spends most of the movie stuck in the Matrix living as Tiffany, Neo is finally able to remind Trinity of who she ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:12

Tags: Holy Spirit, Salvation, Gospel, Holiness, Identity, Sanctification, Glorification  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: *other

Persecution

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Aug 4, 2022

John Stott has pointed out that “persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value-systems.” That clash is what we are seeing now, and it is ultimately between those who believe, trust, and love the God of the Bible and those who do not. The changes afoot today represent a ...read more

Tags: Persecution Of Christians, Cultural Warfare

Denomination: Lutheran

Scheming And Tricky

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 15, 2022

3 Greeks and 3 Turks are travelling by train to a conference. At the station, the 3 Turks each buy tickets and watch as the 3 Greeks buy only a single ticket. "How are 3 people going to travel on only one ticket?" asks one Turk. "Watch and you'll see," answers one Greek. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 2:1-4, Isaiah 4:2-6, Genesis 3:13, Genesis 29:25, Joshua 9:22, 2 Samuel 3:25, 2 Corinthians 11:13, 2 Timothy 3:13, 2 John 1:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Abuse, Dishonesty, Deceive, Cheating, Deceptive, Advantage, Trick, Scheme, Lying, Crafty, Scheming, Tricky  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Letting Go

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jan 27, 2023

Letting Go “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair.” 2 Corinthians 4:8 ESV She was only five years old. It was her first day of school. Her mommy will never forget crying all the way back as she walked to the house after letting her go and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8

Tags: Survival, Letting Go, Funeral, Grief

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Outline Of Psalm 119 - The Power Of God's Word

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 14, 2023

Psalms 119 - David proclaims the power of God's Word. David in this Psalm describes God's Word in 48 different ways. Here are a few: 1. The Word of God is the source of cleansing - Psalms 119:9 (KJV) Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: David, Bible, Psalms, Word Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Willie Stargell And The Pittsburgh Pirates' Family

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 2, 2023

Teammates of the late Willie Stargell called him "Pops" because of his leadership both on and off the baseball field. In 1979, when Stargell led the Pittsburgh Pirates to their second World Series title, the team was nicknamed "The Family" because of their close relationship and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-11, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Prejudice, Diversity, Body Of Christ, Baseball, Family Of God, Love, Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Team, Unity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hatred's Bitter Fruit

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 2, 2023

One of the worst cases of hatred I have ever come across is found in a will written in 1935 by a Mr. Donohoe. It says, "Unto my two daughters, Frances Marie and Denise Victoria, by reason of their unfilial attitude toward a doting father, … I leave the sum of $1.00 to each and a father's ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28-32

Tags: Love, Family, Anger, Bitterness, Hate, Unforgiveness, Anger Management, Fathers, Daughters  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Boxer Illustration For Spiritual Battles

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 9, 2024

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:26: “I do not fight like a man beating the air (NIV).The NLT says, “I am not like a boxer who misses his punches.” A boxer can throw a lot of punches, but if none of them hit the opponent, he will lose the fight. This is one reason a boxer trains so that he punches with ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:26, Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Opposition, Overcoming, Boxing, Battles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

The Voice Of God

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Mar 28, 2026

The Voice of God says many important things to us. The main thing and the most reassuring is, “You are never alone”. God will never ever leave you. I am reminded of how God let my wife Becky know that he was with her when she was in a time of trouble. Her father was sick and in dire condition in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9, Exodus 34:1-9

Tags: Faith, Security, Care

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

One Sunday As They Drove Home From Church, A ...  PRO

Contributed by Kyle Meador on Jan 15, 2001

One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, there’s something about the preacher’s message this morning that I don’t understand." The mother said, "Oh? What is it?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Sharing My Testimony, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational