In Sermon Illustrations: "Sermon Preparation"

Italian Poet Dante Alighieri Criticized By ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

Italian Poet Dante Alighieri Criticized by Enemies During Church Service Deeply immersed in meditation during a church service, Italian poet Dante Alighieri failed to kneel at the appropriate moment. His enemies hurried to the bishop and demanded that Dante be punished for his sacrilege. Dante ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Faults

The Purpose Of The Holy Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 16, 2009

THE PURPOSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT N T Wright, the famous New Testament scholar talks about the task of Christians in the world. He says, "Many say, 'Oh yes, the Holy Spirit came in his place to live in us.' Yes, but for what purpose? The Holy Spirit came to empower us to be God's life in the world. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10, Ephesians 4:2-10

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

"On The Top Of A Hill In A Midwestern State S...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

"On the top of a hill in a Midwestern state stands a courthouse so situated that raindrops falling on one side of the roof travel by way of the Great Lakes into the Atlantic, while drops landing on the opposite side find their way through the Ohio and Mississippi to the Gulf. Just a breath of wind ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Tags: Eternity, Thought

How Spiritual Are You

Contributed by Hugh Laing on Jan 19, 2010

HOW SPIRITUAL ARE YOU Tell me how much time you spend alone with God...I will tell you how spiritual you are..and I mean really alone. Not how many meetings you go to...not how many gifts or talents you have...not how many sermons you preach...not how many records you’ve recorded or produced...not ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Baptist

Bill Hybels On Prayer As An Unnatural ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Bill Hybels on Prayer as an Unnatural Activity Bill Hybels begins his book Too Busy Not to Pray with these words: “Prayer is an unnatural activity. From birth we have been learning the rules of self reliance and self sufficiency. Prayer flies in the face of such deep seated values…. It is an ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Prayer General

When God Forgives, He ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

“When God Forgives, He Forgets” How different God’s pardon is from ours! So often we forgive as did the mother of the little girl who had been good a whole week, and asked mother for a favor. “I know” was the answer, “that you have been good all this week, but you know your were bad last week.” In ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 8:10-13

Tags: God's Forgiveness

Elie Wiesel Asks,

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 29, 2010

Elie Wiesel Asks, "Where Is God?" Elie Wiesel, a Nobel Prize winner and survivor of the Holocaust, tells of his time in the concentration camp. He and a few others were forced to witness the hanging of two Jewish men and one Jewish boy. The two men died right away, but the young boy struggled on ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-30

Tags: God In The Hardships

Contentment In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

Contentment in the Workplace One of the keys to contentment in your work and finding fulfillment in every area of life is learning to be thankful for what you have been given. Wanting to move forward in your career is not a problem unless it means that you take where you are for granted. As one ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9

Tags: Workplace

Decline Of Christianity In America  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2010

DECLINE OF CHRISTIANITY IN AMERICA North America is the only continent on earth where Christianity is not growing. Only 17.5% of the population of the US attends church on a regular Sunday. During the 1990’s there was a 19.4% decline in church attendance. 85% of churches in America are ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Church Growth

Faith And Icebergs

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 26, 2010

FAITH AND ICEBERGS Sailors in the northern oceans have frequently observed icebergs traveling in one direction in spite of strong winds blowing in the opposite direction. The icebergs were moving against the winds, but how? The explanation is that the icebergs, with eight-ninths of their bulk ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:9-11

Tags: Grace

Erickson's Thoughts On God The Father

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

ERICKSON'S THOUGHTS ON GOD THE FATHER And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent' (John 17:3) Dr. Packer's devotional approach to theology is evident from his choice of textbook which is Millard Erickson's 'Christian Theology'. Here's an ...read more

Scripture: John 17:3

Tags: God The Father

Who Needs Your Help?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 17, 2011

WHO NEEDS YOUR HELP? Of the 2,000 passengers on the Titanic, 1517 were lost. At the time the Titanic went down, another ship, the California was only 30 miles away. The Titanic’s operator frantically sent out SOS repeatedly; but the wireless set on the California was closed because there was only ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Desiring More Of God

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 27, 2023

A. W. Tozer prayed a prayer that I can identify with. Perhaps it resonates with you as well. Here is the first part of his prayer. “O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6, Luke 6:21, Proverbs 4:23

Tags: Zeal, Hunger, Revival, Desire, Righteousness, Passion  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Greatest Spiritual Challenges We Face

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 8, 2024

A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them: 1. Materialism. 2. Pride. 3. Self-centeredness. 4. Laziness. 5. Anger/Bitterness. 5. Sexual lust. 7. Envy. 8. Gluttony. 9. Lying. Survey respondents noted temptations were more potent when they ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Anger, Spiritual Battles, Lust, Discipleship, Temptation, Pride  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Lies Satan Uses To Trap You Into Addictions

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 8, 2024

What settings are you in when you fall? Avoid them. What props do you have that support your sin? Eliminate them. What people are you usually with? Avoid them. There are two equally damning lies Satan wants us to believe: 1) Just once won't hurt you at all. 2) Now that you have ...read more

Scripture: James 1:10-15

Tags: Victory, Lies, Defeat, Friends, Companions, Traps, Sin, Addiction, Deception, Satan, Spiritual Warfare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

True Peace And Joy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

True Peace and Joy As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: "It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Joy

Putting Up A Fight

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

Putting Up a Fight Charles Spurgeon may have been the most evangelistic preacher to ever walk the earth. His heart hurt for lost people like no other preacher that I have read. Listen to what said about hell: "If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

A Small Boy Was On The Witness Stand In An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

A small boy was on the witness stand in an important lawsuit. The prosecuting attorney cross-examined him, then delivered, he thought, a crushing blow to the testimony. "Your father has been telling you how to testify, has he not?" "Yes," the lad replied and did not hesitate with the answer. "Now," ...read more

Tags: Truth

A Small Boy Was On The Witness Stand In An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 27, 2008

A small boy was on the witness stand in an important lawsuit. The prosecuting attorney cross-examined him, then delivered, he thought, a crushing blow to the testimony. "Your father has been telling you how to testify, has he not?" "Yes," the lad replied and did not hesitate with the answer. "Now," ...read more

Tags: Truth

Something Really Cheap

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

SOMETHING REALLY CHEAP After being away on business, a man thought it would be nice to bring his wife a little gift. "How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk. She showed him a bottle costing $50.00. "That's a bit much," he said, so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00. ...read more

Tags: Giving General