In Sermon Illustrations: "Seven Churches"

The Practice Of ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Aug 6, 2009

The Practice of Restitution. Do those lofty ideals ever get put into practice? Yes, by specific individuals. Years ago we had in this church a man who had been saved after beginning to attend here. He was serious about Christ and had a strong desire to witness for Christ. The apostle Peter gave a ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Pentecostal

Does He Show Through?

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Sep 3, 2009

DOES HE SHOW THROUGH? One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother & said, "Mommy, there’s something about the preacher’s message this morning that I don’t understand." The mother said, "Oh? What is it?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Community Stores Refuse Kind Acts Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 9, 2009

Community Stores Refuse Kind Acts of Service The story is told of a minister who was organizing opportunities for people in his church to do small acts of kindness as a demonstration of Christ’s love in the community. 1. He phoned several neighborhood grocery stores and Laundromats and asked for ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14

Tags: Servanthood

An Old Preacher Wants To Die Between Two Greedy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 16, 2009

An Old Preacher Wants To Die Between Two Greedy Men from His Congregation An old preacher was dying. He sent a message for his banker and his lawyer, both church members, to come to his home. When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, the preacher held out his ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:3-7

Tags: Greed

Synergistic Effect Of Draft Horses Pulling In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 1, 2009

Synergistic Effect of Draft Horses Pulling in Pairs Compared to Corporate Prayer My friend, if you are negligent about prayer in this way you are letting your church down. I read this week about a horse-pull in Canada where they hitched this one draft horse and he pulled 9,000 pounds. They hitched ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:12-14

Tags: Prayer General

Somebody Once Wrote A Book ‘men Are From Mars And ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 4, 2009

SOMEBODY ONCE WROTE A BOOK ‘MEN ARE FROM MARS AND WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS WHICH REALLY SPEAKS ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT MEN AND WOMEN REALLY ARE. I THINK IT STANDS OUT THE MOST ON THE WEDDING DAY ITSELF. THE BIG DAY ARRIVES AND THE HUSBAND TO BE WAKES UP, RELAXES MIGHT HAVE A FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST THEN ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Baptist

A Christmas Story: Filling The Hole

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 30, 2009

A CHRISTMAS STORY: FILLING THE HOLE One of the most popular films [of this season] is a little vignette set in the 50s called A Christmas Story. In the plot, young Ralphie sets his heart on an air rifle for Christmas, enduring ridicule and scorn in his quest for this gift he believes will make him ...read more

Tags: Desire

Denomination: Catholic

Vance Havner On How To Reach The Masses  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2010

VANCE HAVNER ON HOW TO REACH THE MASSES Preacher Vance Havner used to tell this story: Years ago a convention met in Indianapolis to discuss "How to Reach the Masses." One day during that convention a young man stood on a box on a corner and began to preach. A crowd gathered, mostly workingmen ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:14-15

Tags: Evangelism How To

A Bug's Life: Small Steps Of Faith

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 15, 2010

A BUG'S LIFE: SMALL STEPS OF FAITH A Bug’s Life, Start time 6:30 Overview from Belknapp: Dot complains to Flik about her underdeveloped wings. She wants to fly now! Flik encourages her, showing her that a seed that starts out small eventually grows into a towering tree-it only takes time and ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Idea Of The Cloven Tongues Has Always ...

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on May 29, 2010

The idea of the cloven tongues has always bothered me. At least, that’s the way we usually see this phrase translated. When I was young, that really used to bother me. I’d watched all those old westerns where the Native Americans would say, “White man speak with forked tongue.” I didn’t like the ...read more

Tags: Tongue, Gifts

Denomination: *other

The Love Of Christ Enables Believers  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 31, 2010

THE LOVE OF CHRIST ENABLES BELIEVERS I like the way one pastor put it years ago (1986) when he became overwhelmed with all the "ideals" he was collecting from church growth seminars and books. He said, "Quite frankly, I'm sick to death of ideals. I have so many ideals and I've been so frustrated ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:13-16

Tags: Growth In Christ

Do You Like To Be Blind?  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 30, 2011

DO YOU LIKE TO BE BLIND? Our grand-kids came to visit our church one Sunday, and I asked our grandson, Caleb, how he liked Sunday School. He said he didn't like it at all! I asked him why and he explained that the teacher made them close their eyes for a long time and wouldn't let them open ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-7, 1 John 4:19-21

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Key To The Spiritual Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

THE KEY TO THE SPIRITUAL LIFE At age 16, Madame Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717) was forced into an arranged marriage with an invalid 22 years older. She found her marriage to be one of utter humiliation. Her husband was often angry and melancholy. Her mother-in-law was a merciless critic. Even the maid ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Shortcuts

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on May 8, 2011

SHORTCUTS We live in a world of shortcuts. When I drive up to the Wendy's drive-through menu, I order my usual #6 rather than recite the details of the food order. You have your own shortcuts: mixing laundry loads; hot dinner pick up at Superstore; "control-C" on the computer to copy an item ...read more

Tags: Burden, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Salvation Army

River Of God

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jun 5, 2011

RIVER OF GOD Ever since moving to the valley, my eyes have been drawn to the mountains and the river. There’s days in the summer months when I ride my bike to the river, and gaze at the its powerful flow. It’s fascinating for me to watch the river at different stages. Sometimes it looks ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Lutheran

God's Greatness

Contributed by Ed Lu on Nov 26, 2011

GOD'S GREATNESS Today it doesn’t take wars or persecutions to challenge our Christian faith or religious practices. No spears, no swords, no fiery torches or saddled horses to combat our religiosity. Sadly, these so called wars and battles among Christians are domesticated within the surrounding ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23

Tags: Greatness

Denomination: Baptist

History Of Israel Stands As A Witness...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Nov 27, 2011

History of Israel stands as a witness... About 300 years ago, the King of Sweden was having personal doubts about God’s existence and the Bible's divine nature. He called for Count Von Zinzendorf, who was the bishop of the Moravian Church, to provide evidence about God’s existence and Divine ...read more

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: *other

Eckerd: On The Hook With God

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jan 23, 2012

ECKERD: ON THE HOOK WITH GOD JACK ECKERD founded the chain of drug stores that bear his name. Eckerd gave his employees Eckerd's shares from his personal stock. By taking advantage of the stock option program offered by Eckerd, his employees benefitted financially in the success of the new ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Baptist

Travelers Vs. Tourists

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Mar 29, 2012

TRAVELERS VS. TOURISTS Canadian Pastor Mark Buchanan in his book "Your Church is Too Safe" points out the radical difference between a traveler and a tourist. "A traveler literally means 'one who travails.' He labors, he suffers, endures. A traveler -- travailer - ...immerses himself in a culture, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran

Are You Ready To Rescue The Perishing?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2012

ARE YOU READY TO RESCUE THE PERISHING? I read a story of a man that got saved as a young, adult. He was so excited about Christ for the first couple of weeks, he told everybody the difference Jesus had made in his life. One Sunday night he was at his church and they sang this song, "Rescue the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6

Tags: Evangelism Urgency