In Sermon Illustrations: "Self Importance"

A One Way Street With No Turns!" Luke 9: 49-50 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 8, 2004

“A One Way Street With No Turns!” Luke 9: 49-50 Key verse(s): 49: “‘Master,’ said John, ‘we say a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because his is not one of us.’” “For many years Sir Walter Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No one ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:49-50, Acts 16:12-19

Tags: Envy, Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

Easter: New Creation  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Easter: New Creation The Easter Story is God taking a life which was being spent on self, the pleasures of this world, blinded by the devil, and turning it around to achieve all of His good purposes. The Word of God has some good news. The "New Creation" is living as a new man in Christ which ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:11

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Simeon The Pillar Hermit

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 28, 2024

Simeon was probably like most boys his age in A.D. 403. The 13-year-old spent much of his time caring for his father's flocks on the hillside of Cilicia. But one day, while listening to a sermon on the beatitudes, stirred and changed he left his home and family and began a lifelong pursuit of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Finding God, Monks, Intimacy With God, Separation, Holiness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

In 1986, A Group Of Researchers Published A Study ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Cormie on Oct 25, 2002

In 1986, a group of researchers published a study of Japanese mothers and mothers in Minneapolis. The mothers were asked to rank the most important things that a child needs to succeed academically. The answers tell a lot about the difference in our two cultures ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Giving Yourself

Denomination: Mennonite

A Grandmother Was Telling Her Granddaughter ...

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Apr 2, 2011

A grandmother was telling her granddaughter goodnight when the little girl said, "Mommy and Daddy are entertaining some very important people downstairs." "You’re right," Grandma agreed, "But how did you know?" "Just ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Salvation Army

Pursuing Butterflies!" Luke 22:24-30 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 1, 2005

“Pursuing Butterflies!” Luke 22:24-30 Key verse(s) 24:“Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.” We live to benefit ourselves and not others. Are you offended by this statement? It certainly isn’t what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches us to put others ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:24-30

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Lutheran

I Was Reading This Week In The Little Devotional ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I was reading this week in the little devotional book “This Day with the Master” by Dennis Kinlaw and I read the devotional for April 27th. I would like to share this with you this morning. In Ephesians 5:1-2 we are told to “be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love.” “One day as I ...read more

Tags: Trinity

Christian Code Of Conduct  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 3, 2008

CHRISTIAN CODE OF CONDUCT We should all commit ourselves to a code of conduct that glorifies the Lord no matter where we are at in life. Why? Because it will benefit those around us and make God look good. Here are few dimensions to the Christian Code of Conduct: (This code was adapted from a ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Must Have The Spirit Of Christ  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

You Must Have the Spirit of Christ Jesus said; "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him. But you know Him for He lives with you and will be in you. ...read more

Scripture: John 14:16-17

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Keeps Us From Evangelizing?  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Grayless on Feb 15, 2003

What keeps us from evangelizing? We fear rejection - 1 in 25 repent and believe. It takes 24 no’s to get a YES. But all 25 are important and we shouldn’t take it personally. Look at the ...read more

Tags: Rejection, What Is Evangelism?, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Methodist

Some Would Tend To Think That They Aren't ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Sep 1, 2003

"Some would tend to think that they aren't important, but without them the church is going to fail in its ministry and mission. And without them, those who try to exercise gifts of leadership and teaching and the like are destined to frustration and futility. These ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Wesleyan

Customer/Donor Loyalty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2008

CUSTOMER/DONOR LOYALTY According to the 2006 One to One Customer Loyalty Survey, 87% of corporate executives say their companies understand loyalty is driven by the overall customer experience created, yet only 38% have a system in place to identify ...read more

Tags: Business And Marketplace

We Make So Few Genuine Decisions In Life. Most ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

We make so few genuine decisions in life. Most of the choices we make are effected by outside forces and demands. But when it comes to the most important decision in life our decision about God He seeks only a ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

As Long As There Is One Person In Driving ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Feb 28, 2002

"As long as there is one person in driving distance of our church who doesn’t know the Lord, we want to grow. Nothing is more important than reaching people for the Lord, yet it is easy to be distracted from our ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Methodist

Faith Can't Be Bought: The New York Times ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

Faith Can’t Be Bought: The New York Times recently reported a poll finding that nearly 80% of Americans earning under $30,000 a year believe faith in God is “very important,” vs. only 54% of ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Fifty Years From Now, It Will Not Matter What ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"Fifty years from now, it will not matter what kind of car you drove, what kind of house you lived in, how much you had in your bank account, nor what your clothes looked like. But the world will be a ...read more

Tags: Children

Daniel Still Prayed To God Openly Because ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Feb 18, 2009

Daniel still prayed to God openly because Daniel’s love for God was more important to him than pretending he didn’t care about God. Daniel thought it was better to die than to pretend. Daniel ...read more

Tags: Daniel

Denomination: Salvation Army

Could We Understand Half What Mothers Say And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Could we understand half what mothers say and do to us when infants, we should be filled with such conceit of our own importance as would make us unsupportable through life. Happy the child whose mother is tired of ...read more

Tags: Parenting

It Is A Strange Fact That Christians And Even ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"It is a strange fact that Christians and even ministers frequently consider their work so important and urgent that they will allow nothing to disturb them. But it is part of the discipline of humility that we must not spare our hand where it can perform a service and that ...read more

Tags: Action

No Statues To Critics

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

NO STATUES TO CRITICS A young musician’s concert was poorly received by the critics. The famous Finnish composer Jean Sibelius consoled him by patting him on the shoulder and saying, "Remember, son, there is no city in the world where they have a statue to a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 8:9, Psalm 8:5-10

Tags: Encouragement