In Sermon Illustrations: "Material Possessions"

Jesus And Unity

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 24, 2009

JESUS AND UNITY Jesus knew that people contribute their uniqueness to churches and therefore they make it stronger. Each person in the body (on the team) contains a host of knowledge, insight and experiences to a scenario, or a situation. Mike Murdoch makes this observation, "Look at those who ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Gotta Look At It!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2012

YOU GOTTA LOOK AT IT! A man was seated on a park bench when a little chap of about five sat down beside him and started winding what appeared to be a most prized possession--a watch. "My, what a pretty watch," remarked the man. "Does it tell you the time?" "No sir," replied the boy; "you gotta ...read more

Scripture: John 17:17

Tags: Hold, Bible Truth

Top 10 Family Issues 1. Anti-Christian Culture: ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

Top 10 Family Issues 1. Anti-Christian Culture: Stripping away of Christian heritage and traditional values. 2. Divorce: Ongoing wave of broken marriages and families—inside and outside the church. 3. Busyness: Participation in numerous activities crowding out quality family fellowship. 4. Lack of ...read more

The Story Is Told Of A Student Taking An Exam, ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 3, 2007

The story is told of a student taking an exam, who had studied hard and knew all the material, so he breezed through the first nine questions. When he got to the last question, however, he was stuck. It read, “What is the first name of the woman who cleans this school?” He figured it was some kind ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

I Remember A Year Ago When A Doctor Told Me, ...

Contributed by Brien Sims on Jun 18, 2008

"I remember a year ago when a doctor told me, 'You have an illness from which you won't recover.' I walked out to where I live, five miles from Portland, Oregon, and I looked across at that mountain that I love. I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Evangelism: Aquariums And Fires

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

EVANGELISM: AQUARIUMS AND FIRES The late Sam Shoemaker, an Episcopalian bishop, summed up the situation this way: "In the Great Commission, the Lord has called us to be--like Peter--fishers of men. We’ve turned the commission around so that we have become merely keepers of the aquarium. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Mr. George Kirk Was Another Wonderful Man In That ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 23, 2010

Mr. George Kirk was another wonderful man in that same church. He told me that a four-ply tire is made by pulling fabric first from one source, then from a second. The second has fabric whose cords criss-cross the first ply. Then the process is repeated for a four-ply tire. Sometimes a new man ...read more

Tags: Mistakes

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Key To Happiness...?

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 7, 2012

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS...? Want to be happy? A 26-year study of Germans suggests it’s not that hard: • Marry someone who’s not neurotic. • Focus more on friends and family, less on material goods. • Get involved in making the world a better place. • Have a job but also enough time for ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:13

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Baptist

Finding Happiness

Contributed by Christian Cheong on May 1, 2005

FINDING HAPPINESS There is a fairy tale story about a rich merchant, loaded with riches but unhappy. He asked around, "How can I find happiness?" A wise man tells him, "Look for a happy man, and ask him to sell you his shirt." The merchant searched for a long time until at last he found a ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The First Date Jim (Elliot) Asked Me For Was To A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 21, 2005

The first date Jim (Elliot) asked me for was to a missionary meeting at Moody Church in Chicago, late in April. Not surprising that he would choose an event like this rather than a concert or dinner out. The speaker was one of the daughters of the famous missionary to Africa C.T. Studd. She told of ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?

It's Reported That A Preacher In Redrock, ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 14, 2001

It’s reported that a preacher in Redrock, Mississippi prayed this sermon: “Oh Lord, give Thy servant this mornin’ the eyes of the eagle and the wisdom of the owl; connect his soul with the gospel telephone in the central skies; ‘luminate his brow with the Sun of heaven; possess his mind with love ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Some Time Ago I Saw A Painting Of ...

Contributed by C Jordan on Mar 24, 2008

ILLUSTRATION: Some time ago I saw a painting of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family’s sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with a ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: *other

Job's Repentance

Contributed by C Jordan on Apr 27, 2008

JOB'S REPENTANCE "Job repented, not of any past sins that might have caused his (trouble), but of his mistrust of God in the midst of it. Ultimately, God never answered Job’s questions. Job never actually found out why all of this loss and horror had occurred. It was as if the answer to Job’s ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: *other

You And I, Your Neighbors And My Neighbors, We ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"You and I, your neighbors and my neighbors, we share with each other our liberties and [our] civil rights.They are ours. They belong to all of us, not just to each of us. Liberty is not any one man's possession. When a man asks Freedom for himself alone, both he and his neighbor lose what he ...read more

Tags: Political Freedom

Bigger Person

Contributed by Floyd John-Keith on Apr 3, 2009

BIGGER PERSON One day, two men appeared before a judge to have settled a dispute. One argued that the other had moved the boundary marker by five feet and thereby has taken possession of his land. After listening to both arguments and going through some documents the judge could not determine ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Tags: Boasting, Attitude General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mud-Gazing?" Luke 12:13-15 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 3, 2005

“Mud-Gazing?” Luke 12:13-15 Key verse(s) 13:“Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Do you sing because you are happy; or are you happy because you sing? You’ve met the person. They always seem to have a positive attitude about nearly ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-15

Tags: Peace, Joy, Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran

Arthur Custance Writes: "It Is A Curious Fact ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jul 24, 2006

Arthur Custance writes: “It is a curious fact that demons were notable for their physical strength, and it is also a curious fact that they had for some reason a fear of water. The instance of the Gadarene swine could conceivably be a case where the Lord permitted the evil spirit to enter animal ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

William Randolph Hearst Invested A Fortune ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 4, 2001

William Randolph Hearst invested a fortune collecting art treasures from around the world. One day Mr. Hearst read the description of a valuable art item which he sent his agent abroad to find. After months of searching, the agent reported that he had finally found the treasure. To the surprise of ...read more

Imagine That The American Economy Was Going To Be ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on Aug 6, 2003

Imagine that the American economy was going to be changed entirely to Euros – and the day the switch came, dollars would be worthless And you didn’t know when the change would happen. The smartest thing to do would be to start changing your dollars into Euros, keeping just enough to live on. Then ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Baptist

Noah's Message From The Steps Going Up To The Ark ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 22, 2008

Noah’s message from the steps going up to the Ark was not, “Something good is going to happen to you!” Amos was not confronted by the high priest of Israel for proclaiming, “Confession is possession!” Jeremiah was not put into the pit for preaching, “I’m O.K.; you’re O.K.!” Daniel was not put ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Pentecostal