In Sermon Illustrations: "Providence"

Someone Has Said That We Are In Danger Of ...

Contributed by William Hooper on Jul 12, 2007

Someone has said that we are in danger of entertaining ourselves to death. In his blog, Michael Spencer has said that "work must be entertaining. Education must be entertaining. Marriage must be entertaining. Family life must be entertaining. Children must be entertained. Our lives must be full of ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Justice Scalia, In A Supreme Court Decision ...  PRO

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Dec 31, 2007

Justice Scalia, in a Supreme Court decision involving the so-called “separation of church and state” wrote: “Church and state would not be such a difficult subject if religion were, as the Court apparently thinks it to be, some purely personal avocation that can be indulged entirely in secret, like ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:14-19

Tags: Separation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Many Of You Remember The Struggles Of The Viet ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Many of you remember the struggles of the Viet Nam War. During that war, our troops would often set up “fire bases”. These were bases where troops & artillery would be placed. They were arranged in such a way that if one fire base was attacked, usually one or two other bases could provide covering ...read more

Everett Ferguson (Early Christians Speak -- Faith ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2008

Everett Ferguson (Early Christians Speak -- Faith and Life in the First Three Centuries, Revised Edition (Abilene, Texas: Abilene Christian University Press, 1981, 1987) - The sharing of food by the wealthier with the poorer was an important means of charity. The host provided food for those chosen ...read more

No Teeth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

NO TEETH Walking towards the United Nations Building in New York City, a street evangelist was observed who was trying to get the attention of passers-by. He urged those near him to flee from the wrath to come. "I warn you," he roared, "that there will be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:47-50

Tags: Hell

C. S. Lewis Said That

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 29, 2009

C. S. Lewis said that “the devil laughs when he sees us overcome by pride: “He is perfectly content to see you becoming chaste and brave and self-controlled provided, all the time, he is setting up in you the Dictatorship of Pride… For Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Other

Ocean Liner

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

I have never been on a cruise; but I have watched people board a luxury liner. That ship may carry the passengers all the way to the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. And the passengers arrive simply by boarding the ship. And I understand it can be a very enjoyable trip. Can you imagine swimming from ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9-10, Romans 11:6, Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Grace, Trust, Grace Alone

Denomination: Charismatic

How An Animal Migrates Is Significant In ...

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 27, 2006

How an animal migrates is significant in determining how much energy is needed as well as how much must be stored in the body. Flying, for example, is more physically intensive than walking or swimming, so migratory birds must build up large energy stores before they set off. Just before spring and ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

I ...

Contributed by Elijah Stepp on May 11, 2008

Illustration: (From Speaker’s Sourcebook II by Glenn Ven Eckeren) Perhaps you heard about the church that planned to have the “No Excuse” Sunday Service…. Their advertisement for their “No Excuse Sunday” read as follows…. Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say "Sunday is my only day ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Some Early Settlers Were Traveling Together ...

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jul 14, 2008

Some EARLY SETTLERS were traveling together across the western prairies of the United States. One day they were horrified to see a fire fanned by strong wind coming their way. As the flames raced closer and closer, one man, to the amazement of the others, set fire to a large patch of grass ...read more

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: Baptist

Accepting Or Complaining

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 16, 2009

ACCEPTING OR COMPLAINING In 2002, Lisa Beamer was interviewed by a writer for Today’s Christian Woman. She was asked "What happened to you on 9-11?" Lisa gave some details of the early part of that day and then says, "As soon as I heard that (it had been her husband’s flight), I cried out 'No!' ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

Recently Julie Expressed Her Desire To Go On Our ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 27, 2009

Recently Julie expressed her desire to go on our Church missions trip to Cambodia. She was excited because we expected that the Government’s stimulus package of $900.00 for each person would cover the cost. All we had to do was put in our tax returns. My $900.00 came as expected, so we had more ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Follow The Light

Contributed by Tim Baker on Jan 5, 2018

When I flew airplanes regularly landing at night was very different than daylight. I would use the instruments to guide me to the airport over most of the trip, but since I was a VFR pilot I would use my eyes outside of the cockpit to land the plane. In the daylight using your eyes to land was ...read more

Tags: Light, Light And Darkness, Light For Our Path

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Really Connected  PRO

Contributed by Ervin Kimrey on May 21, 2005

NEVER REALLY CONNECTED One night I saw my 7 year old daughter walking around with a cell phone. She was talking away. She would ask questions, wait for a reply, and give answers to apparent questions: "Yes...no...maybe...I’ll have to check on that..." and so on. Finally, worried about the bill ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Denomination: Baptist

Let's Learn How To Gain Perspective. Look At This ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wilkerson on Dec 31, 2005

Let’s learn how to gain perspective. Look at this paragraph. Most of us can read it even though most of it is misspelled. This is because as long as a word has the right beginning and ending letter it is usually readable provided the words are in a person’s common vocabulary. Aoccdrnig to ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Pushover Parents: A Recent Study Found That 24% ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Pushover Parents: A recent study found that 24% of teens say their parents have given them alcohol, and 21% have been to a party where alcohol was supplied by the parents. Focus on the Family’s Dr. Bill Maier attributes the problem to what he calls pushover parents. “Unfortunately, there are a ...read more

Tags: Children

Duke Ellington, The Late Jazz Musician, Composer ...

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 11, 2007

Duke Ellington, the late jazz musician, composer and renowned band leader was once asked to provide a definition of “rhythm.” He responded, “If you got it, you don’t need no definition. And if you don’t have it, ain’t no definition gonna help!” Hopefully vision is not quite that elusive. In ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:18

Denomination: Baptist

The Kid Vote- Today's Kids Really Understand The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

The Kid Vote- Today’s kids really understand the impact of voting because they are actually doing it. How cool is it to actually vote for the newest American Idol®? That day, 63 million votes were cast, 43 million tuned in to the finale. Many were kids, tweens and teens, along with their parents. ...read more

I Serve, God Does  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 15, 2002

I SERVE, GOD DOES Humility in leadership can be achieved if one learns to view his role as a simple service to others. Indeed, this is the very essence of leadership: giving energy, not receiving it. And perhaps the surest way to ensure such an outward flow of energy is to think of oneself ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience, Temptation Pride, Humility

Though This May Be An Oversimplification, There ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Waddell on Nov 30, 2002

Though this may be an oversimplification, there are basically two fundamental worldviews with regard to the subject of TRUTH. These two views can be compared to playdough and a rock. They are two ways to view the world in which we live. The playdough worldview sees truth as flexible, changing, ...read more

Tags: Truth Absolute, Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ