In Sermon Illustrations: "Martin Luther"

Legalism, Rules And Judging Others

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Nov 12, 2018

Charles Price (pastor of The Peoples Church in Toronto) tells the story of a friend of his who went to the Netherlands to share the gospel with Dutch people and became friends with many Dutch Christians. He was amazed to find out how distressed Dutch Christians were with the state of American ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1

Tags: Rules, Legalism Vs Liberty

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Inner Life - To Few Who Love The Cross

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 22, 2019

Thomas a Kempis wrote: Jesus today has many who love his heavenly kingdom, but few who carry his cross; many who yearn for comfort, few who long for distress. Plenty of people he finds to share his banquet, few to share his fast. Everyone desires to take part in his rejoicing, but few are ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38

Tags: Submission, Carry Your Cross

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Eating The Wrong Cookies - Assumptions

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 30, 2019

A traveller, between flights at an airport, went to a lounge and bought a small package of cookies. Then she sat down and began reading a newspaper. Gradually, she became aware of a rustling noise. From behind her paper, she was flabbergasted to see a neatly dressed man helping himself to her ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 9:1-14

Tags: Satan's Craftiness, Deception, Assumptions

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Unforgettable Bombs - All We Can Do Is Pray?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 30, 2019

Elmer Bendiner, a crewmember in a World War II B-17 bomber, the Tondalayo, was barraged by flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. That was not unusual, but on this particular occasion, the gas tanks were hit. Later Elmer reflected on the miracle of a 20 mm shell piercing the fuel tank without touching ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11, James 5:15, Psalm 34:15

Tags: Prayer, Power In Prayer, Intersession, Watchman Prayer

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Blueprints For Your Children’s Character

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 15, 2020

There is a Minister who received an urgent note that said that a man in his congregation wanted to get a hold of him. The man’s problems have been 10 years in the making but have become urgent when the consequences of neglect suddenly materialized. The minister met the man at his office. He was a ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 7:9

Tags: Children, Parenting, Blueprints

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Anxiety And Relationships

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 27, 2020

Anxiety can be the ruin or the salvation of our relationships. It is an alarm mechanism. It alerts us to potential danger. But sometimes it goes off too often or quickly. Sometimes we do not seem able to regulate it. Shocked, we lash out, hold our ground, or retreat. However, anxiety can be our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Anxiety, Relationships

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Maturity

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 27, 2020

Automatic behaviour is the hallmark of immature people bent on survival, they accept few challenges and experience little growth. Immature people react with a small part of themselves to a small part of the world. They limit themselves by paying attention only to what is close-up, by focusing on ...read more

Scripture: John 12:24

Tags: Maturity, Immaturity

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hope For When Christ Comes

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 27, 2021

This two-part story can frame a message on heaven, hope or the resurrection. The 1989 Armenian earthquake needed only 4 minutes to flatten the nation and kill 30,000 people. Moments after the deadly tremor ceased, a father raced to an elementary school to save his son. When he arrived, he saw that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 1 Corinthians 15:17, 1 Corinthians 15:23, Romans 6:5-9

Tags: Resurrection, Heaven, Hope

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Humility

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 27, 2021

The Western meaning of humility derives from the usage of the Hebrew speaking Jews, Latin speaking Romans and the Greeks, in particular Greek speaking Christians of the first century. In all three languages the word used to describe humility means "low", as in low to the ground: the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Service, Humility, Power

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

How Are You Doing?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 2, 2021

There's a story about a little girl who came home from school one day, and her mother met her at the door: Hi! How was school today? How are you doing? With the honesty of little people, the girl replied, Oh, not so well, mommy. My tummy hurts! Mothers know everything, and this mommy had ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 16:5-6

Tags: Joke, Child Misunderstanding

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Courage

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 2, 2021

Mary Slesser (1848-1915) when Mary was a teenager, she volunteered to help organize a mission in the slums of Scotland. Despite Mary's genuine and caring efforts, many of the people the mission was designed to help oppose the work because they felt it avoided the "real" needs of the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 118:6-14

Tags: Mission Work, Mary Slesser, Courage

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The World's Most Unwanted Ship

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 2, 2021

The Pellicano is the world's most unwanted ship. Since 1986 she has been the hobo of the high seas. No one wants her. Sri Lanka doesn't. Bermuda doesn't. The Dominican Republic turned her away. So did the Netherlands, the Antilles, and Honduras. The problem is not the boat. Though ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8

Tags: Guilt, Pessimism, Deceit, Sin, Anxiety, Transformation, Bitterness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

God With Us - Immanuel (Charles Spurgeon)

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 5, 2021

(Charles Spurgeon December 24, 1854) Do you know the full meaning of that name Immanuel, “God with us”? No, he who knows it best knows little of it. Alas, he who knows it not at all is ignorant indeed, so ignorant that his ignorance is not bliss, but will be his damnation. Oh! may God teach you the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 7:10-15

Tags: Heaven's Hallelujah, Sufferer's Comfort, Christmas, Immanuel, God With Us, Charles Spurgeon  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Cost Of Redemption - Hosea Buys Back Gomer

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 27, 2022

One man started the bidding: “12 pieces of silver!” “13!” Said Hosea. “14 pieces of silver!” Hosea’s bid was “15!” The low bidders were beginning to drop out, but one man continued bidding: “15 pieces of silver and five bushels of barley!” Hosea said, “15 pieces of silver, 5 bushels of barley and a ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 3:1-5, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Romans 8:38

Tags: Hosea, Redemption, Covenant Love

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Judas Had The Best Pastor, The Best Leader, The Best Advisor

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 27, 2022

Judas had the best pastor, the best leader, the best advisor, and the best counsellor. Yet he failed. The problem may not be the leadership or the church you go to. If your attitude or character ...read more

Tags: Betrayal, Character, Transformation, Judas

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Power Of Embraced Sacrifice Is Greater Than The Power Of Coercion

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 8, 2022

"The cross has become the most widely recognized symbol in the world. It marks more graves, graces more jewelry, and sits atop more churches than any other design. The making of the sign of the cross is known from basilicas to baseball diamonds. Finding a logo has become big business, but no ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:32-42, Mark 15:21-41

Tags: Sacrifice, The Cross, Symbols

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Laughter Resurrection  PRO

Contributed by Ferdinand Funk on Sep 29, 2008

Laughter Resurrection Bernard Martin, writes the following story in his book If God Does Not Die. One day a pastor was called from a children's party at the Sunday school to visit a young woman whose world had collapsed into an acute depression following the death of her husband in an auto ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Mennonite

Giving

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 22, 2023

I was raised in the church. My dad pastored 65 years. I graduated college and was married. We returned home for Christmas. We all gathered around the tree. I remembered my speedometer and God’s goodness. My wife and mom handed out the presents. Each family member had several gifts. In the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Jesus, Giiving

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Older Brother Takes The Blame And Dies For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2010

Older Brother Takes the Blame and Dies for Younger Brother The story is told of two Chinese brothers who lived in Chinatown just after the turn of the century. One brother, the eldest of the two, was a very honest and hardworking individual, while the younger brother was rebellious, and often ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21

Tags: Christian Love, Substitute

General Douglas Macarthur I Shall Return

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 1, 2021

Psalm 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. General Douglas MacArthur had a terrible battle. The struggle was against mighty odds. The ALLIED FORCES were lacking in support. There was ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-10, Luke 5:5

Tags: Heavy, I Shall Return, Weary

Denomination: Assembly Of God