In Sermon Illustrations: "Passion Of Christ"

Fight For Joy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

Fight for Joy John Piper offers 15 Biblical things we must do to fight for joy. (I can only list them today, and commend to you his book, "When I Don’t Desire God.") This list reminds me that faith does not produce inactivity, but God-centered activity: 1) Realize that authentic joy in God is a ...read more

Tags: Joy

The Light That Saves

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE LIGHT THAT SAVES The story is told of a remarkable event that took place a little more than 30 years ago in the Gulf of Mexico. Darrel Dore was working on an oil rig when the rig suddenly started to wobble. Before too long, the rig tipped to one side and crashed into the water. Darrel found ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

In 1989, A Terrible Earthquake Almost Flattened ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

In 1989, a terrible earthquake almost flattened Armenia. It killed over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. One father rushed to his son's school and found the building flat as a pancake. Standing there in tears, he remembered a promise he had made to his son, "No matter what, I'll always be ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Crime Scene Investigation

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION It was September 18, 1910 on a Saturday at the Hiller home in Chicago. Clarence Hiller had spent the day painting his house. By early evening everyone was in bed asleep. The Hillers woke up in the early morning and noticed. Clarence went to investigate why a gas light ...read more

Tags: Apologetics Jesus

On Sunday Evening, January 27, 2002, Olympic ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Apr 22, 2007

On Sunday evening, January 27, 2002, Olympic gymnasts Mary Lou Retton-Kelley, Kerri Strug, and Bart Conner appeared on the Celebrity version of the TV Reality-Game Show “The Weakest Link,” along with five other famous Olympic athletes. ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Casket Stolen

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Feb 28, 2020

Funerals usually go calmly. But sometimes things happen that change everything. Perhaps the greatest example is that of Easter morning, as the women arrive to prepare the body, only to find that the stone was rolled away and the body of Jesus was missing. There was much running around and great ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-8, Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-10, Mark 16:1-8

Tags: Easter, Tomb, He Is Risen, Stone Rolled Away, Ressurection, Missing Body, Mary At Tomb  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Sheep Don't Wallow

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 22, 2020

A little lamb and his mother passed the pig pen every day on their way to the pasture. The lamb looked longingly at the pigs wallowing in the mire, and he asked his mother if he could go and play in the mud. She’d say, “No, sheep don’t wallow.” But he would look over at those pigs in that mud. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:20-22

Tags: Sin, Apostasy, Backsliding

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Good News: Finish The Race!

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 27, 2021

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. WRONG WAY, ROY ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14, Hebrews 12:1

Tags: Get Up, Finish Well

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Evil Has Arrived

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 7, 2021

I am afraid that if Paul Revere rode through our towns crying, "The evil is coming! The evil is coming" Church folks would go back to sleep instead of rising to arms and in the morning have him arrested for disturbing the peace. The same works for revival. The call may come and God ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:5, Romans 13:11, Ezekiel 33:6-7

Tags: Candlestick, Awake, Hell, Soul, Sleep, Watchman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Understanding The Spirit Named Pan

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

THE SPIRIT NAMED PAN Many creatures, or demonic spirits, that have been called mythological gods are not mythological at all. They are real in the kingdom of darkness. Pan’s appearance in mythology is with horns, ears, and legs of a goat on a man’s body. His sudden appearance was supposed to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11-18

Tags: Prayer, Demons, Panic, Fasting, Pandemic, Spirits, Satan, Spiritual Warfare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I'm Only A General, But He's A Son!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 30, 2022

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. grew up under the shadow of a large man. His father was the hero of San Juan Hill and the President of the United States. The pressure to excel often caused him problems, but Teddy, Jr. went on to be a highly decorated Brigadier General during World War II, receiving the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29

Tags: Mothers, Sons, Authority, Children Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Incredible Value Of One Child

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 12, 2023

An elderly preacher was rebuked by one of his deacons one Sunday morning before the service. "Pastor," said the man, "something must be wrong with your preaching and your work. There's been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he's just a boy." The ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Spiritual Fruit, Souls, Success, Faithfulness, Evangelism, Fruit Of The Spirit, Flesh, Holy Spirit, Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Ways To Build Self-Control

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

To be self-controlled is to restrain ourselves by not giving in to our depraved desires. We can say “no” when everything in us is saying “yes” for all the wrong reasons. We deny worldly lusts when we withhold our consent from them and when we refuse the delight they suggest. God will give us the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Self Control, Spirit Filled Life, Temptation, Fruit Of The Spirit, Discipline, Character, Works Of The Flesh  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ancient Christian Fable - There Is No Other Plan

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

There is an ancient Christian fable ... that tells of Jesus encounter ...as he reentered ...Heaven. As the angels spoke with him, ...Gabriel, noticed ...that Jesus bore the marks of the cross, ...and being inquisitive, ...said to Jesus: Master, ...you must have suffered terribly for those people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19, Romans 10:14, Acts 8:4-7, Acts 1:8

Tags: Salvation, Plan, Fisher Of Men, You

Denomination: Anglican

When C.i. Scofield Met Jesus

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 14, 2023

Many years ago in St. Louis, a lawyer visited a Christian to transact some business. Before the two parted, his client said to him, "I've often wanted to ask you a question, but I've been afraid to do so." "What do you want to know?" asked the lawyer. The man replied, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Adam, Alcohol, Drunkenness, Gospel, Evangelism, Sinful Nature, Sinners, Sin, Salvation, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Are My Dear, Dear Child: I'm Delighted With You.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 22, 2023

A famous movie-maker had a huge legal wrangle with his longtime mentor and guide. The younger man simply couldn't handle criticism and ended up rejecting the person who had helped him so much. When it was all over, a close friend summed up the real problem. "It was all about an ungenerous ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:9-13, Matthew 3:13-17

Tags: Loved, Loved By God, God's Love, Jesus Baptism

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Funniest Easter Story Ever!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 25, 2024

The Call to Worship had just been pronounced starting Easter Sunday Morning service in an East Texas church. The choir started its processional, singing "Up from the Grave He Arose" as they marched in perfect step down the center aisle to the front of the church. However, unfortunatley, ...read more

Tags: Choir, Church, Easter, Miracles, Resurrection  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of God's Word In The Philippines

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 17, 2024

Joanne Shetler, a dedicated missionary, spent years living among the Balangao people in the Philippines. Her mission was to translate the Bible into their language and share the good news of the Savior. However, progress was slow. One day, Ama, a man who had adopted Joanne as his Balangao ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Tags: Miracles, Missions, Salvation, God's Word, Genealogies Of The Bible, Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Spiritual Warfare

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 3, 2025

We need to be engaged in Spiritual Warfare. First, we need to acknowledge that there is both a physical realm (fallen) and a spiritual realm (good & bad). This is clear in Ephesians 6, where Paul is describing our battle gear: Ephesians 6:11-12 “11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:11-12

Tags: Spiritual Realm, Spiritual Warfare, Physical Realm, Angels, Demons  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Teach The Children  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2002

TEACH THE CHILDREN Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened... I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Christmas Eve