In Sermon Illustrations: "Spending"

Not Just Another Offering

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

NOT JUST ANOTHER OFFERING I had been praying regularly with the deacons for one of our members. His wife, Pat, attended our small congregation faithfully, but John hadn’t been to church in years. So every Sunday afternoon before the evening service, we prayed for ways to communicate our commitment ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

New Your City Mayor Admits Mistake And Silences ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2009

New York City Mayor Admits Mistake and Silences Reporters Back in 1980 New York City Mayor Ed Koch appeared on a local news program in the middle of the city’s financial crisis. Koch had spent over a quarter of a million dollars to put up bike lanes in Manhattan, and they turned out to be a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:15-16

Tags: Mistakes

I Went To A Conference In Brisbane Once In A ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 21, 2010

I went to a conference in Brisbane once in a large Church lead by Pastor Reg Kliminiok. After he spoke, I went to him to thank him for his message. I finally got my opportunity after others had finished speaking with him. He took an interest in me and asked me about my Church. Halfway through the ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Many Of You, As Parents, Asked Your Kids To ...

Contributed by Jerry Blaxton on Mar 25, 2010

How many of you, as parents, asked your kids to go get you something--a glass of water, a towel, shoes, or something like that--and you spend the next 5 or 10 minutes dealing with their whining, or pouting, or tantrum, or just plain stubbornness? When I was between about 8-12 years old, many of ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Baptist

Imitating Everything

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Oct 22, 2010

IMITATING EVERYTHING The most influential person in my life was a man by the name of Charles. He was the pastor of the church where I went as a teenager. You may have heard me talk about Charles before, and, if you have, you may remember that he taught me how to drive, he helped me learn a trade ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Full Life  PRO

Contributed by Ovidiu Radulescu on Apr 25, 2011

A FULL LIFE A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them. "Not very long," answered the Mexican. "Well, then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the ...read more

Scripture: John 21:1-19

Tags: Season, Contentment, Balance, Commandments Covet

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Wasting Time At Work

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 19, 2012

WASTING TIME AT WORK For many American workers today, time’s a wastin’ - literally. According to a new survey by America Online and Salary.com, the average worker admits to frittering away 2.09 hours per 8-hour workday, not including lunch and scheduled break-time. As a matter of practice, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:9

Tags: Workplace Integrity

Sacrifice

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

I will never forget being at church one Sunday playing "king of the hill" with my buddies, before church started. But our play stopped when a car pulled up to the sidewalk and, with help, out came a soldier, who had returned from Vietnam a few weeks earlier. But he came on crutches and he ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13-18

Tags: Sacrifices, Wounded, Soldier Of The Cross

Denomination: Christian Church

The Conversion Account Of St. Augustine

Contributed by Matthew Redder on Sep 21, 2018

The story of Augustine's conversion is an inspiring and amazing one. In my opinion it is a miraculous account of God grabbing the attention of Augustine and speaking directly into his heart through the power of a perfectly timed scripture. This could be a great illustration about the power of the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:13-14, Revelation 12:11, Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 119:9, Romans 3:23, Galatians 5:24, Ephesians 4:22-24  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Put On Christ, Miraculous, Power Of The Word, Conversion Of Augustine, Bible, Romans, Conversion, Testimony, Indulgence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Leadership Principles Of Jesus

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 11, 2020

The Leadership Principles of Jesus. • Jesus was willing to invest in people others would have dismissed. (Consider the disciples. They were not the “religious” elite, yet Jesus used them to start His church). • Jesus released responsibility and ownership in a ministry. (Jesus sent the disciples ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry Of Jesus, Business Management

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When You First Met "J.e.", You Could Tell He Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006

When you first met “J.E.”, you could tell he was a very angry man. In fact, at age 54 he’d been an angry person for many years. In a Bible study that night, many questions had been raised in his mind. Talking with the leader afterward, J.E. said, “I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was 9 years ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-7, Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Mind

Denomination: Baptist

Fisherman  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Jones on Jan 16, 2003

Fisherman American businessman was at a pier in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow-fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Joy

Denomination: Holiness

One Soul Could Mean Many  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Yandris on Mar 2, 2003

(One soul could mean many) Andrew brought Simon- just one. But that was many, for under God, Simon brought three thousand souls in one day! It has been estimated that probably 95% of church members have never lead anyone to Christ. I like what Paul say’s in 1 Cor 9:19 " I made myself a ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27

Tags: Evangelism How To, What Is Evangelism?

Denomination: Pentecostal

Sadly, We Are Sometimes Ashamed Of Jesus. I'm ...  PRO

Contributed by Peter Schmidt on Nov 20, 2003

Sadly, we are sometimes ashamed of Jesus. I’m guilty of it, and so are all of you. Sometimes we might not hide our faith, but we don’t go out of the way either to let people know that how much Jesus means to us. “Oh man, my friend will think I’m nuts if I tell him about the Savior. I don’t want to ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Lutheran

You Have Probably Never Heard Of The Island Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Damien Spikereit on Dec 7, 2000

- You have probably never heard of the island of Molokai. Well, it’s located in the state of Hawaii. And it has quite a history. You have to go way back to the late 1800’s to understand its significance. You see, back then, there was no cure for the highly contagious and deadly disease called ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Compassion, Humanity Of Christ, Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The American Businessman Was At The Pier Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 4, 2001

The American businessman was at the pier of a small costal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them. ...read more

Scripture: John 2:1-11, John 2:1, Acts 7:54-60, Ecclesiastes 5:18

Tags: Stand

Claude And Amanda Tackett Were A Typical Young ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001

Claude and Amanda Tackett were a typical young mid-western couple, living in Louisville KY. They were members of the Southeast Christian Church. Claude had recently completed law school and was doing well in his first job as a lawyer. In January of this year, Amanda gave birth to their first ...read more

Tags: Disappointment, God In The Hardships, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Poor Little Orphan Annie! It's "A Hard-Knock ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Jan 23, 2002

Poor Little Orphan Annie! It’s "a hard-knock life" for her and her friends. All the hard chores, the abuse, and the neglect only add insult to injury to these poor little girls already carrying the weight of abandonment. But if you’ve seen the musical "Annie," either on stage or screen, you know ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, Endurance, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Ring  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Andrew Stephens on Apr 2, 2002

THE RING I told you earlier that my favorite Christmas present was given to me be a lady named Joan Ellis in 1982. Joan is now my mother in law. The gift that she gave me is a wedding ring. It was the set that her husband had given her on their engagement. Her husband Don died in 1978, and she ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment, Commitment To Christ, Divinity Of Christ

Love Is A Decision - Is A Book I'd Strongly ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jul 23, 2002

Love Is A Decision - is a book I’d strongly recommend - the second chapter in this book is on honor.....let me share a brief excerpt from that chapter to nail home this point about honor. Gary Smalley is Christian family counselor and the author of the book ...one day years ago when he came ...read more

Tags: Marriage Obligations, Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ