In Sermon Illustrations: "Mission Work"

Burmese Parable About A Banyan Tree ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2010

Burmese Parable About a Banyan Tree Seed Don’t pitch your tents near sin or soon you will be living in it. I have heard stories of people who have been hooked by a variety of addictions. They almost always start by just an ‘innocent’ act that did not seem like much at the time. Gamblers who started ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-15

Tags: Sin Deceptive

It Seems To Me That It Is Accurate To Say Our ...

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on May 27, 2010

It seems to me that it is accurate to say our generation is in a relationship crisis. We have the highest divorce rate in the Western hemisphere, more couples live together than are married, absentee fathers or mothers are common, abortions that number into the hundreds of thousands ...read more

Tags: Unity, Immorality

Denomination: Baptist

The Golden ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 15, 2010

The Golden Rule Four men sit down together. In the discussion they start to speak about what is called “the Golden Rule,” and how it is understood. The first speaks. “Leviticus 19 says, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” But who is my neighbour? The great rabbi Hillel, who is one of the main ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:12

Tags: World Religions

Sing Praise

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Nov 22, 2010

SING PRAISE We can get victory over hardships by singing praise to the Lord. "My mouth is filled with Your praise...all day long." Ps. 71:8 NAS Roger Bennett, pianist and songwriter died in 2007. Prior to his death he wrote on his website: Our enemy stalks us exactly the way the Bible ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Free Methodist

Crashing Through  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 9, 2011

CRASHING THROUGH At three years old, Mike Mays was accidentally blinded by a chemical explosion when he and his 4-year-old sister were playing in the garage. He lived his entire life until he was well into his forties before having his eyesight was restored by a pioneering ophthalmologist. But ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9-10

Tags: Endurance

Supremacy Clause

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Mar 15, 2011

SUPREMACY CLAUSE A number of weeks ago, I jokingly said that everyone in my family had a license for something in life. The one license my folks said was solely mine was the complaining license. Dad would say: “Stop your fussing,” and if I didn’t, he’d pick on me and saying: “I don’t like ...read more

Tags: Complaining

Denomination: Lutheran

High On Their Huddles

Contributed by John Hamby on Apr 25, 2011

HIGH ON THEIR HUDDLES One of my favorite preachers is Dr. Tony Evans in Dallas. Some years ago I heard him give the following description of the purpose of the church service. He said, "In football they have a huddle, the goal of the huddle is to give you thirty seconds to call the play; that is ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Baptist

Would You Hire Him?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2011

WOULD YOU HIRE HIM? A certain church found itself suddenly without a pastor, and a search committee was formed. In due course it received a letter from a man applying for the vacant position. The committee chairman read: "I am considered to be a good preacher, and I have been a leader in most of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 26:1-29

Tags: Paul

Losing The Boys

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 24, 2011

LOSING THE BOYS Dr. H Norman Wright tells this story: My wife and I had just arrived home from vacation, and the phone rang. It was our house painter. He said, "I remembered that your son died. My daughter just lost two of her little boys. Can you help her?" We agreed, so my wife and I made an ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lost Camper: Making Yourself Available

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

THE LOST CAMPER: MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE One of my favorite sayings: "God doesn't want your capability. He only wants your availability. If you'll give Him your availability, He'll provide the capability." Availability is when you make yourself accessible for utilization. Availability is what we ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 6:8

Tags: Servanthood

The Hypocrisy Of Robert Courtney  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

THE HYPOCRISY OF ROBERT COURTNEY Before his arrest, Robert Courtney served as a deacon at Northland Cathedral, an Assembly of God Church in Kansas City. In 1990, Courtney began purchasing pharmaceuticals on the gray market and using them to fill prescriptions at his pharmacy. In time, he began ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:23-28

Tags: Hypocrisy

Leaders At The Poles

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

LEADERS AT THE POLES In his book, Leading at the Edge, Dennis Perkins contrasts the leadership values of two different explorers: Earnest Shackleton and Vilhjalmur Stefansson. In 1914, Shackleton led a daring expedition to reach Antarctica in the South. A year earlier, Stefansson led an expedition ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4

Tags: Leadership General

Making Christmas Special  PRO

Contributed by Sam Higgs on Dec 1, 2011

MAKING CHRISTMAS SPECIAL In the months leading up to the Christmas season, Dan had lost his job. Well, in the city he lived in, most of the workers had to relocate with the company or face unemployment. Dan was one of the unlucky ones who had not been with the company long enough to be asked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-21, Galatians 4:4

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

We Need Models

Contributed by Greg Nance on Dec 15, 2011

WE NEED MODELS Peter tells us not only that Jesus Christ is the model but what are the tools and pieces to put together so that this model is complete and working for God's glory and our security in our lives. I remember getting a model car for a birthday present when I was about 12. It was a ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Difference In Worldview

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Feb 11, 2012

A DIFFERENCE IN WORLDVIEW It was one of those awkward moments in a friendship -- when you feel like you should speak up, but you're not sure how your friend will react. I was a teenager -- just finishing up high school, thinking about the future. My best friend and I were preparing for a day of ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lottery's Biggest Losers

Contributed by Aaron Mishoe on Apr 3, 2012

LOTTERY'S BIGGEST LOSERS Winning the lottery isn’t a guaranteed ticket to the good life, as these previous winners can attest: --Jack Whittaker: This West Virginia businessman won $315 million in the Powerball lottery in 2002, the largest jackpot ever from a single ticket in American history at ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 13:11

Tags: Money

Denomination: Holiness

Instructions Are Life Or Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

INSTRUCTIONS ARE LIFE OR DEATH Imagine with me if you can. You're rafting down the Ocoee, splashing through a huge rapid when all of a sudden, you find yourself flying over the front of the boat. You're tossing and turning in the waves, and your mind and body are telling you to get stabilized. Our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-27

Tags: Discipleship, Mothers

Ken Wales: Christian Integrity

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

KEN WALES: CHRISTIAN INTEGRITY Ken Wales is a TV and film producer, who has produced several, award-winning TV series and films, including Christy, East of Eden and the highly-acclaimed movie Amazing Grace. Wales has enjoyed tremendous success as a producer, but he started his Hollywood career ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Horror To Hope—a Story From The Holocaust  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

HORROR TO HOPE--A STORY FROM THE HOLOCAUST In Jerusalem there is a Holocaust Museum dedicated to the memory of the millions of Jews who were killed by the Nazis in World War II. It has been said that going through the museum is a very depressing experience because you see these horrible pictures ...read more

Scripture: Job 42:10-17, Jeremiah 29:10-14

Tags: God Brings Hope

How To Eat A Cessna Airplane

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 13, 2012

HOW TO EAT A CESSNA AIRPLANE Michel Lotito was an extraordinary man. This elegant Frenchman had a love for food and a fondness for eating unusual objects like bicycles, shopping carts and televisions. His odd appetite earned him the nickname Monsieur Mangetout (Mr Eat Everything). I first heard ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Character