In Sermon Illustrations: "Speak Positively"

A Lesson From A Pair Of Brothers

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 3, 2019

Scripture: Mat 18:1-3, NASB 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:1-3

Tags: Children, Wonder

Denomination: Baptist

Timothy: Paul Called Him A "Man Of God”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jul 2, 2020

Text: 1 Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God (Timothy), flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Thoughts: we know at least a few things about Timothy, as recorded in the New Testament. He was from Lystra, a city in Asia Minor (Acts 16:1, this city ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:11, Acts 16:1, 2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 13:23

Tags: Paul, Man Of God, Timothy

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes—barzillai The Gileadite, Part 1

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 2, 2020

Introduction: Barzillai is one of many in the Bible who is mentioned only a few times, but his deeds more than make up for any lack of coverage. When David fled for his life during Absalom’s revolt (2 Samuel 15-18), he eventually crossed the Jordan River. Barzillai and some other people met the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 17:26-29

Tags: David, Barzillai, Gilead, Mahanaim

Denomination: Baptist

A Bag With Holes

Contributed by James Dina on Dec 1, 2020

A BAG WITH HOLES “You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” (Haggai 1:6) There are many rich people in the ...read more

Scripture: Haggai 1:6

Tags: Defense, Holes

Denomination: Pentecostal

Temporal Vs Eternal

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 21, 2021

I HAVE BEEN WITH MANY DYING PEOPLE AND LISTENED CLOSELY TO “THE REGRETS.” I was driving an elderly lady to a doctor’s appointment in Lexington. It was a four hour trip. The doctor did not have real good news. Her days were limited. On the way home we stopped and ate. Then we headed home. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:9-14, Malachi 3:8-11

Tags: Eternity, Temporal Vision

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Probability Of Prophecy Fulfilled

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Aug 27, 2023

There are 61 major prophecies that Jesus fulfilled. If you can find anyone living or dead, who can fulfil only half of these predictions than I have $1000 for you. The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner in Science Speaks to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of ...read more

Scripture: Micah 5:2, Malachi 3:1, Zechariah 9:9, Psalm 22:16, Zechariah 11:12, Zechariah 11:13, Isaiah 53:7, Isaiah 53:12  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Probability, Mathematics, Prophecy Fulfilled, Fulfilled Prophecy

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

True Faith - An Outline Of The Book Of James

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 21, 2023

A good outline of the Book of James and what true faith produces in our lives: 1. True faith responds with practical godliness under testing (Jas 1:2-27). A. True faith responds with joy when it faces testing (Jas 1:2, 3, 4). B. True faith seeks God for wisdom in times of testing (Jas 1:5, 6, 7, ...read more

Tags: Faith, Suffering, Difficulties, Works, Tests, Trials, Problems, Tribulations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[124]. A Message From A Poem – He’s Leading As My Head

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 8, 2025

[124]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HE’S LEADING AS MY HEAD How many are lost in this world? I don’t mean unsaved, but I mean who don’t know where they are going or what lies ahead, or what life is about; those who feel life is meaningless and has no purpose? I know it is a lot of people. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:15, John 10:10, John 12:46

Tags: Jesus, Direction, Leader, Guide, Life, Meaningless, Leading, Christian Poetry, Christian Poem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[141]. A Message From A Poem – In Front, Behind, And To The Sides

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 25, 2025

[141]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – IN FRONT, BEHIND, AND TO THE SIDES {{Romans 8:35 “WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”}} {{Romans 8:39 “nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 52:12, Romans 8:39, Romans 8:35

Tags: Nothing Separates Us, The Lord Goes Before, The Lord Is Behind, The Lord Is Close, The Lord Is At Our Side, The Lord Walks With Us  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Welsh Revival Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 Modern world history also records times of revival due to the hearing of God’s Word undergirded with prayer. The little nation Wales once become known as “The Land of Revival.” It has its own unique spiritual heroes such as Saint David of the Celtic Church – William ...read more

Scripture: Acts 6:4-7

Tags: Revival

To Say The Least, I Was At First Shocked To Read ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

To say the least, I was at first shocked to read the headline, Baby Ate Cocaine Dad Left Nearby. According to the Associated Press a father from Ravenna, Ohio was sentenced to one year in prison for endangering his daughter, who was six-months-old at the time of the incident. He evidently stashed ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1

Tags: Children, Father's Day, Parenting

The Story Is Told About 3 Brothers Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 11, 2001

ILL. The story is told about 3 brothers who started working at the same time for a fur company owned by an old friend of their father. After working there for more than a year, one son was still receiving the same salary as when he started, & seemed to be unhappy with his job. The second son ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Love Of The Disciples, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Let's Imagine A Situation Where A Homeless Man ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Mar 16, 2003

Let’s imagine a situation where a homeless man is begging on the streets of New York. A well dressed man in a long limousine pulls up next to him and offers him a job as vice-president of his company. You might say that is ridiculous; nothing like that would ever happen. But that is exactly ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Methodist

The First Mongolian ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

THE FIRST MONGOLIAN CHURCH The Christian authors, Bill and Amy Stearns, in their book entitled "20/20 Vision: Amazing Stories of What God Is Doing Around the World," describe how the Gospel of Jesus, the Christ, came to Mongolia. "In the 1870’s Swedish missionaries arrived in Mongolia - what was ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Missions

Biting The Hand That Feeds You  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 26, 2011

BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU The other week, Laura and I were watching the Animal Planet. On the show we were watching was a dog that was rescued from a neglectful family. The poor animal had a big chain collar embedded into its neck. It had been a long time since the large animal had ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Sacrifice, Compassion, Trust

Denomination: Other

The Story Of George C. Wallace Sounds Like ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

The story of George C. Wallace sounds like something from Paul Harvey’s "The Rest of the Story." It comes in two parts: the sad, earlier life and the hard but hopeful latter life. A dramatic and tragic event in the middle brought life-changing consequences for the man from Alabama. In 1962, ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Mothers Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Mothers of Influence It is a great privilege and responsibility to be a mother. No one has a more profound and enduring influence upon those around them than a mother raising her children in the fear and wisdom of the Lord. Timothy, was one such young man who was greatly influenced by ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:5

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Greatest Love Of All  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Greatest Love of All "For this reason I kneel before the Father... that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power... to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-19

Tags: Hardship, God's Love, Endure

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Stripes

Contributed by Scott Jensen on Oct 8, 2008

My Stripes Many years ago I was enlisted in the Air Force and competed for promotion to Technical Sergeant. I was a Staff Sergeant that had been recognized as one of the best. I had fire wall 5 performance reports and had been Group NCO of the Year for two consecutive years. I had all the right ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Lutheran

The Man Of God Who Preached At Bethel (1 Kings 13)

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jun 24, 2020

Text: [1Ki 13:1, KJV:] 1 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. 2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 13:1-10

Tags: Man Of God, Bethel, Northern Kingdom

Denomination: Baptist