In Sermon Illustrations: "Sermon Introduction"

Unsung Heroes: Phurah, The Servant Of Gideon

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Oct 5, 2021

Introduction: Phurah, Gideon’s servant, is only mentioned twice in the entire Bible—here in this passage—but what he did certainly speaks volumes. Text, Judges 7:9-11, KJV: 9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered ...read more

Scripture: Judges 7:9-11

Tags: Gideon, Phurah, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-They Helped Rebuild Jerusalem’s Wall

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 12, 2022

Introduction: The Book of Nehemiah is almost like a report or memoir of what Nehemiah did, and why. He led the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, as these walls were in sad shape. Chapter 3 of his book lists a number of people and groups who did work on these walls. The word “repaired” is ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:12, Numbers 27:1-11

Tags: Nehemiah, Walls Of Jerusalem, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Pilate’s Wife

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 4, 2022

Introduction: Some women can be unsung heroines even if they were not believers at the time. Such a woman is the wife of Pontius Pilate, the Roman official overseeing Israel at the time. Text, Matthew 27:19, KJV: 19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:19

Tags: Pilate's Wife, Dreams, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Susanna

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 20, 2022

Introduction: Susanna is only mentioned once in Scripture, but it’s in a very positive light. She was one of the unsung heroines who ministered to Jesus and the disciples during His days of ministering on this earth. Text: Luke 8:1-3, KJV: 1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:1-3

Tags: Susanna, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Salome

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 23, 2022

Introduction: She’s only mentioned in two verses, and only in one of the Gospels. Her deeds of love for Jesus, though, far outweigh any lack of text. Her name is Salome and she’s another unsung heroine of the Bible. Text: Mark 15:40-41, KJV: 40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom ...read more

Scripture: Mark 15:40-41, Luke 24:1-11

Tags: Salome, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: They Helped A Desperate Father

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 14, 2023

Introduction: True friends are those willing to help. These unsung heroes helped a desperate father bring his son to Jesus. Text, Mark 9:17-20a, KJV: 17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 18 And wheresoever he taketh him, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:17-20

Tags: Jesus, Evil Spirits, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

P-U-L-L Or Pray Until Lesson’s Learned!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 30, 2023

Introduction: A lot of us might remember the acronym P-U-S-H, standing for Pray Until Something Happens! The other day, something happened to me to give a bit of a humorous slant or angle on that idea. Text: Proverbs 3:13-14, KJV: 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:13-14

Tags: Wisdom, Learning

Denomination: Baptist

On Christmas Afternoon, The Pastor’s Wife ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Mar 17, 2001

On Christmas afternoon, the Pastor’s wife dropped into an easy chair saying, "Boy! Am I ever tried." Her husband looked over at her & said, "I had to conduct two special services last night, three today, & give a total of five sermons. Why ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:11-19, Luke 18:9-14

Tags: Humility, Gifts Prophecy, Temptation Pride

Denomination: Baptist

There Are A Lot Of Things You And I Are Afraid ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Jul 6, 2001

There are a lot of things you and I are afraid of. I found a list of phobias that I thought would be neat to share. Cyberphobia: fear of computers; Ecclesiophobia: fear of church; Lunaphobia: fear of the moon; Astraphobia: fear of lightning; Chrometophobia: fear of money; Europhobia: fear of the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:6-7

Tags: Endurance, Fear And Worry

Denomination: Baptist

Rick Warren Says, "Worry Is The Warning Light ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 2, 2004

Rick Warren says, "Worry is the warning light that God is really not first in my life at this particular moment." Because worry says that God is not big enough to handle my troubles. Jesus says in Mt. 6:33: "Set your heart first on God’s kingdom and His goodness.." And He ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-8

Tags: Guilt

Denomination: Christian Church

Maybe You Think About My Preaching Sometimes Like ...  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Aug 20, 2004

Maybe you think about my preaching sometimes like this minister I heard about. He gave an unusual sermon one day, using a peanut to make several important points about the wisdom of God in nature. One of his members greeted him at the door and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 1:1-7

Tags: Worship Benefits

Denomination: Methodist

Only Three Out Of Five Christians Could Recall ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

Only three out of five Christians could recall the names of the first four books of the New Testament, and only half of the Christians interviewed correctly identified Jesus as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount. A full 42 percent of the Christians interviewed said that without the ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Offer Patients ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 27, 2009

OFFER PATIENTS LOVE At his clinic in Topeka, Kansas, Dr. Karl Menninger instructed his entire staff that the most important thing they could offer any patient was love. He said, "If people can learn to give and receive love, they will usually recover from their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Tags: Kindness

The Uppertaker

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

THE UPPERTAKER Alexander MacLaren said, "The primitive church thought more about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ than about death or about heaven. The early Christians were not looking for a cleft in the ground called a grave but for a cleavage in the sky called Glory. They were watching not for ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:11-21

Tags: Second Coming

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Worded It This Way: "It I...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

Dietrich Bonhoeffer worded it this way: "It is Jesus himself who comes between the disciples and the law, not the law which comes between Jesus and the disciples." Source: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship 123 (R.H. Fuller trans., New York: Touchstone, 1995). ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20

Tags: Law

Parents Sued By Son For Malpractice Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

Parents Sued by Son for Malpractice of Parenting In 1978, Thomas Hansen of Boulder Colorado, sued his parents for $350,000 on grounds of “malpractice of parenting.” He charged in his suit that his mother and father had botched his upbringing so badly, that he would need years ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Parenting

Whose Side Are You ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 4, 2010

Whose Side Are You On? A story is told about a believer who was stone cold deaf. Despite this, they faithfully attended and participated in the local church of which they were a member. When asked why they bothered, they said, “I want everyone to know ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23-25

Tags: Church General

To Hold Water  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jun 22, 2010

TO HOLD WATER There is no substitute for sound, biblical thinking. John Gardner: An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent theologian. The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in theology because it ...read more

Tags: Doctrine

Denomination: Pentecostal

How To Become Better Off ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2010

How To Become Better Off Financially An anonymous wise man once said, “If you want to get better off financially, Quit buying things.” And Henry David Thoreau said “Just about everyone knows how to make money, but very few ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Tags: Money

G. Campbell Morgan On Waiting For God

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2011

G. CAMPBELL MORGAN ON WAITING FOR GOD "Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not going to sleep. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do ...read more

Scripture: Micah 7:7

Tags: God's Sovereign Will