In Sermon Illustrations: "Sheep And Goats"

The Explosive Christmas Story  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

THE EXPLOSIVE CHRISTMAS STORY James Martin tells about a trip to the Holy Land. While there, he buys a nativity set for his Sunday School class. It was carved out of olive wood in the town of Bethlehem and had all the traditional figures: sheep and oxen; wise men and the shepherds; Mary, Joseph, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-23

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

This Story Broke This Week From The United ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 14, 2009

This story broke this week from the United Kingdom: " LONDON (Reuters) – Gone are the days of shepherds in tea towels and tinsel-clad angels. Britain’s competitive parents are forking out on luxury pashmina shawls and velour dressing gowns to make their child the star of the annual nativity ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Let God's Grace Find You

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Mar 1, 2019

LET GOD’S GRACE FIND YOU, IT WILL COME WHERE YOU ARE 1.GOD’S Grace went to the mountain top for Abraham when he was about to sacrifice Isaac; GOD provided a ram 2.GOD’S Grace went to the prison where Joseph was; Found Him and made Him second in command in all Egypt 3.GOD’S Grace went to the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Grace, Mercy

Denomination: Pentecostal

It Beats Hell!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 6, 2002

IT BEATS HELL! It is said that Abe Mulky, who became the Texas Evangelist, went to an old-fashioned revival and was under deep conviction. He went home and said to his wife, "Mandy, what shall I do? I am lost. I am miserable. But you know we have gained our possessions crookedly and if I get ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-31

Tags: Parable Lazarus, Jesus Teachings, Hell

It's The 1930s And The Depression Is Affecting ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Dec 9, 2004

It’s the 1930s and the depression is affecting families across America. A poor man by the name of E.L. Yates was barely making a living on his sheep farm in West Texas around Odessa and Midland. He was constantly worrying about how he could pay his bills and feed his family. Mr. Yates had about ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Matt 5.10-12 "Blessed Are Those Who Are ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

Matt 5.10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." On June 17, 2004, when Sister Jiang Zongxiu went to the market in Guizhou Province, China, she thought it would be just another day. Along with her mother-in-law, Jiang went through ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Matt 5.10-12 "Blessed Are Those Who Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Matt 5.10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." On June 17, 2004, when Sister Jiang Zongxiu went to the market in Guizhou Province, China, she thought it would be just another day. Along with her mother-in-law, Jiang went through ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Blessed Are The Persecuted

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

BLESSED ARE THE PERSECUTED Matt 5.10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." On June 17, 2004, when Sister Jiang Zongxiu went to the market in Guizhou Province, China, she thought it would be just another day. Along with her ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Truth In Customs

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 28, 2010

TRUTH IN CUSTOMS I have a friend who lives in France and she lives on a farm with her husband and animals. (On Christmas Day, she and her husband were helping the sheep they own as they gave birth to lambs!) I decided to ask her about table customs in France that were different in America and she ...read more

Tags: America

Denomination: Church Of God

Spurgeon On The Final Preservation Of The Saints

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

SPURGEON ON THE FINAL PRESERVATION OF THE SAINTS In the words of Charles Spurgeon: When I heard it said that the Lord would keep His people right to the end, --that Christ had said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:24-25

Tags: Calvinism

The Lamb With The Broken Leg

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 7, 2014

A tour bus was journeying through Israel with a group of Americans when they saw a unique sight. An Israeli shepherd was carrying a lamb in his arms. The bus stopped to talk with the shepherd and to give tourists a chance to take pictures. A little boy asked the shepherd, "Why are you carrying ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:1-10

Tags: Discipleship, Shepherd, Brokenness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Head-Up And Head-On! (11.10.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 8, 2005

Head-Up and Head-On! (11.10.05--Christian Soldiers!--James4:7) When you are afraid to take an action, it’s the first step that’s the hardest one to take. Our little dachshund Webley is a living example of that. Webley has always been afraid of stairs. It doesn’t matter if he is going up or coming ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Lutheran

Even When We Come Across Test Questions That Seem ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Peck on Feb 1, 2001

Even when we come across test questions that seem simple on the surface, we find that they’re often not as simple as we first thought. For instance, the answer to the question, "How long did the Hundred Years War last?’ seems obvious, but the answer is 116 years. When a test asks, "Which country ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:5

Tags: Patience, Integrity, Christian Values, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Scientists Hypothesize That If Time Travel Were ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 23, 2002

Scientists hypothesize that if time travel were possible and we could go back 1000 years, one of the things that would shock us most would be the silence. Think about it. All the background noise of our modern world: television, telephones, radios, cars, planes, refrigerators...none of which ...read more

There Was A Very Poor Man Down In West Texas In ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on Jun 7, 2002

There was a very poor man down in West Texas in the 1930s who barely made a living on a very poor sheep farm around Odessa and Midland. His name was E. L. Yates and he was so poor that he was contemplating bankruptcy and allowing the bank to repossess his farm. He was constantly worrying about how ...read more

Scripture: Mark 16:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

I Never Will Forget Hearing The Testimony Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Feb 10, 2003

I never will forget hearing the testimony of a pastor whose experience I heard on tape one day in class, when I was in seminary. I do not remember the pastor’s name. But, I can recall most of what he said when he gave the testimony that I am about to share with you. He said, "When I first started ...read more

Tags: Compassion, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: United Methodist

This Past Week I Went Up To Visit Oscar Norris. ...

Contributed by Brian Matherlee on Oct 2, 2007

This past week I went up to visit Oscar Norris. Oscar, who is blind, has been keeping really busy. He lives with his niece who loves to quilt and weave. Everything is made truly by hand. She makes her own dyes from nature. She takes wool from sheep and spins her own yarn. In years past Oscar ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Study In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

A STUDY IN SERVICE As a student in seminary, my roommate had a job as a custodian with the school. After the first day on the job, he told he had been assigned to work on the first floor of a four-story building. "Basically there are four guys responsible for their own floors. I take care of the ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Ill<><i Heard A Pastor Tell Bout Company In Nw ...

Contributed by West Garner on Jun 29, 2009

I heard a pastor tell about a company in the NW that had a need come to them. The Need was for a bear proof trash can. All trash cans were being destroyed by grizzlies. Three companies took on the challenge and each developed a product for testing. They took the three products out into grizzly ...read more

Tags: Time, Trials

Denomination: Baptist

When You Can't Fight, Pray

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jun 14, 2011

WHEN YOU CAN'T FIGHT, PRAY Nancy told me the other day that, not too long ago, she overheard Graham praying. Here he was, near the end of his life, beset with a failing body more than nine decades old, and what was he praying for? His country. Your country. Mine. He fought for this country. He ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed