In Sermon Illustrations: "Philippians 1:20-31"

Too Often Our Gratitude Is Dependent Upon The ...  PRO

Contributed by John Roy on Jan 29, 2001

Too often our gratitude is dependent upon the circumstances of life. A beautiful hymn was written by Martin Rinkart during the thirty-year war to help us look beyond our circumstances and see the hand of God. Rinkart was a pastor in Saxony, Germany as the turbulent years of the war dragged on. For ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7

Tags: Joy, Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: *other

When Chances Come By Willo Lou Clark  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 14, 2001

"When Chances Come" BY Willo Lou Clark If you had been a lowly shepherd who heard the angels sing, Would you have left your sheep alone to find the baby King? If you had been the innkeeper - pressed & hurried since the dawn, Would you have done the best you could, or told them to move on? If you ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:12-14

Tags: Humanity Of Christ, Birth Of Jesus, Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Listen To These Words Of A Taxicab Driver: ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 23, 2001

Listen to these words of a taxicab driver: Because I drive the night shift, my cab often becomes a moving confessional. Passengers climb in, sit behind me in total anonymity, & tell me about their lives. I encounter people whose lives amaze me, ennoble me, make me laugh & sometimes weep. But ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-5

Tags: Character

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

For Thirteen Extraordinary Days In October Of ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Mar 2, 2001

For thirteen extraordinary days in October of 1962, the world stood on the brink of an unthinkable catastrophe. Across the globe, people anxiously awaited the outcome of a harrowing political, diplomatic and military confrontation that threatened to end in an apocalyptic nuclear exchange between ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Father's Will, God's Provision, Prayer Adoration, Prayer General, Obedience, Surrender, Selflessness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Being A Parent And A Father Can Be An ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Being a parent and a father can be an interesting and trying experience. Someone said, “Fathers spend the first part of a child’s life urging him to talk and walk, and the rest of his childhood telling him to sit down and keep quiet.” A son who was in college wrote home to his dad. He said, “Dear ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:2-21

Tags: Children, Father's Day, Challenge, Parenting

All Your Strength

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Illustration: One day a small boy was trying to lift a heavy stone, but he couldn’t budge it. His father, passing by, stopped to watch his efforts. Finally he said to his son: “Are you using all your strength?’ “Yes, I am,” the boy cried, exasperated. “No,” the father said calmly, “You’re not. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: God Brings Purpose

At The Crossroad  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

At the Crossroad “I encountered a man on the Road of life, so sure of himself – so convinced he was right. He had (his) religion, but he didn’t know God, And though he had eyes, I thought that rather odd: He only could see what he wanted to see. So, blind to the truth that could set his soul ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:21

Tags: Decision, Salvation, Cross, Choice, Easter Palm Sunday  (view more)  (view less)

One Of The Earliest And The Most Outstanding ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One of the earliest and the most outstanding intellectuals, leaders and defenders of the Christian faith was Augustine, the fourth century writer of the “Confessions of Saint Augustine,” one of the most famous tell-all autobiographies written. Young Augustine was a hedonist, a philosopher, an ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:1-11

Tags: Servanthood

For Many Of Us, Our New Years Resolutions Seem To ...  PRO

Contributed by Jay Winters on Jan 10, 2008

For many of us, our New Years resolutions seem to resemble carbon dating – where we can establish the date of our resolution by how many “half lives” it has had. Here are some examples: 2003: I will read at least 10 books a year. 2004: I will read 5 books a year. 2005: I will finish Portals of ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-16

Tags: Money, Diet, Resolution, New Year, Carbon Dating  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

We Often Lose Our Joy  PRO

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Apr 5, 2008

We often lose our joy Well I brought some joy with me this morning Joy detergent, Almond Joy, Joystick What happens when you run out of Joy? You have an empty bottle, all you have left is Almond, and you video game doesn’t work. Life just isn’t as good when you run out of joy Maybe you are here ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4

Denomination: Baptist

A Thanks Offering For Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Thanks Offering For Heaven Philippians 3:20 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:20

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Remember Me ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

REMEMBER ME NOT... Marilyn Anderes tells the story of a devoted Christian named Cheryl Stephens. Cheryl was a young mother who struggled with cancer, but was determined to keep ministering to others. She went home to Jesus on Nov. 19, 2003 at age 44. Cheryl’s friends say she lived out Phil 1:21 ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:21

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Got An Attitude??  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Got an Attitude?? Scripture says this about your attitude: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Apathy Club  PRO

Contributed by Dean O'bryan on Aug 25, 2008

The Apathy Club Did you hear about the college students who wanted to form a new organization on their campus? They called it the "Apathy Club"? Their "Apathy Club" wasn't going to be like any other student group. Where most organizations have a purpose or goal -- or some common interest to unify ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:10-19

Tags: Path, Promise, Apathy, Performance, Commitment To Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of Love

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

THE POWER OF LOVE An old fable tells how different instruments tried to master a piece of iron. The blows of the ax fell heavily, but its edge became more and more blunt. The saw’s relentless teeth worked until they were worn down or broken The hammer’s head flew off at the first stroke. Despite ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:9-11

Tags: Church General

Above Reproach

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

ABOVE REPROACH A friend told Plato of a terrible charge that had been leveled against the famous philosopher. Knowing it was not true, his friend said, "What are we going to do?" Plato replied, "We must simply live in such a way that all people will know it is false." Paul said that an elder is to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:9-11

Tags: Action

Heroes Who Can't Swim

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

HEROES WHO CAN'T SWIM Paul Harvey tells the story of Ray Blankenship preparing his breakfast and gazing out the window, when he saw a small girl being swept along in the rain-flooded drainage ditch beside his Andover, Ohio, home. Blankenship knew that farther downstream, the ditch disappeared with ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:13

Tags: Christian Disciplines

When A Dream Dies

Contributed by Stephen Funderburk on Jan 18, 2009

When a Dream Dies When a dreams dies, the world is not the same You realize in an instant everything has changed Tomorrow will be different The plans will all be new For the dream that you were chasing No longer lives inside of you. To know the race is over and you’ve been left behind Is like a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Tags: Goals

Denomination: Assembly Of God

In My Walks, Every Man I Meet Is My Superior In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3

Tags: Thought

Forgetfulness: A Gift Of God Bestowed Upon ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

Forgetfulness: a gift of God bestowed upon debtors in compensation for their ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7

Tags: Money