In Sermon Illustrations: "Ransom From Sin"

Timothy's Story

Contributed by Timothy Enns on Oct 5, 2011

TIMOTHY'S STORY I want to tell you a story today about a little fellow named Jason. The circumstances that Jason was born into not entirely clear. What we do know is that his birth parents, for what ever reason, decided not to care for him or could not care for him. Instead they decided to place ...read more

Tags: Adoption

Denomination: Nazarene

Where Does God Fit In?

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 1, 2011

WHERE DOES GOD FIT IN? One Christmas season a schoolteacher in England supervised the construction of a manger scene in a corner of her classroom. Her pupils were delighted to set up the model barn and cover the floor with real straw and then arrange the clay figures of Mary, Joseph, the ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

On Suffering  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Jan 11, 2012

ON SUFFERING "It is a very difficult matter to understand when God permits affliction or loss to come into our lives. Our humanity wants to cry out, "Why me God? I love you and faithfully serve you. Why did you permit this sorrow to happen to me?" . . . one reason for affliction is to make us into ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:17

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Baptist

I Know Where You Are, Just Tell Me What You Need  PRO

Contributed by H.b. Charles Jr. on Jan 16, 2012

I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED DR. C.C. MCCUTCHIN of Oklahoma was on the highway, traveling from Tulsa to Oklahoma City, to visit a member who was in the hospital. But on the way, he got a flat tire. Thankfully, he made it to a "Call Box" on the side of the road. But he had never ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-17

Tags: Communion, Communing, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

The Key To Happiness...?

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 7, 2012

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS...? Want to be happy? A 26-year study of Germans suggests it’s not that hard: • Marry someone who’s not neurotic. • Focus more on friends and family, less on material goods. • Get involved in making the world a better place. • Have a job but also enough time for ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:13

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Baptist

The Problem With Being Deceased

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 13, 2012

THE PROBLEM WITH BEING DECEASED ABC News reported a strange story this week: Arthur Livingston, of Prosperity, S.C., may feel prosperous and alive, but his credit report says, "File not scored because subject is deceased." That's because Livingston's bank, Bank of America, has been reporting him ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Wearing 30,000 Bibles

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Feb 26, 2012

WEARING 30,000 BIBLES Years ago a missionary returned to England for a brief furlough after many years of faithful service in India. He was invited to a dinner at a great summer resort where he met many women of prominence and position. After dinner he went to his room and penned a ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Baptist

Lost In The Noise

Contributed by Tim White on Apr 2, 2012

LOST IN THE NOISE A youth pastor wanted to illustrate something to his students. He placed some valuable objects on small tables around the room. On one of the tables was a Bible. There was a $5 bill on another table. There was a kids' meal from a fast-food restaurant on one table. Other tables ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Baptist

The Slightest Wish  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2012

THE SLIGHTEST WISH During the War Between the States, General Lee one day sent word to Stonewall Jackson that the next time he rode in the direction of headquarters the Commander-in-Chief would be glad to see him on a matter of no great importance. General Jackson received the message and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:46-49

Tags: Obedience

Unaware Of The King's Presence  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2012

UNAWARE OF THE KING’S PRESENCE Steve Brown tells the frustrating story of some British social scientists. Following the end of British rule in India in the 1940s, a group of researchers wanted to study the impact of the end of British rule on the life of the nation. After six months, the British ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-16

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Faithful Unto Death

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on May 29, 2012

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH When Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, the city was buried for 1700 years. When it was rediscovered, artifacts left a detailed picture of what was happening in the city at the time. For example, archeologists could identify the time by the clothes people were wearing, the produce ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Baptist

Need ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

NEED PROTECTION? Police sharpshooters were called to a scene in Rochester, NY. They surrounded a car because they noticed there was a man in the back seat with a rifle. The police attempted to negotiate with him but he wouldn’t respond. So they watched and waited. There was no movement. Finally, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:1-3

Tags: Security

Vanishing Waves

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 28, 2012

VANISHING WAVES A wise man once told me to pour a glass of water. He dipped his index finger into the cup, I watched as miniature waves hit the glass only to halt seconds later. The wise man told that regardless of how important the world will ever view me or my accomplishments, history will only ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-34

Tags: Parable Rich Fool

The Body: The Image Of God

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

THE BODY: THE IMAGE OF GOD Paul Brand writing about what it means to be in the image of God in his book In His Image: "We will not explore the psychological and mental attributes in each one of us that might reflect the image of God. Instead, we will center on a community, that group of God’s ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

10,000 Hours

Contributed by Hal Seed on Nov 9, 2012

10,000 HOURS Author Malcolm Gladwell found that the one thing that made people better at whatever it was they were working on was the time they spent with that thing or activity or pursuit. In a study of college music majors, he found that those who had put in a 4 to 6 thousand hours on their ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Baptist

Jealous In A Restaurant  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jan 10, 2013

JEALOUS IN A RESTAURANT There is an old story about an older couple having dinner in a restaurant. The wife sees another couple about their age sitting in a booth nearby. She sees the husband sitting close to his wife, with his arm around her. He is whispering things in her ear, and she is smiling ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:28

Tags: Contentment, Marriage General

Denomination: Baptist

True Worship

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 19, 2013

"True worship is God-centered worship. People tend to get caught up in where they should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how their worship looks to other people. Focusing on these things misses the point. Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Asterisk

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 12, 2013

THE ASTERISK When we read the word anyone in the invitation of Jesus we can’t help but think there must be an asterisk next to it. Even if there wasn’t one when Jesus spoke these words, it seems that over the years the church has put an asterisk next to his invitation. The sign out front of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-31

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Max Lucado: Grace Is God As A Heart Surgeon

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 23, 2013

MAX LUCADO: GRACE IS GOD AS A HEART SURGEON Grace is God as heart surgeon, cracking open your chest, removing your heart – poisoned as it is with pride and pain – and replacing it with his own. Rather than telling you to change, he creates the change. Do you clean up so he can accept you? No, he ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Angel At Fredericksburg

Contributed by Perry Greene on Mar 25, 2013

ANGEL AT FREDERICKSBURG No longer able to withstand the wrenching moans of the suffering wounded and dying Union soldiers, 19 year old Confederate Sergeant Richard Kirkland of the 2nd South Carolina approached Brigadier General Joseph Kershaw, CSA, to seek permission to go to their aid. Initially ...read more

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Independent/Bible