In Sermon Illustrations: "perhaps"

Goodbye, Mother!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 9, 2011

GOODBYE, MOTHER! A young man was walking through a supermarket to pick up a few things when he noticed a little old lady following him around. Thinking nothing of it, he ignored her and continued on. Finally he went to the checkout line, but she got in front of him. "Pardon me, sonny" she said, ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Stradivarius Mystery

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

STRADIVARIUS MYSTERY Perhaps the greatest of all Stradivarius mysteries is why no modern violinmaker has been able to replicate Stradivari’s work. The violins of Stradivari’s time were treated with a varnish made from the resinous material of any of a number of possible plants. We don’t know what ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:24-29

Tags: Growth In Christ

Fear Of Witnessing

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

FEAR OF WITNESSING Leighton Ford, Good News is for Sharing, 1977, David C. Cook Publishing Co., Page 15: In preparing for this book, I have talked to a lot of people, and the fear issue comes up front again and again. What makes people hesitate to share their faith? Here are some of the fears ...read more

Scripture: John 20:21-22

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

The Great Boston Fire Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 27, 2012

THE GREAT BOSTON FIRE OF 1872 In the great Boston fire of 1872, sixty-five acres of land was destroyed. The damage totaled up to $75 million but in our day would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 billion. Hundreds of businesses were destroyed. Someone came along and wrote a message on a rough ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Don't Worry Be ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2012

DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY The song Don’t Worry Be Happy was a late 80’s chart buster as it gained phenomenal success for such a simple song. The lyrics written by Bobby McFerrin were copied from original Indian sage from the late 1800’s whose mantra was one of peace. I remember the first time I heard ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Tags: Worry

Sweet Surrender  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 17, 2014

Abraham laid down his Isaac. Lay down your Isaac today and remember the words of Andrew Murray: God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him. Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ: "For many years I worked in New ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 22:1-18, Genesis 22:8

Tags: Surrender, Consecration, Testing Faith, Abraham And Isaac

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Get In The Game: Be A Disciple For Christ

Contributed by Pastor Randall Timblin on Oct 23, 2017

Discipleship is never easy. It’s not something that you are born with. However, when you are born again, it is something you should plan on doing. Discipleship can be as simple as sharing your testimony with others. Some of us don’t even have a testimony but should. What were you like ...read more

Tags: Football, Score, Quarterback, Discipleship, Testimony  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: *other

The Streams Of Mercy Are Still Flowing

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2019

Robert Robinson was a wild young man who came to repentance listening to a George Whitefield sermon. He later became a pastor and wrote a couple of hymns, particularly the famous, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", which was written in 1757. Later in life, Robinson wandered from the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1

Tags: Promises Of God, No Condemnation, Backsliding, Mercy Of God, Come Thou Fount  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Where Can I Find Joy In Life?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

People have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found: • Not in Unbelief — Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: “I wish I had never been born… (and at his ...read more

Tags: Joy, Trusting God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

President Mckinley Had A Mother Who Taught Him Well

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

As a lawyer, as a congressman, as Governor of Ohio, and as President of the United States, William McKinley had a close relationship with his mother. He either visited her or sent a message to her every day. When she became seriously ill, he arranged to have a special train standing by, ready to ...read more

Tags: Teach Your Children, Godly Mothers, Will Of God, Hymns

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You Carrying The World On Your Shoulders?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2023

Bruce Larson tells how he helped people struggling to surrender their lives to Christ: "For many years I worked in New York City and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with this yes-or-no decision. Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 55:22, Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Cares, Faith, Worry, Surrender, Burdens, Problems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Seven Things That Unite Us As Believers

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 2, 2023

Have you ever worked at a job where you felt a strong bond with your co-workers? Perhaps you were united by a sense of mission, or by a respect for your boss, or by the belief that a prosperous company will benefit everyone financially. The more points of agreement among members of a group, the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-13, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Fellowship, Church, Unity, One, Undivided, Division  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Two Faces Of Change!" 2 Kings 12: 1-8 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 9, 2005

“The Two Faces of Change!” 2 Kings 12: 1-8 Key verse(s): 2-3:“Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.” On June 4, 1783 at the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 12:1-8

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Are You A Patter?" 2 Timothy 4:11 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 8, 2005

“Are You A Patter?” 2 Timothy 4:11 Key verse(s) 11:“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” Everyone seems to have a purpose; but what is mine? Do you sometimes wonder just what your calling in life is? For some it seems pretty obvious. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:11

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

It Isn't Fair

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

IT ISN'T FAIR Have you ever had something happen to you which caused you to think, "This isn't fair!"? Ken Wyniemko sure has. Just like Paul, he was locked away for a crime that he did not commit. In 1994, he was convicted by a jury based of a horrible crime against a young woman on the basis of a ...read more

Tags: Anger

The Red Glove

Contributed by Chester Harris on Dec 4, 2008

THE RED GLOVE It was one of those rare wintry days on the campus of Asbury Seminary with snow drifting over the sidewalks and students slipping and sliding, intentionally and without serious intent! I needed to mail a letter and decided to trek the extra distance to the Wilmore post office, rather ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Methodist

Dreams

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“There are many ways of breaking a heart. Stories were full of hearts being broken by love, but what really broke a heart was taking away its dream - whatever that dream might be.” - Pearl S. Buck Everybody has a dream. What’s your dream? What was your dream when you were young and full of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:18

Tags: Adversity, Brokenhearted, Broken Dream

Denomination: Charismatic

Sinking Ships

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Apr 10, 2015

Let me share with you two stories that happened within two years of each other in the second decade of the Twentieth Century. The first you will know. On April 15, 1912, on which the Titanic plunged 12,000 feet to the Atlantic floor, some two hours and forty minutes after an iceberg tore a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Tags: Fear, Non-Anxious Presence, Ohana

Denomination: Anglican

Ears To Hear

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 27, 2015

I’ve done a lot of funerals in my twenty plus years of ministry, far more than I thought I would ever do. Every service touches me in a unique way and with each funeral I seem to come away with a life-lesson I needed to hear. Recently I was taught a valuable lesson as I eulogized a certain man. ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-25

Tags: Communication, Listen, Ears, Hearing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Remember Your Creator

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 13, 2020

How many of you remember minibikes? These “bikes” were smaller than motorcycles, and used a smaller engine. I thought they looked like lawnmower engines, but maybe they were bigger. The minibikes were fun, but you had to have space on your property to ride them. They weren’t legal for riding on the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 12:1

Tags: Death, Youth, Accidents

Denomination: Baptist