In Sermon Illustrations: "Short Sermons"

Richard Foster: To Pray Is To Change

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 19, 2011

RICHARD FOSTER: TO PRAY IS TO CHANGE Richard Foster, in his book Celebration of Discipline, says, "To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives. The closer we come to ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Tags: Growth In Christ

Land Of The Dying

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2011

LAND OF THE DYING When John Owen, the great Puritan, lay on his deathbed his secretary wrote (in his name) to a friend, "I am still in the land of the living." "Stop," said Owen. "Change that and say, 'I am yet in the land of the dying, but I hope soon to be in the land of the living.'" ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Tags: Funerals Christian

Risk Your Life To Save It

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 20, 2011

RISK YOUR LIFE TO SAVE IT Tyrtaeus, an old Greek poet who lived before the time of Christ, wrote, "The man who risks his life in battle has the best chance in saving it; the one who flees to save it is most likely to lose it." (Walter Bauer, A Greek-English ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-26

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Hope Of A Good Day

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Hope of a Good Day Max Lucado, preacher and writer, teaches that "every day deserves a chance." He feels so strongly about it, he wrote a book with the same title. Regardless of what is in our day, if we give it a chance, it can become a "good" day. Of course, coupled with this thought is the ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Bad Company

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

BAD COMPANY George Washington once wrote, "Associate yourself with men of good quality, if you esteem your reputation. For it’s better to be alone than in bad company." William Gladstone said, "Choose wisely your companions, for a young man’s companions, more than his food or clothes, his home or ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:33

Tags: Friendship General

The Pond Of The Soul

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

THE POND OF THE SOUL Thomas Fuller (English preacher of 1600’s) wrote: "Almost 20 years ago I heard a profane jest and still I remember it. How many pious passages of a far later date have I utterly forgotten? It seems my soul is like a filthy pond where fish die soon ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:22-24

Tags: Holiness

Marriage: Preparation Is Key  PRO

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jan 12, 2013

MARRIAGE: PREPARATION IS KEY "Promises are no substitute for preparation in marriage. Just because you say 'I Do' does not make you able. Just because you say 'I Do' does not make you capable. It only makes you accountable. And when you are accountable for something you are not capable of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:1-7, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Tags: Love, Marriage, Wedding, Promise, Marriage Struggle  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christians Aren't Any Different

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 5, 2016

CHRISTIANS AREN’T ANY DIFFERENT “We find there is very little difference in ethical behavior between churchgoers and those who are not active religiously. The levels of lying, cheating, and stealing are similar in both groups. Eight out of ten Americans consider themselves Christians, Gallup ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-16

Tags: Morality, Ten Commandments, Church In America

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Toys Never Satisfy  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Mar 8, 2002

Men are merely taller children. Honor, wealth, and splendor are the toys for which grown children pine; but which, however accumulated, leave them still disappointed and unhappy. God never designed that intelligent beings should be satisfied with these enjoyments. By His wisdom and goodness they ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Fulfillment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why They Serve Coffee  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Mar 10, 2002

WHY THEY SERVE COFFEE Some of the most humorous and enlightening moments in our lives center around eating and drinking. Take for instance the interaction between a pastor and young boy in a certain congregation. It seems this particular congregation loved good fellowship and always served ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:37

Tags: Preaching, Church, Church Practices

Denomination: Church Of God

George Whitfield Conducted Outdoor Evangelistic ...  PRO

Contributed by Robert Leroe on Jul 7, 2002

George Whitfield conducted outdoor evangelistic campaigns in the 1700’s throughout the American colonies, a period of revival called the “Great Awakening” in America. Although thousands responded to his Gospel message, when asked how many were converted after one of his sermons he replied, “We’ll ...read more

Tags: Doubt, Discipleship

Denomination: Congregational

Meaning Of Christmas?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2002

MEANING OF CHRISTMAS? A television interviewer was walking the streets of Tokyo at Christmas time. Much as in America, Christmas shopping is a big commercial success in Japan. The interviewer stopped one young woman on the sidewalk, and asked, "What is the meaning of Christmas?" Laughing, she ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Birth Of Jesus

Good Friday  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Killam on Apr 18, 2003

Dennis Bratcher said, Good Friday is not a day of celebration but of mourning, both for the death of Jesus and for the sins of the world that his death represents. Yet, although Friday is a solemn time, it is not without its own joy. For while it is important to place the Resurrection against the ...read more

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Holiness

A Fifteen-Year-Old Boy Came Bounding Into The ...  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on May 11, 2003

A fifteen-year-old boy came bounding into the house and found his mom in bed. He asked if she were sick or something. He was truly concerned. Mom replied that, as a matter of fact, she didn’t feel too well. The son replied, “Well, don’t worry a bit about dinner. I’ll be happy to ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Mother's Day

Denomination: Baptist

A New England High School Teacher Taught A ...  PRO

Contributed by James Buchanan on Sep 12, 2003

A New England high school teacher taught a course entitled The Bible as Literature. Only seniors in the top 10 percent of the class could take this course. A pre-test was given to evaluate the students’ biblical knowledge. One student defined the Epistles as "wives of the Apostles." A pastor was so ...read more

Tags: Bible Study, Bible Influence

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Man And His Teenage Son Were On A Fishing Trip ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2003

A man and his teenage son were on a fishing trip miles from home. At the teen’s insistence, they decided to attend Sunday worship service at a small rural church. As they walked back to their car after the service, the father was filled with complaints. "The service was too long, the sermon was ...read more

Chuck Swindoll Once Said, "When You've Suffered ...

Contributed by Greg Buchner on Jul 19, 2004

Chuck Swindoll once said, “When you’ve suffered like Paul, your faith is moved out of the theoretical realm and into the practical. It becomes real. When you’ve been weakened, you understand a person in weakness. You don’t look over your critical glasses and ask, “When are you gonna snap out of ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Methodist

Ill>> Many Churches Years Ago Had Mourners ...

Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Oct 27, 2004

ILL>> Many churches years ago had mourners benches. Charles Allen in his book God’s Psychiatry said “Today we want God’s blessing without the pain of God’s purging. we want sermons on how to win friends, how to have peace of mind, how to forget our fears. But we ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

I Used The Famous Gene Kelly Scene From Singing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 24, 2001

I used the famous Gene Kelly scene from Singing in the Rain as an illustration of Romans 5:17. The Sermon title was Singing in the Reign. Kelly’s dance was full of the child-like love we can feel and experience in knowing that God has freely given us His abundance of grace and the free gift of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-8, Romans 5:17, Psalm 51:1-21, Galatians 2:15-21, Psalm 51:1-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Grace

#8230; Claire Schenot Burkat, "Five ...  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 29, 2001

ILLUSTRATION… Claire Schenot Burkat, "Five Myths of the Perfect Pastor" His sermons were over their heads. His opinionated views alienated his colleagues. Coworkers found him boastful, even arrogant. A physical disability drove him to over-function in ministry. The first two congregations he ...read more

Tags: Heart-Soul, Leadership General, Paul, Surrender, Apostles General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ