In Sermon Illustrations: "Nations"

Bible Illiteracy

Contributed by Don Jones on Apr 1, 2009

BIBLE ILLITERACY During my days in New England, I heard of a teacher who quizzed a group of college-bound high school juniors and seniors on the Bible. The quiz preceded a Bible-as-literature course he planned to teach at the Newton (Massachusetts) High School, generally considered one of the best ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Baptist

Abundant Life  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2009

ABUNDANT LIFE In December 1990, the threat of war with Iraq was looming. Many reserves and National Guard troops were mobilized. There were some homes where father and mother were both deployed. Recognizing this situation (that both father and mother would be gone overseas), a civic organization ...read more

Scripture: John 10:10

Tags: Joy

Joy And Phyllis Diller  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 21, 2009

JOY AND PHYLLIS DILLER A thirty-eight-year-old scrubwoman (cleaning lady) would go to the movies and sigh, "If only I had her looks." She would listen to a singer and moan, "If only I had her voice." Then one day someone gave her a copy of the book, The Magic of Believing. She stopped comparing ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 126:2

Tags: Joy

Donald Grey Barnhouse Scratches A Mark On A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 1, 2010

Donald Grey Barnhouse Scratches a Mark On a Postal Box to Make a Point Some years ago Donald Grey Barnhouse was counseling a young woman on the sidewalk in front of a church following an evening service. She said she was a Christian and that she wanted to follow Christ. But she wanted to be famous, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:4-6

Tags: Worldliness

Preparing For Departure

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Nov 23, 2010

PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE I once read how, in the spring of 1981, a young man was flown into desolate northern Alaska to photograph the natural beauty and mysteries of the tundra. He took along 500 rolls of film, several firearms, and 1,400 pounds of provisions. As the months passed, the words in ...read more

Tags: Preparation

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Junk-Food Addictions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

JUNK-FOOD ADDICTIONS If we’re going to get our appetite back for the pure, spiritual milk of God’s Word, then we need to get rid of the junk food of broken relationships. We need to put away those wrong attitudes of the heart that keep us from loving each other. The five things listed here are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3

Tags: Growth In Christ

The Importance Of Family Meals

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 2, 2012

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY MEALS "Kids who dine with the folks are healthier, happier, and better students, which is why a dying tradition is coming back." That's what an in-depth study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University concluded after nearly a decade of ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7

Tags: Family

Denomination: Baptist

H: The Aspirate Word

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Jan 22, 2013

H: THE ASPIRATE WORD When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him.....No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be AbraHam, for I have made you a father of many Nations.- Genesis 17:5 God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: *other

United We Stand

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2014

Let me read one of Aesop’s Greek fables; In the forest, there lived four oxen. They were very good friends and always went together to graze in the fields. However, every time they went, a hungry lion tried to attack them. The lion longed for their meat. But they withstood his attack by fighting ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Tags: Unity, Divisions

Predicting The World Series Winner. . . And Failing Miserably

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

It was a dramatic performance in Game 7 of the World Series about a month ago: Madison Bumgarner coming in as a relief pitcher and proceeding to sow up the win for the San Francisco Giants. An impressive performance. Let’s go back to the spring – before the first pitch was thrown on the 2014 ...read more

Tags: Bible, Prophecy, Predictions

Denomination: Baptist

Willie Stargell And The Pittsburgh Pirates' Family

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 2, 2023

Teammates of the late Willie Stargell called him "Pops" because of his leadership both on and off the baseball field. In 1979, when Stargell led the Pittsburgh Pirates to their second World Series title, the team was nicknamed "The Family" because of their close relationship and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-11, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Prejudice, Diversity, Body Of Christ, Baseball, Family Of God, Love, Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Team, Unity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mr. Rogers Cardigan

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 13, 2025

We learn how God so loved the world. God sent His Son. He didn’t just say, “I love you.” He showed it. He gave something deeply personal. Something costly. Something that met our greatest need. And in a much smaller, but still powerful way, Fred Rogers—yes, Mister Rogers—modeled that kind of ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34

Tags: Love, Give, God Gave, Love Gives, Love Costs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

What Have You Done For Me?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME? Nicholaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf was born into one of Europe's leading families in the year 1700, and he grew up in an atmosphere of prayer, Bible-reading, and hymn-singing. He excelled in school, and seemed to possess all the qualities for national leadership. After ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

In The City Of Mashed, Pastor Soodman, A Muslim ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

In the city of Mashed, Pastor Soodman, a Muslim convert was hung for his faith in Christ. His assistant took over the leadership of the church. The assistant was arrested and released, but each week was interrogated by the authorities. The pressure was intense, and his wife feared he might break. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:1-39

Tags: Persecution

The Tallest Tree Draws The Fire  PRO

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 11, 2009

THE TALLEST TREE DRAWS THE FIRE 1991 U.S. Open – Hazeltine National Golf Course, just outside Minneapolis, MN. A peaceful, calm day. Gray clouds rush swiftly overhead within minutes. Lightning is spotted; a golfer’s worst nightmare. Storm sirens soon blast as a fierce thunderstorm blows in, ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Baptist

The First Mongolian ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

THE FIRST MONGOLIAN CHURCH The Christian authors, Bill and Amy Stearns, in their book entitled "20/20 Vision: Amazing Stories of What God Is Doing Around the World," describe how the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ, came to Mongolia. "In the 1870’s Swedish missionaries arrived in Mongolia - what was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Missions

Something's Happening...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 20, 2008

Something's Happening... This last week I began reading a book by James Rutz. James wrote this book to make the Christian church aware that God is moving all across the world. His observations are a wakeup call to the American Christian and churches in America. Listen to some of his ...read more

Tags: Culture

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jfk And Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2005

JFK AND JESUS Several years ago, in the Tufts University Daily paper, Ananda Gupta wrote an article arguing that the parts of the bible that promote a belief in the resurrection were “not good history.” His based his argumento on what he called "a typical standard for reliable history -- ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-20

Tags: Easter Resurrection, Apologetics Jesus

Bobby Knight The Indiana Basketball Coach Thought ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Mar 26, 2005

Bobby Knight the Indiana basketball coach thought he’d been treated unfairly.. He thought a referee had given his team a bad call.. And he lost his composure. (Those of you who know Bobby Knight probably find that hard to believe.) But he stormed around the gym, he cussed out this referee in public ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian Church

February 24, 1993, In The U.s. Supreme Court. The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 20, 2005

February 24, 1993, in the U.S. Supreme Court. The case: Lamb’s Chapel and John Steigerwald v. Center Moriches Union Free School District. A group of Christians wanted to show a film after hours in a public facility. Apparently, religious hostility has reached the point in this nation where, because ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines