In Sermon Illustrations: "Persecuted Christian" showing 601-620 of 8,426

Ayn Rand Vs. Christian Community

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2014

What we observe in that early community of Christians stands in stark contrast to the philosophy of Ayn Rand, who has been getting a lot of press lately. She is known for her belief in what she called Rational Egoism which translates Rational Self-Interest which she described as "The Virtue of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Selfishness, Atheism, Capitalism

Christians Aren't Any Different

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 5, 2016

CHRISTIANS AREN’T ANY DIFFERENT “We find there is very little difference in ethical behavior between churchgoers and those who are not active religiously. The levels of lying, cheating, and stealing are similar in both groups. Eight out of ten Americans consider themselves Christians, Gallup ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-16

Tags: Morality, Ten Commandments, Church In America

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do Not Jump To Judge Other Christians

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 14, 2019

Don't Jump to Judge Other Christians This is God's message for us in Romans 14:3-4, where Paul said: 3. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:3-4

Tags: Judging Others, False Assumptions

Denomination: Baptist

Ancient Christian Fable - There Is No Other Plan

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

There is an ancient Christian fable ... that tells of Jesus encounter ...as he reentered ...Heaven. As the angels spoke with him, ...Gabriel, noticed ...that Jesus bore the marks of the cross, ...and being inquisitive, ...said to Jesus: Master, ...you must have suffered terribly for those people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19, Romans 10:14, Acts 8:4-7, Acts 1:8

Tags: Salvation, Plan, Fisher Of Men, You

Denomination: Anglican

Unsung Heroes-Claudius Lysias

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 22, 2023

Introduction: He was a high-ranking officer in the Roman army, mentioned only a couple of times in Scripture. We don’t know if he ever became a Christian, but we do know that he saved the life of Paul the apostle at least twice! Text: Acts 24:22-23, KJV: 22 And when Felix heard these things, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 24:22-23

Tags: Persecution, Paul, Claudius Lysias

Denomination: Baptist

Christians Do Get Divorced. Some For Biblical ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

Christians do get divorced. Some for Biblical reasons. According to researcher George Barna, the ratio of Christians who have been divorced is higher than the percentage of non-Christians. In his sample of almost 4000 adults, Christians led non-Christians in divorce by a margin of 3 percentage ...read more

Tags: Faith, Divorce, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Baptist

Christian Author And Speaker Joni Eareckson Tada ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 30, 2001

Christian author and speaker Joni Eareckson Tada writes: I’m a quadriplegic, yet I can drive a van (my hand is secured to a big joystick so I can steer, accelerate, and brake). I enjoy being independent, so if there’s something I can do, I will - even if it means tackling the drive-thru at a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:19-20, Ephesians 2:11-22

Tags: Patience, Peace, Lord, Giving General, Give Thanks, Forgiveness, Christian Disciplines  (view more)  (view less)

John Stott In Authentic Christianity Noted: "We ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 30, 2001

John Stott in Authentic Christianity noted: "We need to repent of the haughty way in which we sometimes stand in judgment upon Scripture and must learn to sit humbly under its judgments instead. If we come to Scripture with our minds made up, expecting to hear from it only an echo of our own ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Disciplines Scripture, Bible Influence, Bible Study, Security

A Christian Man Is The Most Free Lord Of All, ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Apr 3, 2001

"A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one." ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Kingdom Of God, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Baptist

Notice John Wesley’s Rule For Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Apr 17, 2001

Notice John Wesley’s Rule for Christian Living Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ, Christian Disciplines, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

One Day I Was Seeking To Emphasize To A Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 23, 2001

One day I was seeking to emphasize to a Christian Brother the intimacy of this union. We happened to be drinking tea together, so I took a lump of sugar and stirred it into my tea. A couple of minutes later I asked, “Can you tell me where the sugar is now, and where’s the tea?” “No,” he said, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Parable General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Christian Hope Is The Hope Which Has Seen ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on May 10, 2001

"The Christian hope is the hope which has seen everything and endured everything, and has still not despaired, because it believes in God. The Christian hope is not hope in the human spirit, in human goodness, in human endurance, in human achievement; the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:12

Tags: God Brings Hope, Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Andy Was Raised In A Christian Home And Knows All ...  PRO

Contributed by Daryl Bahn on Jul 7, 2001

Andy was raised in a Christian home and knows all about God—but lately he’s wandered away. He’s become more concerned about “keeping up with the Joneses” and keeping up with the bills. Church has become less important, and God no longer is a part of his daily life. He’ll get around to it ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Apologetics General, Misconceptions

Denomination: Lutheran

A Young Christian Went To His Local Church ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Aug 3, 2001

A young Christian went to his local church usually, but one weekend attended a small town church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the young man, "It was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs." "Hymns," said his wife, ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Despite Its Christian Heritage, The United States ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Aug 14, 2001

Despite its Christian heritage, the United States leads every other nation in the industrialized world in the percentage of single-parent families (23%), abortion rate (22.9 per 1,000 women aged 15-44), sexually transmitted diseases (syphillis rate is 6.3 per 100,000 and gonorrhea rate is 149.5 per ...read more

Tags: Sin General, Sexuality, Abortion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

At Least 75 Christians Killed In Manila Hotel ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Aug 29, 2001

At Least 75 Christians Killed In Manila Hotel Fire August 20, 2001 By: Stefan J. Bos Eastern Europe Correspondent for ASSIST News Service MANILA, PHILIPPINES -- (ANS) -- An early morning fire that swept through a suburban Manilla hotel Saturday has killed at least 75 people, mostly participants at ...read more

Tags: Sermon On The Mount, Christian Disciplines, Attributes, Doubt

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Paul Harvey Said, "Too Many Christians Are No ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 10, 2001

Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Church Small Groups

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Many Christians Have Been Infected With The Most ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Sep 21, 2001

Many Christians have been infected with the most virulent virus of modern American life, what sociologist Robert Bellah calls "radical individualism." They concentrate on personal obedience to Christ as if all that matters is "Jesus and me," but in doing so, miss the point altogether. For ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Tags: Church Body Of Christ, Church Purpose Of, Church Small Groups, Renewal

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Earlier That Same Year, 1885, Three Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Hereford on Oct 30, 2001

"Earlier that same year, 1885, three Christian boys had shed their blood for Christ in Uganda. The king had ordered the arrest of these page boys in an effort to stamp out Christianity. The eldest was fifteen and the youngest was eleven-year-old Yusufu. They held fast their faith and staked their ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-12, John 14:12, 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christian, If Thou Wouldst Know The Path Of Duty, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2002

Christian, if thou wouldst know the path of duty, take God for thy compass; if thou wouldst steer thy ship through the dark billows, put the tiller into the hand of the Almighty. Many a rock might be escaped, if we would let our Father take the helm; many a shoal or quicksand we might well avoid, ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:6

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers, God's Omniscience, God The Father