In Sermon Illustrations: "Sacrifice For Others"

Sin Changes You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Apr 21, 2022

I heard a quote many years ago that I believe is from a movie I do not recommend called 8mm. (it is about human trafficking or some other awful thing). The quote is so true: If you dance with the devil, the devil dont change. The devil changes YOU. We can see this principle illustrated so ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Peter 5:9

Tags: Temptation, Compromise, Sin

Denomination: Charismatic

A Tale Of Two Artists

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 4, 2023

The great Danish theologian Soren Kierkegaard told a parable of 2 artists: One bragged, “I have travelled much and seen much in the world, but I have sought in vain to find anyone worth painting. In every face I have seen one or another fault. Therefore I seek in vain.” The second one, on the other ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-31, Matthew 25:40-46

Tags: Art, Creativity, Attitude, Kierkegaard

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Social Consequences Of Sin

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Oct 13, 2024

Social consequences of sin. Jonathan Edwards in his book “The Nature Of True Virtue” lays out how sin destroys the social fabric. He argues that human society is deeply fragmented when anything, but God is our highest love. If our highest goal in life is the good of our family, then we will tend to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:21-24

Tags: Law, Sin, Idolatry, Virtue, Jonathan Edwards, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Goal Of Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

Spiritual Gifts were documented in Class Meetings within the Wesleyan tradition. It was there that members shared their lives – the successes and the struggles. They would search the Scriptures for answers, and they would pray for each other. Those prayers included listening for a Word from the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Tags: Small Groups, Class Meeting, Love, Spiritual Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

In The Book

Contributed by Ken Pell on Oct 19, 2009

In the book “101 Romantic Ideas” Laura Jeanne Allen tells the following story. My Grandfather and Grandmother were married for over half a century, and played their own special game from the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word "SHMILY" in a surprise place ...read more

Tags: Marriage, Marriage General

Denomination: Nazarene

Reasons To Be ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

Reasons to be Thankful Let’s stop and think for just a moment. You are sitting in this service this morning listening to the Word of God being preached. How did you get here? Did the Father not give you the breath of life that brought you through the night and did He not give you the strength to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Holiday

Chosen

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Jul 5, 2017

CHOSEN 1 Peter 2:4 …you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious… I was awful. No one had to tell me – I knew it. In my hometown of Littlefield, Texas, the kids used to find a vacant lot relatively bare of weeds, choose up teams and play baseball. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4

Tags: Chosen By God, Baseball, Athlete, Athletic, Sports, Chosen, Elect  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Great Quotes On The Presence Of God

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

If you have God's presence, you have favor. One minute of God's Presence can accomplish more than 20 years of your striving. - Heidi Baker If you have never known the power of God's love, then maybe it is because you have never asked to know it - I mean really asked, expecting an ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9

Tags: Holy Spirit, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Charles De Gaulle Once Said: "When I Am Right, I ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2005

Charles De Gaulle once said: “When I am right, I get angry. Churchill gets angry when he is wrong. So we were very ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Slightly More Than Half Of All Born Again Adults ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

Slightly more than half of all born again adults shared their faith in Christ with others during the past 12 months, or roughly 43 million ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony

The Whole Conviction Of My Life Now Rests Upon ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

The whole conviction of my life now rests upon the belief that loneliness, far from being a rare and curious phenomenon, peculiar to myself and a few other solitary men, is the ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Evangelism The Lost, Disappointment

Give Me A Stout Heart To Bear My Own Burdens. ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

Give me a stout heart to bear my own burdens. Give me a willing heart to bear the burdens of others. Give me a believing heart to cast all ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, Galatians 6:2

Tags: Compassion, God In The Hardships, God's Provision

Faith Understands That God Intervenes In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Mar 14, 2002

Faith understands that God intervenes in the natural course of events; on the other hand, if the natural course of events should happen to answer prayer--that which we call a ...read more

Tags: Faith General, God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gore Vidal, The Famous Author And Atheist Once ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on May 17, 2003

Gore Vidal, the famous author and atheist once described Christianity as the greatest disaster ever to strike the West. He said: “It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.” and ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Envy

Denomination: Anglican

The Army Has A System Called "Battle Buddies." ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Nov 9, 2007

The Army has a system called “Battle Buddies.” No one is ever to be alone in battle. You can’t even go to the bathroom alone. We need ...read more

Tags: Dating

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Month Of January Is Named After The Roman ...

Contributed by Roger Nelmes on Jan 28, 2008

The month of January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was pictured as a man with two faces, one looking backward and the other forward. New Years Day provides a ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Open-Minded People Find Areas Of Commonality ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 17, 2008

"Open-minded people find areas of commonality with others and can connect to people very different from them. Close-minded people want a whole lot of commonality or ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Bertrand Russell Said Envy Was One Of The ...

Contributed by John Petty on Dec 1, 2008

** Bertrand Russell said envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness. It is a universal and most unfortunate aspect of human nature because not only is the envious person rendered ...read more

Tags: Envy

Denomination: Church Of God

I Believe That The First Test Of A Truly Great ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I believe that the first test of a truly great man is his humility. Really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not in them but through them. And they see something ...read more

Tags: Humility

Of All Things, Good Sense Is The Most Fairly ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Of all things, good sense is the most fairly distributed: Everyone thinks he is so well supplied with it that even those who are the hardest to satisfy in every other ...read more

Tags: Thought