In Sermon Illustrations: "Sharing Faith"

Thoughts On Discipleship By Willard, Stott, And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

THOUGHTS ON DISCIPLESHIP by Willard, Stott, and Warren Dallas Willard in his book "Divine Conspiracy" states: "....discipleship is real-life apprenticeship to Jesus." If we are students of Jesus then we must be with him. If I am an apprentice, a disciple, that means I must be with him to learn ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Discipleship

Kirby Puckett: Disciple  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

KIRBY PUCKETT: DISCIPLE Few have illustrated the process of imitating Jesus as an apprentice, a student, a disciple than Kirby Puckett, who was the centerfielder for 13 years for the Minnesota Twins baseball team. He had a career batting average of .318, made the All Star lineup ten years in a ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-25

Tags: Discipleship

As A Pastor I Learned A Valuable Lesson Early In ...

Contributed by Kelly Benton on Nov 10, 2010

Early in my ministry, I learned a hard but necessary lesson. I was deeply concerned about offending people in the congregation. I carefully guarded my words, avoiding anything that might make someone uncomfortable or rub them the wrong way. Part of that came from fear—fear that if I preached tough, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:10

Tags: Preaching, Pleasing The Father

Denomination: Other

Infallible And Inerrant

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

INFALLIBLE AND INERRANT For practical purposes the words infallible and inerrant are interchangeable. When we apply them to the Bible, what we are saying is that only those who accept as from God all that Scripture proves to tell us, promise us, or require of us, can ever fully please him. Both ...read more

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Brethren

I Knew My Father Was Pleased

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 6, 2011

I KNEW MY FATHER WAS PLEASED It reminds me of a story that Jonathan Goforth (1859-1936) the great Canadian missionary in China, used to tell. Jonathan’s father put him in charge of one of the family farms at the age of 15. He drew special attention to one very large field, which had become choked ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Anglican

Waiting Vs. Watching For Him

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 23, 2011

WAITING VS. WATCHING FOR HIM The Lord told us not only to wait for him but to watch for him, and he has pronounced a special blessing on those who watch. The difference between waiting and watching is illustrated in a story told of a Scotch fishing village. After days at sea, the skipper of a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Tags: Second Coming

If He Hadn't Taken My Son

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

"IF HE HADN'T TAKEN MY SON" Imagine the following scenario: Three little boys walk into a large electrical compound in Okinawa when the workmen momentarily walks to his truck to get some tools. One of those boys touches a live wire and is instantly electrocuted to death. The parents are ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

Repentance And Baptism  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 11, 2011

REPENTANCE AND BAPTISM Steve Atkerson states: "John the Baptist explicitly stated the purpose of his baptism when he said, 'I baptize you with water for repentance' (Mt 3:11). Did John baptize them so that they could repent or because they already had repented? That is, was John's baptism a means ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Darwin Kissed And Cried Over Evolution

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jun 20, 2011

DARWIN KISSED AND CRIED OVER EVOLUTION Shortly after Charles Darwin and his wife Emma were married, Emma wrote Charles a letter. In her letter Emma warned Darwin about believing things that can’t be proved and of recognizing the limitations of our minds... That there are things "which if true are ...read more

Tags: Evolution

Denomination: Lutheran

God Redeems A Child's Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 28, 2011

GOD REDEEMS A CHILD'S DEATH These are bad things God allows in order to reveal Himself and accomplish some larger good that supersedes or overcomes the bad. Imagine the following scenario: Three little boys walk into a large electrical compound in Okinawa when the workmen momentarily walks to his ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God In The Hardships

Pennies From Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Michael Walther on Jul 11, 2011

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN Many of the farms in the state of Nebraska are right on the edge of the fertile plains that receive enough rainfall to produce abundant crops. Some years the yields can be a little lower simply because they are not blessed with as much rain as other farmers. Being so dependent ...read more

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Lutheran

Firm Foundation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2011

FIRM FOUNDATION Ravi Zacharias told about doing a lectureship several years ago at the Ohio State University. As he was being driven to the lecture, they passed what was then the "new" Wexner Art Center. The driver commented, "This is a new art building for the university. It is a fascinating ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27

Tags: Foundation

Is God Good?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

IS GOD GOOD? Randy Alcorn talks about what happened to his friend, Ethel Herr in his new book, What Good is God. She had had a double mastectomy. Then two months later, doctors discovered that the cancer had spread. One of Herr's friends in shock asked her, "And how do you feel about God now?" ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Prevailing Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Scott Spencer on Oct 7, 2011

PREVAILING PRAYER Daniel Nash and Charles Finney were great evangelists in the early 1800s. On one occasion, when meetings had begun in a particular city, a group of young men confronted Charles Finney, openly announcing that they were going to break up the meetings. Finney and Nash decided this ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Wishing Vs. Hoping  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Clawser on Dec 3, 2011

WISHING VS. HOPING Eugene Peterson (Living the Message: Daily Help for Living the God-Centered Life) points out that what a lot of people call hope is in reality something different. It's wishing, not hoping: and wishing and hoping are not the same thing. "Wishing," Peterson says, "is something ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Other

God, Send Us Bigger Rattlesnakes  PRO

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 26, 2012

GOD, SEND US BIGGER RATTLESNAKES There was a farmer who had three sons: Jim, John, and Sam. No one in the family ever attended church or had time for God. The pastor and church members tried for years to interest the family in the things of God, but to no avail. Then one day, a rattlesnake bit ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Straightest Path  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 12, 2012

THE STRAIGHTEST PATH Two boys were playing in the snow one day, when one said to the other, "Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow." His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started. One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along without taking his eyes off ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-15

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How Well Do You Obey?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

HOW WELL DO YOU OBEY? How we admire the obedience a dog shows to its master! Archibald Rutledge wrote that one day he met a man whose dog had just been killed in a forest fire. Heartbroken, the man explained to Rutledge how it happened. Because he worked out-of-doors, he often took his dog with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23, Luke 9:23-27, Jeremiah 7:21-24

Tags: Obedience

The Journey Of Jonathan Aitken

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Nov 5, 2012

THE JOURNEY OF JONATHAN AITKEN Jonathan Aitken was a British war correspondent in Viet Nam, Chief-Executive of TV-AM, and for 23 years an MP including time as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and a Defence Minister. Jonathan Aitken's life fell apart after he was caught telling a lie under oath in ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Anglican

Last Lap Of The Race

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jul 4, 2014

May 29, 2011 it looked like it was destiny, the day Dale Earnhardt Jr. was rounding the last lap of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. You could just imagine the script that was being set; it was memorial day, he was being sponsored by the national guard, and He was going to finally win for the first ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7

Tags: Perseverance, Endurance, Finish The Race, Gas Tank

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational