In Sermon Illustrations: "Positive Thinking"

As I Began To Write, A Very Clear, If Unusual ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on Jan 12, 2007

As I began to write, a very clear, if unusual illustration came to my mind. When you hear it at first you might be taken aback by the suggestion in the question. But, in light of what this series is about, discerning God’s purpose for each of us and our circumstances, it is a very good question to ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Let Down The Nets? Give Me A Break!

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 2, 2007

Let down the nets? Give me a break! But then...Luke says, “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” Not the kind of break Peter had in mind. Not the kind of outcome he had in mind either. Have you ever reached to lift something -- a milk jug, ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Finding God In Hardship

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Jan 19, 2009

Finding God in Hardship A dear friend of mine has been out of regular work for a couple of years. She has found enough temporary work to stay a float, but it has sometimes been a week-to-week challenge to pay the bills. As we were talking the other day, she said to me, "I am walking through my ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

I Was Tremendously Challenged By A Conversational ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 15, 2009

I was tremendously challenged by a conversational exchange in a short-lived situation comedy. It was a comedy where the late Danny Thomas played a doctor. There was a scene in “The Practice” where a nurse overhears Thomas’ character praying. When she comments on it, the doctor denies it. “I was not ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: *other

A Number Of Years Ago Jim Carry Stared In A Movie ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 20, 2009

A number of years ago Jim Carry stared in a movie that considered this very idea. In the movie “Liar, Liar”, Jim Carry plays a lawyer who is particularly good at stretching the truth. After promising, and then breaking his promise, to show up at his five-year-old son’s birthday party, the son ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Baptist

The Life Of Your ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

THE LIFE OF YOUR MIND "The French sculptor Auguste René Rodin, an innovative and sometimes controversial artist, created masterpieces such as The Man with the Broken Nose, St. John the Baptist, The Bronze Age, or the uncompleted Gates of Hell. But he is most likely known for his work entitled The ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:21-25

Tags: Bondage Of Sin, Sin Bondage To

What The Word "Dwelling In Us" Looks Like

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 19, 2009

WHAT THE WORD "DWELLING IN US" LOOKS LIKE I think Sam Storms, in his book on Colossians, describes well what it looks like for the word of Christ to dwell in us. He talks about the Scriptures calling out to us. "Don’t just read me," they seem to say. "Feast on me! Meditate! Ruminate! Saturate your ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: *other

A Flattered Pastor Becomes ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 14, 2009

A Flattered Pastor Becomes Proud A pastor received a Christmas card with a note in it, from a lady in his congregation. He said she was very complimentary about his preaching and compared him with Chuck Swindoll. She finished by writing, "I think you are one of the really great preachers of all ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3

Tags: Pride

I Want All Of You To Try Something. Don’t ...

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Mar 30, 2010

I want all of you to try something. Don’t speak. Just listen and observe. Look at the person next to you. Look into their eyes. What do you see? What do you feel? Do you see concern or confusion? Is it laughter or happiness? Is it pain, anger, or love? Can you see something about what the ...read more

Tags: Leadership Listening

Denomination: Lutheran

Ok Here, Banned Overseas

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 2, 2010

OK HERE, BANNED OVERSEAS When I was a child, this advertisement would not have had a dog's show of making it onto the tele. It's a picture of this young lady on an Australian beach, saying "We've saved a spot on the beach," and I think there's a bit that says, "We've had the camels shampooed." We ...read more

Tags: Culture

Denomination: Salvation Army

Good Without God

Contributed by John Sears on Jul 20, 2011

GOOD WITHOUT GOD An atheist organization recently got into hot water when it put up a billboard that crossed over onto church property. The message on the billboard read, "I can be good without God." What do you think? The funny thing is I agree, I think they are right! They have hit something ...read more

Tags: Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Christian Church

A Woman Came To Dr. Chalmers One Day And Said: ...  PRO

Contributed by John Hamby on Mar 24, 2003

“A woman came to Dr. Chalmers one day and said: Dr. Chalmers, I cannot get my child to come to the Savior. I’ve talked and talked to her, but it’s no use.’ The doctor thought to himself … and said, ‘Let me talk with your daughter by myself, and we will see what may be done.’ One day he met with ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

The Six Shooter Was A Popular Western, Broadcast ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 23, 2004

The Six Shooter was a popular western, broadcast on NBC radio from 1953-54. Jimmy Stewart starred as Britt Ponsett, a Texas plainsman. On one broadcast, Britt called a bully’s bluff even though his gun was several feet away on a dresser. In typical Stewart style, Ponsett told the tough guy he ...read more

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sgt. Juanita Wilson Was On Patrol Outside ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Sgt. Juanita Wilson was on patrol outside Baghdad when a roadside bomb exploded beneath her vehicle. She was trying to help her driver after the explosion when she felt something unusual. When she looked down, her hand was gone. Less than two years after her injury, she is demonstrating her ...read more

Tags: Faith

A Family Was Sitting Around The Dinner Table One ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A family was sitting around the dinner table one evening waiting for their dad to get in from work. Finally, he came in late because it had been a rough day. When he came in, he sat down at the table and offered thanks for the food. As soon as he finished his prayer, he began to complain and ...read more

Tags: Gifts Tongues

Build Me A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Build Me A Bridge A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish." The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:7

Tags: Marriage General

The Big Lie And Decoder Rings

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Mar 9, 2011

THE BIG LIE AND DECODER RINGS Here's the "Big Lie": You can sin and not die. We hear it all the time. The world trivializes sin. Much of the church trivializes sin. I have heard some pretty elaborate theories on how to sin and get away with it. Have you heard the one that God looks through ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Holiness

A Bone Or A Steak?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

A BONE OR A STEAK? Which is better, a bone or a steak? Think of it this way. It’s easy to give a dog a bone, but it’s almost impossible to take a bone away from a dog. Even our little Schnauzer, Betsy, the world’s friendliest dog, will growl at me if I try to take a bone away from her. But ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

See You On The Other Side Of The River

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 2, 2014

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER Kansas City, Missouri is separated from Kansas City, Kansas by the Missouri River. Years ago, there was an old farmer who lived on the Kansas side of the river. He had a farm, a wife and a beautiful daughter. The farmer and his family had never been across ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Death, Heaven, Funeral

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Come Anyway (No Excuse Sunday)

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Nov 7, 2020

To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday": • We will provide pillows to nap for those who need the extra sleep on Sunday morning. • We will have extra cushions for those who feel that our pews are too hard. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:18

Tags: Commitment, Faithfulness, Attendance, Sunday Morning

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed