In Sermon Illustrations: "Need For Others"

A Dying Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2011

A DYING CHURCH An artist was once asked to put on canvas what he considered to be the picture best symbolizing a decaying and dying church. After several months, he returned and reported that he had finished the task. The hour finally arrived when the painting was to be unveiled. Several people ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Church Growth

The Born-Again Vase

Contributed by Michael Walther on May 18, 2011

THE BORN-AGAIN VASE A number of years ago I had the opportunity to tour the Villeroy and Boch porcelain factory in Torgau, Germany. Porcelain is one of the most beautiful and enduring things that human beings can make. Even today much of what we know about ancient cultures comes from what they ...read more

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Lutheran

Non-Christians Can Be Happy  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 23, 2011

NON-CHRISTIANS CAN BE HAPPY I didn't say that non-Christians can't be happy or that they can't be content. Sure they can be happy...as long as life goes the way they want it to go. As long as our health is good, we enjoy our job, people love us and the sky is blue, anybody can be fairly content ...read more

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Salvation Belongs To The Lord

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jun 6, 2011

SALVATION BELONGS TO THE LORD To say that we cooperate with God in any way in our salvation undermines the doctrine of salvation, robs our confidence in God, and tempts us to pride. It is like the man who collapses from a massive heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. The doctor doesn’t ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Lutheran

Stay Out Of The Stagnant Water

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

STAY OUT OF THE STAGNANT WATER Palmer Chinchen, in his book, True Religion, talks about traveling to the western edge of Zimbabwe with his brothers to raft the Zambezi River, starting at the base of the Victoria Falls. The falls are the largest in the world, more than a mile wide and three hundred ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Church Practices

Wynton Marsalis: Someone To Play With

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

WYNTON MARSALIS: SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH People are preoccupied with their own thoughts and interests. When we show interest and concern for another person’s interest or concern, it meets a deep need. People feel cared for and valued. Wynton Marsalis is a recognized musician. He is invited to teach ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-4

Tags: Humility

Machine Gun Preacher

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 27, 2011

MACHINE GUN PREACHER Video Clip Illustration: From wingclips.com (From Machine Gun Preacher clip) SYNOPSIS: Machine Gun Preacher is the inspirational true story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing criminal who undergoes an astonishing transformation and finds an unexpected calling as the ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Craving Milk

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 26, 2011

CRAVING MILK I remember our grandkids had ravenous appetites towards mother's milk and they all grew fat as over-stuffed ticks. All 4 of them were roly-poly by 3 months of age. There was an obvious direct corollary between milk ingested and weight gain. Likewise, spiritual infants who crave ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

He Keeps Knocking On The Door

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Oct 28, 2011

HE KEEPS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR Despite their self-sufficiency, and despite their self-deception and despite their lukewarmness, Jesus is patiently knocking on the door of the Laodicean church anyway--knocking on a door of people who made Him sick! Isn’t that amazing? I remember a lady in our ...read more

Tags: Lukewarm

Denomination: Baptist

Once Shaved  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 7, 2011

ONCE SHAVED A fellow got up one morning and decided he no longer was going to shave himself; he was instead going to the barber for his morning shave. The town barber also happened to be the local preacher in town. When the guy walked into the barber shop the barber/preacher was not there, he was ...read more

Tags: Calvinism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Greed: The Cat And The Vase  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 9, 2012

GREED: THE CAT AND THE VASE A man wanders into a small antique shop in San Francisco. Mostly it's cluttered with knickknacks and junk. On the floor, however, he notices what looks like an ancient Chinese vase. On closer inspection it turns out to be a priceless relic from the Ming dynasty whose ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:15, Luke 14:7-14, Luke 14:1-6, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Daniel 6:1-28, Luke 10:38-42, Romans 6:1-4, Isaiah 7:10-14, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 10:1-11, 1 Samuel 12:1-41, John 20:18-31, 2 Thessalonians 6:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Greed

Denomination: Baptist

A Salesman Meets The Inventor

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 17, 2012

A SALESMAN MEETS THE INVENTOR In 1969, in a science lab in New Jersey, Canadian physicist Willard Boyle and his colleagues invented the concept of an electronic eye. Using their knowledge of mathematics and the behavior of light, they provided the science behind digital cameras known as a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3

Tags: Arrogance

Death And Resurrection

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

Our son, John learned a valuable lesson about death when he was a child. One day he took aim with his new BB gun at a little bird sitting on a limb near our back deck. He aimed and fired and hit his target and the bird collapsed to the ground. Dead. At first there was the excitement of being a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:19

Tags: Death, Resurrection

Denomination: Christian Church

Prayer - Cancer Patients Or Relay For Life Sunday

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

PRAYER - Relay for Life Prayer – Road Atlanta- Hall County, Georgia Relay – June 1, 2012 Father God, You are our rock, our fortress, our strength… especially in the most difficult struggles of life. For all those gathered here today, bless them with your comforting peace and your reassuring ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:5, Psalm 39:7

Tags: Hope, Prayer, Prayer General

Denomination: Christian Church

The Majesty Of God

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 18, 2013

Just how can we comprehend the Majesty of God? By removing thoughts that limit the greatness, the Majesty of God. We need to show the majesty of God in our words and actions every day and start letting people know where we stand. It is not with great trumpets - or magnificent choirs - but it is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:19, Psalm 33:8

Tags: Outreach, Blessing, Majesty Of God, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Christian Church

A Creative Partnership

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2015

During the summer of 1904 an unlikely partnership was formed at the World’s Fair in St. Louis. The summer was unusually hot and people were searching the fair for something to help cool them off… A vendor named Arnold had just what they were looking for… ice cream. People lined up for what seemed ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13

Tags: Intercession, Amalek, Partnership, Moses And Aaron

Joy And Peace From A Child

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Dr. Bryant Kirkland, pastor of 5th Ave. Pres. Church in NY was traveling to do a series of sermons on the west coast. He needed time on that 3 hour flight to study and prepare, so he buckled down and let everyone near me feel the tension. His body language said, "Don't bother me, I'm a busy man ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Tags: Peace, Joy, Christ Child

Denomination: Methodist

Telemarketers

Contributed by Edward Hardee on Aug 28, 2017

IRS Spam Call - I wanted to share an experience that I just had on the phone. I got that dreaded spam call from the IRS. I knew it was false but I felt like I wanted to talk to a person about it. So I called the number. A young lady answered. She gave me a name and told me I owed $4800 on my IRS ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Witness, Opportunities

Denomination: Church Of God

The Heizer Creek Baptism

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

Note: this story happened to me - Jim Butcher of Madison WV. One of my favorite baptism stories comes from a friend of mine who owns a house on Heizer Creek. He had a nice spot on his property to do baptisms and told the nearby country churches they were welcome to use it anytime, which a few of ...read more

Tags: Change, Transformation, Cursing, Baptism

Denomination: Baptist

Eduardo Escobar's Blessed Bats

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 13, 2018

In 2017, Minnesota Twins All-Star third baseman Miguel Sano when down with a stress reaction to his shin. So Eduardo Escobar filled in at third. He proceeded to belt 10 of his career-high 21 home runs as a fill-in starter. Speaking of the home runs, Escobar told the Star Tribune, "The 20 home ...read more

Tags: Faith, Prayer, Opportunity

Denomination: Baptist