In Sermon Illustrations: "Not Now"

Just Wanted To Tell You I Love You  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2011

JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOU Paul Powell tells the story of a well-known preacher from years ago. His name was Carter Jones. Carter had a small room in the attic of his home that he used as a place of prayer. When he was especially burdened, he would make his way up the winding staircase to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:29-31

Tags: Love For God

Inoculations From The Great Physician

Contributed by Sam Higgs on Sep 27, 2011

INOCULATIONS FROM THE GREAT PHYSICIAN The summer of 1980 was a very different summer for many of us. Most had just graduated High School and were away from home for the first time. Up till this time we had chosen our own clothing and color schemes, but that was a distant memory to us now. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

Tags: War

Denomination: Baptist

What Will You Do With Jesus This Christmas?

Contributed by David Tack on Dec 2, 2011

WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS THIS CHRISTMAS? Many years ago in the countryside of Bethlehem the townsfolk prepared for just another day, though this day was quite extraordinary. The shepherds were out tending to their sheep and the Jewish nation was feeling the restraints of Roman oppression. ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

Is He Real Or Pretend?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 15, 2011

IS HE REAL OR PRETEND? I think George Reeves was the first actor to be Superman on TV. Back in the 50's, TV actors were not quite as "elite" as some seem to be now. They would throw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles little league game. They would fire the starting pistol for a soap box derby ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 29:13

Tags: Hypocrisy, Sincerity

Denomination: Baptist

Some Thrilling Davis Cup Matches!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 26, 2011

Some thrilling Davis cup matches!!! First things first. Why are so many miracles recorded in the Scriptures? For us to be awed by the all-powerful ways of Almighty God and spontaneously praise Him in the spirit of adoration! The very purpose of our Creation is to worship Him (the very first ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

Denomination: *other

At The University Of Southern California The List ...

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on Feb 18, 2012

At the University of Southern California the list of great running backs for the Trojan football team is legendary: John Arnett, Frank Gifford, Mike Garret, OJ Simpson, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell, Charles White, Marcus Allen, Sam Cunningham, LenDale White, Reggie Bush. No other college comes close ...read more

Tags: Attitude General

Holy Images

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2012

HOLY IMAGES There are three true stories about holy images: A few years ago a woman in New Mexico was frying tortillas. One of the tortillas burned and the result was an image that looked like a face; she thought it looked like Jesus. She took the tortilla to her priest and he agreed it looked ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 44:6-23

Tags: Idolatry

Love Is Face To Face

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jul 6, 2012

LOVE IS FACE-TO-FACE By Erwin Raphael McManus in SOUL CRAVINGS – PREQUEL, pp. 28ff: "I once met a girl named Kim, and I fell in love. I pursued her with my love and pursed her with my love until I felt my love had captured her heart. So I asked her to be my wife, and she said no." I could feel ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Galilee, Feeding 5000, Five Thousand

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Jesus Reached Out To Uncomfortable People… ...

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jul 29, 2012

Jesus reached out to uncomfortable people… and that made others uncomfortable. ILLUS: When I was a young boy, my home church had a church bell that they rang every Sunday at 9:00 in the morning. It was a college town, and one of the local college students had apparently been up “partying” the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If ...

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 1, 2012

IF ONLY There was a great Scotch writer and historian in the nineteenth century named Thomas Carlyle. He married a woman, who’d worked as his secretary named Jane Welsh. But Carlyle was dedicated to his writing so he didn’t spend much time with her. He just mostly wrote. At one point she became ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-17

Tags: Death, Remorse, Parable Ten Virgins, Regret

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dad Was Dying Of Something Similar To ...

Contributed by C. Scott Ghan on Aug 27, 2012

ILL. Dad was dying of something similar to Alzheimer’s. He was very violent, dangerous and in a great deal of trouble in his home town where he had been Fire Chief. The County didn't want to, but left with no other option committed him to a lock-down unit where he would remain for the rest of his ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ministry In The Hard Places

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 21, 2012

During his first year of seminary, Alan Hirsch led a small group of newly converted Christians that included “gays, lesbians, Goths, drug addicts, prostitutes, and some relatively ordinary people.” After graduating, he and his wife were called to go to South Melbourne Church of Christ in 1989 where ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Methodist

Lesson Of The Good Samaritan

Contributed by Darian Hybl on Aug 21, 2013

Recently I read an article that convicted me of my ‘blind spots’ where I have not wanted to ‘cross the road’ or enter deeper into relationship. Alex Early penned an article entitled, “A Pastor Walked into a Gay Bar And…” At first I avoided the article because I thought this article was more a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:23-37

Tags: God As Judge, Real Friend, Parable Good Samaritan

Denomination: Lutheran

Unusual Banquet

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 22, 2013

Unusual Banquet Boston Globe's account in June 1990 of a most unusual wedding banquet. Accompanied by her fiance, a woman went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and ordered the meal. The two of them poured over the menu, made selections of china and silver, and pointed to pictures of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-14

Tags: Feed, Banquet, Repay

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

John Denver's Lost Opportunity

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 23, 2016

JOHN DENVER’S LOST OPPORTUNITY One day in a frequent flyer room, I looked over and saw John Denver. It was pretty obvious with his distinct features and signature guitar that it was him. I went over and said, "John!" He jumped up, stuck out his hand and said, "I haven’t seen you in a while." I ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Salvation, Witnessing, Lost

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Tattoo

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Nov 2, 2016

God’s Tattoo Isaiah 49: 8-16 When my grandson Isaiah was three years old he had a problem of wondering off and hiding. One day my daughter Maeghan and my wife Becky where shopping at a local mall and of course, he slipped off. All of a sudden they realized he was missing. They panicked, running ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 49:8-16

Tags: God's Love, God's Longing, God's Love For Us

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Even If Its Dark

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

A young man’s wife became very ill and died, leaving him alone with his four-year old daughter. The funeral service was simple and heavy with grief. After the burial, his neighbors gathered around him and invited them to bring his little girl and stay at one of their homes this first night. They ...read more

Scripture: James 5:13, Psalm 23:1-6

Tags: Death, Comfort, Trust, Sorrow, Trial  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

The Power Of Daily Scripture Reading

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

ian Hardin tells the story of traveling a lot for work with his friend Bobby. As they travelled, he’d read the Bible aloud to him. But he wasn’t reading the Bible to gain deep insights… or to solve theological quandaries. He was just reading it… yet even then, it often said something that got stuck ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Tags: Scripture, Scripture Reading

Denomination: Methodist

What's Most Important To You?

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Mar 27, 2018

Next to Billy Graham, Rick Warren and Joel Osteen are probably to most recognizable ministers in America. Warren is the author of the top selling hardcover book of all time, The Purpose Driven Life. It sold 30 million copies. Speaking about his "purpose driven" success, in 2005 Warren told U.S. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Tags: Evangelism, Priority

Denomination: Baptist

Trusting God Through Difficult Circumstances

Contributed by Matthew Redder on May 17, 2018

Some time ago I returned from a missions trip completely full of faith and ready to set the world on fire with the love of Christ. During my first church service back in the states I was asked to close our service in prayer. I joyfully obliged and went whole-heartedly into prayer full of faith and ...read more

Tags: Faith, Healing, Prayer, Trust In God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational