In Sermon Illustrations: "Masterful Preacher"

At A Great Parliament Of Religions, Held At ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

At a great parliament of religions, held at Chicago many years ago, practically every known religion was represented, and many learned discourses were delivered. During one session, Dr. Joseph Cook of Boston suddenly rose and said: "Gentlemen, I beg to introduce to you a woman with great sorrow. ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

Back When I Was Still Wet Behind The Ears In My ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Back when I was still wet behind the ears in my 1st ministry, our church had a joint VBS with one of the denominational churches in town. I liked their preacher, but I made the mistake of letting him give the invitation. His church sprinkled babies and ours only baptized adults… so he was a little ...read more

Tags: Faith General

In Large Part, Jesus Has A Negative Attitude ...

Contributed by Bob Joyce on Oct 10, 2007

In large part, Jesus has a negative attitude toward wealth. Doesn’t have much of anything good to say about money (Mark 4:19; Matthew 6:19; Luke 12:13; 16:1; 19:1). Jim Bakker, of PTL fame, once the health and wealth and prosperity gospel preacher, said he was convinced by God in a dream, and he ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Song Of Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

THE SONG OF JESUS One night while conducting an evangelistic meeting in the Salvation Army Citadel in Chicago, Booth Tucker preached on the sympathy of Jesus. After his message a man approached him and said, "If your wife had just died, like mine has, and your babies were crying for their mother ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Tags: Comfort

Claiming That Suitable Behavior Towards Christ's ...

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 16, 2009

Claiming that suitable behavior towards Christ’s ontological significance, according to Joseph Parker a 19th century English preacher, is paramount, and he wrote, "There are other men who do not come to worship Christ; who simply come to speculate upon Him…such patronage they offer the Son of God! ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: *other

If You Can Start The Day Without Caffeine, If You ...

Contributed by Bret Toman on May 20, 2010

If you can start the day without caffeine, if you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains ... if you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles ... if you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it ... if you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to ...read more

Tags: Righteousness

Denomination: Baptist

Church Conflict

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2011

CHURCH CONFLICT In Winchester, Ohio there’s a church called the Bethlehem Church of Christ. It’s been in existence for over 150 years, and over the years different events have been recorded in their “history” book. One of their recent ministers was reading back over the different entries in this ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 16:1-41

Tags: Divisions

The Destiny Of Materialism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2011

THE DESTINY OF MATERIALISM The lure of wealth, or what we might call the magnetism of materialism. “Finns [people from Finland] who can’t get enough of winter swarmed to the northern town of Kemi for the opening of a sprawling ice castle that features a theatre, a playground, an art gallery, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Tags: Materialism

Wesley Responds To Criticism  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2011

WESLEY RESPONDS TO CRITICISM John Wesley was a great English preacher of the 1700s. He was considered a rather spiffy dresser. One Sunday morning he wore a bow tie that had long ribbons that hung downward. After the sermon was over a lady walked up to him and said, "Brother Wesley, are you open to ...read more

Scripture: James 3:1-12

Tags: Tongue

Faith In Tragedy: Luther Bridges  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2012

FAITH IN TRAGEDY: LUTHER BRIDGES A Methodist preacher by the name of Luther Bridges was born in 1884. He married and had 3 sons. Pastor Bridges accepted an invitation to minister at a conference in Kentucky in the year 1910, so he left his family in the care of his father-in-law & made the trip to ...read more

Scripture: Job 1:20-21

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Where Are You Leading?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 18, 2014

David Wheeler tells of a funeral procession that illustrates a leader’s influence. David officiated at a funeral. In accordance with custom, after the funeral, the attenders filed out of the funeral home and into their waiting cars to form a processional to the cemetery. The hearse led the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-13

Tags: Funeral, Role Model, Spiritual Leadership, Outhouse

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Charles Spurgeon Was Pastor At New Park ...

Contributed by Bruce Landry on Feb 25, 2008

When Charles Spurgeon was pastor at New Park Street in London, God used his words to bring about amazing changes in the lives of people. A man who was on his way to get some gin saw the crowd at the church door and pushed his way in to see what was going on. At that moment, Spurgeon turned and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Wesley And Criticism  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

WESLEY AND CRITICISM John Wesley was a great English preacher of the 1700’s. He was considered a rather spiffy dresser. One Sunday morning he wore a bow tie that had long ribbons that hung downward. After the sermon was over a lady walked up to him and said, "Brother Wesley, are you open to some ...read more

Tags: Complaining

What A Young Boy Saw In The Face Of A Missionary

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 2, 2023

Many years ago when the great missionary Adoniram Judson was home on furlough, he passed through the city of Stonington, Connecticut. A young boy playing about the wharves at the time of Judson’s arrival was struck by the man’s appearance. Never before had he seen such a light on any ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:19-23, Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Children, Missions, Testimony, Witnessing, Fruit Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Are Sinners. (The Ache In The Human Heart)

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 4, 2023

There is in each of us a dis-ease, a sense of unfulfillment of some high destiny unmet, of some lofty vow broken and shattered. We are sinners! We long for some word of forgiveness which will make us whole. We sense we have a homeland, but we are exiles. We perceive that we are of royal ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1

Tags: Sin, Depravity, Disobedience

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Story Of The Teacup

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 5, 2011

THE STORY OF THE TEACUP There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery, especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They were in this one shop when they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "We’ve never ...read more

Tags: Change

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Being Ready

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Oct 1, 2016

Being Ready Luke 12: 32-38 This illustration is about not being afraid for the return of the Master. When I was a young boy in the Fourth Grade at Yost Elementary School, our teacher, Mrs. Conley, would periodically leave the room and say, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Just work quietly at ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:32-38

Tags: Following Directions, Being Prepared

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Tea ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 21, 2009

The Tea Cup There was a couple who used to go England to shop in a beautiful store. This was their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially tea-cups. They said, "May we see that? We’ve never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly ...read more

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of Isaac ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

THE STORY OF ISAAC WATTS A young boy complained to his father that most of the church hymns were boring and old-fashioned, with tiresome words that meant little to his generation. His father challenged him with these words: "If you think you can write better hymns, why don’t you?" The boy ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship General

He Was Raised In The Church Of Christ. Early In ...

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Nov 17, 2006

He was raised in the Church of Christ. Early in his life, he developed faith, but at one point his parents split up. He ended up with his grandmother and abandoned what faith he may have had. He later said that accepting the theory of evolution enabled him to pursue his twisted urges. He ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ