In Sermon Illustrations: "Receiving Christ"

Worthy To Suffer For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

WORTHY TO SUFFER FOR HIM John Balca was one of the early pioneer missionaries in Eastern Europe. He was particularly focused on the country of Yugoslavia in the 1930-1950’s. In his autobiography, he writes of the many difficulties that God helped him to overcome in the establishing of an Apostolic ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:52

Tags: Persecution

All God Has: A Testimony  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jun 30, 2014

The day I turned 18, I left home. I had saved some money, and despite my parents' strong objections, I packed a few things in my Volkswagen and headed for California. Just outside of Needles, California, a man at a rest stop pulled a gun, took my wallet, and drove off with my car. I had not been in ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-3

Tags: God The Father, Fathers Day, Knowing God

Denomination: Baptist

The Devastating Power Of Criticism

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 25, 2014

"Go where you’re celebrated, not where you’re tolerated." - Author Unknown I know a number of people whose lives have been profoundly affected by the criticism of others. For some, it was being cruelly taunted at school by their peers, for others, a close family member who criticized or ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:15

Tags: Criticism, Judgemental, Evil Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

Truly Amazing Grace

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Timothy Paul Jones in his book, Proof writes about his middle daughter who had been previously adopted by another family. He was sure this couple had the best of intentions, but they never quite integrated the adopted child into their family of biological children. For one reason or another, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 6:1-8

Tags: Grace, Sin, Chosen, Rebellion, Adoption  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Proud People Vs Broken People

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need. Proud people have a critical, fault-finding spirit; they look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope. Broken people are compassionate; they can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23, Galatians 2:20

Tags: Brokenness, Humility, Revival, Repentance, Pride  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[100]. A Message From A Poem – Glory And Adoration To The Lord

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 9, 2025

[100]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GLORY AND ADORATION TO THE LORD WHAT ABOUT THIS POEM? This poem, of all my poems, is my number one favourite and the most satisfying for me. It was a joy to write and a joy to contemplate the Lord while doing so. I think it speaks for itself in the meditation ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:12-13, Revelation 21:3-4, Revelation 22:3

Tags: Tears, Crying, No More Curse, Christian Poetry, Poem Messages, Pain, Light, Heaven, Joy, Eternal  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[263]. A Message From A Poem – The Elephant And The Lily

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 14, 2026

[263]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE ELEPHANT AND THE LILY I am repeating the whole scripture passage that was the inspiration for this poem. It speaks about God’s providential care for all His creation. This world is not a haphazard chaos of flukiness, but is ordered in universal laws, all ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5-6, 1 Timothy 6:6-7, Matthew 6:25-34

Tags: Anxiety, Dependence, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Lilies Of The Field  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Musician Learns A Lesson By Following A Band ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

Musician Learns a Lesson by Following A Band Director’s Advice I would like to begin by sharing with you today an event in my life that at the time felt like the worst thing that had ever happened to me, but which in retrospect has proven to be a significant and defining point of my life. This ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10

Tell Santa I Tried To Be Nice

Contributed by James Snyder on Dec 19, 2020

It’s that time of the year when the conversation around the dinner table in the Parsonage has to do with naughty or nice. I must admit it's not my favorite conversation because what is naughty, and what is nice? That all depends on who you're talking to. The Gracious Mistress of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7

Tags: Christmas, Nice, Naughty

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

With His Life In Disarray, Steven Lavaggi Sat On ...  PRO

Contributed by James Wilson on Nov 23, 2000

With his life in disarray, Steven Lavaggi sat on his bedroom’s wooden floor, and began searching his Bible for answers. His wife had just left him to marry a writer for The Rolling Stone Magazine. Ten days later, Steven discovered his son was stricken with Juvenile Diabetes. As if coping with the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 45:3-15

Tags: Leadership General, Workplace Evangelism

Denomination: Baptist

In His Men's Seminar, David Simmons, A Former ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2001

In his men’s seminar, David Simmons, a former cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys, tells about his childhood home. His father, a military man, was extremely demanding, rarely saying a kind word, always pushing him with harsh criticism to do better. The father had decided that he would never permit ...read more

Someday Soon  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 22, 2002

SOMEDAY SOON You just know that some things are going to happen sooner or later. That’s the way it was with Michael Parfit, a writer for Smithsonian magazine. For a feature article on the mighty Mississippi River, Parfit rode in a twelve-foot rubber dinghy down the Mississippi from Memphis, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15, Psalm 90:10-15

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Second Coming, Kingdom Of God

Other Faiths On Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 14, 2002

OTHER FAITHS ON HEAVEN Heaven has many cartographers, and through the centuries many different heavens have been charted. To the variety of celestial landscapes in the West, Islam and Buddhism have raised their own particular paradises: the Koran details a heaven filled with beautiful, large eyed ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Heaven, World Religions

Phan Thi Kim Phuc  PRO

Contributed by John Harvey on Feb 12, 2004

Phan Thi Kim Phuc (Illustration from Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks” Wayne Rice. Printed by Youth Specialties) On June 8, 1972, a nine-year-old Vietnamese girl, her clothes flaming from gasoline bombs, fled the American-led assault on her village of Trang Bang. With her eyes ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Baptist

When The Immanuel Baptist Church First Called ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Richards on Sep 2, 2004

When the Immanuel Baptist Church first called Pastor Waite he quickly made his way to each home. Letting people know that he wanted to know anything about the people that would be helpful in his ministry. It wasn’t long before the new pastor knew most of the church secrets. When it came to getting ...read more

Tags: Men And Women, Unity

Denomination: Baptist

A Child-Like Faith  PRO

Contributed by Mark Evans on Mar 24, 2005

A CHILD-LIKE FAITH: My daughter was four years old and about to see her first Easter play. Like most little girls at Easter, she was all decked out in her flowered outfit, patent leather shoes, matching purse, white lace gloves, and to top it all off – her beautiful Easter hat. As the play ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:16-17

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist

I Want To Conclude With A Story That Tony ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Richards on May 18, 2005

I want to conclude with a story that Tony Campolo tells about a time he was asked to speak at a Pentecostal college. He remembered that before the service, eight men had him kneel so they could place their hands on his head and pray. He was glad to have prayer, but each of them prayed a long time, ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Suppose Two Women Were Planting A Vegetable ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2005

Suppose two women were planting a vegetable garden. On the same day, they prepared the earth and planted their seeds. One then neglected her garden and waited for her vegetables to grow. The other woman worked in her garden regularly. She put cages around the young tomato plants, she drove in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27

Tags: Jesus, Midst

Goodness Or Just A Smelly Gas! (08.23.05--Under ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 21, 2005

Goodness or Just a Smelly Gas! (08.23.05--Under Pressure!--Romans 15:14) I’ve always been intrigued by LP gas tanks. I guess that it is that mystery of the unseen and the unanticipated that causes the mystique. Around Beech Springs we have a number of them. There’s one in my workshop tied to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:14

Tags: Endurance, God In The Hardships

Denomination: Lutheran

The Most Toys? (09.08.05--The Temporal ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 6, 2005

The Most Toys? (09.08.05--The Temporal Things!--Matthew 16:26) The world teaches this--You can never have too much of a good thing! We must always have enough or we are being somehow cheated of that which we truly deserve. If one were to ever wonder why we live in such a greedy world, this tenet, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Lutheran