In Sermon Illustrations: "Read The Signs"

When I Was In High School, My Thoughts Were; To ...

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Aug 30, 2010

When I was in high school, my thoughts were; to graduate, get a really good job and make lots of money and then live happily ever after. So, you can imagine what ran through my mind when I saw my ideal job being advertised in the paper. The ad read something like this: I need one young man who is ...read more

Tags: Evangelism, Zeal

Denomination: *other

Truly Thankful: J. B. Fuqua

Contributed by Richard Jumper on Nov 16, 2010

TRULY THANKFUL: J. B. FUQUA When J. B. Fuqua was just a boy, someone lent him a helping hand. And he paid them back millions of times over for their kindness. J. B. grew up in rural Virginia in the years after World War I. Those were lean times for many people. J. B. made up his mind at a young ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Disciples Of Christ

I Thought We'd Talk More About God

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Feb 11, 2011

I THOUGHT WE'D TALK MORE ABOUT GOD Some years ago, a woman came to me for counseling. Her husband had died suddenly from a rapidly growing cancer, and she was overcome not only with grief but with fear regarding her future. She did not now know who she was or where she was to go. She was beside ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hybels' Evangelism Formula For Maximum Impact  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2012

HYBELS' EVANGELISM FORMULA FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT We call this relational evangelism, and I have spoken of this many times before. It is showing people that we care, it is about building relationships with people who may not know Jesus and in that relationship, bringing them to a place where they can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:27-32

Tags: Evangelism How To

Who Saved Me?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 28, 2012

WHO SAVED ME? During a terrible storm at sea that threatened every moment to carry the ship to the bottom, one of the ship’s crew was doing something on the deck when a great sea struck the ship and went fairly over the deck, striking this man with great force, disabling him and carrying him into ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:10-14, John 10:10, John 10:11, Luke 7:38

Tags: Father, Salvation

William Booth Our First General Was A Remarkable Man.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2012

William Booth our first General was a remarkable man; I have recently been reading a book that was published last year on his visions, with strangely enough the name “William Booth’s Amazing Visions”. In it the editor David Ravenhill mentions that “For far too long the Body of Christ [for the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:31-46

Tags: Judgement, Grace, Sin, Heaven

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Locust Plague Described

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Jan 29, 2013

THE LOCUST PLAGUE DESCRIBED The judgment in the book of Joel centers on the warning of a plague of locusts. Now you may think, "Ah, little grasshoppers. Not much of a problem, eh." History records a similar event. Let me read to you: In 1915 a plague of locusts covered Palestine and Syria from ...read more

Scripture: Joel 1:4

Tags: God's Judgment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Spiritual Breakthrough.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Feb 14, 2014

During the week I have been looking at a book by John Larsson where he called Spiritual breakthrough where he talks about Samuel Logan Brengle. In his recalling Brengle, Larsson talks of how at the age of twenty-five, Brengle was at a seminary training to be a minister but he was troubled. He ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Sanctification, Spiritual Encounter

Denomination: Salvation Army

Blessings In The Messes

Contributed by Todd Catteau on May 27, 2015

Sometimes life is a mess! As I sit in my own office you can barely see the top of my desk and just about every available flat surface is cluttered with some books or papers of some sort! Sermons to preach, classes to teach, meetings to prepare for, schedules to keep - my office sometimes ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:4

Tags: Resolution, Busyness, Ordinary People, Blessings, Count Your Blessings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

The Carnival Ride

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 9, 2017

Some years ago, while our family was vacationing in the high Sierras, we decided to visit a small county fair near the town of Quincy. There weren't many people there that morning. In fact, we were about the only ones visiting the carnival rides. So when I climbed into the Tilt-O-Wheel with my ...read more

Scripture: James 1:14-15

Tags: Sin, Sin Cycle

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Hold That Thought!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 23, 2020

One church where I served as pastor has a ping-pong table in the fellowship hall, and sometimes a younger member or two asked me to join them in a game. Now, I was old enough to be their grandfather but that doesn’t stop them from asking! I did appreciate the fact that these youngsters, aged around ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8

Tags: Children, Thoughts, Fun And Games

Denomination: Baptist

At What Age Should A Pastor Retire?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 3, 2020

AT WHAT AGE SHOULD A PASTOR RETIRE? TEN DIAGNOSTIC QUESTIONS There are a lot of Baby Boomer pastors and Christian leaders around. And it’s cliché, but they aren’t getting any younger. It’s a quiet question that many are asking, but they are asking it nonetheless: What age should I ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Retirement, Aging, Pastors, Missionaries, Paul And Timothy, Baby Boomers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Tribute To Fathers In The Bible

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 9, 2020

Introduction: with the exception of Adam, who was created; and Jesus Himself, Who was born of the Virgin Mary, every man in the Bible had a father. That some were good and others were evil is clear, and it would be nearly impossible to list every father and son in the Bible. The Books of Chronicles ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4, Romans 1:18-32

Tags: Father's Day, Fathers, Raising Children

Denomination: Baptist

Any Believer Can Be A "Man Of God”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 7, 2020

Any believer can be a “man of God” Text: 2 Tim 3:17 That the man of God (any believer in Jesus!) may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Thoughts: Only a few people were ever called a “man of God” in the Bible. Some were never known; at least four were never named, and one, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Tags: Paul, Man Of God, Timothy

Denomination: Baptist

Growing Through Pain

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Oct 2, 2020

Paul Tournier, the famous Swiss physician and counselor, reported his surprise in his book Creative Suffering upon reading an article entitled “Orphans Lead the World.” The article appeared in a respected medical journal and surveyed the lives of 300 leaders who had an impact on world history. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:14-27

Tags: Holy Spirit, Suffering

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes-Those Who Made Copies Of The Scriptures

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 30, 2021

Introduction: sometimes we forget, or take for granted, the easy availability of God’s Word. Retail stores (not just Christian bookstores) sometimes have copies of the whole Bible for a dollar per copy! Secondhand or thrift stores occasionally have donated Bibles and other portions for a very ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 9:1-2

Tags: Jeremiah, Word Of God, Scribes, Baruch, Daniel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Belshazzar's Grandmother; Daniel 5

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 28, 2022

Introduction: My late uncle preached a sermon on Daniel 5 many years ago. He began by saying, “When the little shot gets about half shot, he really thinks he’s a big shot!” That was certainly true for Belshazzar, who had the honor (??) of being Babylon’s last king. In the context, Belshazzar had ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 5:10-12

Tags: Daniel, Belshazzar, Unsung Heroines, Queens

Denomination: Baptist

How Does God See Our Worship?

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 17, 2022

Because Adam and Eve sinned against God, we note from the end of Genesis 3 that they were banished from the perfect Garden of Eden, where God provided everything for them. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden to now labor for their day to day needs. In the Garden of Eden work was a delight; ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:1-7

Tags: Worship, God, Heart, Confession, Rebellion, Yielding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Judgment Seat Of Christ - 10 Things To Know

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 2, 2023

In Paul's day, every city in Greece built a public place called the Bema, or “judgment seat”. It was from this raised platform, usually in the center of town, that official announcements were made, judgments rendered and commendations handed out. All public proclamations came from this Bema ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Tags: Judgment, Judgment Seat, Rewards, Bema, Resurrection, Heaven, Faithfulness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational