In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Goal"

I Remember My Older Brother Bringing My Mom A ...

Contributed by Timothy Darling on May 29, 2008

I remember my older brother bringing my mom a flower. I’m sure it was a very pretty flower, but it had been picked from the flower bed of a lady that lived Joe’s route home from school. Very wisely, my mom did not accept the flower, but walked Joe back to the lady’s house and made him give it back ...read more

Tags: Sin Wages Of

Denomination: Mennonite

They're So Beautiful, Mommy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

"THEY’RE SO BEAUTIFUL, MOMMY" Diane Komp is a pediatric oncologist. She treats children who have cancer. A highly trained physician, she used to be an agnostic. That was before Anna died. Anna was a little girl who had leukemia, in the days when recovery was rare. As death came close, her parents, ...read more

Tags: Death

In John 6:40 Jesus Says, "For My Father's Will Is ...

Contributed by Mike Cleveland on Aug 17, 2008

In John 6:40 Jesus says, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” But wait a minute, there is something within every person that prevents us from looking to Jesus. It is the belief that we’re ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Recently Heard A Woman Talk About How Her ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Aug 18, 2008

I recently heard a woman talk about how her spiritual mentor gave her explicit instructions to make amends. She didn’t want to do it. Apparently she blew up at a bank teller and was rude and nasty even though it wasn’t the teller’s fault. This woman didn’t want to apologize even though she knew ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Church Of God

Living Life Upside Down By Russ Lee  PRO

Contributed by John Petty on Aug 22, 2008

"LIVING LIFE UPSIDE DOWN" by Russ Lee John has a new way of looking at life He’s tired of his job, his kids and his wife He says the secret to his success Was in leaving and finding himself Now he’s someone to somebody else. And you say we’ve risen to a new age of truth You’re calling it a ...read more

Tags: America

Denomination: Church Of God

Joseph Was Despised Because Of His Birth. (Cf. V. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Joseph was despised because of his Birth. (cf. V. 3) He was born a favored son when he was born to Rachel. It also was not Joseph’s fault that he was being despised because of who he was born to, and also when he was born. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: We are only born once, physically and all have the ...read more

Tags: Ot Characters

A Preacher's Little Girl Went To Bed Sick One ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

A preacher's little girl went to bed sick one evening. A few minutes later she got up and said to her mother, "Mama, I must see daddy right now." Her mama replied, "Honey, you can't talk to daddy right now. He's working on his sermon." She said, "Mother! I'm a sick woman and I must see my ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Paul And Kelly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

PAUL AND KELLY BENITEZ In 1967, Paul Benitez and his fiancée Debra were married. In 1968, they had a baby boy and named him Kelly. Paul was drafted into the Army in 1969. While he was overseas, Debra moved away and changed her name. Paul was never able to find his wife nor his baby boy. He would ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Abraham Lincoln: Merit Your Freedom  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2013

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: MERIT YOUR FREEDOM In the last days of the Civil War, the Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia, fell to the Union army. Abraham Lincoln insisted on visiting the city. Even though no one knew he was coming, slaves recognized him immediately and thronged around him. He had ...read more

Scripture: John 21:3-14, Romans 6:1-23, Galatians 5:13-15

Tags: Christian Liberty

A Surprise Visit From Abraham Lincoln

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2013

A SURPRISE VISIT FROM ABRAHAM LINCOLN In the last days of the Civil War, the Confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia, fell to the Union army. Abraham Lincoln insisted on visiting the city. Even though no one knew he was coming, slaves recognized him immediately and thronged around him. He had ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-14

Tags: Freedom, Christian Liberty

Busyness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

BUSYNESS Busyness is no sign of spirituality or any kind of a full life. In fact, it’s more likely the sign of an empty life. Tim Kreider, in an article he wrote for The New York Times called The Busy Trap put it this way: “If you live in America in the 21st century, you’ve probably had to listen ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Complaining

When I Was A Kid  PRO

Contributed by Paul Steen on Jul 12, 2014

When I was a kid, we rode our bikes down the sidewalks and in the streets. We played baseball and football in the street. Summers were especially great because we could play ball until you couldn’t see. We rode in cars with no seat belts or car seats. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:17

Tags: Protect, Helmet Of Salvation

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Rain Man Doesn't Understand Inheritance

Contributed by David Ward on Feb 25, 2016

"Rain Man" was the top moneymaking film of 1988, and also won the Oscar for Best Picture. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish wheeler-dealer named Charlie (Tom Cruise), who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Tags: Priorities, Wealth And Riches, Eternal Inheritance, Treasures In Heaven

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

No Tents In Heaven!

Contributed by Dr. David Hallum on Jun 24, 2016

I am not a camper. I spent one miserable weekend as a kid in an old, smelly canvas tent. It was designed to sleep 10, but 2 adults and 2 kids kicked, punched and threw sand all over one another all night. And that was while we were asleep. As I said, it was a miserable weekend. When I became ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:1-7

Tags: Camp, Tabernacle

Denomination: Baptist

When A Moralistic Mission Misfires!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on May 22, 2017

Heard of anecdotes when something done with an apparently good intention but in a wrong way went haywire? Here’s one for starters... Who can forget a school time story told often to emphasize the importance of proper usage of punctuation marks? It is said that on account of a last-minute ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 13:1-14

Tags: Mistakes, Miscalculation

Denomination: *other

Don't Come Home?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 26, 2021

We have hope. We walk in blessed assurance that Jesus died for us. The 7 years coming on this world will be THE GREAT TRIBULATION. Current, prayed up and ready Christians have nothing to fear. God is in control. We have hope. As the world goes into a paradigm or pattern change the dead in Christ ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:21-22

Tags: Second Coming, Be Ready

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Our Weakness

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Apr 13, 2021

When I was in my early 20s and a student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, I was, believe it or not, in pretty good shape. I jogged regularly. I was a karate student. I went to the gym 4-5 times a week. I truly was in good shape. Now that I’m older, I’m realizing that I’m not what I used to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-31

Tags: Weakness, God's Strength, God Sustains

Denomination: Baptist

Ten Rules For Improving The Church

Contributed by David Parks on Jun 3, 2022

TEN RULES FOR IMPROVING THE CHURCH 1. Tell yourself over and over that since you are not perfect you would not fit into a perfect congregation, if one existed. 2. Instead of picking out the worldly members to point to, pick out the sincere, dedicated, spiritual members and thank God for them. You ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2, 1 Peter 4:8, Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Encouragement, Judgementalism, Church

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Power To Be The Light

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Jun 3, 2024

Smartphones are amazing pieces of technology. Everything my generation went to RadioShack to purchase is now all together in the palm of our hand, including our flashlights. My grandfather loved flashlights. It was okay to get him a new one each year for Christmas or his birthday. He would take a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8, John 15:5

Tags: Light, Holy Spirit, Power

Denomination: Pentecostal

Seeing The Light, Reflecting The Light.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jan 24, 2025

Did anyone else see the comet during the week, Comet Atlas 3G? Janaki and I went out to Titahi Bay to see it, thankfully we had another dad and daughter park near us who could point it out, otherwise we might not have seen it. The power of their witness was in instructing us where to look. ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12, Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Witness, Testimony, Salt, Salt And Light, The Light Of God, The Light Of The World, Reflecting Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army