In Sermon Illustrations: "Matthew 5:14-17:14"

Billy Graham Noted, "Faith Is The Avenue Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Burkey on Jun 23, 2005

Billy Graham noted, “Faith is the avenue of salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a mustard seed, so small you can hardly see it. But if you will put that little faith in the person of Jesus, your ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:30-34, Matthew 13:31-33

Tags: Faith General, Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Lutheran

Life In A Box! (09.02.05--The Temporal ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 31, 2005

Life In a Box! (09.02.05--The Temporal Things!--Matthew 6:21) Did you ever stop to think, about the legacy that you will leave once this life is over? Will you be remembered for the things you did or the things that you owned? I was asked that question the other day and the asker simply asked me ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:21, Psalm 34:10

Tags: Immanuel, God With Us, Goals, Legacy, Finding Fulfillment, Testimony, Struggles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

The Most Toys? (09.08.05--The Temporal ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 6, 2005

The Most Toys? (09.08.05--The Temporal Things!--Matthew 16:26) The world teaches this--You can never have too much of a good thing! We must always have enough or we are being somehow cheated of that which we truly deserve. If one were to ever wonder why we live in such a greedy world, this tenet, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran

But It's More Like The Student In School Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Pat Cook on Oct 7, 2005

But it’s more like the student in school who was asked to write a paper called, "What I’m thankful for on Thanksgiving." This one student wrote, "I’m thankful that I’m not a turkey." He had nothing to do with it, but he was still thankful what God had done. Listen: you are who you are today, not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-33

Tags: Anxiety, Thanksgiving Holiday, Thanks, Thanksgiving, Peace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

They Kingdom Come" Means "I Am Willing To ...

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Oct 9, 2005

“They kingdom come” means “I am willing to surrender everything I possess in order to possess God. God demands our all or our nothing at ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9

Tags: Lord's Prayer

Denomination: Baptist

I Read One Time About How Shipbuilders Back In ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 15, 2005

I read one time about how shipbuilders back in the days of sailboats would prepare the masts for their ships. They would go to the forest and find an appropriate tree, then they would clear out all the surrounding trees and leave that one standing, leaving it exposed to the wind and storms. As ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Wesleyan

There Was Once A Farmer Who Went To Town To ...  PRO

Contributed by John Shearhart on Oct 29, 2005

There was once a farmer who went to town to purchase seeds for his farm. As he was returning home one of the squash seeds he had purchased fell from his pocket onto the ground. It happened that within a few feet was another seed of a different type. The place where the two seeds lay was rather ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:6, Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Faith, Endurance, Peace

Strong Emotions

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 16, 2005

There is nothing wrong with strong emotions; even those that center squarely upon ourselves. Witness the story of missionary Adoniram Judson. He sweated out Burma’s heat for 18 years without a furlough, six years without a convert. Enduring torture and imprisonment, he admitted that he never saw a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:38

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Lutheran

Time Check  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 21, 2005

Sometimes finding the right path depends greatly on friends that you have in high places. An airline pilot flying over the southeastern U.S. called the local tower and said, “We are passing over at 35,000--give us a time check.” The tower said, “What airline are you?” “What difference does it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:23

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Lutheran

Another Poll Sheds Light On This Paradox Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

Another poll sheds light on this paradox of increased religiosity and decreased morality. According to sociologist Robert Bellah, 81 percent of the American people also say they agree that “an individual should arrive at his or her own religious belief independent of any church or synagogue.” Thus ...read more

Scripture: John 15:5, Galatians 6:3, Matthew 7:21-23

Tags: Idolatry, Worship, Christ, Apologetics General, Dependence  (view more)  (view less)

C.s. Lewis: "Everyone Says Forgiveness Is A ...  PRO

Contributed by David Ward on Jan 23, 2006

C.S. Lewis: “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:13, Matthew 7:1-6

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness, Family Relationships, Financial, Employer, Hypocrisy, Love, Job, Relationships  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Recently, I Was Listening To A Teacher By The ...  PRO

Contributed by Jess Bousa on Feb 14, 2006

Recently, I was listening to a teacher by the name of Rob Bell and he spoke on the selecting process that Rabbis would use to choose their disciples. At the Age of 6, children would begin to learn the Torah, this training was called Bat cipher, from 8 to 10 they would have the torah by heart, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 13:51-52, Matthew 28:16-20

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Pentecostal

Charles Swindoll Gives Us Some Interesting Advice ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 21, 2006

Charles Swindoll gives us some interesting advice when he states: When you live in darkness, you not only have no ray of light, you don’t even know where home is. That is the way it is for the majority in the world. Some folks are born, raised, and die in cultures that have never seen their first ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Are 2 Popular Traditions In Africa: ...  PRO

Contributed by Kerry O'neill on May 14, 2006

There are 2 popular traditions in Africa: drinking tea and playing soccer. However, these traditions are not unique to Africa, but were brought to the continent by the British. Even when it is very hot, each afternoon in many parts of Africa they pause to drink hot tea. Why? Because the British ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-13, 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Heart-Broken Little Girl Began To Kneel And ...  PRO

Contributed by Toby Powers on May 17, 2006

A heart-broken little girl began to kneel and pour out her heart to God in the altar at her local church. She did not know what to say. As she wept speechless, she began to remember what her Father had told her, "God knows your needs even before you pray, and he can answer when you don’t even know ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:17, Matthew 6:8

Tags: Prayer, Prayer How To, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

Dwight L. Moody Was A Poorly Educated, ...

Contributed by John Shearhart on Jul 10, 2006

“Dwight L. Moody was a poorly educated, unordained, shoe salesman who felt God’s call to preach the gospel. Early one morning he and some friends gathered in a hay field for [prayer]. His friend Henry Varley said these words: ‘The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Prayer General

True Riches  PRO

Contributed by Asiri Perera on Sep 6, 2006

True Riches A tax officer asked an old man to declare his wealth. The Old man declared his riches like this: o A mansion in heaven o Everlasting life o Peace that passes all understanding o Joy unspeakable o Devine love that never fails o A crown of life o A faithful wife o Healthy, Happy & ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21

Denomination: Methodist

The Bet — Anton Chekhov

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 7, 2006

The Bet -- Anton Chekhov We live in a world that knows little about what’s truly valuable. People all around us are pursuing things that have no lasting value. That pursuit is ably treated by Anton Chekhov in his classic short story The Bet. This story gives us great insight into the value system ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:28-38, Matthew 8:5-13

Denomination: Pentecostal

What Are The "Priorities" At Your House?  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Sep 18, 2006

WHAT ARE THE "PRIORITIES" AT YOUR HOUSE? WHAT PRIORITIES WILL BE ESTABLISHED IN OUR CHILDREN WHEN THE FOLLOWING HAPPEN? 1. We are early for the game but late to the worship. 2. We see to it that our children do their homework but never check to seek if Bible lessons are completed, 3. They are not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Tags: Sweet

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When The Emperor Valens Threatened Eusebius ...

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Oct 22, 2006

When the Emperor Valens threatened Eusebius with the confiscation of all his goods, torture, banishment, or even death, the courageous Christian replied, “He needs not fear confiscation, who has nothing to lose; nor banishment, to whom heaven is his country; nor torments, when his body can be ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:24-31

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational