In Sermon Illustrations: "Spirits Work"

Top Ten Addictions

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

TOP TEN ADDICTIONS The top 10 addictions verify these statements: Alcohol, smoking, drugs, gambling, food, video games, internet, sexual, shopping, work People succumb to these addictions in search of peace and fulfillment; but fail to realize either one. It is a sad, circular, dangerous, and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:17-18

Tags: Addiction

James Dobson's Faith-Full Parents  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 29, 2012

JAMES DOBSON'S FAITH-FULL PARENTS "Of all the values transmitted to me by my father, none made a more lasting impression than his attitude toward money. As an evangelist, he could never depend on the compensation he would be given. The local church would collect a freewill offering for my father, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5-6

Tags: Father's Day

Was Jesus Married?

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Sep 22, 2012

WAS JESUS MARRIED? “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.” 1 Timothy 4:7 “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15 Popular characters tend to be used, ...read more

Tags: Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

The Ice Hotel

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 29, 2012

THE ICE HOTEL In January 2001 Canada's first Ice Hotel was opened. That's right -- Ice Hotel. The hotel is constructed of 12,000 tons of snow and 400 tons of ice covering more than 30,000 square feet. It has ceilings over 18 feet high, walls covered with original artwork, and furnishings carved ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Letter Home From A W Va Farm Kid Enduring Marine ...  PRO

Contributed by C. Scott Ghan on Aug 5, 2013

Letter home from a W VA farm kid enduring Marine Basic Training on Paris Island. Dear Ma and Pa, I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled. // I was ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 3:1-13, Hebrews 12:7-11

Tags: Restoration, Rebuild

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sifted Like Wheat

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 15, 2016

A rooster’s crow announced the dawn. This dawn was not the sunrise, still hours away, but the dawn of Peter’s realization of what he had done. Like the first rays of the sun slicing through the night’s darkness, Peter awakened to his sin and its gravity. It cut him to the core of his being, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31-32

Tags: Peter, Betrayal Of Christ, Sifted, Rehabilitation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Great Verses For Following Jesus

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 16, 2020

FOLLOWING JESUS. Beside each passage of Scripture, write down what you think that verse is saying about following Jesus in the coming year. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Philippians ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship, New Year, Following Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The V-Formation (Geese)

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 31, 2020

V-SHAPED FORMATION… GEESE ARE STRONG AS A SKEIN. The V-formation is called a skein. Do we understand how wonderful God’s creation is? Study has revealed that GEESE fly in a V-shaped formation when they are migrating. This serves several purposes. The V-formation improves the ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3, 1 Samuel 30:8

Tags: Unity, Geese

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Dire Warnings?

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 24, 2020

Once upon a time. . . . sorry, folks, I couldn’t resist that one. But it wasn’t that long ago that people paid their bills by writing a check and then mailing said item and bill to the address provided. That was true of car insurance, utility bills, credit card bills, among other things. Now, one ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:42-48, Luke 16:19-31

Tags: Hell, Judgment, Rewards, Warnings

Denomination: Baptist

The World's Most Unwanted Ship

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 2, 2021

The Pellicano is the world's most unwanted ship. Since 1986 she has been the hobo of the high seas. No one wants her. Sri Lanka doesn't. Bermuda doesn't. The Dominican Republic turned her away. So did the Netherlands, the Antilles, and Honduras. The problem is not the boat. Though ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5, 2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8

Tags: Guilt, Pessimism, Deceit, Sin, Anxiety, Transformation, Bitterness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Stethoscope Theology

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Aug 12, 2021

I recently attended a “White Coat Ceremony” for first year medical students. During the ceremony the incoming first year students receive a white coat symbolic of the beginning of their journey into the medical profession. Before the white coats were distributed the Dean of the college introduced ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19, James 1:19-20, James 3:3-12, Proverbs 10:19

Tags: Hear, Communication, Wisdom, Listen, Hearing, Listening  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Big Party Is Waiting For You At Home! (The Modern Prodigal Daughter)

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 15, 2022

I think you are all familiar with the parable that we call the “Story of the Prodigal Son.” Well, I want us to consider it again with a little different twist. Listen to the story in a modern setting as told by Philip Yancey in his book “What’s so Amazing about Grace?” Yancey tells of a prodigal ...read more

Tags: Prodigal Son, Luke 15, Grace, Mercy, Forgiveness, Parables, Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Surface Level Fellowship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2022

Bill Hybels recalls a time when “Dr. Bilezikian said there’s life-changing fellowship in biblically functioning community. That was a far cry from the childhood experience of a lot of his audience! The only kind of fellowship that many of his listeners had witnessed revolved around the fifteen or ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17

Tags: Fellowship, Community, Small Groups

Unsung Heroes-Aquila And Priscilla

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Aug 12, 2023

Introduction: This couple is only mentioned a few times in the New Testament, but with each mention it’s clear they were serving the Lord. They are truly unsung heroes of the Bible! 1 Ministering with Paul in Corinth Text: Acts 18:1-3. KJV 1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came ...read more

Scripture: Acts 18:1-3, Acts 18:18-21

Tags: Priscilla, Aquila, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

An Amusing Sight!

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 2, 2023

An Amusing Sight! Use as an Icebreaker. Ron, Billy, a Dodge Truck and a Red Lawnmower Humorous story, in which you can change the names to fit a couple of guys from your congregation. Make sure you get their permission to joke about them. We know how thin skinned some people are. Lead in... As you ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Job 8:21, Psalm 65:12-13, Psalm 96:12, Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 31:25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Laughter, Icebreaker, Funny Story, Trucks, Bikes, Lighten Up, Joy, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

An Observation About Eternity

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 5, 2024

Text, Ecclesiastes 3:11, American Standard Version: He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. Every day we live takes us one day closer to the end of our ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11

Tags: Hell, Eternity, Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

An Observation About A Certain Bird:

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 30, 2024

Our church’s parking lot is mostly gravel except for a small paved section. Ordinarily that’s not a problem but recently, we’ve discovered a very small problem. Would you believe, it’s a bird? Birds of various types are mentioned often in the Bible. All were unclean, according to the dietary laws ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:37

Tags: Protection, Birds, Nests

Denomination: Baptist

[104]. A Message From A Poem – God’s Attributes

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 8, 2025

[104]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – GOD’S ATTRIBUTES Some people dispute the term Attributes of God. They say it can only be applied to statements such as God IS love. Others look at it in a wider sense taking in the qualities of the Godhead. In this poem, I took 4 words to make 4 stanzas ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:4-5, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:4-5, Ephesians 2:14, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 3:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Peace, Compassion, Holiness, Character Of God, Attributes Of God, Grace, Love, Mercy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Fixer-Preacher - Pastor Appreciation Help

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Jun 24, 2025

The Fixer-Preacher Celebrating Pastor Appreciation Day It’s not every day I get to stand up here and talk to everyone on a Sunday morning, but when I do, it’s for a pretty special reason. Picture this: sunlight fills the room, the choir is quietly humming, and you can smell fresh coffee in the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Romans 13:7, Hebrews 13:7, 1 Timothy 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Ephesians 4:11  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humor, Laughter, Pastor Appreciation, Introductions, Pastor Humor, Icebreakers, Sermon Starters  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

[160]. A Message From A Poem – Jesus So Loved Me

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 9, 2025

[160]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JESUS SO LOVED ME We have here a poem that covers some of the great and important aspect of the gospel. The Lord died for my sins. We ask why the innocent One has to die for the guilty. Jesus is the Substitute and love was behind that. {{1 Corinthians 15:3 “I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:3, Romans 1:21, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Guilty, Substitute, Substitutionary Atonement, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Christ The Sacrifice, Love, Jesus, Sin, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational