In Sermon Illustrations: "Sacrificial Service"

Colonel Henry Gariepy, Retired Salvation Army ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Oct 6, 2007

Colonel Henry Gariepy, retired Salvation Army officer and author in the United States offered an awakening word. “Even in what sometimes appears to be our religious duties to Christ we find ulterior motives. Have we not too often observed those who come to church for the bread that perishes? In ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Music/Worship Leader Of A Large Church Led ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Nov 6, 2007

The music/worship leader of a large church led fantastic worship services and choirs. Out of 800 people there were 200 in choir. Each Sunday morning he would receive a note from the same person. The note was always critical telling him where he had failed to lead worship. Imagine every Sunday, ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Rick Warren ("Purpose Driven") Accurately ...  PRO

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Mar 4, 2008

Rick Warren (“Purpose Driven”) accurately observes: “We can measure our servant’s heart by how we respond when others treat us like servants. How do you react when you’re taken for granted, bossed around, treated as an inferior…? Unfortunately, a lot of our service is often self-serving. We serve ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

When A Person Works An Eight-Hour Day And ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Apr 17, 2008

When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day’s pay for his time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for his performance, that is a prize. When a person receives appropriate recognition for his long service or high achievements, that is an ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

Community

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on May 4, 2008

COMMUNITY God calls us to enter into community, which means to be engaged in each other's lives and experiences. It's showing up at the funeral; it's taking time to visit at the hospital; it's making a point of going to the concert performance. The lesson here teaches that we are (or should be) ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Salvation Army

I'm Her Brother

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 23, 2008

A true story from Reader’s Digest: Recently my girlfriend, Karen, got a job at a local hardware store. "The owners don’t want us hanging out with our friends," she said. "If you stop by, tell them you’re my brother." On my first visit, I walked to the customer service desk and asked the older ...read more

Tags: Family

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Young Lady Was Calling To Get An Appointment ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Jul 8, 2008

A young lady was calling to get an appointment for a massage. She called information to get the number for "Angels Touch Massage." She called the number and asked for prices. The person on the other end said "I would be glad to give you a massage, but I don’t think you would want a massage from ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Pentecostal

Church Alternatives

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2008

CHURCH ALTERNATIVES A Barna study finds a majority of U.S. adults believe there are biblically legitimate alternatives to participation in a conventional church. Among them are engaging in faith activities at home with one’s family (acceptable by 89% of adults); being active in a house church ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Perhaps The Economy Can Teach Us ...

Contributed by Charles Wallis on Dec 22, 2008

Perhaps the economy can teach us something… Tom Ehrich “Economy puts Christ back into Christmas” “so a lifestyle built on credit-funded excess doesn’t look like adult behavior. Large houses look different now. So do large wardrobes, large travel budgets, large parties. The question many are ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: Pentecostal

Kids Mirror ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

KIDS MIRROR PARENTS An American Bible Society study conducted by Weekly Reader Research found children do mirror their parents’ behavior. Parents who attend church weekly tend to have teens that worship weekly, while 78% of parents who never attend worship services have teens who never attend, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:4

Tags: Parenting

Unmarked Police Car

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 30, 2009

UNMARKED POLICE CAR As my husband, the county highway commissioner, was driving to the hospital for treatment of his painful leg, he decided to use the valet parking service so he wouldn’t have to walk far. Staring at his official-looking vehicle, one of the valets asked my husband if he was ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Independent/Bible

S. Lewis Johnson Wrote In His Article Entitled ...

Contributed by Doyle Hayes on Jul 7, 2009

S. Lewis Johnson wrote in his article entitled “The Paralysis of Legalism” One of the most serious problems facing the orthodox church today is the problem of legalism. One of the most serious problems facing the church in Paul’s day was the problem of legalism. In every day it is the same. ...read more

Tags: Law

Denomination: Baptist

The Setting Is The Front Of A Small Church. The ...

Contributed by Mark Armstrong on Aug 3, 2009

The setting is the front of a small church. The pastor says from the pulpit, ‘I’ve misplaced my sermon notes, so I’m just going to read from this devotional—if I can find it here. While I look, maybe the choir can lead us in a hymn’. He glances at the choir which has one person. The choir ...read more

Tags: Religion

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Blasphemy Challenge  PRO

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Nov 12, 2009

BLASPHEMY CHALLENGE J. Michael Shannon tells how some young people put up a web site to encourage atheism. The site invited people to dare God to send them to hell. More than 400 young people took the challenge. People who took the challenge received a free copy of documentation that promotes ...read more

Tags: Atheism

Denomination: Salvation Army

Always Thankful  PRO

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

ALWAYS THANKFUL "Several churches in North Dakota were being served by a clever old preacher. The people were always amazed, for no matter what the circumstances, the preacher could always find something to give thanks for. As he made his rounds one cold December morning, he was late in getting to ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

God's Wood And God's Iron

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Jul 13, 2010

GOD'S WOOD AND GOD'S IRON Famed evangelist, Billy Kelly, received a donation of some Jack Daniel's aging barrels. He used them to make lemonade at his Greer Baptist Camp Meeting. He quipped that he didn't know if where from the Spirit or the spirits, but that they sure had enjoyed wonderful ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

Now A Man Can Scarcely Arrive At The Needed ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 8, 2013

"Now a man can scarcely arrive at the needed sense of responsibility, unless his living conditions allow him to become conscious of his dignity, and to rise to his destiny by spending himself for God and for others. But human freedom is often crippled when a man encounters extreme poverty just as ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Catholic

Supporting The Poor  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 8, 2013

SUPPORTING THE POOR In a 1998 article in Christian History magazine, Rodney Stark said: "In a world lacking social services, Christians were their brothers' keepers. At the end of the second century AD, Tertullian wrote that while pagan temples spend their donations "on feasts and drinking ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:26, Galatians 2:10

Tags: Charitable, Poor, Benevolence, Helping Poor

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Our God Resigns??

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 8, 2021

Ray Stedman, noted pastor and author, once traveled to England to speak at a Bible conference. The church sanctuary was filled with people eager to hear this well-known teacher. The service began with singing and praise to the Lord. One of the songs was the chorus "Our God ...read more

Tags: Lord, Humor, Will Of God, Sovereignty Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Free Indeed!

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 30, 2023

Once a pastor was speaking on the topic of Spiritual Freedom. He began to wax poetical in his delivery as he repeated over, and over this phrase… “I’m free! I’m free! Praise God I’m free indeed!” After service a little boy shook his hand and said, “Preacher, I’m free! I’m free! I’m free indeed!” ...read more

Scripture: John 8:32, John 8:36, John 8:21-36

Tags: Freedom, Sermons Of Jesus, Pastor Jokes, Laughter The Best Medicine

Denomination: Baptist