In Sermon Illustrations: "Paul"

The Crew Of Life-Savers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 14, 2011

THE CREW OF LIFE-SAVERS Nantucket, Massachusetts is located next to important shipping lanes running along the East Coast. Toward the end of the 1800s sailing ships were in their heyday. Nantucket Island saw hundreds of vessels passing by each day—all navigating without the advantages of modern ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Thom Rainer And The Unchurched Next Door

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2011

THOM RAINER AND THE UNCHURCHED NEXT DOOR Thom S. Rainer has written a book entitled "The Unchurched Next Door". He wants people to understand the unchurched in order to better reach them. The premise is that we do not invite our neighbors for all the wrong reasons. He encourages Christians to make ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:1-24, Luke 14:1-14

Tags: Evangelism How To

What To Do When There's No Fireworks

Contributed by John Herrmann on Jun 21, 2011

WHAT TO DO WHEN THERE'S NO FIREWORKS Around sunset one very hot summer’s eve when we (in the Army Chaplaincy) were in Iraq, about forty miles north of Baghdad, we saw the military police pull up in the building just next door. Out came two Iraqi Prisoners of War, their hands were shackled behind ...read more

Tags: Independence Day

Denomination: Lutheran

Jesus Died For Nacozari

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2011

JESUS DIED FOR NACOZARI On November 7th, 1907, a boxcar containing dynamite caught fire in the village of Nacozari in Sonora, Mexico. When the flames reached the dynamite, the blast was felt 16 kilometers (10 miles) away. That would be like standing in the parking lot of the St. Albert Wal-Mart ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:6-8

Tags: Heroism

The Tree Of Hippocrates

Contributed by Kelly Mitchell on Oct 3, 2012

The Tree of Hippocrates On the island of Kos, the home of Hippocrates, the great physician from whom we get the “Hippocratic Oath”, there grows a tree that history says Hippocrates himself once gathered his students for class. Although the current tree is only about 500 years old, it is purported ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:46-49

Tags: Revival, Restoration, Church Growth, Church Practices

Denomination: Baptist

The Orphan Train

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 15, 2016

THE ORPHAN TRAIN In the history of the westward migration in the United States, part of the story has been largely passed over. From 1850 to 1930, tens of thousands of those who populated the west were orphans--children from eastern cities who were without parents because of disease or the death ...read more

Scripture: John 14:18

Tags: Adoption, Rebirth, Orphan, Train

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Beginning Again  PRO

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 29, 2016

BEGINNING AGAIN The opening lines of a poem by Louisa Fletcher express this plaintive wish: I wish that there were some wonderful place Called the "Land of Beginning Again," Where all our mistakes, and all our heartaches, And all of our poor selfish grief Could be dropped like a shabby old coat ...read more

Scripture: John 3:3-8

Tags: Resolution, Born Again, New Year, New Start

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

John Hull In His Book "Pivotal Prayer" Shares A ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 2, 2008

John Hull in his book "Pivotal Prayer" shares a story about a man who brought revival to a sinking ship: A widowed Scottish minister named John Harper and his six-year-old daughter were on board the Titanic the tragic night it sank. When the ship began to sink, Harper, traveling second class, ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Poem: I Am Just A Raindrop  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 2, 2008

POEM: “I Am Just a Raindrop” The following poem was heard on Paul Harvey’s broadcast in 2004: I AM JUST A RAINDROP I am just a raindrop I was born in the sky and settled into a hillside there to dance in the sun and sparkle And nourish green and growing things But there are other raindrops on the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 8:1-10

Tags: Rubbish

Crown Of Thorns  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

CROWN OF THORNS Nearly thirty years ago on Saturday night I sat in an indoor arena excitedly watching a beautiful Arabian stallion receive the very high honor of "Legion of Merit." The lights were turned off and a large spotlight appeared at the entrance gate. Music played as this beautiful bay ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:28-30

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Which Way, O Lord?  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Which Way, O Lord? "This is what the Lord says; 'Stand at the crossroads and look... ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.'" Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV) The way many people attempt to determine the will of God would make a great new television ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 6:16

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Reflections On John 3:16

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 22, 2008

Reflections on John 3:16 John 3:16 will help answer the question of why Paul called this the most excellent way. This passage is the most famous and the most familiar passage of the Bible. It is quoted the most and it's reference numbers are seen at football games, parades, graffiti, and the like. ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Prevailing Upon Mercy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

PREVAILING UPON MERCY R. C. Sproul tells the story of when he was a college professor. At the start of the semester, the class of about 150 students had three papers due, let’s say, at noon on October 1st, November 1st, and December 1st. The penalty for a late paper was a zero grade. At noon on ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:19

Tags: Justice

Grace At Christmas

Contributed by Joel Arndt on Jan 9, 2020

Early on in my ministry, I was called to the home of one of the people in the congregation who said they had a Christmas gift for me. Shortly after getting out of my vehicle I heard shouting coming from the house that I was called to. I gently knocked on the door and the woman of the house opened ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23

Tags: Christmas, Grace, Forgiveness, Gift

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Friends And Acquaintances?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 26, 2020

Junior high/middle school basketball is always fun to play, and more fun to watch. These youngsters have acquired some skill—more or less—and it’s still more for fun than for competition. Oh, sure, we wanted to win, and few athletes that don’t want to win will ever get very far in any kind of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:3

Tags: Youth, Book Of Life, Athletics, Friends, Relationship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 2, 2021

Quit all the comparisons: IT IS ABOUT GOD’S GLORY. HAGGAI and ZECHARIAH LEARNED TO ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT WERE DOING A WORK THAT SEEMED SMALL IN THEIR OWN EYES. Get excited. Haggai 2:2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high ...read more

Scripture: Zechariah 4:10

Tags: Glory, Small Things

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Some Thoughts About Gifts

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 26, 2022

Text, 2 Corinthians 9:15, KJV: 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Thoughts: This is about the closest verse I can find to use as a text for this illustration. There may be others but please remember that God’s greatest gift ever was His Son, Jesus! Now I’ll share the illustration ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:15

Tags: Love, Gifts

Denomination: Baptist

The Highest Calling Of The Bride Of Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

Revelation 19:7-9 - Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Revelation 21:2 - And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her ...read more

Tags: Praise, Heaven, Purpose, Bride Of Christ, Calling, Glory, Church, Worship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Isn't The Book Of Enoch In Our Bible?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 24, 2024

This question illuminates one of those painful intersections between theology and church history: the canonization of Scripture. Throughout church history, many books have been scrutinized by theologians, and before those theologians, other theologians, and before such, were the members of the ...read more

Tags: Scripture, Holy Spirit, Inspiration, Enoch, Inerrancy, Church History, Canon, Book Of Enoch  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Brownies Teach Stewardship

Contributed by Michael Otterstatter on Nov 26, 2024

A 6th grade Sunday school teacher was struggling with a lesson. She was preparing to teach a lesson on how Christians manage their material blessings. She knew that when her students were in confirmation class the pastor would share what the Bible says about stewardship of time, talents, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Tags: Offerings, Giving, Stewardship, Tithing

Denomination: Lutheran