In Sermon Illustrations: "Numbered"

What I Learned At The Recycling Center

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 21, 2020

Recycling centers have always been something that fascinated me. Usually these companies are in buildings that were themselves built for another purpose, but were, well, “recycled” as places where we can take aluminum cans, newspapers, and so forth. Besides, we managed to save enough aluminum cans ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 36:20-25

Tags: Scripture, Bibles Destroyed

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: The Man Who Fed A Hundred Men

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 24, 2020

Introduction: A number of miracles took place in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 4 alone, there are at least three such miracles mentioned: the pot of oil that kept flowing until all the vessels in town were full and the time, maybe just before this, when Elisha found some meal then used it to cure ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:42-44

Tags: First Fruits, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Questions That Churches Must Ask Themselves

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jun 7, 2022

Why is this church here or what really is our mission? Are we truly fulfilling our mission? How did we get here? Were we a split or the first of our faith? If a split, was it because of doctrine or something/someone else? If we are the first, have we fallen from our first love position or is ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1

Tags: Church, Purpose, Division

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Peter’s Mother-In-Law

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 14, 2022

Introduction: She’s only mentioned once, but in three of the Gospels. Look what happened to this lady after she received healing from Jesus! Text: Here are the texts from each of the Gospels where this event is mentioned: Matthew 8:14-15, KJV: 14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-39

Tags: Healings, Ministering, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

"i've Got A Mansion Just Over The Hilltop" Song Story

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 21, 2022

In 1945, a young Christian businessman stood one evening in an evangelistic service in Dallas, Texas, and told how he had learned a valuable lesson from a small child. The gentleman stated that his business, for a number of months, had been in a steady decline. It looked as if it would completely ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Death, Revelation, Heaven, Hope, New Jerusalem, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Miracles Through Prayer In China

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 15, 2024

In his book Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee describes a preaching mission to an island off the South China coast. There were seven in the ministering group, including a sixteen-year-old new convert whom he calls Brother Wu. The island was fairly large, containing about 6,000 homes. Nee had a contact ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Elijah, Missions, Prayer, Miracles, China, Rain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Troubling Thoughts?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 14, 2025

Troubling thoughts Introduction: What might make your thoughts cause you trouble? Text, Daniel 5:5-9, KJV: 5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 5:5-9

Tags: Daniel, Belshazzar, Thoughts

Denomination: Baptist

The Mathematics Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2009

The Mathematics of Christmas In the famous 1947 film classic Miracle on 34th Street, which was re-made in recent years, a man claiming to be Santa Claus is placed on trial. The judge is hoping to provide an answer for the age-old question, “Does Santa Claus really exist?” The judge comes to the ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Christmas, Faith

The Last 3 Days Have Been Painful. Literally ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 1, 2010

The last 3 days have been painful. Literally painful! I was playing with my grandson and crawling, on my knees, through tunnels that we made out of the cushions on the lounge – our secret castle to hide in (I know, castles aren’t normally secret but this one was). The next day I felt the pain ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thin Slices! (07.15.05--Tomorrow--Deuteronomy ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 13, 2005

Thin Slices! (07.15.05--Tomorrow--Deuteronomy 29:29) Did you ever notice how at least having just a taste of something, a little hint or just a brief encounter with what we were anticipating, can be so much fun? I know a lot about anticipation. Being a bird watcher for many years, I am familiar ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 29:29

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

I'll Get Back To You! (08.04.05--Boldness ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 2, 2005

I’ll Get Back to You! (08.04.05--Boldness Too!--Acts 3:11) “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.” How often have you heard that said in your life. If we could count the number of times action has been spared by inaction due to the “thought process” necessary beforehand, we’d probably ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:11

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 11, 2005

Like Blind Beggars! (08.15.05--Envy!--John 21: 20-23) “No one has done a better job of portraying envy than Dante, In his Purgatory . . .the envious sit like blind beggars by a wall. Their eyelids are sewn shut. the symbolism is apt, showing the reader that it is one of the blindest sins--partly ...read more

Scripture: John 21:20-23

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Lutheran

Strange Bedfellows! (11.14.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 10, 2005

Strange Bedfellows! (11.14.05--Christian Soldiers!--Exodus 8:25-29) Many years ago I was an avid smoker. I smoked a pipe, cigarettes and cigars. Anything that had nicotine in it, I was putting a match to. Then I decided to quit. I threw away the cigarettes and cigars and put my pipes in their ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 8:25-29

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

The Story Deals With A Rather Old Fashioned Lady, ...  PRO

Contributed by Kraig Pullam on Oct 22, 2006

The story deals with a rather old fashioned lady, who was planning a couple of weeks vacation in Florida. She also was quite delicate and elegant with her language. She wrote a letter to a particular campground and asked for reservations. She wanted to make sure the campground was fully equipped ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Give The Keys To Jesus

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Feb 14, 2007

1. Give the keys to Jesus. Letting anyone drive our vehicle is tough. I admit that at times I’m not the best passenger, especially when it’s my vehicle. Just ask my wife. And just for the record, I think my wife’s a great driver. If I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t let her take my kids ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Wesleyan

It’s Difficult To Find Beauty In Death. ...  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jun 18, 2001

It’s difficult to find beauty in death. It’s even more difficult to find beauty in a death camp. Especially Auschwitz. Four million Jews died there in World War II. A half-ton of human hair is still preserved. The showers that sprayed poison gas still stand. But for all the ugly memories of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:8

Tags: Joy, Christian Disciplines, Cross Agony

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Always Hear "The Rules" From The Feminine ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Feb 22, 2002

We always hear "the rules" from the feminine side. Now you get to hear the guys’ point of view. These are our rules! Please note...these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE. 1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You’re a big girl. If it’s up, put it down. 1. Birthdays, Valentines, and Anniversaries are ...read more

Tags: Marriage Obligations, Romantic Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Evolution Of Mothers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

THE EVOLUTION OF MOTHERS Being a parent changes everything. But being a parent also changes with each baby. Here are some of the ways having a second and third child is different from having the first. Your Clothes 1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your doctor confirms ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:5-10

Tags: Parenting, Mother's Day, Influence, Children

Let Me Tell You A Story From Alberta History: ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Dec 12, 2002

Let me tell you a story from Alberta history: Cree Chief Maskepetoon met Rev. Robert Rundle, and at their first meeting declared "I will never become a Christian as long as there are horses to steal and scalps to take." Nevertheless Maskepetoon became a staunch friend to Rundle and his attitude ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:20

Tags: Christian Liberty, Anxiety, Forgiveness General, God's Image, Prayer, Moving Forward, Supplication  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I Want To Share A Story That Has Changed The Way ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I want to share a story that has changed the way I view compassion. If I was a Hollywood film producer, I would make a movie out of it. It is a true story about a man named Bulus Tsetu. He and his family felt the call of God to start a Bible school in Nigeria, Africa. So after they had been there ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General