In Sermon Illustrations: "Purpose"

The Gift Nobody Wants

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

The Gift Nobody Wants In 1999 Dr Paul Brand and Philip Yancey co-wrote a book called "Pain: the Gift Nobody Wants." Dr Brand was born in India to missionary parents, and has spent most of his life caring for people with leprosy. One of Dr Brand's greatest discoveries was that people with leprosy ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Biblical Principles Of Work

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 15, 2019

1) Work is ordained by God. It was His creative invention from the beginning. By working, we resemble God. Like God, you have the ability to work, make plans, implement them, and be creative. Additionally, God gave us the task of ruling over and taking care of His creation (Genesis ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:28

Tags: Work, Business

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Acorn Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Dec 10, 2021

I love fall. I love the cooler weather. I love the changing colors. I love football. I love fall with this exception—raking leaves. I have a big oak tree out in my front hard and it is amazing how many leaves that tree can produce. I was out raking the other day and not only was I amazed at all ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 15:58

Tags: Patience, Steadfastness, Parable, Endurance, Autumn, Sower, Seed, Parables, Evangelism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Two Angry Brothers?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 20, 2022

ACCIDENTLY, COINCIDENCE OR ON PURPOSE? There were two precious brothers. They loved each other. Their parents owned a huge farm. The brothers worked in harmony alongside their mom and dad for years. Suddenly and unexpectedly the father and mother died. One brother went to a lawyer about the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:29

Tags: Anger, Forgive

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Monk Story  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Hamilton on Sep 29, 2002

Monk Story There is a story told of an old monastery that had fallen upon hard times. It was once a great order, but as a result of waves of anti-monastic persecution in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and the rise of secularism in the nineteenth, all its branch houses were lost and it ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Romantic Love

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In My Humble Opinion

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 29, 2020

It was a busy week last week. I was chasing my tail so much, I thought I would actually catch it. What I would do after I caught it is beyond my imagination. However, I was quite busy, and then the mail came. Whenever the mail comes, I’m always expecting “the check.” Rarely do I get it, but my ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5

Tags: Humility, Opinion

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Mr. Cold, Please Go Away

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 29, 2022

Dr. James L. Snyder The older I get, the more allergic I am to cold. So whenever the temperature dips below my age number, that is too cold for me. I know some people relish the cold; that person is not me.. There are some things that I enjoy being cold. I like my iced tea to be very cold, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Heaven, Cold

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ravi Zacharias Tells In One Of His Books About A ...  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Henes on Jun 21, 2001

Ravi Zacharias tells in one of his books about a trip he made to Vietnam in 1971 to travel the country and preach. Wherever he traveled for a month in Vietnam a Vietnamese man who translated for him accompanied him. They were both young, and they saw many things that shocked them, things neither ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, Bible Influence, God's Provision

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Living Under The Cross  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 31, 2002

LIVING UNDER THE CROSS Gerald L. Sittser writes "Two years ago, I wrote a book about suffering. I have received many letters from people who wanted to tell me their own stories of suffering. I have asked permission from a few to tell their stories to others. One woman, Mary, was in a terrible ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ, Easter Resurrection

The Lifeboat Station  PRO

Contributed by Rev. Saeed Richardson on May 23, 2002

THE LIFEBOAT STATION , by Theodore Wedel On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for ...read more

Tags: Mission, Evangelism

Denomination: Baptist

A Recent Front-Page Story In The Wall Street ...  PRO

Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Feb 12, 2004

A recent front-page story in the Wall Street Journal (January 6, 2004) reported U.S. Marines being trained for duty in Iraq are getting drilled in people skills as well as heavy weaponry. They are receiving instruction about staying respectful as well as about staying alive. Marines are still ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:8-14

Tags: Gifts Wisdom, Gifts General

Denomination: Lutheran

The Tragic Tale Of Reginald  PRO

Contributed by George Barton on Jan 20, 2006

THE TRAGIC TALE OF REGINALD The parents of Reg, from his earliest age, Had tried in a manner more kindly than sage, To see he was stayed by no curb or taboo From doing those things that he wanted to do. “Far be it from us to forbid or deny One whim to this apple,” they said, “of our ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

Hero

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 24, 2009

Dear Dad, Heroes are men who first of all are heroes for God and then heroes to their families. To be a hero for God, you need to yield your life 100% to Him. What's in this name "hero"? Josh McDowell shares, "A few years ago, a radio jockey polled almost two hundred teenagers in a shopping ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Secret Of Happiness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS Christopher Parkening is regarded as the world’s greatest classical guitarist, and he’s played guitar with orchestras the world over, even for several presidents in the White House. He’s also a world-class fly-fishing champion. By his own testimony, he writes, "By age 30, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tags: Joy

Imagine With Me For A Moment, If You Had A ...

Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on May 7, 2010

Imagine with me for a moment, if you had a beautiful picture in your home that was worth over a hundred thousand dollars because of the artist who had painted it. It was a one of a kind masterpiece. The artist had put excellence into every stroke of his work The colors were awesome. The depth ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day, Respect

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Broken Vessels Wanted  PRO

Contributed by David Robb on Jun 1, 2011

Broken Vessels Wanted (David Robb) My tears of weeping are pleasing to the Lord. My cries of emptiness are a song to His heart. He is pleased with me when I am broken, because, what He desires most of me is a broken spirit and a humble heart. He desires that of me because, with a broken ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:47

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Persuasion Of A Changed Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 18, 2011

THE PERSUASION OF A CHANGED LIFE The power of your changed life can be very persuasive even to those who refuse to be persuaded by the word itself. Just a few years ago, Decision magazine told the story of Rick and Shawna Pilat, a Winnipeg couple who had recently come to faith in Christ. For ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-2

Tags: Character

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 27, 2012

THE CONSCIENCE A. Quotes on the Conscience J. I. Packer—There are two sorts of sick consciences, those that are not aware enough of sin and those that are not aware enough of pardon. Anonymous—‘Let your conscience be your guide’ is only valid if God’s Word is guiding your conscience. Elton ...read more

Scripture: Acts 24:14-16

Tags: Conscience

In His Book, "Leadership Pain: God’s Classroo...

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

In his book, “Leadership Pain: God’s Classroom for Growth,” Sam Chand writes, “Pain isn’t the enemy. The inability or unwillingness to face pain is a far greater danger.” He then tells the story of Dr. Paul Brand who was treating a four year old named Tanya at the national leprosy hospital in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

Tags: Pain, Thankful For Pain

Denomination: Methodist

John Mcarthur-Grace To You-The Life Saving ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

John McArthur-Grace to You-The Life Saving Station On a dangerous sea coast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little life-saving station. The building was just a hut and had only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea. With no thought for ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To