In Sermon Illustrations: "Show Off"

War On Poverty Fails

Contributed by T D on Dec 28, 2010

WAR ON POVERTY FAILS I don't think any of us would consider ourselves to be wealthy when it comes to the top level of money makers in the USA, and while we clearly are not as well off as we were a year ago, our level of wealth and possibilities of being able to make a living far surpasses most of ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Alexander Maclaren On The Right Stimulus For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2011

ALEXANDER MACLAREN ON THE RIGHT STIMULUS FOR ACTION It is perfectly legitimate, although it is by no means the highest motive, to appeal to feeling as a stimulus to action. We have a right to base our urging of Christian men and women to missionary work either at home or abroad, upon the ground of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Tags: Emotions

A Purpose For Sheep

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Jun 14, 2011

A PURPOSE FOR SHEEP Sad to say, millions of people wander through life with no earthly idea what they’re here for. One of the abiding fascinations of my wife here in Germany are sheep. About once a year, a shepherd brings a flock of sheep near our village, and my wife goes out and makes as many ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Baptist

During World War Ii A Marine Was Serving In The ...

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 23, 2011

During World War II a Marine was serving in the South Pacific. His platoon was under fire and they were trying to signal their comrades that they had taken a certain hill. Their sergeant issued an order for a man to take the American flag and raise it up on a pole to let other units know they had ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 17:9-15, Exodus 17:11

Tags: Prayer General

A Unique Excuse

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

A UNIQUE EXCUSE A man who bought a brand new Mercedes and got out on the interstate. It was a convertible and the top was down, the breeze was blowing through his hair, and he decided he would open it up to see what it could do. The needle hit 80 miles an hour, then 90, then 100, then 110, then ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:16-24

Tags: Lies

God's Forgiveness And The Jump Drive

Contributed by James Webster on Jan 14, 2012

GOD'S FORGIVENESS AND THE JUMP DRIVE Most of you know I keep most of my office work in the corner of the family room in the parsonage since we moved back. Most of my study I do early before anyone gets up. However, for the past couple of weeks I have been coming over to the church office early ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: Nazarene

Coping With Complaining

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 21, 2012

COPING WITH COMPLAINING How do you cope with complaining, nagging, whine-baby people? Internet discussion board posted this: Why do people complain so much? I know it's a natural thing but it has to be unhealthy. At my job people never stop complaining. Every day it's either too hot or too cold. ...read more

Tags: Complaining

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Importance Of Friends  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 29, 2012

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDS One of the most thorough research projects on relationships is called the Alameda County Study. Headed by a Harvard social scientist, it tracked the lives of 7,000 people over nine years. Researchers found that the most isolated people were three times more likely to die ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-15

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Baptist

If You Want To Walk On Water…  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 2, 2012

John Ortberg states: "The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus, you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life. And that’s sobering news to most of us, because we’re into comfort...but water walkers master ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:18-22, Romans 4:3

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Here Be God

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2012

HERE BE GOD Before 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue, the common belief was that if a ship from Europe sailed too far West, they would either fall off the edge of the world or face terrible danger. There was fear of the unknown. In England, there is an ancient nautical map dating back to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:8-10

Tags: Fear And Worry

Self-Image

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

SELF-IMAGE There's a story about a girl who was the daughter of one of the royal families of Europe. She had a big, round nose that destroyed her beauty in the eyes of others--and especially in her own eyes. She grew up with this terrible image of herself as an ugly person. So her family hired a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:1-11

Tags: Self

Lee Dye On New Year's Resolutions

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jan 6, 2013

LEE DYE ON NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS Lee Dye writes, “It’s that time of year again when we resolve to get off our duffs and run around the block more often, maybe even cut back on tall of those things which we know we aren’t supposed to eat, or drink or smoke. Ah yes, New Year’s Resolutions which for ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Methodist

Somebody Help The Boy

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 28, 2013

SOMEBODY HELP THE BOY I was at home alone with Ryan one morning when I suddenly realized that it had been approximately two minutes since my little explorer had made any noise. (When one babysits with Ryan, silence is definitely not golden.) I immediately began looking for him, searching each room ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:20

Tags: Marriage, Parenting

Denomination: Baptist

Finishing The Race

Contributed by Paul Steen on Jul 12, 2014

My wife and I watched as Danny, our youngest son, competed in the Carnival of Champions back when he was in elementary school. He was entered in the half-mile race. It was two laps around the track. When the starting gun sounded, he quickly leapt ahead of everyone and built a sizable lead. He had ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Goals, Finish The Race, Finish Well, Fixing Eyes On Jesus

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Bitter & Better - The Two 'b's

Contributed by Paddick Van Zyl on Jul 21, 2014

When the water at Marah was bitter, Moses had to cast a tree into the water stream to sweeten the water or make it drinkable. The words: Bitter and Better both start with a B and end with Tter. The only difference is: the letter I and E. Bitter has the focus on I, me, myself, flesh. Better has ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27

Tags: Water, Sweet, Bitter

Denomination: Pentecostal

Joni Eareckson Tada's Wedding

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 16, 2014

Joni Eareckson Tada, who since a diving accident as a teenager has lived from a wheelchair, wrote about the day of her wedding: “I felt awkward as my girlfriends strained to shift my paralyzed body into a cumbersome wedding gown. No amount of corseting and binding my body gave me a good shape. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:7-9

Tags: Wedding Supper, Wedding Ceremony, Jesus As Bridegroom

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Evangelistic Meaning Of Your Birthday Celebration

Contributed by Joel Israel Shashikumar on Jan 26, 2015

I went to bed with a heavy heart one day. All those news and reports of death for the past few weeks. Only to wake up with a thought of birthday cake and celebration. Now why do we celebrate birthdays, blowing candles and cutting cake. I admit, I do not know the meaning that has been tagged with ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Grace, Birthday

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Peace

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Lucinda Norman writes of her experience Christmas shopping at the mall. People had been pushing, elbowing and cutting in front of her all day. During a 10 minute extra 10% off special, one woman grabbed a lace table cloth from her hands, looked her in the eye and said, “Mine!” She yanked it back ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Tags: Christmas, Stress, Peace, Shopping

Denomination: Methodist

The Cookies

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: Everyone has sinned and done things that are wrong. Verse: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NKJV). Illustration: When I was a child, my mother baked some cookies. The house smelled so good and I wanted one of the cookies. I ...read more

Tags: Sin, Salvation, Evangelism

Denomination: Charismatic

Humpty Dumpty

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Sep 18, 2021

I am sure that you all know the nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty. I think you can all say it with me. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the king’s horses and all the king’s men Couldn’t put Humpty together again. So what was Humpty Dumpty? Everybody knows ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:12

Tags: Redemption, The Fall

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ