In Sermon Illustrations: "Sacred in the ordinary"

Jesus Doesn't Go To Church

Contributed by Coz Von on Jul 25, 2018

I met Jesus at a conference of Christian managers. But his story is a little out of the ordinary. The conference was hosted in a beautiful facility in Dallas, Texas, and the organizers had done a fantastic job at putting together a good program. We had great meetings and warm fellowship, and I ...read more

Tags: His Bride, The Bride Of Christ, Church, Body, The Body Of Christ, The Body, The House Of God, His Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Surrender All – Judson W. Van Deventer, 1896

Contributed by Richard Goble on Mar 19, 2008

I Surrender All – Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896 Van DeVenter beautifully describes the process of absolute surrender in his timeless hymn I Surrender All. If I may impose my perception of this hymn, I would suggest that He reveals the struggle involved in surrendering all that he is to the Lord. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

No Jacket Required  PRO

Contributed by Johanna Radelfinger on May 26, 2003

NO JACKET REQUIRED I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn’t be the right place. After all, I couldn’t possibly be welcome here. I had been given an invitation several times, by several different people, and had finally decided to see what this place was all about. But, this just couldn’t be the ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence, Salvation, Repentance

Denomination: Adventist

Letting Go Of The Branch!" Luke 1:5-15 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 31, 2005

“Letting Go of the Branch!” Luke 1:5-15 Key verse(s) 13“But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.” Trusting in God is fine, as long as it is something you believe He can do. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:5-15, 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

Do Not Jump To Judge Other Christians

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 14, 2019

Don't Jump to Judge Other Christians This is God's message for us in Romans 14:3-4, where Paul said: 3. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:3-4

Tags: Judging Others, False Assumptions

Denomination: Baptist

Washington Bureau: Terry Mattingly's Religion ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

WASHINGTON BUREAU: Terry Mattingly’s religion column for 11/07/2001 It’s hard to miss the Big Idea when an artist puts it right on a painting in bold letters. "He That Believeth Not Shall Be Damned. Not A Crown But Hellfire And Brimstone," wrote Howard Finster, using his unorthodox spelling and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:1-14

Tags: Basics Of Christianity, Becoming A Christian

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Laban, "Why Did You Steal My Gods?”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 23, 2024

Introduction: Let me say first of all that the Bible is a very sacred Book, not to be trifled with. It’s precious and untold numbers of believers have given their lives to simply have and read it, let alone defend it against any number of attacks. Having said that, there are a number of places ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:26-30

Tags: Idols, Jacob, Laban, Rachel, Teraphim  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[065]. A Message From A Poem – Earth Is Going To Reap Its Sinfulness

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 22, 2025

[065]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – EARTH IS GOING TO REAP ITS SINFULNESS “You will get what you deserve!” “I hope you get into lots of trouble.” These may be the sayings of children and the thoughts of adults. What they are all looking to is retribution. Retribution is usually associated with ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:7-8, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Matthew 16:27, Hebrews 2:2-3

Tags: Retribution, Recompense, Revenge, Accountability, Sinfulness, Sowing, Reaping, Vengeance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Simeon  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Dec 15, 2005

The years are catching up to me, Simeon thought as he made his way through the dirt-covered streets of Jerusalem. This was once an easy walk; in the corner of his mind’s eye he recalled himself as a younger man bounding through the alleys, markets, and crowded roads that led to the place of ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

All Of You Know That Anne Is A Stay At Home ...

Contributed by Mike Rexroat on Dec 14, 2007

All of you know that Anne is a stay at home mom...but did you also know that she has also held some pretty important positions here in Kentucky as well. I have to tell you she will probably accuse me of being a smart alec for saying this but I really mean it....she has taught an exercise class ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

There Was An Old Monastery That Had Fallen Upon ...

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Sep 11, 2008

There was an old monastery that had fallen upon hard times. It was once a great order, but as a result of waves of persecution in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and the rise of secularism in the nineteenth century, all its branch houses were lost and it had become decimated to the extent ...read more

Tags: Love For God

Denomination: Lutheran

The Key To The Gate

Contributed by Justin Lauramore on Nov 12, 2012

THE KEY TO THE GATE Picture this, you have walked for miles and miles. You are tired and ready for a long nap. You walk up towards a town gate. As you stare at a distance you meet a young man that tells you that the gate is locked. You say ok, well I will test this out for myself. As you continue ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Sudden Tragedy

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 27, 2014

“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.” - Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha In the early hours of a January morning in Texas years ago, a man was jolted awake to a nightmare; his friend was rushing ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Tragedy, Adversity, Fire, Enduring Trials

Denomination: Charismatic

The Choice Tjbts

Contributed by Blake Henson on Jun 6, 2023

The choice shows two coaches recruiting a player to join their team. One seems like a good coach and is the obvious choice to play for. While the other seems not so great and the obvious choice not to play for. However they are really God and Satan recruiting you for their teams. So, whose team do ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:15

Tags: Heaven, Hell

Just As We Are!" Exodus 14:13-14 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 29, 2005

“Just As We Are!” Exodus 14:13-14 Key verse(s) 14:“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Keeping a positive outlook on life is pretty hard when nothing much positive seems to be happening in your life. Let’s face it, when things are going bad, really bad, there is nothing worse ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:13-14

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Lutheran

I Sure Do Miss St. Sanity

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 17, 2019

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and me recently celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary. It sure does not seem we have been married that long. I guess, as you get older, according to my grandmother, time goes faster. If that is true, I must be getting older. We met in September, became ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Tags: Politics, Humor, Sanity

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: Micah’s Misfortunes, Part 1

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 7, 2024

Introduction: The days of Israel’s judges, before Samuel and the kingdom, were known as ‘seesaw days”: Israel alternated between being true to the God of Israel, then abandoning Him to worship the idols of other nations. Israel would be oppressed, and then cry out to their God for help, but then ...read more

Scripture: Judges 17:1-6

Tags: Idols, Ephraim, Micah, Teraphim

Denomination: Baptist

Secret Of The Fifth Man!" Mark 2:1-5 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 12, 2005

“Secret of the Fifth Man!” Mark 2:1-5 Key verse(s) 3:“Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.” Five people passed the beggar but only one stopped to help. The will it seems to get somewhere on time, a preoccupation with self, easily thwarted a fragile affection that ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-5, Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Compassion, Romantic Love

Denomination: Lutheran

A Movement To Jesus Within Islam

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

A MOVEMENT TO JESUS WITHIN ISLAM In an article entitled, "A Movement to Jesus Within Islam" this story is told: There was a Muslim holy man, a Sufi master, named Isaac. He lived in a remote region of a Muslim country, where he had a large following. Several thousand people looked to him for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Islam

Sully And Second Nature

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 30, 2011

"SULLY" AND SECOND NATURE Thursday, January 15, 2009, was another ordinary day in New York City. Or so it seemed. But by that evening people were talking of a miracle. They may have been right. But the full explanation is, if anything, even more interesting and exciting. And it strikes just the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit