In Sermon Illustrations: "Paul And Silas"

Putting The Dog In Dogma

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Jul 22, 2010

PUTTING THE DOG IN DOGMA The pit bull, as you may know, is bred to be a fighter. But what you may not know is what they were originally bred to fight with. The pit bull is a actually a mutt that made good -- having terrier and mastiff breeds in its line. From the mastiff side of the tree, they ...read more

Tags: Doctrine

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Forgetting The Things Of Earth

Contributed by Robert Joseph on Oct 13, 2010

FORGETTING THE THINGS OF EARTH In January of 1997, astronaut John Blaha returned to earth after spending the previous four months aboard the Russian Space Station, Mir. Besides conducting various experiments, his mission was to help scientists understand the effects of long term weightlessness ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Spirit: A Life Changing Force

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 8, 2010

SPIRIT: A LIFE CHANGING FORCE There are those who think the Spirit is a thing. They view Him as a lifeless blob that God sets inside of us that doesn’t physically affect us during our lives. They tend to view God’s Spirit like a coin you put in a pop machine or a candy machine. The coin goes in ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hardships Further His Kingdom  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Feb 6, 2011

HARDSHIPS FURTHER HIS KINGDOM Bill Hybels' The Power of a Whisper (p.110-111): "Don't ever buy into the idea that everything God prompts His followers to do will be uncomplicated or low-cost. Sometimes God asks His children to carry heavy loads, as He did with the apostle Paul. But even--and ...read more

Tags: Love, Others, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Boss: Mark Dever On The Four Aspects Of ...

Contributed by Tim White on May 7, 2011

BOSS: MARK DEVER ON THE FOUR ASPECTS OF LEADERSHIP B=Boss. The leader "reproves, rebukes, and exhorts with all longsuffering and doctrine." There is a delicate balance in local churches between pastoral authority (Hebrews 13) and congregational authority (Matthew 18). The pastors must exercise ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

Memory And Truth

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 27, 2011

MEMORY AND TRUTH Two middle-aged couples were enjoying friendly conversation when one of the men asked the other, "Fred, how was the memory clinic you went to last month?" "Outstanding," Fred replied. "They taught us all the latest psychological techniques, such as visualization, association and ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-32, John 8:51-59

Tags: Truth

Maclaren On Facing Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2011

MACLAREN ON FACING DEATH The great 1800s Scottish preacher Alexander MacLaren said: "Many of us cling to life with a desperate clutch, like some poor wretch pushed over a precipice and trying to dig his nails into the rock as he falls. Some of us cling to it because we dread what is beyond, and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:20-23

Tags: Death Nearness

Mystery

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

Paul talks about a Mystery hidden in God. Let me tell you about a great mystery story: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Senior, was a doctor. As such he was very interested in the use of ether. In order to know how his patients felt under its influence, he once had a dose administered to himself. As he was ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:26-27

Tags: Mystery Hidden, Mystery Found

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Mystery

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

Paul talks about a Mystery hidden in God. Let me tell you about a great mystery story: Oliver Wendell Holmes, Senior, was a doctor. As such he was very interested in the use of ether. In order to know how his patients felt under its influence, he once had a dose administered to himself. As he was ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:26-27

Tags: Mystery, Mystery Found

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Semper Fi - Forever Faithful

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 12, 2023

One of the most tragic events during the Reagan Presidency was the Sunday morning terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, in which hundreds of Americans were killed or wounded as they slept. Many of us can still recall the terrible scenes as the dazed survivors worked to dig out their ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Holy Spirit, Commitment, Faithfulness, Fruit Of The Spirit, Works Of The Flesh, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Evel Knievel Fell Short Of The Goal

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 19, 2023

One of the fads of 1970s America was the motorcycle jump. This trend reached its high (and low) point on September 8, 1974. Thousands of spectators gathered around the Snake River Canyon in Idaho to see if Evel Knievel could jump across the chasm in a specially designed “sky cycle.” In the end, ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Sinners, Sin, Judgment, Failure, Sinful Nature, Glory Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

More Than Anyone Else Christian Parents Can Have ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

More than anyone else Christian parents can have the most influence on their children, because when Christ died upon the Cross the veil was ripped open so they could enter into the presence of God who sits on the Throne of Grace. The call to pray is from God’s Word and we are given a sure promise, ...read more

Scripture: John 20:11-18

Tags: Faith

John Donne Was An English Cleric And Poet Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Nov 10, 2002

John Donne was an English cleric and poet of exceeding intellect who lived his adult life in the early 1600’s. King James I appointed him the dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. But in 1623 he became ill and felt he was dying of the plague, which was taking so many lives at that time. While ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:7-12, Psalm 139:1

Tags: Death, Evangelism The Lost, Promises Of God

Denomination: Methodist

Imagine A Man Standing In The Middle Of Some ...

Contributed by James Jack on Mar 8, 2005

Imagine a man standing in the middle of some train tracks, reading a newspaper. You’re standing to the side of the tracks, and you notice that he doesn’t seem to be getting off. In the distance behind him, you can see the train coming toward him, you can hear the noise it makes. Strangely, ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Anglican

The Hebrew Writer Wrestled With That Question ...

Contributed by Scott Bradford on Apr 13, 2005

The Hebrew writer wrestled with that question too: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6). Recently I had telephoned my mother to tell her that I was going to be ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: United Methodist

Mr. President? (07.13.05--Tomorrow--Mark ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 12, 2005

Mr. President? (07.13.05--Tomorrow--Mark 13:33-34) We spend so much time preparing for some things. Whether it’s a birthday, a wedding, a family reunion or simply an evening dinner with the family, if there’s people involved, there’s always a goodly amount of preparation that precedes the event. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:33-34

Tags: Death Nearness

Denomination: Lutheran

Ashamed When It Counted The Most

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2019

Ashamed when it counted the most My two sisters, when they were somewhat younger, liked to play the piano and took lessons for some time. I like music, too, but not all the practicing that went along with it! We found out there was going to be a “recital” where all of the students in their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 1 John 2:28

Tags: Christian Life, Shame, Rewards

Denomination: Baptist

Praying For Unity

Contributed by Jw Worcester on Feb 8, 2021

As I think of the unity of God’s Gospel to us, I’m reminded of the unity I’ve experienced over the years with other saints on short term mission trips, volunteer positions at a crisis pregnancy center and a “Rescue Mission”, Promise Keepers (Men’s nationwide Ministry), and the Urban-Suburban ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Tags: Self Image, Reflecting Christ

So God Made A Farmer

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 6, 2024

In James chapter 5, we see a comparison between the patient farmer in the field waiting for his crops and the waiting believer in Christ preparing to meet the Lord at His return. Paul Harvey did a masterful job of describing the life of the farmer years ago. And on the 8th day, God looked down ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7-12, 1 Thessalonians 5:13-18

Tags: Patience, Return Of Christ, Prophets, Farmers, Waiting, Job, End Times, Prophecy, Second Coming, Last Days, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

University Of Chicago Divinity School Each Years ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Apr 24, 2001

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO DIVINITY SCHOOL each years has what is called ’BAPTIST DAY’. On this day each one is to bring a lunch to an outdoor picnic area and the school invites one of the popular lecturers to speak at the theological education center. One year DR. PAUL TILLICH came and spent 2 1/2 ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:1-10, Psalm 34:8

Tags: Apologetics Jesus, Atheism, Jesus, Knowledge, Truth  (view more)  (view less)