In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 4:1-7:1"

Let The Lower Lights Be Burning  PRO

Contributed by Dwight L. Moody on Jun 11, 2009

LET THE LOWER LIGHTS BE BURNING A few years ago, at the mouth of Cleveland harbor, there were two lights, one at each side of the bay, called the upper and lower lights; and to enter the harbor safely by night, vessels must sight both of the lights. These western lakes are more dangerous ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: *other

Divorce Barbie

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

DIVORCE BARBIE Too many times, we are more concerned with what we get out of giving than what we are trying to give in the first place. A father was sitting in his chair one night reading the paper. All of a sudden, he realized it was his young daughter’s birthday, and he had forgotten to get her ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42

Tags: Giving Yourself

The Broom And The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

THE BROOM AND THE WATER In his Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan describes Interpreter’s house, which Pilgrim entered during the course of his journey to the Celestial City. The parlor of the house was completely covered with dust, and when a man took a broom and started to sweep, he and the others ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20

Tags: Law

You Can Worry To Death  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

YOU CAN WORRY TO DEATH Chronic worry can cause serious physical problems, such as ulcers, heart attacks, and high blood pressure. Dr. Charles Mayo, of the famous Mayo Clinic, wrote, "Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands and the whole nervous system. I have never met a man or known ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Tags: Anxiety

Vengeance Overseas  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

VENGEANCE OVERSEAS The story is told of a soldier who was fighting over in Iraq who received a letter from his girlfriend that said she was breaking up with him. In the letter she also asked for him to return the picture of herself that she had given him, because she needed it for her bridal ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Tags: Anger

Doormat For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

DOORMAT FOR GOD Oswald Chambers confessed, "If I work for God because I know it brings me the good opinion of those whose good opinion I wish to have, I am a Pharisee. If I love Jesus Christ, I will serve humanity, though men and women treat me like a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Servanthood

Ray Of Light, Ray Of Hope

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

RAY OF LIGHT, RAY OF HOPE There is a story about how the caverns north of Yellowstone National Park were discovered. As the story goes, one of the original explorers was walking along the top of that mountain and fell through a hole, and he dropped down several hundred feet into this cavern and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14

Tags: God Brings Hope

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Worded It This Way: "It I...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

Dietrich Bonhoeffer worded it this way: "It is Jesus himself who comes between the disciples and the law, not the law which comes between Jesus and the disciples." Source: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship 123 (R.H. Fuller trans., New York: Touchstone, 1995). ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20

Tags: Law

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness In Rwanda

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness in Rwanda Bishop John Rucyahana, a Tutsi Rwandan, found Christ while growing up as an exile from his native Rwanda. I like the way he describes His conversion: "I did not accept Jesus. Jesus graciously met me and accepted me." This is a man who understands how we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Treasure In Christ, But "Out Of Gas"  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

TREASURE IN CHRIST, BUT "OUT OF GAS" Several years ago, on New Year’s Day, a beautiful float in the Tournament of Roses parade suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float represented the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-20

Tags: God's Provision

Go Back And Tell Them Again  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN Jesus said "Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men." In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

You Do Not Pull The Shore To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2009

YOU DO NOT PULL THE SHORE TO YOU Prayer is surrender--surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boathook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-10

Tags: Prayer, Prayer Supplication

Sir Walter Scott Had Difficulty With The Idea Of ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 3, 2009

Sir Walter Scott had difficulty with the idea of “turning the other cheek.” But Jesus’ words took on special meaning one day when Scott threw a rock at a stray dog to chase it away. His aim was like a baseball pitchers and he hit the animal and broke its leg. Instead of running off, the dog ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:39

Tags: Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

From Aaron Saufley- My New Book

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 3, 2009

From Aaron Saufley- My new book "The Jumbo Shrimp Gospel" was inspired by a conversation I had with my 7 year old. I read her the part of Jesus’ sermon on the mount where Jesus talked about turning the other cheek and getting undressed when someone takes your shirt (yeah, that’s what he said). ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:39-40

Tags: Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Richard Weaver Earned His Living In The Mines. ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 3, 2009

Richard Weaver earned his living in the mines. He was a Christian and wanted to lead his fellow workers to Christ. One co- worker began to hate Mr. Weaver. This man said, “I’m sick of your constant preaching. I’ve a good mind to smack you in the face!” “Go ahead if it will make you feel ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:39

Tags: Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Businessman Risks Life For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

Businessman Risks Life for Money Suze Orman in her book, “9 Steps to Financial Freedom” writes: When I was 13, my dad owned his own business—a tiny shack where he sold chicken, ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. One day the oil that the chicken was fried in caught fire. In a few minutes the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24

Tags: Money

Keep The Lower Lights Burning

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2009

KEEP THE LOWER LIGHTS BURNING We must live as children of the light, not as children of the darkness. If we are dark and sorrowful, how is the world to know that we are children of peace, and joy, and gladness? Our determination must be to keep our lights burning. A few years ago, at the mouth of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16

Tags: Christian Witness

The Old Judge Converted

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2009

THE OLD JUDGE CONVERTED I remember, as I was coming out of the daily prayer meeting in one of our American cities a few years ago, a lady said she wished to speak to me; her voice trembled with emotion, and I saw at once that she was heavily burdened by something or other. She said she had long ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16

Tags: Christian Witness

Hypocrites Do Things For The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 4, 2009

Hypocrites Do Things for the Show During my childhood - as I was growing up - anything "modern" was considered good! Whatever the current fad was, it was something that I wanted to have - and, I was convinced, like everyone else, that the new item was better - even when it came to "modern food;" if ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-5

Tags: Hypocrisy

Salt Enhances The Flavor Of African ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 8, 2009

Salt Enhances the Flavor of African Food Two thousand years ago salt was used primarily for two reasons, to preserve and to season. And while preservation was the most critical in a practical sense the flavouring benefits of NaCl or sodium chloride can never be underestimated. A number years ago ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Tags: Christian Witness