In Sermon Illustrations: "Search"

Total Sacrifice  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Total Sacrifice Bryan Chapell tells this story that happened in his hometown: Two brothers were playing on the sandbanks by the river. One ran after another up a large mound of sand. Unfortunately, the mound was not solid, and their weight caused them to sink in quickly. When the boys did not ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13, John 3:16, Galatians 1:4

Tags: Love, Sacrifice, Cross Agony

An Organization In Montana Offered A Bounty Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

An organization in Montana offered a bounty of five thousand dollars for every wolf captured alive. Two hunters named Sam and Jed decided to head for the hills and make some money capturing wolves. Day and night they scoured the mountains and forests searching for their valuable prey. Exhausted ...read more

Tags: Salvation

John Ortberg's Quote,

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 11, 2009

John Ortberg’s quote, “Prayer involves an old paradox in our day. Almost everyone talks to God. Newsweek magazine noted that in a recent survey more Americans said they pray in a given week than work, exercise, or have sexual relations. Of the 13 percent of Americans who claim to be atheist or ...read more

Tags: Prayer, Prayer General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

William Tyndale On Romans

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 21, 2009

William Tyndale on Romans William Tyndale, the pioneer English Bible translator, wrote these famous words in his prologue to Romans (in the 1534 edition of the English New Testament): "Forasmuch as this epistle is the principal and most excellent part of the New Testament, and most pure [gospel]. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Bible Study

Freedom To Choose One's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 8, 2009

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE ONE’S ATTITUDE There is a book called, “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Victor Frankl. Frankl was a Holocaust survivor who wrote about his experiences in a Nazi concentration camp. Everything was taken away from these prisoners. They were stripped of their clothing, their pictures, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:17

Tags: Thought

Anatomy Of Fear

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010

ANATOMY OF FEAR In spite of what they say, 90% of the chronic patients who see today's physicians have one common symptom. Their trouble did not start with cough or chest pain or hyperacidity. In 90% of the cases, the first symptom was fear. This is the opinion of a well-known American ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: *other

No Dummies Allowed  PRO

Contributed by T D on Dec 28, 2010

NO DUMMIES ALLOWED Why couldn’t Jesus be more specific? Why couldn’t he just define things in a 30-second commercial or make it easier to understand? I saw in the bookstore the other day one of those yellow books which said “Computers for Dummies.” They had a whole series of them- cooking for ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-5

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Evangelical Free

When God Says...what?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 14, 2014

A young preacher in Ft. Worth, Texas was trying to make an impression on a Pastor Search Team who had come to his church to hear him preach. The young man was preaching on the time in the Old Testament when God had enough with His disobedient people and finally said to them, "Ichabod!", which ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 4:21

Tags: Glory Of God, Sermon Bloopers, Mistakes, Humor

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Give Into God

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jun 15, 2015

Psalm 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear." Have you ever felt an unfamiliar and strange feeling like you should be talking to God? That is simply soul searching. It is actually God reaching out to you. But sin blocks that connection. When you "regard" or "cherish" ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 66:18

Tags: Hearing, Listening To God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Trial And Error

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

A lawyer invites his cousin from the Czech Republic to come and stay with him in Canada. Soon they decide to go hiking in the woods. Suddenly, a big grizzly bear appears. The bear kills the Czech cousin and then eats him. The lawyer runs to the nearest village and tells everybody what has ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 24:39, Luke 20:13, Ecclesiastes 9:11

Tags: Mistakes, Error, Trial, Process, Chances, Puns, Elimination, Perhaps  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Graffiti With Meaning!" Matthew 14: 22-24 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 15, 2004

“Graffiti With Meaning!” Matthew 14: 22-24 Key verse(s): 23: “After he had dismissed the, he went up on a mountainside by himself to prayer. When evening came, he was there alone . . .” “Isolation is not all that bad . . . it just depends on who you spend it with.” At first glance this ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-24

Tags: Boat, Prayer How To

Denomination: Lutheran

A Graduate's Call

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A Graduate's Call (Powerful thirst and hunger for the Word of God) The first step to walking on the path to Biblical success is to find God's plan for you through a powerful thirst and hunger for the Word of God. The New American Standard Bible holds this truth for the Christian graduate, "And ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Its Over, Elijah Came!

Contributed by Coz Von on Mar 7, 2016

”Elijah was physically taken up into heaven in a flaming chariot of fire. God said: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their father. Malachi 4:5-6 ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 4:5-6

Tags: Elijah, Love, Happiness, Future, Prophecy, Elijah And Elisha, Miracles Of Elijah, Elijah And Jezebel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Honor

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 28, 2020

Victor Frankl was a survivor of the holocaust. His famous book is called "Man's Search for Meaning." The reader they ask me why I did not try to escape what was in store for me after Hitler had occupied Austria. Let me answer by recalling the following story. Shortly before ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1

Tags: Sacrifice, Honor, Family, Purpose, Meaning, Selfishness, 10 Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Man Lost His Job And A Sizeable Fortune During ...

Contributed by Stephen Wright on Mar 13, 2005

A man lost his job and a sizeable fortune during a recession. To add to his sorrow, his precious wife died; yet he tenaciously held to his faith - the only thing he had left. One day when he was out searching for employment, he stopped to watch some men who were doing stonework on a large church ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ, Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

Max Lucado, In His Book, God Came Near, Just ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Dec 16, 2005

Max Lucado, in his book, God Came Near, just after picturing the birth, describes what people were doing while this dramatic event occurred undramatically. "Meanwhile, the city hums. The merchants are unaware that God has visited their planet. The innkeeper would never believe that he had just ...read more

Tags: Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Christian Church

Persistence Paid Off For American Astronomer ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 21, 2005

Persistence paid off for American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered the planet Pluto. After astronomers calculated a probable orbit for this “suspected” heavenly body, Tombaugh took up the search in March 1929. Time magazine recorded the investigation: “He examined scores of telescopic ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Pastor Leadership Styles

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

Pastor Leadership Styles Shepherding-loving, nurturing, community-driven 55% Bridge Building-good personality, create consensus, being people together 53% Directional-seeks next logical move, searches for right path 44% Team Building, matching people/jobs, expects it done, hands off ...read more

Tags: Church General

Do Not Offend Visitors To Your Website. A New ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Do Not Offend visitors to your website. A new Hostway, Inc survey reports 93% of web users do not like pop-up ads, 59% view moving text as bothersome, and 55% are annoyed by certain colors, type fonts and page formats. Other irksome issues are: 89%-the need to install extra software to use site ...read more

Tags: Communication General

The Porn Facts Utah Family Counselor Jill Manning ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 14, 2007

The Porn Facts Utah family counselor Jill Manning says, “I can unequivocally tell you pornography, especially Internet pornography with its violent, demeaning, or highly explicit messages, is damaging, not only for youths, but for many adults as well. Its affects on a person’s social and sexual ...read more