In Sermon Illustrations: "Return"

Service

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 21, 2022

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif - NFL Lineman And Medical Student Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (31) is a Canadian born professional football player for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He is 6’ 5” and 321 pounds. He played university football and attended medical school at McGill University ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Corinthians 4:1, 2 Corinthians 4:5

Tags: Service, Sacrifice, Servant, Humility

Denomination: Pentecostal

Chuck Swindoll In His Book, Improving Your Serve, ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

Chuck Swindoll in his book, Improving Your Serve, gives a memorable illustration: Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-13

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Discipleship, Faith

Let’s Play ‘let’s ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on Jul 11, 2001

Let’s play ‘Let’s Pretend’. Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 26:1-16, James 2:11

Tags: Discipleship, Faith, Bible Study

Denomination: Pentecostal

When Is Jesus Coming? The Bible Is Very Clear ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Dow on Jun 12, 2004

When is Jesus coming? The Bible is very clear that no one knows when that event will occur. It is kind of like trying to anticipate the next terrorist attack. People have their best guesses and the terror index goes up and down and so far nothing has happened here in the States. I actually ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Let's Play ‘let's Pretend'. Let's Pretend That ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 13, 2004

Let’s play ‘Let’s Pretend’. Let’s pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I’m the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-13, Matthew 25:14-30, Matthew 17:1-13, James 1:22, John 19:30-31, John 11:1-45, John 11:45-57  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Poor Choices--His Good Grace!" Genesis 16: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 27, 2004

“Our Poor Choices--His Good Grace!” Genesis 16: 1-15 Key verse(s): 3: “So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.’” Do you ever pray for discernment? People tend to pray for things that they ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:1-15

Tags: God The Father, God's Forgiveness, Commitment, Belief

Denomination: Lutheran

Never Give Up  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Sep 18, 2006

NEVER GIVE UP Haddon Robinson tells the following story. I hope you appreciate it as I did. It was New Year’s Day, 1929, and Georgia Tech. and UCLA were battling it out in the Rose Bowl. Georgia Tech. fumbled the football late in the first half. Roy Riggles recovered for California. Picking up the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:13-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Watching The News Can Be Dangerous To Your ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2007

WATCHING THE NEWS CAN BE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH, that is, your psychological health. Since most of the news is of a negative nature, if one is not careful, he/she can develop a very pessimistic view of human nature. Consider the following: The year is 2065. An astronaut has been stranded alone ...read more

Well When It Came To My Favorite Subjects Their ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Well when it came to my favorite subjects their were two that I just were not good at. One was Math and the other was science. Though science and math are still weaknesses of mine, I do remember learning one law that will help us in understanding this subject of how we treat grace. What I have ...read more

Tags: Grace

Let's Play 'let's Pretend'. Let's Pretend That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 31, 2008

Let's play 'Let's Pretend'. Let's pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I'm the owner and I'm interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a new branch office gets ...read more

Tags: Action

Didn't You Get My Letters?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

DIDN'T YOU GET MY LETTERS? Let's play “Let's Pretend". Let's pretend that you work for me. In fact, you are my executive assistant in a company that is growing rapidly. I'm the owner and I’m interested in expanding overseas. To pull this off, I make plans to travel abroad and stay there until a ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

There Is Something Convenient About Being A ...

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Mar 9, 2010

There is something convenient about being a fence-straddler. We think we can have the best of both worlds. But in order to make a real commitment to Jesus Christ, we have to weigh our options. Anyone who has ever struggled with their faith will come out stronger. One of my biggest personal ...read more

Tags: Prayer Of Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

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

The Son And The Rose

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 22, 2011

THE SON AND THE ROSE Arnold Prater, in his book You Can Have Joy! tells about a man in a little English village named John Deckard. He was a clerk in a textile factory. A modest and quiet man, he lived in an ordinary little house at the edge of town with his wife and his six-year-old son, Rob. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4

Tags: Parenting

Servanthood And Spiritual Growth  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 16, 2011

SERVANTHOOD AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH I surveyed my church to see if people saw a relationship between ministering to others and spiritual growth. When asked, "To what extent has your ministry or service to others affected your spiritual growth?," 92 percent answered positively. None responded that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Tags: Servanthood

A Word About Bread And Stones:

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 18, 2024

Text: Luke 4:1-4, KJV: 1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3 And the devil said unto him, If thou ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:1-4

Tags: Bread, Jesus Christ, Temptations, Stones, The Devil  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Where Is The Gracious Mistress Of The Parsonage?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 7, 2023

Our family's Christmas this year was the best one yet. But, of course, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage says that every year. I completely agree with her this year. Our great-granddaughter served as the focal point of our Christmas this year. She assumed that position because she was ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:6

Tags: Children, Family, Grandparents, Christmas

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroes: The Four Great Men Of Samaria

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 11, 2022

Introduction: There was war between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, where Israelites on each side fought, died, were captured and who knows what else. In this battle, the northern kingdom of Israel had won a great victory and were headed back home, loaded with the spoils of war. But that joy ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28:12-15

Tags: Ahaz, Pekah, Unsung Heroes, Oded, Captives  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

When Rembrandt’s Famous Painting, The Night ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Dec 28, 2000

When Rembrandt’s famous painting, The Night Watch, was restored and returned to Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, the curators performed a simple, yet remarkable experiment. They asked visitors to submit questions about the painting. The curators then prepared answers to over 50 questions, ranking the ...read more

Tags: Bible Study, Graduation

Denomination: Baptist

An Ancient Legend Told About A Monk Who Found A ...  PRO

Contributed by Victor Yap on Jan 25, 2001

An ancient legend told about a monk who found a precious stone, a precious jewel, in fact, and then quietly kept it in his bag. A short time later, however, he met a traveler, who said he was hungry and asked the monk if he would share some of the provisions. When the monk opened his bag, the ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment, Compassion, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Independent/Bible