In Sermon Illustrations: "Present"

The Article "What Good Is A Tree?" In Reader's ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jan 23, 2004

The article "What Good Is a Tree?" in Reader’s Digest explained that when the roots of trees touch, there is a substance present that reduces competition. In fact, this unknown fungus helps link roots of different trees--even of dissimilar species. A whole forest may be linked together. If one ...read more

Tags: Lord's Supper

The Fundamental Idea Of Spirit In Hebrew And ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Apr 6, 2005

“The Fundamental idea of Spirit in Hebrew and Greek is breath, air, wind, storm – the intensity depending on the context. It may be a gentle breath (John 20:22), a gale-force wind (Ex 15:8), a cooling breeze (Gen 3:8). Most essentially Spirit is transcendent and divine, not mere flesh; it is the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:17-18, Psalm 69:1-3, 1 Samuel 17:1

Tags: Holy Spirit Baptism, Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit In Believers, Spirit

Denomination: *other

Parents Support Abstinence Based Sex Education ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Parents Support Abstinence based sex education according to a new Zogby International poll. It found that 75% of parents disapproved of the condom-based sex education curriculum promoted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 61% also disapproved of the “comprehensive” sex ...read more

Tags: Sexuality

A.m. Hunter Says, "'remembering,' In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Darryl Bell on Apr 17, 2006

A.M. Hunter says, “’Remembering,’ in the biblical idiom, is not to entertain a pallid idea of a past event in one’s mind, but to make the event present again so that it controls the will and becomes potent in our lives for good or ill” (quoted in David Garland, The NIV Application Commentary: Mark, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:14-20

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Individuals Read Web Pages In An "F" Pattern. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 17, 2006

Individuals Read Web Pages in an “F” pattern. They’re more inclined to read longer sentences at the top of a page and less and less as they scroll down says a recent Nielsen Norman Group study. That makes the first 2-3 words of a sentence very important. Surfers connect well with images of people ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Individuals Read Web Pages In An "F" Pattern. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2007

Individuals Read Web Pages in an “F” pattern. They’re more inclined to read longer sentences at the top of a page and less and less as they scroll down says a recent Nielsen Norman Group study. That makes the first 2-3 words of a sentence very important. Surfers connect well with images of people ...read more

Individuals Read Web Pages In An "F" Pattern. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 18, 2007

Individuals Read Web Pages in an “F” pattern. They’re more inclined to read longer sentences at the top of a page and less and less as they scroll down says a recent Nielsen Norman Group study. That makes the first 2-3 words of a sentence very important. Surfers connect well with images of people ...read more

A Little Girl Asked Her Father Why Firemen ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A little girl asked her father why firemen stayed in the firehouse all day and polished their engines and other equipment. He explained that they did this to pass the time while waiting for fire calls. Many Christians likewise stay close to the familiar surroundings of the church community, ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Kids Write To Santa

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

KIDS WRITE TO SANTA "Dear Santa, you did not bring me anything good last year. You did not bring me anything good the year before that. This is your last chance. Signed, Alfred." "Dear Santa, There are three little boys who live at our house. There is Jeffrey; he is 2. There is David; he is 4. ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Dead Christmas

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

DEAD CHRISTMAS A television interviewer was walking the streets of Tokyo at Christmas time. Much as in America, Christmas shopping is a big commercial success in Japan. The interviewer stopped one young woman on the sidewalk, and asked, "What is the meaning of Christmas?" Laughing, she responded, ...read more

Tags: Christmas

My God, I Have Never Thanked Thee For My Thorn. ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn. I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorn. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross; but I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory. Teach me the glory of my ...read more

Tags: Emotions

A Loving Congregation

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

This is the greatest need we have in the local congregation today – to be seen as a place where love for on another is present. What does that look like? A quote from St. Francis of Assisi: “Blessed is the servant who loves his brother as much when he is sick and useless as when he is well and an ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35, 1 Peter 4:8

Tags: Love, St Francis Of Assisi

Denomination: Methodist

Have You Heard The Classic Short Story By ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2002

Have you heard the classic short story by O’Henry, "The Gift of the Magi?" The story is about a young married couple who are very much in love. Christmas is approaching and neither one has enough money to buy the other a Christmas gift. Each one does have one prized possession that they hold dear ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Andrew Carnegie, The Multimillionaire, Left $1 ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 1, 2003

Andrew Carnegie, the multimillionaire, left $1 million for one of his relatives, who in return cursed Carnegie thoroughly because he had left $365 million to public charities and had cut him off with just one measly million. Samuel Leibowitz, criminal lawyer and judge, saved 78 men from the ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ, Becoming A Christian

Denomination: Baptist

Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. Is A ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Santos on Sep 23, 2004

Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. is a mission-organization founded in 1957. It is now 46 years old. Members, workers, leaders and sponsors have come and go but the mission of the Lord is continuously growing and doing mightily in the sight of God. At present, there are 260 workers in the ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Son Of A Wealthy Man Expected To Receive A ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 13, 2006

The son of a wealthy man expected to receive a sports car for his graduation. Instead his Dad called him into his study, told him that he loved him and handed him a wrapped-up present. When he opened it, he found it to be a box containing a leather bound Bible, with his name inscribed on the ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Anglican

Christmas Season  PRO

Contributed by Steve Smith on Dec 4, 2006

ILL: Christmas Season Listen to this parody of the Christmas season that I read this past week: "And there were in the same country children keeping watch over there stockings by the fireplace. And lo! And was said unto them `Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that is for ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

A Young African Boy Listened Intently As The ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Dec 4, 2003

A young African boy listened intently as the missionary teacher explained why Christians give presents to each other on Christmas Day. ’An expression of our joy over the birth of Jesus and our love for one another’. When Christmas came the boy brought the teacher a very beautiful sea shell. ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Christmas

Elizabeth Elliot Tells In Her Book "Passion And ...  PRO

Contributed by Lou Nicholes on Nov 9, 2004

Elizabeth Elliot tells in her book “Passion and Purity,” how on her first date with Jim Elliot (one of the five martyred missionaries in Ecuador), they went to a missionary meeting at Moody Church in Chicago, late in April. The speaker was one of the daughters of the famous missionary to Africa ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 8:1-8

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Baptist

Sarah

Contributed by Charles Salmon on Nov 7, 2006

Sarah. An elderly lady, a resident in the county nursing home, attended my weekly Bible class. I asked how they thought they would react if present when Jesus raised this widow’s son. Sarah answered, “I would be scared and run away.” She was a devout person, so I probed a little, “What if it were ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ