In Sermon Illustrations: "Own"

Servanthood And Spiritual Growth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

SERVANTHOOD AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH I surveyed my church to see if people saw a relationship between ministering to others and spiritual growth. When asked, "To what extent has your ministry or service to others affected your spiritual growth?," 92 percent answered positively. None responded that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Servanthood

Mama's Prayers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2011

MAMA'S PRAYERS E. V. (Ed) Hill, who pastored Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, tells the story of how "Mama’s" love and prayers changed his life. During the height of the Depression, Hill’s real mother, who had five children of her own, didn’t have enough food to go around, so ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-13

Tags: Mother's Day

The Heaviest Loads

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 30, 2011

THE HEAVIEST LOADS N. T. Wright, in writing about this passage (Mt 23:1-12), tells the story of trying to prepare for a hiking and camping trip. He went to an outfitter who took him around the store showing him everything he would need. The salesman recommended a good sleeping bag and a durable ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Methodist

Sending The Very Best  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 18, 2011

SENDING THE VERY BEST Someone has composed the following list of "Cards You'll Never See at Hallmark": "Looking back over the years that we've been together, I can't help but wonder.... What was I thinking?!" "I've always wanted to have someone to hold, someone to love.... After having ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-25, Philippians 1:3-30, Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Joy, Friendship General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Circle Maker

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Dec 4, 2011

THE CIRCLE MAKER Pastor Mark Batterson wrote a book called "The Circle Maker". He tells the following. The Book of Legends, is a collection of stories from the Jewish Talmud, when I discovered the true legend of Honi the Circle Maker. It forever changed the way I pray. I pray more. I pray with ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

One Man Who Learned To Experience The Peace Of ...

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Dec 31, 2011

One man who learned to experience the peace of God was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. For the famous American poet and author, life was well. After the death of his first wife, he met Francis Appleton. He courted her for seven years! She finally said yes! Longfellow experienced fame and success. ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Fear And Worry

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Mark Of Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 17, 2012

THE MARK OF JESUS When I was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Levelland, there was a man in our church, the owner of a local business and a highly intentional Christian. The apostle Paul once said of himself that he bore "on [his] body the marks of Jesus" (Gal. 6:17). Well, this man bore ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:25-33

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Don't Give Up—the Case Of Mrs. Ruth Ertel

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

DON’T GIVE UP--THE CASE OF MRS. RUTH ERTEL In 1965 a divorced mother of two, found a classified ad offering a restaurant for sale. She mortgaged her house to purchase the restaurant, the original Chris’s steakhouse. In 1976 a fire forced her to relocate. Under the original purchase agreement, the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Endurance

End Of The World Predictions

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2012

END OF THE WORLD PREDICTIONS It's hard to believe it was just a year ago that the head of The Family Radio Broadcasting Network--Harold Camping--predicted, through 2,000 billboards worldwide, that on May 21, 2011 the righteous, which totaled 3 percent of humanity, was to be whisked away to heaven, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:6-8

Tags: Prophecy

Encouragement From A Friend

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM A FRIEND There are times when you will be pushed out or pushed aside. You can be on the right road and still find yourself in a situation that is so severe that you cannot survive it on your own. Mark it down: You are not exempt from times of suffering, rejection, or ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Tags: Friendship General

Using The Resources You Have  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 18, 2012

USING THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE At 12:55 pm the mayday call crackled through the speakers at the Flight Service Station on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. The desperate pilot of a Piper A22, a small single-engine plane, was reporting that he had run out of fuel and was preparing to ditch the aircraft in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30, Ruth 1:1-5

Tags: Grace, Stewardship, Investment, Value, Give Back  (view more)  (view less)

Doctor And Patient Saved From Hell

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Oct 13, 2012

In Beyond Death’s Door, Rawlings shares how his view of the afterlife forever changed on the day one of his heart patients “died” in his office. During a routine stress test on a treadmill, the man’s heart stopped and he collapsed. Immediately, Rawlings and his staff began emergency resuscitation ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:22-31

Tags: Hell

Denomination: Baptist

Humility

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“None are as empty as those who are full of themselves.” - Benjamin Whichcote Have you ever met a prideful, arrogant person? Prideful people are always telling you about themselves, their accomplishments, and how smart and wonderful they are. Then they look at you to continue the conversation ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:4, Proverbs 3:34

Tags: Honor, Humility, Pride, Reverence

Denomination: Charismatic

Adversity

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher Sometimes life deals us a situation so adverse, a loss so great, we feel unable to meet the challenge of facing day after day in our pain and loss. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Adversity, Courage, Perserverance, Trials

Denomination: Charismatic

Blessings In The Messes

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 27, 2015

Sometimes life is a mess! As I sit in my own office you can barely see the top of my desk and just about every available flat surface is cluttered with some books or papers of some sort! Sermons to preach, classes to teach, meetings to prepare for, schedules to keep - my office sometimes ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:4

Tags: Resolution, Busyness, Ordinary People, Blessings, Count Your Blessings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Lesson From A Pair Of Mildewed Shoes

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 22, 2020

A number of years ago I received a three-year assignment to Okinawa, Japan, as part of my Air Force experience. Hardly anybody I knew had much knowledge of that part of the world, so we really had no idea what to expect. We were in for a number of surprises! We lived in a motel, basically, for a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33-34

Tags: Shoes, Life's Problems

Denomination: Baptist

At What Age Should A Pastor Retire?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 3, 2020

AT WHAT AGE SHOULD A PASTOR RETIRE? TEN DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONS There are a lot of Baby Boomer pastors and Christian leaders around. And it’s cliché, but they aren’t getting any younger. It’s a quiet question that many are asking, but they are asking it nonetheless: What age should I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Retirement, Aging, Pastors, Missionaries, Paul And Timothy, Baby Boomers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Forgiveness Is Not

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 31, 2021

WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT by Dr. Larry Petton (excerpt from my book, "I CAN'T FORGIVE"). Text: Ephesians chapter 4 Ruth Bell Graham described a successful marriage as the "union of two great forgivers." Forgiveness has been described as, “Me not hurting you, because you ...read more

Tags: Forgive Them, Father, Forgiveness, Bitterness, Unforgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Epiphany On Generosity

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Jun 23, 2023

I recently drove my adult son to the airport for a trip he was taking with some friends. He lives in Arkansas but was flying out of DFW, so he drove to our home in Denison to spend a little time with us. While he was gone I drove his car a few times just to make sure it was running well. I guess ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7, James 1:17

Tags: Generous, Steward, Giving, Stewardship, Give, Generosity, Selflessness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[002] Message From A Poem – A Grain Of Wheat Dies

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2024

[002] MESSAGE FROM A POEM – A GRAIN OF WHEAT DIES Not very long before the crucifixion Jesus spoke to Andrew and Philip. This is what He said – {{John 12:23-25 and Jesus answered them saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, UNLESS A GRAIN OF ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-25, Matthew 13:23, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Sacrifice, Parable Of The Sower, A Grain Of Wheat, Dying To Oneself

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational