In Sermon Illustrations: "Pure Light"

We Were Just One

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Nov 24, 2008

WE WERE JUST ONE During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Wesleyan

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

THE PUSH A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning by a loud pounding on their door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger in the pouring rain is asking for a push. "Not a chance!" says the husband. "It’s three o’clock in the morning!" He slams the door ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Servanthood

Answered Prayer On A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

ANSWERED PRAYER ON A PLANE WELLINGTON, New Zealand--Grant Stubbs and Owen Wilson were flying up the sloping valley of Pelorus Sound in New Zealand, admiring the beautiful panoramic view. Then there was a cough. "Bless you, Owen." "For what, Grant?" "Your cough." "I didn’t cough." "Oh." Then ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Slow And Steady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but for sanctification, a process that is slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Energy, Fuel

Daniel In The Lion's Den

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 13, 2022

Need this picture displayed for illustration: https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/moody-daniel-lions/ Charles Stanley tells of a time when he was struggling with much opposition. In the midst of the turmoil, an elderly member of his church invited him to her apartment for lunch. He ...read more

Tags: Fear, Almighty, Powerful

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

If We Could Only See From God's Perspective

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 7, 2022

A man was walking along a railroad track on a very dark night when he came to a bridge.  He had gotten halfway across when he heard a train whistle up ahead.  He quickened his pace, but soon could see the light of the oncoming locomotive approaching.   With nowhere ...read more

Tags: Faith, Fear, Jesus, Obedience, Peter, Miracles, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Four Descriptions Of A Life Without Christ

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

Satan hates God and everything and everyone in the Kingdom of God. He fights the Kingdom on a daily basis and will continue to try to stop the Gospel from spreading (I Thess. 2:18, Ephesians 6:11-12). Paul described the condition of all of those who are unbelievers and living in the Kingdom of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10, 2 Corinthians 3:12-18, Acts 16:31, 1 Corinthians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 4:1-4  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Satan, Salvation, Gospel, Lost, Unsaved, Spiritual Blindness, Unbelievers, Perishing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Angel Of Music

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 14, 2023

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:4

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Armor Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Are Your Own Worst Enemy.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

"Cain slew Abel, but Cain’s worst enemy was himself". - R E Neighbour “There is an old Icelandic legend that contains its own lesson. There was a man who was constantly pursued by a terrible spirit which took the form of a dwarf. His grain ricks were fired, his barns unroofed, his ...read more

Tags: Offerings, Enemies, Murder, Self, Hate, Cain, Abel, Blood Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Contact With Another World

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2024

A group of scientists are directing their thoughts and needs into the heavens, but not to the God of the Bible. They have calculated that as many as fifty million civilizations may exist somewhere in space, and they believe that some of them may have found methods to improve our lives and control ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24

Tags: Prayer, Intercession, Believing, Asking, Scientists, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Basketball Theology

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 18, 2026

Basketball theology Center/forward — Where nobody usually sits on Sunday mornings. Free throw — A toddler's toss of toys. Timeout A sermon gone too long. On the bench — The organist (pia- nist). Three-point play The structure of any good sermon. Offensive foul — A newly discov- ered baby's ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship, Sermon

Denomination: Methodist

Those Nasty Redo's! (10.06.05--Beginning ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2005

Those Nasty Redo’s! (10.06.05--Beginning Again!--Genesis 16:7-10) Time is one of the most precious commodities that God gives us daily. The time to do things is always limited. And, we need to balance the things we want to do with the things we need to do. Therein is the tension. I start each ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:7-10

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Promises Of God

Denomination: Lutheran

Who Was Weak And Who Was Strong?

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on May 27, 2009

WHO WAS WEAK AND WHO WAS STRONG? April 6, 1994 marked the beginning of dark and infamous days for Rwanda, a small country in central Africa. For the next hundred days, up to 800,000 Tutsis were killed by Hutu militia — mostly using clubs and machetes. It was a genocide of monumental proportions, ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Methodist

High Diver Training For Olympics ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2009

High Diver Training For Olympics Saved 2 Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish , but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:9-10

Tags: Salvation

Recently My Family And I Were Traveling North On ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jan 19, 2010

Recently my family and I were traveling north on 251 to visit a local retail store. While we drove we noticed a huge plume of smoke in the air. As it turns out, we were not the only people in town who had gathered to witness the blaze at Crafter’s Village. Upon pulling into a nearby parking lot ...read more

Tags: God's Love, Purification

Denomination: Christian Church

Galatians 4:4-5 Says "But When The Time Had ...

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Aug 26, 2012

Galatians 4:4-5 says “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” We’re sons. We’ve been redeemed from UNDER the Law. Those UNDER the Mosaic law lived UNDER the strict rules and ...read more

Tags: Law

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Agony Of Defeat

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 28, 2012

"THE AGONY OF DEFEAT" Some of you might remember the TV program "The Wide World of Sports". For many years, the opening of the program opened like this: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport; the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat." The opening illustrated "the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:12

Tags: Change

Great Verses For Following Jesus

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 16, 2020

FOLLOWING JESUS. Beside each passage of Scripture, write down what you think that verse is saying about following Jesus in the coming year. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Philippians ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship, New Year, Following Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

E. There Is A Sylvie Dosrosiers Play That Ran On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

E. THERE IS A SYLVIE DOSROSIERS PLAY THAT RAN ON BROADWAY IN 1995 ENTITLED, "THE LONG SILENCE" THAT SAYS IT ALL, “AT THE END OF TIME, WHERE BILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED ON A GREAT PLAIN BEFORE GOD’S THRONE. MOST SHRANK FROM THE BRILLIANT LIGHT BEFORE THEM, BUT SOME GROUPS NEAR THE FRONT TALKED ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Henry Winstanley Never For Lacked For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Henry Winstanley never for lacked for confidence. Becoming a man as England was becoming the mercantile juggernaut in the late 1600s, Henry Winstanley was a man who knew how to make a name for himself. He made his money as a showman, and then invested it in ships. A proud man, he knew that ...read more

Tags: Temptation Pride