In Sermon Illustrations: "Pure Motives"

To Kill A Mockingbird" Is One Of My Favorite ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Sep 3, 2005

“To Kill A Mockingbird” is one of my favorite stories. The main character is Atticus Finch, a lawyer and father who defends a young black man of rape in 1932. As you can imagine, in that day that was not a popular decision. He’s called all kinds of names and even his children bear the brunt of his ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Christian Church

A Pastor I Know, Stephey Bilynskyj, Starts Each ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

A pastor I know, Stephey Bilynskyj, starts each confirmation class with a jar full of beans. He asks his students to guess how many beans are in the jar, and on a big pad of paper writes down their estimates. Then, next to those estimates, he helps them make another list: Their favorite songs. When ...read more

Tags: Faith General, Crutch

Rev. David E. Cox Passed Along This Observation ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Jan 11, 2007

Rev. David E. Cox passed along this observation to his congregation one day. My youngest son, Brandon, is quite the newcomer as an author. No, he does not have the capabilities of writing splendid poetry like Maya Angelou nor leaves his readers in suspense like Stephen L. Carter, but with every ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Some Of You Are Familiar With The Musical Man Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

Some of you are familiar with the musical Man of Lamancha. 1. It is the story of Don Quixote, the weird character who jousts with windmills and envisions himself as a knight slaying dragons. 2. The most poignant part of the musical is his relationship with Aldonza. 3. She was a woman of ...read more

Christian People Are Prayerful  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

E.M. Bounds says in his book on prayer: Nothing distinguishes the children of God so clearly and strongly as prayer. It is the one infallible mark and test of being a Christian. Christian people are prayerful. The worldly-minded are prayer less. Christians call on God. The world ignores God and ...read more

Tags: Communion, Lord's Supper, God's Provision

Preach The Word  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

PREACH THE WORD I am greatly diappointed in the preachers of today, With their logic and their ethics, their aristocratic way; With their science and their theories and their new theology, Full of everything but Jesus and His love for you and me. There is plenty in the Bible for preachers of ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Sacrificial Love

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

SACRIFICIAL LOVE March 2008. A Starbucks barista (server), 51-year-old Sandie Andersen, donated a kidney to a regular, longtime customer, in order to save her life. 55-year-old Annamarie Ausnes stated during a talk with Andersen that she needed a kidney transplant. The only problem was that her ...read more

Tags: Character

Bought To Be Freed

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Jul 27, 2008

BOUGHT TO BE FREED A young girl was being sold at auction one day. She was a beautiful girl, tall and slender. The bidding was keen, and quickly mounted higher and higher until at last only two men were left bidding for her ownership: the one a low, uncouth foul-mouthed fellow who raised his bid ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Christian Church

While Using This Illustration You Need A Clear ...

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Nov 12, 2008

While using this illustration you need a clear pitcher with a small amount of diluted coffee in it, and a pitcher of clear water to pour into the coffee to illustrate the point Jesus Christ gives us living water (John 4). So water mixed with dirt makes mud. So when we are saved we receive the ...read more

Tags: Sanctification, Spiritual Growth

Denomination: Baptist

Hormone ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

HORMONE HURRICANES Josh McDowell is one of christianity’s foremost experts on teenagers. His research shows that in evangelical church circles, 65% of teens have had some kind of sexual experience before the age of 18. 43% say they have actually gone all the way. He asked them where they learned ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Tags: Temptation, Temptation Sex

Nazarene

Contributed by Clark Tanner on Sep 28, 2009

NAZARENE God could have come to the earth and assumed immediately the role of King of the World, and who could have resisted Him? He could have come with great pomp and ceremony. He could have entered the world a Man full-grown with rings on every finger, wrapped in robes spun in the halls of ...read more

Tags: Jesus Life

Denomination: Orthodox

Tim Stafford Of "Christianity Today” ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 3, 2010

Tim Stafford of “Christianity Today” magazine said (September 14, 1992, p. 36): A pastor I know, Stephey Belynskyj, starts each confirmation class with a jar full of beans. He asks his students to guess how many beans are in the jar, and on a big pad of paper writes down their estimates. Then, ...read more

Tags: Confirmation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Robert A. Fryling, In His Article Titled, A ...

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jul 12, 2010

Robert A. Fryling, in his article titled, A Renewed Mind: The Practice of Humble Thought, said, “A blessed person is one who is delighted and immersed in the teachings of the Lord. Such a person is consciously choosing to have a right relationship with God and consequently exhibits a life of ...read more

Tags: Thought

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Love Of God

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 12, 2023

Several years ago, John MacArthur had the opportunity to spend several days traveling with the well-known gospel musicians, Bill and Gloria Gaither. At one point, he asked Bill what, in his estimation, were the greatest Christian lyrics ever written, aside from the inspired Psalms. Without ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1, John 3:16, Romans 5:8

Tags: Jesus, Cross, God's Love, Hymns

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Salt Of The Earth  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Salt of the Earth Matthew 5:13 says to Christians, "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Our Lord is telling His disciples that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Illustration – The Coffee Cup

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 18, 2024

AN ILLUSTRATION – THE COFFEE CUP I don’t prefer strong coffee for it has a couple of effects on me. My wife bought these coffee bags that had “intense” on the packets. I know I might horrify some people but I found I could use these coffee bags 4 times. They only need to be in hot water for a ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1, 1 John 2:16-17, 1 John 1:8-10

Tags: Coffee Mug, Adulterated, Sin Is Subtle, Sin, Deceived, Coffee  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Of The Subjects I Taught Was Physical Science ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 7, 2001

One of the subjects I taught was physical science for learning disabled kids. It was hard to get them motivated to do much at all. One day I showed the class a video about protecting the environment. It explored all the ways that humanity was destroying the earth and the steps we needed to take ...read more

Tags: Confrontation, Hypocrisy

Shine

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 21, 2002

SHINE Dull as dirt You can’t assert the kind of light that might persuade a strict dictator to retire, fire the army, teach the poor origami. The truth is in the proof is when you hear your heart start asking, "What’s my motivation?" And try as you may, there isn’t a way to explain the ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Sermon On The Mount, Supernatural

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It Began 68 Years Ago Today, December 1st, 1934. ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Dec 6, 2002

It began 68 years ago today, December 1st, 1934. Sergey Kirov, a leader of the Russian Revolution and a high-ranking member of the Politburo, was shot to death at his Leningrad office by Leonid Nikolayev. Many believe that the gunman Nikolayev, a member of the Communist Party, carried out the ...read more

Tags: Satan

Denomination: Assembly Of God

For Many Years A Country Church In Iowa Set ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 29, 2004

For many years a country church in Iowa set aside one Sunday annually for youth to conduct the entire service. The young people did it all; call to worship, invocation, prayer, special music, announcements, choir, and one young person would deliver the sermon. One year a 16 year old boy was told ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ