In Sermon Illustrations: "Perfect Love"

Valentine's Day, Romantic

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 24, 2021

“Every Valentine’s Day our campus newspaper has a section for student messages. Last year my roommate surprised his girlfriend with roses and dinner at a fancy restaurant. When they returned from their date, she leafed through the paper to see if he had written a note to her. Near the bottom of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:16

Tags: Love, Marriage, Romance, Dating, Valentine's Day  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

What Makes A Good ...

Contributed by Timothy Gardner on Nov 7, 2009

"What makes a good church? If all the… …Lazy folks get up …sleepy folks wake up …Discouraged folks cheer up …Gossiping folks shut up …Dishonest folks fess up …Estranged folks make up …Depressed folks look up …Disgusted folks sweeten up …Lukewarm folks fire up …Sanctified folks show ...read more

Tags: People, Love, Commitment, Humor, Church General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

Dr. Martin Luther King Penned In His Book The ...  PRO

Contributed by Engleburg Toney on Jan 18, 2010

Dr. Martin Luther King penned in his book The Strength of Love, "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture ...read more

Tags: Love, Value, Purpose, Conscience, Church General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

How Do You Make People Feel About Themselves?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 14, 2022

How do you think the people on your staff, in your family or church, or even close friends would say that you make them feel about themselves?? Consider these great quotes on how we treat others: John Maxwell – "People may hear your words, but above all, they feel your attitude. Your ...read more

Tags: Feelings, Self Worth, Love, Leadership, Importance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

We Owe Our Whole Lives To God!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 3, 2022

Genesis 6:1-9 Some think that the “sons of God” in this passage are angels; how can we say not? - v3 tells us that these men will die and angels are eternal beings; also, Jesus Himself tells us in the Gospels that angels do not marry! What can we say about Gen 6:2? – God’s creations of people are ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-9

Tags: Love, Thanksgiving, Sin, Life, Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Responsiblity To All Living Creatures

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 18, 2022

Genesis 9:1-7 Devotional From Gen. 9:1-3 we note God blessed Noah and his sons. What was the command? – same as for the first man and woman – populate the earth (somewhat of a new beginning) What were given to man in v2? – man was given the responsibility to rule over all other creatures on ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 9:1-7

Tags: People, Nature, God's Love, Responsibilty On Earth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

From Godly To Rebellion?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 25, 2022

Genesis 10 – 11:9…. Look again at verses 10:5, 20, 31…. and 11:1…. What do you think is the explanation for this? – v32 gives the answer; all came from Noah (with his language, but the 3 sons went to all different areas of the world) The second half of Genesis 11 speaks of Abraham, from the line ...read more

Tags: Evil, God's Love, Rebellion, Godly, Mankind  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I've Got To Get Grandma On One Of These Machines!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 29, 2022

Grandpa was way up in years before he ever had the opportunity to go to an airport. He also had never seen an escalator in his life. He stood in amazement watching the escalator go up and down for the longest tme. Then, just as he was about to leave, he saw a whole bus-load of ladies from the ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Love, Marriage, Agape, Humor, Spouses  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Come As You Are

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Nov 21, 2024

A friend of mine in Louisiana had his 11 year old nephew for the weekend just after the uncle had had a close call with death and gotten released from the hospital. On Sunday morning, his nephew approached him. “Come on, Uncle, let’s go to church!” “But Dom, you don’t have any church clothes ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 1:18, Matthew 11:27, Romans 5:8

Tags: Come As You Are, God Loves All People

Denomination: Charismatic

Grief: God's Answer To Overwhelming Grief

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Aug 25, 2025

What follows is a true account, which I (Stephen) was fortunate enough to witness firsthand in the spring of 2015. My wife was an only child raised by a single mom, and as such was very close to her mother. Thus, when her mother died after 90 years my wife was severely grief stricken and would ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, 1 Samuel 3:9-10

Tags: Death, Prayer, Listen, Grief, Loved One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

A Kiss That Changed A Prodigal Into A Preacher!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

The late Joe Bayly was a gentle, godly Christian leader. I once heard him tell how one of his sons rebelled back in the days of the hippie movement. He grew his hair long and moved into a communal flophouse. Late one night, Bayly received a call informing him that his son was being held at one of ...read more

Tags: Prodigal Son, Fathers, Fathers And Sons, Luke 15, Parables, Lost, Father's Love, Unconditional Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Fixing My Face

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Aug 8, 2024

Illustration: Fixing My Face While on a hiking trip for the first time, Dad noticed his little boy kneeling at the spring looking at his distorted reflection in the water. He observed his son taking both hands and pushing his face this way and that. His dad said, “What’s wrong Son?” His son ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, Romans 13:14, 2 Timothy 3:14-16, Matthew 6:33

Tags: Distortion, Worldiness, Love Of World, Comformity, Comform, Humor, Commit, Habits, The World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Cleveland Stroud Had Coached The Blue Collar ...  PRO

Contributed by Lance Ladd on Aug 14, 2001

Cleveland Stroud had coached the Blue Collar Bulldogs for 18 years before his basketball team made it to the state championship. Stroud recalls that "it was the perfect night" when they won. "A night you dream of." He was carried around the gym on the shoulders of his triumphant players and their ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Integrity, Honesty, Faith, Christian Love, Character, Truthfulness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Cane Ridge Revival

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2011

THE CANE RIDGE REVIVAL One of those great revivals of the American past took place in the late spring and early summer of 1801 at Cane Ridge in central Kentucky. A pastor named Barton Stone, who had been called to serve this little Methodist church by Daniel Boone, decided to call a four-day ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Revival

Late One Summer Evening In Broken Bow, Nebraska, ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeeva Sam on Mar 20, 2001

Late one summer evening in Broken Bow, Nebraska, a weary truck driver pulled his rig into an all-night truck stop. The waitress had just served him when three tough looking, leather jacketed motorcyclists - of the Hell’s Angels type - decided to give him a hard time. Not only did they verbally ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:1-16, Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Anger, Christian Love, Praise, Love, Judging Others, Giving, Reaping And Sowing, Thankfulness, Worship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

An Image Better Than Adam's!" Isaiah 59:1-8 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 27, 2005

“An Image Better Than Adam’s!” Isaiah 59:1-8 Key verse(s): 1-2:“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.” Oh if we could but live one ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 59:1-8

Tags: Sin Separates From God, Soul Immortal

Denomination: Lutheran

One Time It Was My Privilege To Watch The Ascent ...  PRO

Contributed by David Dewitt on Dec 1, 2001

"One time it was my privilege to watch the ascent of a balloon. It was bound to the earth by many cords. As the process of filling it with gas began, it struggled to get free. The first line was cut, and immediately that side was lifted from the earth. Then the second and third ropes were ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:21-40

Tags: Holy Spirit, Heaven, Love Of The Disciples, Second Coming

Denomination: Church Of God

In May Of 1996, The Greatest Disaster In Mountain ...  PRO

Contributed by James O. Davis on Dec 5, 2001

In May of 1996, the greatest disaster in mountain climbing occurred on Mount Everest. The climbers stayed too long at the summit. A storm began to blow in. As they made their way down to an intermediate camp, they were engulfed in a full scale blizzard. The wind exceeded 60 knots. The chill ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Holy Spirit Attributes, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Life Is No Brief Candle To Me. It Is A Sort Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Dru Ashwell on Dec 16, 2001

"Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Sharing Your Faith, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Trouble With Success Is That The Formula Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

"The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown." ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, God Brings Hope, Workplace Balance