In Sermon Illustrations: "Past"

I Have Been A Pastor For Nearly Twenty-Five ...

Contributed by Byron Maynard on Apr 22, 2005

I have been a pastor for nearly twenty-five years. During those years, one thing I have noticed in counseling with people, for many, their minds have become garbage dumps. It is the place where they dump past failures, bad information, broken down relationship experiences, etc. It is the place ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Inmates 4 Times As Many Prisoners Are Released ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Inmates 4 times as many prisoners are released into society today as 20 years ago. An estimated 600,000 U.S. prisoners will be released in ’04 (over 1,600 are released daily). The Justice Bureau of Statistics estimates that 2 out of 3 released inmates were “rearrested within 3 years,” wreaking more ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Less Sex, More Commerce: In '97 20% Of Internet ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

Less Sex, More Commerce: In ’97 20% of Internet searches were sex-related, today it only accounts for 5%, according to University of Pittsburgh and Penn State researchers. People are using (the Web) more as an everyday tool rather than as just an entertainment medium. Studies show queries for ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Tithing Down: The Proportion Of Households That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 3, 2006

Tithing Down: The proportion of households that tithe their income to their church has dropped by 62% in the past year, from 8% in ‘01 to just 3% of adults during ‘02. In ‘00, 12% of all born again adults tithed. The percentage rose to 14% in ‘01, but dropped to 6% in ‘02. Groups most likely to ...read more

Tags: Giving General

During The American Revolution A Man In Civilian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 6, 2006

During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, “Sir, I am a corporal!” The stranger ...read more

Scripture: Acts 21:21

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

Change

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Aug 7, 2010

Bound by Tradition Warren Wiersbe tells us, “Over the years I have seen churches . . . flounder and almost destroy themselves in futile attempts to embalm the past and escape the future. Their theme song was, ‘As it was in the beginning, so shall it ever be, world without end, Amen.’ Often I’ve ...read more

Tags: Church, Change

Denomination: Baptist

E.s.p.  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 8, 2012

E.S.P. I heard about a man who asked his wife to balance the checkbook. He came home that night to find she had four neatly typed pages, detailing all the expenses of the past months--the milkman, the cleaners, the grocery store, and many others. One entry read, "E.S.P. $24.21." "What does that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:10

Tags: Money

Denomination: Baptist

In Haiti, There's An Orphanage Being Run By A ...

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Jan 2, 2008

In Haiti, there’s an orphanage being run by a man named Prospere. It’s an enormous task, taking care of 30 some kids. Why does he do it? Where does he find the motivation to keep on with such a difficult task? You see, Prospere was once an orphan too. He was one of the first orphans helped ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Listen To Adrian Rogers: "It Is Better To Be ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Listen to Adrian Rogers: “It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, then falsehood that comforts and then kills. It is not love and it is not friendship if we fail to declare the whole counsel of God. It is better to ...read more

Religion Site Visits Drop

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

RELIGION SITE VISITS DROP Visits to religion websites in the U.S. are declining rapidly, dropping over 30% within the past year, down 35% the last two years, while visits to entertainment sites like MySpace and Facebook continue to soar. Visits to the top 1,200 religious sites in the U.S. accounted ...read more

Tags: Technology

Job's Repentance

Contributed by C Jordan on Apr 27, 2008

JOB'S REPENTANCE "Job repented, not of any past sins that might have caused his (trouble), but of his mistrust of God in the midst of it. Ultimately, God never answered Job’s questions. Job never actually found out why all of this loss and horror had occurred. It was as if the answer to Job’s ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: *other

I Took A Piece Of Modeling ...

Contributed by Dave Mcfadden on Jun 16, 2008

I took a piece of modeling clay; And idly molded it one day; And as my fingers pressed it still, It moved and yielded to my will. I came again when days were past; The piece of clay was hard at last. The shape I gave it still it bore; And I could change it nevermore. I took apiece of living ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Baptist

What Is The Will Of God For Me?

Contributed by Tony Abram on Feb 8, 2009

WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR ME? I have said many times over the past 50 years of international ministry to God's people when asked, "What is the Will of God for me? and how can I know it and do it?" I have said that, in a nutshell, the Will of God is the Word of God--and the Word of God is the ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Tech ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

TECH CHURCH People within the Christian community are just as immersed in digital technologies and social networks as those outside. Both evangelicals and born-agains emerged as statistically on-par with national norms when it comes to technological habits. The one exception is access to spiritual ...read more

Tags: Technology

There Is A Story About A Man Who Had To Cross A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

There is a story about a man who had to cross a wide river on the ice. He was afraid it might be too thin, so he began to crawl on his hand and knees in great terror. He thought he might fall through at any moment. Just as he neared the opposite shore, all exhausted, another man glided past him ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Hell's Gate

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2017

A man was looking for a place in New York City to party late one night. He stopped a police officer and said, "I am looking for a night club named Hell’s Gate. Do you know how to get there?" The officer said, "Sir, just keep going down this street and will you pass Calvary Church on your right. ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Hell, Salvation, Witnessing, Calvary

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Blind Man

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 21, 2019

BLIND MAN As I sit beside the road my nostrils are filled with the dust of countless ages past. I sit in the solitude of self-pity as I contemplate this prison.My prison is not one that locks me in but it’s one that locks me out; I don’t have bars that contain me but my dungeon is a world of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:35-42

Tags: Change, Blindness

Denomination: Pentecostal

In The Book, "Let Us Break Bread Together" Fred ...  PRO

Contributed by Dawn Marie Turner on Dec 23, 2002

In the book, “Let Us Break Bread Together” Fred Daniel Gealy writes, “The word Epiphany is a great Christian word. The grace of God has appeared is the testimony of every page in the New Testament. My eyes have seen God has not just shown himself in the past; nor is his coming simply some ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 60:1, Isaiah 60:1-6, Isaiah 60:1-9, Isaiah 60:11-12

Tags: Glory, Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Love

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

There Was A Young Man Who Was Doing Everything ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeremy Houck on Feb 19, 2003

There was a young man who was doing everything possible to move up in his company. Over the past 3 weeks he had built us 52 hours of overtime working on a new project. One night he slipped in at 12:30 and quietly crawled into bed next to his new bride. Upon feeling the movement of the bed his wife ...read more

Tags: Marriage Obligations

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Call Your Commander-In-Chief

Contributed by Robert Garrett on Aug 8, 2005

“CALL YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHEIF” There is an interesting story about a man in civilian clothes who during American Revolution rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist