In Sermon Illustrations: "Minimum Requirements"

Wailing And Laughing  PRO

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on May 26, 2009

WAILING AND LAUGHING Now, you may realize that in those days in Middle-Eastern custom, people usually wailed loudly at funerals. I grew up in a Greek Orthodox country and until today the custom requires a loud and visible weep for the dead. Can you imagine how perplexed I was when I watched people ...read more

Tags: Funerals Christian

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Common Good  PRO

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 9, 2009

COMMON GOOD The other criterion is the common good, the good that is linked to living in society. It is the good of "all of us," individuals, families and intermediate groups forming society. It is a requirement of justice and society to take a stand for the common good and strive toward it. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 79:5-13

Tags: Justice

Denomination: Catholic

Those Who Have Been Married For More Than A Few ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 8, 2010

Those who have been married for more than a few days, and those who counsel young married people, realize that one of the greatest fears of a young wife–and of a young husband, too, if they’ll admit it–is of abandonment. “Will he come home? Will she realize some difficult truth about me and ...read more

Tags: Marriage Obligations

Denomination: Catholic

The Perfection Of God

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2011

THE PERFECTION OF GOD The man of God of the last century, A.W. Tozer, said it this way, "If God is self-existent, he must be also self-sufficient; and if he has power, he, being infinite, must have all power. If he possesses knowledge, his infinitude assures us that he possesses all knowledge. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:30

Tags: God's Omnipotence

On The Windy Brittany Coast Of France The Abbe ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

On the windy Brittany coast of France the Abbe Adolph Juelienne Foure spent nearly ten hours a day every single day for 25 years carving more than 300 figures out of a huge section of rock above the sea. The statues tell the fantastic history of the Rotheneuf family, a 16th century tribe of ...read more

Tags: Faith

Just Give Me Jesus-But Don't Make Me Change My ...

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Oct 8, 2007

Just give me Jesus-but don’t make me change my ways In the Answers magazine Dr John MacArthur quotes a person from an article in Christianity Today on the Emerging Church. “A young lady said she wants to be religious but isn’t prepared to let religion alter her lifestyle. “I’m a Jesus girl,” she ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

When In Ireland, I Saw Versions Of "Deal Or No ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on May 22, 2008

When in Ireland, I saw versions of "Deal or No Deal" and "The Weakest Link." The biggest difference that struck me was the amount of the prize money. The money that was won and the money that was accepted as a decent prize was usually a tenth of what is won here in the US. In fact the largest prize ...read more

Tags: Greed

Denomination: Church Of God

Hope For A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

HOPE FOR A CHANGE In the Peanuts comic strip, we find Snoopy thinking to himself: "Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Ohh...there’s so little hope for advancement." Well, there is hope for those who have a dog’s life, but the change will require them ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Change

Why Cain Refused To Bring A Blood Offering

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

God's having made for man coats of skin presupposes the slaying of animals; and doubtless implies that Abel's sacrifice of an animal life was an act of faith which rested on God's command (though not expressly recorded) that such were the sacrifices He required. If it had not been ...read more

Tags: Offerings, Sacrifices, Cain, Blood Covenant, Blood Of Jesus, Blood Atonement, Abel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Americans Are Willing To Spend Billions To Lose ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 8, 2003

Americans are willing to spend billions to lose weight. Marketing products and services to dieters is a cinch, a dream, and a no-brainer big business, and easy money, because more than 120 million or 61% of people in the USA are overweight, obese, or overweight by 30 pounds or more. The common ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:4-6

Tags: Peace, Testing, Giving Yourself, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Independent/Bible

14 Years Ago Florida State’s Sports ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 16, 2010

. 14 years ago Florida State’s sports information department had big news for Clay Shiver last year: Playboy magazine had selected him for its preseason All-America football team. But quicker than he snaps the ball, the 6-foot2, 280-pound center said, “No thanks.” he went on to say, “My mind was ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Holiness Is Developed In Community

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

HOLINESS IS DEVELOPED IN COMMUNITY In the 3rd and 4th Centuries, and even to some extent today, the popular image of holiness was solitude, silence and severity. The really (quote) "holy people" back then were those who lived like hermits, wandering in the desert alone -- fasting, praying and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-10

Tags: Holiness

Humanity's Quest For Moral Understanding

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 19, 2024

I recently watched a video by Pastor David Wilkinson discussing the innate human understanding of good and evil, heaven and hell. Based on this, I believe that our inherent moral sense inevitably drives humanity to create various religions. Hinduism, with its openness to diverse divine forms, and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:14-15

Tags: Evil, Good, Innate Morality, Jesus' Impact, Hell, Heaven, Moral Understanding, Moral Compass, Religion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Sadly, We Are Sometimes Ashamed Of Jesus. I'm ...  PRO

Contributed by Peter Schmidt on Nov 20, 2003

Sadly, we are sometimes ashamed of Jesus. I’m guilty of it, and so are all of you. Sometimes we might not hide our faith, but we don’t go out of the way either to let people know that how much Jesus means to us. “Oh man, my friend will think I’m nuts if I tell him about the Savior. I don’t want to ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

Tags: Evangelism How To, Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Lutheran

The Catch-22 Of Incompetence  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Oct 26, 2001

THE CATCH-22 OF INCOMPETENCE Most incompetent people don’t know they are incompetent. In fact, researcher Dr. David A. Dunning of Cornell University reports that people who are incompetent are more confident of their abilities than competent people. Dunning and his associate Justin Krueger ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost, Sin Separates From God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Know Christmas Is Almost Here  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Nov 13, 2001

YOU KNOW CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE WHEN: 10) There are more pine needles on your carpet than on your tree 9) The credit card is smoked along with the turkey and ham. 8) It’s A Wonderful Life has been shown for the 13th time 7) A trip to the mall and back is more challenging then the Indy 500 ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-12, Luke 2:19-20

Tags: Drummers, Christmas, Christmas Advent, Baby Jesus, Peace, Love, Joy, Hope  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

He Chose The Nails By Max Lucado (Dust Jacket)  PRO

Contributed by Sean Smuts on Jan 15, 2003

He Chose the Nails by Max Lucado (Dust Jacket) Much has been said about the gift of the cross itself, but what of the other gifts? What of the nails, the crown of thorns? What about the garment taken? What about the garments given? Have you taken the time to open these gifts? He didn’t have ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ, Cross

Denomination: Mennonite

Arabian Horses Go Through Rigorous Training In ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Visneskie on Feb 5, 2004

Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without ...read more

Tags: Faith, Testing

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Pushcart Of Healing  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 3, 2005

THE PUSHCART OF HEALING A tribe called Karbis lives In a remote village called Rongphar in Assam, India. It is a forest area and less connected with the modern facilities of the nearby city, Guwahati. When people in that village fall sick, they carry them on a pushcart to the nearby clinic which ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, God's Forgiveness

Putting Together A Bicycle

Contributed by Keith Foskey on Apr 4, 2005

“Putting together a bicycle” When my brother was three he got his first bicycle for Christmas. Being much older I stayed awake with his father to put it together on Christmas Eve. My mother held the instructions. He and I began putting together pieces that seemed to fit and after about an hour we ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational