After choosing the title of this sermon I began looking for an illustration that captured the sense of what I meant by a “black market sacrifice.” And to my great distress I found one – kind of. The search for an illustration became the illustration. Confused? Let me explain.
When I prepare
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Tobin Crenshaw on Aug 15, 2010
Take a young man from a wealthy family, strip him of all of his money until he finds himself homeless and has to beg on the street, hold him in a cell as a prisoner of war in a foreign land, and turn his family against him and what are the odds you would give for him to impact the world?
Or
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Brethren
I THOUGHT WE'D TALK MORE ABOUT GOD
Some years ago, a woman came to me for counseling. Her husband had died suddenly from a rapidly growing cancer, and she was overcome not only with grief but with fear regarding her future. She did not now know who she was or where she was to go. She was beside
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Presbyterian/Reformed
Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jul 8, 2007
based on 1 rating
| 3,348 views
Illustration: A Better Plan
When in college Robert J , Morgan came across a poem written by a teenage girl looking for a husband. It was written as a prayer, and this is what she said:
Dear God, I pray all unafraid / As girls are wont to be
I do not want a handsome man / But make him, Lord, like
...read more
Denomination:
Other
based on 2 ratings
| 2,632 views
A few years ago (2004), Gordon MacDonald, who is one of my favorite authors wrote a little book entitled A Resilient Life. In this book he tells the story of a coach and teacher named Marvin Goldberg who changed his life in a great way. MacDonald said that he tried out for football but was so
...read more
Denomination:
Pentecostal
Contributed by Chris Surber on Feb 8, 2008
Our family pet, Happy the Saint Bernard, really doesn’t eat as much food as one might think she would for such a large dog but just because she doesn’t eat as much food as one might think doesn’t mean she does not have good taste!
Happy is not such a big fan of dry dog food. If you fill her bowl
...read more
Denomination:
Christian Church
based on 3 ratings
| 3,708 views
Historical Background on the Book of Jonah: Following information from THE MINOR PROPHETS Jonah by Al Maxey
Jonah is the only "minor prophet" ever to be mentioned by Jesus Christ. He is also the only OT figure that Jesus Himself likens unto Himself (Matthew 12:39-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-32). Although
...read more
Denomination:
Evangelical/Non-Denominational
Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 16, 2008
based on 2 ratings
| 4,270 views
WHY DOES GOD ALLOW HARDSHIP?
We live in a mixed-up, messed-up world. Sometimes terrible things happen that don't make any sense at all, and we wonder why?
Steven Curtis Chapman is one of the best known singer-songwriters of contemporary Christian music. Over the last 15 or 20 years his songs have
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Baptist
Contributed by Chris Surber on Oct 24, 2008
Living the Full Christian Life
As believers, we have received a great inheritance and legacy. In Acts 17:11, Luke writes, "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Christian Church
Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 12, 2009
based on 2 ratings
| 5,292 views
LOVING HOLLAND
I love what Emily Kingsley says about disappointment and handling disappointment. She’s talking about the disappointment when your kids don’t turn out the way you thought they ought to turn out -- particularly a handicapped child. She says, "I’m often asked to describe the
...read more
Tags:
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 30, 2011
based on 1 rating
| 2,973 views
THE HEAVIEST LOADS
N. T. Wright, in writing about this passage (Mt 23:1-12), tells the story of trying to prepare for a hiking and camping trip. He went to an outfitter who took him around the store showing him everything he would need. The salesman recommended a good sleeping bag and a durable
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Methodist
Contributed by Thomas Cash on Jan 29, 2013
MAKE YOUR RESERVATION
Is your name written in the book of life?
Ruthanna Metzgar, a professional singer, tells a story that illustrates the importance of having our names written in the book of life. Several years ago, she was asked to sing at the wedding of a very wealthy man. According to the
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Christian/Church Of Christ
Contributed by Tim White on Apr 4, 2013
GOD IS ABSOLUTE
If we bought a new piano or a new organ and moved it into the sanctuary, we would need to tune it, or everything else, typically. The impression is that there are differences in how the instruments are tuned. If the new piano is tuned a little higher than the old equipment, then
...read more
Tags:
Denomination:
Baptist
Sermon Central