In Sermon Illustrations: "Selfish Love"

Who Are You Rescuing?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2010

WHO ARE YOU RESCUING? Jesus, help us to control our desires. May a thirst for knowing You and a longing to please You become our strongest passion, like it was for Mary Frances Housley. Let me tell you a true story. MARY FRANCES HOUSLEY was born October 12, 1926 in Knoxville, Tennessee. She grew ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-13

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Recall Notice  PRO

Contributed by Joseph Bachman on Feb 24, 2005

RECALL NOTICE: The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-20

Tags: Faith, Dumb

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Power Of A  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Power of a Christ Centered Ministry In Galatians chapter five the apostle Paul writes about the fruit that comes out of mankind. First there are those who produce fruit that comes by living according to the sinful nature and second, there is fruit that is produced as one lives under the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bible Defines Worldliness By Centering ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Oct 31, 2002

The Bible defines worldliness by centering morality where we intuitively know it should be. Worldliness is the lust of the flesh (a passion for sensual satisfaction), the lust of the eyes (an inordinate desire for the finer things of life), and the pride of life (self-satisfaction in who we are, ...read more

Tags: Christian Values, Sin General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bible Defines Worldliness By Centering ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jan 13, 2003

The Bible defines worldliness by centering morality where we intuitively know it should be. Worldliness is the lust of the flesh (a passion for sensual satisfaction), the lust of the eyes (an inordinate desire for the finer things of life), and the pride of life (self-satisfaction in who we are, ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

I Had Never Met Bill. The Highland County ...

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Nov 30, 2006

I had never met Bill. The Highland County Hospital called me because he had requested a minister come to visit with him. Bill had apparently spent most of his life as an alcoholic, abusive, selfish, and terrible to everyone around him. Now, he was dying of lung cancer, and none of his family ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Man Overboard  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2013

MAN OVERBOARD One day Hudson Taylor was traveling on a Chinese junk from Shanghai to Ningpo. He had been witnessing to a man named Peter who rejected the gospel but was under deep conviction. In the course of events, Peter fell overboard, but no one made any effort to save him. Taylor sprang to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:2, Luke 10:1-10

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Doctrine Of Atonement

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 1, 2025

We need to have core beliefs that do not change over time – NO MATTER WHAT! The doctrine of atonement is under attack today. It is attacked by folks who look at humans and see each one as basically good who occasionally do bad things. They talk about each person’s freedom to become your ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Scripture, Atonement, Authentic, Holy God, Fallen World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Great Quotes On Revival

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

GREAT QUOTES ON REVIVAL Here are some quotes that have touched my heart as we ask God to send revival to our church! Dr. Larry Petton If revival is being withheld from us it is because some idol remains still enthroned; because we still insist in placing our reliance in human schemes; because ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Revival, Renewal, Repentance, Holy Spirit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Some Years Ago The Minnesota Crime Commission ...  PRO

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Feb 25, 2002

Some years ago the MINNESOTA CRIME COMMISSION released a statement more in line with what the Bible teaches about man’s basic nature. ‘Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish, and self-centered. He wants what he wants when he wants it – his bottle, his mother’s ...read more

Tags: Grace, Sin Fall Of Man, Sin General

Christlikeness: A Painful Process  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on May 9, 2012

CHRISTLIKENESS: A PAINFUL PROCESS The truth is that the Spirit of the living God is guaranteed to ask you to go somewhere or do something you wouldn’t normally want or choose to do. The Spirit will lead you to the way of the cross, as He led Jesus to the cross, and that is definitely not a safe or ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, Matthew 16:24-25, Revelation 12:1-2

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Blessed Are The Peacemakers "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9) There is a commission from God that is available to every obedient Christian today and that is to be a peacemaker. Argument and discord is a great waste of energies better spent on ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9

Tags: Character

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Four Ways To Win The Battle With Lust

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 9, 2024

Four practical ways to overcome temptation: (1) Study and know yourself. Know where you’re vulnerable and devise strategies to protect yourself. Others may be able to handle situations where you will fall. Don’t go with them if it is a source of temptation for you. Develop a deep distrust in ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Adultery, Sexuality, Eyes, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Desire, Holiness, Look, Pornography, Lust, Deception  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[165]. A Message From A Poem – Kindness In The Christian’s Pain

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 15, 2025

[165]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – KINDNESS IN THE CHRISTIAN’S PAIN We all need kindness, but not everyone can give kindness. Some find it too hard because of their backgrounds, and some are just so selfish they are incapable of it. Kindness is a special gift when it is given in a sacrificial way, ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:12, Ephesians 2:7, Galatians 5:22

Tags: Pain, Compassion, Kindness, Great High Priest, Christian Poems, God Is Kind  (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

Serving Daily In The Monotonous Details Of Life ...

Contributed by John Harvey on Oct 13, 2006

“Serving daily in the monotonous details of life uncovers the deep roots of selfishness in my soul. Feeding, sheltering and clothing my family translates into cooking, cleaning, and laundry EVERY day for years with no end in sight. This is no short term mission trip. The constant demands of two ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Baptist

I ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Jan 25, 2010

ILLUSTRATION How many of us had to be taught how to talk back to your parents? How may of us had to be taught how to cheat on a test or our tax return? How many of us had to be taught how to lie? How many of us had to be taught how to be selfish? Just as all of us don’t need to be taught how to ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

C.s. Lewis On The Difference Between Heaven And Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2014

LEWIS: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL C. S. Lewis once provided a powerful image of the difference between heaven and hell. He described hungry people sitting at a huge banquet loaded with delicious food. Every person had a meter-long fork and knife attached to their hands (that’s about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

Tags: Jesus Parables, Wedding Banquet, Heaven And Hell

Rain Man Doesn't Understand Inheritance

Contributed by David Ward on Feb 25, 2016

"Rain Man" was the top moneymaking film of 1988, and also won the Oscar for Best Picture. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish wheeler-dealer named Charlie (Tom Cruise), who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Tags: Priorities, Wealth And Riches, Eternal Inheritance, Treasures In Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Want It All

Contributed by John Boquist on Jul 19, 2008

I WANT IT ALL Some time ago, our daughter had just turned 15½ and received her learner’s permit. Once she did that, I actually handed her the keys to my car and let her in the driver’s seat. Suppose she had said something like, “Now that I have the keys, I’m going to drive the way I want to. ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist