In Sermon Illustrations: "Mark"

There Was A Very Poor Man Down In West Texas In ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 7, 2002

There was a very poor man down in West Texas in the 1930s who barely made a living on a very poor sheep farm around Odessa and Midland. His name was E. L. Yates and he was so poor that he was contemplating bankruptcy and allowing the bank to repossess his farm. He was constantly worrying about how ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

I Once Talked To A Man About Becoming A Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 13, 2002

I once talked to a man about becoming a Christian who tried to convince me that he “wasn’t really a bad person." He didn’t think he had really sinned all that much. Sensing that he was trying to avoid accepting his sinfulness I gave him this illustration: I told him to imagine I had invited him ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

Tags: Sin General, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Woman Went To The Doctors Office, Where She Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Busch on Aug 18, 2002

A woman went to the doctors office, where she was seen by one of the new doctors, but after about 4 minutes in the examination room, she burst out, screaming as she ran down the hall. An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was, and she told him her story. After listening, he had her ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:17

Tags: Emotions, Communication General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Franklin Roosevelt's Closest Adviser During Much ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Dow on Sep 18, 2002

Franklin Roosevelt’s closest adviser during much of his presidency was a man named Harry Hopkins. During World War II, when his influence with Roosevelt was at its peak, Hopkins held no official Cabinet position. Moreover, Hopkin’s closeness to Roosevelt caused many to regard him as a shadowy, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:45

Tags: Christian Disciplines

For Two Years, Scientists Sequestered Themselves ...  PRO

Contributed by Joanna Loucky-Ramsey on Nov 4, 2002

For two years, scientists sequestered themselves in an artificial environment called Biosphere 2. Inside their self-sustaining community, the Biospherians created a number of mini-environments, including a desert, rain forest, even an ocean. Nearly every weather condition could be simulated except ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Baptist

As The Medical Field Will Tell You, Divorce Has ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Dec 26, 2002

As the medical field will tell you, divorce has traumatic impact on health. Children of divorce are 25-30% percent more vulnerable to becoming ill. Children of divorce live shorter lives. Choosing Wisely. Before You ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:1-10

Tags: Divorce

Denomination: Pentecostal

Really Giving  PRO

Contributed by Clyde Grimes on Dec 28, 2002

REALLY GIVING The great Alliance preacher and renowned Christian author, A. W. Tozer, makes this observation: “Before the judgment seat of Christ my service will be judged not by how much I have done but by how much I could have done!... In God’s sight, my giving is measured not by how much I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Giving General

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It Reminds Me Of The Three Buddies Who Die In A ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Mar 12, 2003

It reminds me of the three buddies who die in a car crash and go to heaven to an orientation. They are all asked, "When you are in your casket and friends and family are standing over you, what would you like to hear them say about you?" The first guy says, "I would like to hear them say that I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:13

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

As A Teenager, I Went To An Outdoor Drama Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by James Chandler on Mar 30, 2003

As a teenager, I went to an outdoor drama of the crucifiction of Christ. I was not a Christian but was curious about all of this Jesus stuff. The audience was to play the part of the crowd during Jesus’s trial and death on the cross. We all shouted "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" They brought Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:16-39

Tags: Cross Agony, Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Courageous Fishers Of Men, Citation: Eugene A ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Apr 3, 2003

[Courageous Fishers of Men, Citation: Eugene A Maddox, Interlachen, Florida; source: The Perfect Storm] The movie, The Perfect Storm, well described the dangers of the fishing industry through the eyes of the crew of the fishing boat, the Andrea Gail. Out of their need to bring home an excellent ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-21

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Young Man Was At The End Of His Rope. Seeing No ...  PRO

Contributed by Johanna Radelfinger on May 26, 2003

A young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out he dropped to his knees in prayer. "Lord, I can’t go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear." The Lord replied, "My son, if you can’t bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then open that other door and pick out ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Adventist

There Is A Story About A Man Who Was Walking Down ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on May 27, 2003

There is a story about a man who was walking down the street. He passed a used-book store, and in the window he saw a book with the title, "How to Hug." He was taken by the title and, being of a somewhat romantic nature, went in to buy the book. To his chagrin, he discovered that it was the seventh ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Forgot  PRO

Contributed by Jim Dillinger on Jun 5, 2003

YOU FORGOT Ken Blanchard writes: When my son Scott was a senior in high school, he used to cause problems by parking his truck in the driveway. Nobody could get in or out because his truck was big enough to go to war. I always told him to park it out in the street. One day I came home to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:23-28

Tags: Parenting, Children

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Leslie Parrot Has This To Say About Friendship ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 31, 2003

Leslie Parrot has this to say about friendship from the book Relationships: Friends make the ordinary-running errands or eating lunch, for example-extraordinarily fun. And good friends ease our pain and lighten our heavy load….Not only are friends good for the soul but for the body as well. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Friendship General, Friendship New Friends

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There's A Story Of The Italian Poet Dante ...  PRO

Contributed by Pat Cook on Aug 4, 2003

There’s a story of the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who was deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, and he failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante defended himself by saying, “If those ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:1

Tags: Worship Benefits

Denomination: Baptist

One Sunday Evening Years Ago, I Left My Home To ...  PRO

Contributed by Gary Huckaby on Aug 24, 2003

One Sunday evening years ago, I left my home to go to our evening services at the Church where I was then Pastor. Only myself, and my little eight year old son was there. No one showed up that Sunday evening, as the weather was quite stormy. We waited until about 7:20 and told my boy that we might ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:15

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Repentance

Denomination: Baptist

What Someone Has Called The Pleasure Explosion ...  PRO

Contributed by James O. Davis on Oct 28, 2003

What someone has called the pleasure explosion has overtaken us so that in the United States alone the pleasure business has been growing at an average rate of 6 billion dollars a year since 1965. Thrills and chills are available on demand. Popular amusement parks offer themes and thrills of all ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:35-37

Tags: Entertainment, Television And Movies

Denomination: Assembly Of God

2. Gary Thomas, A Friend Of Rick Warren, Noticed ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jan 6, 2004

2. Gary Thomas, a friend of Rick Warren, noticed that many Christians were stuck in a worship rut. He raised the question, “Since God has intentionally made us all different, why should everyone be expected to love (worship) God the same way?”(1) Gary has discovered that for 2,000 years Christians ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:29-30

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Pentecostal

In What Some Call A Denial Of A Basic Civil ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 23, 2004

In what some call a denial of a basic civil right, a Missouri man has been told he may not marry his long-term companion. …The man claims that the essential elements of marriage – love and commitment – are indeed present. “She’s gorgeous. She’s sweet. She’s loving. I’m very proud of her … Deep ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:27-72

It Is Said That Andrew Bonar, A Great Man Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Sep 8, 2004

It is said that Andrew Bonar, a great man of prayer, had three rules: (1) Not to speak to any man before speaking to Jesus; (2) Not to do anything with his hands until he had been on his knees; (3) Not to read the papers until he had read ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:35-39

Tags: Prayer General, Disciplines Scripture

Denomination: Baptist