In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 5 1720"

Spinning A Web: Andy's Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

SPINNING A WEB: ANDY'S STORY Andy Fastow was a brilliant kid in the high school graduating class in New Providence, New Jersey. He was one of the really good kids. In fact, he was the student body president of his senior class. He went on to get a great education and a fantastic job. He climbed ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-26

Tags: Lies

He's No Longer In The Grave  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

HE'S NO LONGER IN THE GRAVE In 1887, twenty two years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, his coffin was dug up and opened because there were constant rumors that his body was not in the grave. So they dug it up and the body was there. The rumors continued so 14 years later they ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-20

Tags: Jesus Lives, Easter Resurrection

A Risk-Taker For God

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 31, 2011

A RISK-TAKER FOR GOD What does it mean to be a risk taker for God, for His Kingdom? 1. It means opening yourself up to change. 2. It is the acceptance of the fact that there is a need for change. 3. It is literally taking the behavioral steps necessary that will result in that change. 4. It is ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Perseverance: Scott, Handel And Spurgeon

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

PERSEVERANCE: SCOTT, HANDEL AND SPURGEON In 1826 the London firm of Hurst and Robinson went bankrupt, involving Sir WALTER SCOTT in a personal liability of 118,000 pounds. With noble determination Scott responded: "My right hand and I against the debt." From that time on he wrote novel after novel ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-5

Tags: Endurance

The Tragedy Of Steve Irwin

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 9, 2011

THE TRAGEDY OF STEVE IRWIN I loved to watch Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, but I knew he would die young. You simply do not play with wild animals without sooner or later getting in trouble. Steve survived countless snakebites; chased up a tree by a deadly komodo dragan; spat on by a red ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:23

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

Labor Day And Our Divine Union

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2012

LABOR DAY AND OUR DIVINE UNION I’ve heard that Labor Day was first celebrated in Boston on Sept 5, 1882. It wasn’t until 1894 that it became a federal holiday. That was an effort encouraged by President Grover Cleveland to reconcile with the labor movement and prevent further violence. You see, ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Tags: Holidays Civic

Michael Jordan: Persevere

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 17, 2012

MICHAEL JORDAN: PERSEVERE In the fall of 1978, fifteen-year-old Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. The sophomore was 5 feet 11 inches and with his skills, the coach told him that he was not good enough, and Michael ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-12

Tags: Endurance

A Lesson From A Light Bulb  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 5, 2012

A LESSON FROM A LIGHT BULB A missionary in Africa lived in his central mission which had a small generator to supply current for his church and a small rectory. Some natives from an outlying mission came to visit the pastor. They noticed the electric light hanging from the ceiling of his living ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Tags: Power

A Tragic Dream Fulfilled--The Case Of Robert ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2012

A TRAGIC DREAM FULFILLED--THE CASE OF ROBERT BURNS Robert Burns, the famous poet, occasionally had times of serious reflection of the state of his soul. He recorded one of those times when he compared himself to the review of his past life. He wrote that he was like a lonely man walking amidst the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

House ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2012

HOUSE FIRE A story is told of a family awakened by their smoke detector in the middle of the night to discover that their house was on fire. The father ran into the upstairs bedroom of his children and carried his 18 month old baby in his arms while dragging his 4 year old son by the hand. They ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:10

Tags: Father's Day, God's Omniscience

The Impacts Of Trust And Distrust

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2012

THE IMPACTS OF TRUST AND DISTRUST One of the serious problems of human nature is our natural tendency to be distrusting and suspicious. Barbara Misztal, in her book, Trust in Modern Societies: The Search for the Bases of Social Order, mentions three things that trust does in the life of a person. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 9:7-10

Tags: Trust

Bitter Rivalry Between Artists

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2012

BITTER RIVALRY BETWEEN ARTISTS In 1503, Julius II became Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He immediately began a building program to beautify the Vatican. In 1509, he commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo reluctantly agreed to paint the fresco, though ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:4

Tags: Envy

Hymn Story : "Holy God, Sinful Man"

Contributed by Lawrence Bradford on Sep 26, 2012

Hymn Story : "Holy God, Sinful Man" A story of God’s Ring of Love (eternal and everlasting)for humanity. "Holy God, Sinful Man" Chorus: Had it not been for Jesus to die on that cross. All mankind would surely be lost. Verse 1: There would be no forgiveness no ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Baptist

Mark Of The Beast

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Oct 9, 2012

In verse 15, it tells us what will happen to those people who do not accept the Evil One’s mark: “15 … and all who refuse to worship the image or take his mark will be killed.” I saw recently where Motorola has developed an all inclusive data chip that is no larger than a grain of rice. It ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: *other

Resolution Statistics

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jan 6, 2013

RESOLUTION STATISTICS Today is the first Sunday of a New Year! Perhaps you made a New Years resolution. Many of us do. Here is some interesting information about New Years resolutions from thee University of Scranton. Journal of Clinical Psychology, (Published: 12.13.2012) The Top 10 New Years ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Depression

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Aug 14, 2014

The World woke up to the shocking News on August 13th 2014. The King of Comedy-Robin Williams- who lit so many smiles in many a countenance of his “global audience” had apparently committed suicide due to severe depression. For some time now his apparently happy face had masked a heavy heart ...read more

Scripture: John 10:10

Tags: Depression, Individual, Invigorating

Denomination: *other

If I Have Seen Everything....  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 23, 2016

IF I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING.... Evangelist Jack Taylor was alone in his hotel room in Houston, Texas after a Southern Baptist Convention meeting. He felt exhausted in ministry. He cried out to God in prayer, "Lord, if I have seen everything You have for me in my ministry.......then take my life ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Pastoral Ministry, Total Surrender, Burnt Out

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Encouragement

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

In August 1995, the church I pastored made the decision to do a major renovation on our thirty-five-year-old sanctuary. The first step was to put together a crew of people to do internal demolition. Around forty people showed up to take care of this task. Dust was everywhere as we ripped up ...read more

Tags: Encouragement, Encourage, Gifts Encouragement

Denomination: Baptist

Starting Over

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 11, 2017

The term “Sunk costs” is an accounting term. It refers to historical costs that no longer have relevance to decisions being made today. Ali Saam (Garcia) and his stock market losses. He had over $140,000 in stocks. Then, two weeks later his portfolio was down to $77,000. He felt he couldn’t sell ...read more

Tags: Starting Over, Born Again

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Crisis Of Covid-19

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 4, 2020

The 20th century... What if you were born in 1900 - my grandparents for example were born in 1904 in Newfoundland. At age 14 , World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday. 22 million people perish in that war. Later in 1918, the Spanish Flu epidemic kills 50 million people in those two ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6, Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Hope, Second Coming, Perspective, Crisis

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational