In Sermon Illustrations: "Renew" showing 121-140 of 251

This Morning When You Came Into The Citadel You ...

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Sep 30, 2009

This morning when you came into the citadel you found the seats up against the wall, confusing, a bit of a nuisance? This was used to illustrate what life without God’s Grace is like, it is confusing, it’s not ordered, each of us as individual’s are lost and in turmoil, we do foolish things we are ...read more

Tags: Change

Denomination: Salvation Army

Confined Christians

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Jan 10, 2012

CONFINED CHRISTIANS I met a young man not long ago who dives for exotic fish for aquariums. He told me that one of the most popular aquarium fish is the shark. He explained that if you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium you put it in. Sharks can ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: *other

Sweet Grace  PRO

Contributed by Carla Powell on Jan 2, 2002

SWEET GRACE My new favorite movie is "Chocolat", about a little French village in 1959 that is governed by "tranquilité". In this town, you knew what was expected of you and where your place was. If you happened to forget, someone would remind you. They trusted in the wisdom of ages past, ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:8

Tags: Parable General, Grace, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Lutheran

Bill Hybels, In His Book Courageous Leadership, ...

Contributed by Wes Richard on Jan 7, 2004

Bill Hybels, in his book Courageous Leadership, (p. 249) uses this illustration. He has a sailboat and every summer his sailing crew and he have to deliver his sailboat by water to various harbors around the great lakes for regattas. Some of them are a long ways away. Sometimes he runs into storms ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Brethren

In Eastern Lands, People Used Public Baths And ...  PRO

Contributed by Chad Wright on Mar 30, 2004

In Eastern lands, people used public baths and got dressed again; as they walked in the dusty streets, their feet became dirty. On arriving home, they did not need another bath; they needed only to wash their feet. When the Jewish priests were ordained, they were washed all over (Ex. 29:4), which ...read more

Scripture: John 13:9-10

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Lutheran

Francois Fenelon, A Seventeenth Century Roman ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Mar 26, 2001

Francois Fenelon, a seventeenth century Roman Catholic said this about prayer: Tell God all that is on your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Prayer General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Don't Waste The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

DON’T WASTE THE WISDOM Pastor Warren Weirsbe told of a time when an associate of his, a gifted secretary, was going through great trials. She had had a stroke, her husband had gone blind, and then he had to be taken to the hospital where (we were sure) he would die. He saw her in church one Sunday ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:33

Tags: Wisdom

The Stress-Free Life Of The Bedouins

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2011

THE STRESS-FREE LIFE OF THE BEDOUINS The Bedouin shepherd lives in shabby box tents that dot the hillsides throughout Israel. When compared to our lives saturated with modern conveniences it seems as though they live a very difficult life. However, an interesting fact is that their average life ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Tags: Stress

Novelist Herman Wouk Has Written Of A Meeting...

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 17, 2016

Novelist Herman Wouk has written of a meeting he had with David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first president. Ben Gurion urged him to move to the newly established nation. This was 1955, and terrorists were still bringing regular bloodshed to the citizens. Ben Gurion had left office and had begun his ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Tags: Freedom, Free To Serve, Stop Playing It Safe, Freedom From Fear

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Contact With Another World

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2024

A group of scientists are directing their thoughts and needs into the heavens, but not to the God of the Bible. They have calculated that as many as fifty million civilizations may exist somewhere in space, and they believe that some of them may have found methods to improve our lives and control ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24

Tags: Faith, Prayer, Intercession, Believing, Asking, Scientists  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Twinkies And Root Beer - Unknown ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Buchner on May 23, 2005

[Illustration – Twinkies and Root Beer - unknown source] A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, God's Omniscience

Denomination: Methodist

God Bless America: Be Specific

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 13, 2011

GOD BLESS AMERICA: BE SPECIFIC The blind man's first request is for Jesus to have mercy on him. Jesus asks him specifically, "What do you want me to do for you?" He answers specifically, "Lord, I want to see." "God bless America," is a very general prayer. It may be as specific a prayer as ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

The Flesh Is A Built-In Law Of Failure, Making It ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Jul 16, 2002

The flesh is a built-in law of failure, making it impossible for the natural man to please or serve God. It is a compulsive inner force inherited from man’s fall, which expresses itself in general and specific rebellion against God and His righteousness. The flesh can never be reformed or improved. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:6

Tags: Faith, Born Again, Disciplines, Dead To Sin, Sanctification, Salvation, Sin, Sin Bondage To, Temptation Resisting, New Life, Rebellion, Renewal, Love Of The Disciples  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

William Cowper's

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2010

William Cowper’s "On Opening a Place for Social Prayer" In considering the audience of prayer, properly put, it is God, yet, it is the company of others that deserves prayer. William Cowper wrote this entitled: "On Opening a Place for Social Prayer" Jesus! where’er Thy people meet, There they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:5-15

Tags: Prayer, Prayer General

The Heart Of Worship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE HEART OF WORSHIP In late 1990's in Watford, England, Matt Redman's church had a high caliber praise band and worship team, yet the pastor knew that the congregation had lost its way in worship. So the Pastor asked "When you come through the doors on a Sunday, what are you bringing as your ...read more

Tags: Worship Definition

Charlene Cothran Is The Publisher Of Venus ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Charlene Cothran is the publisher of Venus Magazine, which is a periodical for lesbians of African descent. She recently announced on the magazine’s web site that she has become a Christian and has rejected the lesbian lifestyle she had been living. Cothran said that as a magazine publisher she ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:1-20, John 14:6, Matthew 10:37-39, Luke 16:1-13

Tags: Story, Commitment To Christ

I Give Up!

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

Many years ago, executives of the Time-Life publishing organization discovered that the company’s profit margin had shrunk to an alarmingly low level. To cut costs, they decided to eliminate hundreds of works to be replaced with machines. The name of each subscriber was put on a separate little ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Getting Past Your Past  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 23, 2002

GETTING PAST YOUR PAST Consider Charles Colson, the aide to Richard Nixon who was sent to jail for Watergate. As as a result of his experience as a convicted felon, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, now the world’s largest Christian outreach to prisoners and their families. Prison Fellowship has ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-16, Jeremiah 29:11

Tags: New Year's Day, God's Sovereign Will

When A Believer Considers How Much God Has ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 30, 2004

When a believer considers how much God has forgiven him, he is able to extend pardon to others no matter what they have done. A Christian husband found this to be true when his wife, who had become an alcoholic, told him of an affair she had had with his best friend 10 years earlier. She said she ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:23-33, 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Trust

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John Wycliff –"…to Be Ignorant Of The Scriptures ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 20, 2004

John Wycliff –“…to be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ.” 1. He also stated: “All those who love Christ, whether priest, knight or laborer, must carefully study the gospel in that tongue in which the meaning of the gospel was clearest to them; for all the faithful were bound to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:10

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational