In Sermon Illustrations: "Sin Revealed"

God Knows

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 10, 2009

"GOD KNOWS" I am reminded of that wonderful line in Archibald MacLeish’s J.B., the Broadway version of the Book of Job as told in verse. Before the great businessman, the J.B. of the play’s title is brought down by the desperate circumstances recounted in the first two chapters of Job, one of ...read more

Tags: God's Omniscience

Denomination: *other

The Wondrous Cross  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on May 18, 2009

THE WONDROUS CROSS Gal. 6:14 inspired Isaac Watts to compose one of modern Christendom’s favorite hymns. While preparing for a communion service in 1707, Isaac Watts wrote this deeply moving and very personal expression of gratitude for the amazing love that the death of Christ on the cross ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Other

Losing A Child

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

When the parent loses a child they seek answers and beg to have things reversed, often rather than seeking God himself and his comfort. We are to try and look at things from His perspective, but most importantly we are to strengthen our faith in the fact that God uses all things for good, - for ...read more

Tags: Faith

Bob Johnson From: ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 25, 2011

Bob Johnson from: http://tabernacle-of-david.com/catechism.html states: The majority of the Psalms were originally sung as prophetic songs in David's Tabernacle. They account in detail the expressions of worship offered by the Israelites before the Ark of the Covenant. In addition, they describe ...read more

Tags: Worship Benefits

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Statistics On Loneliness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2011

STATISTICS ON LONELINESS This week I read an article by Medical News Today about the health effects of loneliness. Quoting the article, it states that "there is evidence that the risk of developing and dying from heart disease can depend on the strength of one's social network of friends and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Spiritual Consumerism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

SPIRITUAL CONSUMERISM In February 27 2009 article from the website “Slate” titled, “Why American churchgoers like to shop around” also caught my attention. That article cited statistics from a Barna Group survey that revealed that one in seven adults changes churches each year, and another one in ...read more

Scripture: John 4:19-24

Tags: Church Practices

Someone Who Understands

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Nov 6, 2011

SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy. "Can I have a puppy?" "Sure," said the farmer. ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Baptist

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

The Laws Of Spiritual Motion!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Aug 13, 2017

THE LAWS OF SPIRITUAL MOTION!!! The Fundamental Laws of motion designed by the all-wise God (discovered and revealed to us by Sir Issac Newton) says that we move forward whilst walking or running not just by exerting the force on earth with our feet by ourselves but by the propulsive force which ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2

Tags: Persecution, Action Reaction

Denomination: *other

Propitiation Is Important

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 30, 2019

“In 2012, Getty's hymn "In Christ Alone" was involved in a controversy with the Presbyterian Church (USA) hymnal committee in the creation of their new hymnal "Glory to God". The committee requested permission from Getty and Stuart Townend to use an alternative lyric to the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:21-31

Tags: Atonement, Propitiation, Penal, Death Of Christ, Penal Atonement, Solid Doctrine, Standing For Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

An Admission Of Guilt

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on May 14, 2023

There once was a governor of the state of Texas who received an invitation to speak at one of the penitentiaries in that state. He spoke to the assembled prisoners and afterwards said that he would be around for a while to listen to anything any of the convicts might wish to tell him. He could take ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-26

Tags: Confession, Testimony, Guilt, Pardon

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Hope Ain't Hoping

Contributed by John Bright on May 27, 2023

I want to give you a shorthand way of remembering the difference between the hope in our Bibles and the hope out in the world. Hope ain’t hoping. Today, folks plan outside events and say, “I sure hope it doesn’t rain.” Every Sunday, some folks may show up here and say, “I sure hope PJ doesn’t ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Tags: Faith, Hope, Hoping

Denomination: Methodist

Metamorphosis

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Mar 1, 2025

I thought of a book I read years ago in German class. We were assigned the task of reading the Famous Novel by Franz Kafka entitled “The Metamorphosis”. It was about a young man who woke up one day and realized he had been transformed into, of all things, a large Roach. The story line of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Tags: Transfiguration, God's Presence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Trademark - Is Jesus Mark On You? - Humor

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 9, 2025

If we are Honest ... Often ... When we are shopping, ...... we will look for name brands that we know. For brands ... that we ... trust. We often recognize those products ... by their trademarks ...... or by ... their ... logos. Companies spend millions of dollars on research ... in order that ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-2, Philippians 2:6-11, Ephesians 4:4, James 3:8-10, Matthew 20:26-28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Logos, Trademark, Mark

Denomination: Anglican

[081]. A Message From A Poem – Fiery Birth Of Life

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 12, 2025

[081]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FIERY BIRTH OF LIFE THIS POEM IS STRICTLY COPYRIGHT. IT MUST NOT BE ALTERED OR TAKEN. IF IT IS USED I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING THAT. The use in the Lord’s service is why I wrote it. I have had some of my efforts stolen and reproduced in other’s names. This has ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-13, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Isaiah 53:4-5

Tags: Judgment, Fire, Bushfires, Forest Fires, Eucalypt, Eucalyptus Oil, Gidgee Tree, Tall Trees, New Life, Furnace, Poetry, Poem, Flames, Mountain Ash  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In Streams Of Living Water, Richard Foster Told ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Feb 8, 2001

In Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster told of Billy Graham preaching at Cambridge in 1955. For three nights he tried to make his preaching academic and enlightened, but with no effect. Graham finally realized that presenting the intellectual side of faith was not his gift and began preaching ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Tags: Apologetics General, Sharing My Testimony, Sharing Your Faith

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

There's A Famous Painting By Rembrandt's Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 18, 2000

There’s a famous painting by Rembrandt’s of The Three Crosses. Those who view have their attention drawn first to the centre cross on which Jesus died. Then they look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, impressed by the various facial expressions and actions of the people ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:1-8

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Evangelism The Lost, Cross Agony

Denomination: Baptist

In The 1950¡¦s Comedy Classic ¡§i Love Lucy,¡¨ ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Dec 3, 2001

In the 1950¡¦s comedy classic ¡§I Love Lucy,¡¨ one episode dealt with Lucy¡¦s lack of cooking skills. She had no clue how much yeast to use. She kept dumping it in¡Kone box, two, three. She left the bread in the refrigerator for a while as she talked on the phone. When she returned the kitchen ...read more

Tags: Men And Women

Denomination: United Methodist

Here He Was  PRO

Contributed by Scott Sharpes on Dec 18, 2001

Here he was: The eternal one, caught in a moment of time. The Omnipresence corralled in a cave manger. The Omnipotent cradled in a helpless infant who could not even raise His head from the straw. The Omniscience confined in a baby who would not say a word. The Christ who created the heavens and ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Nazarene

Baptism Is A Lot Like A Wedding Ring. Baptism ...  PRO

Contributed by John Williams Iii on Feb 26, 2002

Baptism is a lot like a wedding ring. Baptism is symbolic of the washing away of our sins. It is also symbolic of a new way of life. It has been said that Baptism is to the Christian faith what the wedding ring is to a marriage. It is a symbol. "Like the wedding ring, baptism draws a mark on ...read more

Tags: Baptism, Call Of The Disciples, Commitment, Marriage

Denomination: United Methodist