In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 5 1720"

Do You Have This Much Self Control?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

I heard a funny story about a stunt pilot who was selling rides in his single engine airplane. One day he got into an argument with a pastor who insisted on taking his wife along at no extra charge. Not wanting to miss out on a chance to make some cash, the pilot said, “I’ll take you both up for ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Marriage, Self Denial, Fruit Of The Spirit, Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Character Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Redemtion - The Bank Ledgers

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

Hear Gods Word: BIBLE God made him who had no sin ....to be sin for us ... so that in him ... we might become ... the righteousness ... of God. END (2 Corinthians 5:21) Years ago ...... when I was a young banker in Ohio, ... we used large leather-bound ledgers ......where all accounts... were ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Blood, Salvation, Redemption, Ledgers

Denomination: Anglican

Necrotizing Fasciitis

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 7, 2024

It sounds like something out of a horror movie, but it’s real. In recent years, scientists have discovered a kind of bacterial infection called necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly called flesh eating bacteria. Once this bacterium enters a human body, it can multiply rapidly. Within 24 hours, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:15

Tags: Unforgiveness, Bitterness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Reason To Give Thanks

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Nov 24, 2024

Do you remember Erma Bombeck, the homemaker who spun humorous anecdotes about suburban family life into a column syndicated to about 700 newspapers, television commentary, speeches across the country and books with titles such as “The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank,” “Just Wait Till ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thankfulness, Assurance, Erma Bombeck

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Evening A Grandson Was Talking To His ...  PRO

Contributed by Kent Lenard on Oct 14, 2002

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general. The Grandma replied, "Well, let me think a minute. I was born before television, penicillin, ...read more

Tags: Lent, Church Practices, Christian Values

Denomination: Baptist

Leveling The Ground! (10.21.05--That ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 19, 2005

Leveling the Ground! (10.21.05--That Person!--Genesis 5:3-5) As I paid for my fuel purchase in he came. Everyone in town knew him as just plain Frank. He was dirty, loud and smelly. Most people avoided him because he was just different from most other folks. He didn’t bath or shower but once in a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 5:3-5

Tags: Racism

Denomination: Lutheran

Douglas Hyde Was A Major Leader In The Communist ...

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jul 31, 2006

Douglas Hyde was a major leader in the Communist Party in England during the 1930’s and 1940’s. However, in 1948 he converted to Christianity. Later he wrote a fascinating little book, Dedication and Leadership, in which he pointed out that the means of developing leaders among the communists were ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:6-15

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Godliness

Denomination: Pentecostal

How Do You Do That? I Have A Perfect ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Dec 1, 2006

How do you do that? I have a perfect illustration from my favorite book next to the Bible THE JOURNEY HOME by Orthodox Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein. I’ve shared excerpts from his book with you in the past. Although it is classified as fiction, it is based on authentic events and a genuine friendship ...read more

Tags: Alcohol, Joy, Love, Peace

Denomination: Methodist

A Mom's View Of Herself: A Confirmed ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2009

A MOM’S VIEW OF HERSELF: A CONFIRMED SHOUTER (from Forever Erma By Erma Bombeck, March 5, 1969) Ever since President Nixon’s inaugural plea to "speak quietly enough so that our words can be heard as well as our voices," I’ve had misgivings about my big mouth. I’ve always admired parents who ...read more

Tags: Mothers

A Mother Is Born By Regina ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

A Mother Is Born by Regina Phillips My first child, a daughter, was born on July 27, 2000, and I found I was completely unprepared. I thought I was ready for her birth. I had read my books and articles on childbirth and baby care; I had bought everything on my shopping checklist. The nursery was ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 49:15

Tags: Children, Mothers

Walking With Integrity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2011

WALKING WITH INTEGRITY Integrity can be defined as: "wholeness; uprightness; honesty or soundness of moral principle and character; an undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting." Dr. Bob Reccord, president of the International Missions Board told about a pastor friend in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:8-15

Tags: Christian Witness

What Are You Doing, Lord? Amazing Grace

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

WHAT ARE YOU DOING, LORD? AMAZING GRACE A couple days ago I was commuting to the church from Boissevain where we were camping this week, and heard an interview with a young woman named Kristen James Anderson, ironically on the last day of our free satellite radio. She came from a great family, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:5

Tags: Grace

Sinking Ships

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Apr 10, 2015

Let me share with you two stories that happened within two years of each other in the second decade of the Twentieth Century. The first you will know. On April 15, 1912, on which the Titanic plunged 12,000 feet to the Atlantic floor, some two hours and forty minutes after an iceberg tore a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Fear, Non-Anxious Presence, Ohana

Denomination: Anglican

This Last Week I Started Reading The Book, ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 2, 2008

This last week I started reading the book, “Pivotal Praying,” - Connecting with God in times of great need. The book is written by John Hull and Tim Elmore. The book has been enlightening to say the least but in chapter 5 Tim shares about how important it is to run to God in prayer when we find ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thy Great ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Thy Great Salvation “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…” (Romans 1: 16) Christians, like the apostle Paul, are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has chosen to offer a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Longsuffering  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Longsuffering Galatians 5:22 tells us that longsuffering is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for longsuffering means, "patience, forbearing, perseverance, being constant, steadfast, and enduring." The practical application of this fruit is that God's Holy Spirit gives obedient ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22

Tags: Longsuffering, Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Proverbs On The Words That We Speak

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 18, 2024

PROVERBS ON WORDS THAT WE SPEAK The Book of Proverbs shows us the seriousness of our words before the Lord. _________________________________________ "Violence covers the mouth of the wicked" (Proverbs 10:11). "The mouth of the foolish is a present destruction" (Proverbs ...read more

Tags: Lying, Wisdom, Mouth, Words, Speech, Lips  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[091]. Poem Message – For The Christian - Light Through The Tunnel

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 28, 2025

[091]. A POEM MESSAGE – FOR THE CHRISTIAN THERE IS LIGHT THROUGH THE TUNNEL There was a lovely little song written in that western style around the middle of last century called, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” Sometimes in our lives, it is like being in a dark tunnel where we can not ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 5:20-21, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, 1 Corinthians 13:12

Tags: The Path Ahead, Light, Darkness, Maze, Walk By Faith, Tunnel, We See Dimly  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[117]. A Message From A Poem – He Became Sin For Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 27, 2025

[117]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE BECAME SIN FOR US This poem resulted from some discussion in one of the Christian forums on Isaiah 52 and 53. I was thinking into the sufferings of the Lamb upon the cross trying to capture the stark reality of that sacrificial death. Of course God blotted out ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-5, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, He Became Sin For Us, Sin, Salvation, Endurance, Cross, Suffering, The Cross, Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[327]. Poem - Victory Through Sorrow’s Deep Sea – Easter Poem – Part 2

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 27, 2026

[327]. POEM - VICTORY THROUGH SORROW’S DEEP SEA – EASTER POEM – PART 2 SPECIAL NOTE – This poem is too long for SermonCentral’s limited space for Sermon Illustrations, so I have had to cut it in half but don’t really want to do that. THIS IS PART 2. The events are in consecutive order so ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 22:13-16, Psalm 69:14-15, Isaiah 53:6-7

Tags: Easter, Suffering, Victory, Gethsemane, Sorrow, Calvary, The Cross, Golgotha, Man Of Sorrows, Jesus Before Pilate, The Crucifixion, Easter Message, Christian Poems, Poem For Easter, Jesus Dies For Sins, The Lamb On The Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational