In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Maturity"

The Problem With Church 200 Years Ago

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

I was recently reading an interesting book about life in America 200 years ago. One intriguing detail that the author shared was that back then most people only bathed once a year. It made me think of how unpleasant it would have been to gather on a sultry August Sunday morning in a sanctuary ...read more

Tags: Church, Worship, Sin, Sinfulness

Denomination: Baptist

Dual Citizenship In The Kingdom Of God And The Kingdom Of Darkness?

Contributed by Stephen Belokur on Feb 12, 2019

Try to imagine this. It is the year 1944 and Germany is at war with England. Now suppose you have dual citizenship in both Germany and England and you are living in Germany. How will you be treated? Conversely, suppose you have dual citizenship in both Germany and England and you are living in ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:4-10, Matthew 6:24, Romans 6:22-23, 1 John 1:6

Tags: Carnal Christian, Sinful Life, Holilness, Righteous Christian, Alive In Christ, Living In Sin, Living In Darkness, In Christ, Living In Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

Trapped By Temptation

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 2, 2020

A well-known author once told this story of an account he had with sea gulls: “Several years ago our family visited Niagara Falls. It was spring, and ice was rushing down the river. As I viewed the large blocks of ice flowing toward the falls, I could see that there were dead fish embedded in the ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-4, Hebrews 12:1-2, Matthew 6:33

Tags: Vision, Temptation, Compromise, Worldliness, Things Of Earth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Things Get Smelly!

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Aug 22, 2021

When I was around eight, we were visiting some cousins out on the farm and as all kids back then we played tag. I went zipping around the barn and stepped in a slick patty. I fell, slid and rolled through a copious amount of bovine excrement. When I was able to stand up I went to the porch and ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:4-12

Tags: Love, Forgiveness, Stink

Denomination: Baptist

3 Temptations Satan Uses Against Us

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

Eve’s descent into depravity is an illustration of James 1:14-15: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” This is the Bible’s description of sin’s slippery ...read more

Scripture: James 1:14-15

Tags: Eve, Sin, Satan, Temptation, Garden Of Eden, Backsliding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Redemtion - The Bank Ledgers

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

Hear Gods Word: BIBLE God made him who had no sin ....to be sin for us ... so that in him ... we might become ... the righteousness ... of God. END (2 Corinthians 5:21) Years ago ...... when I was a young banker in Ohio, ... we used large leather-bound ledgers ......where all accounts... were ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Blood, Salvation, Redemption, Ledgers

Denomination: Anglican

The Belt Of Truth

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Jul 9, 2023

I need Jesus. I need Him because He is the truth! I need Him because without Him I am weak and unable to fight the battles that constantly throw lies my way. I need to be prepared for the battle by having the armor of God. I need the belt of truth. Rick Burdette, minister with Cornerstone ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:14

Tags: Armor Of God, Belt Of Truth, Jesus Is Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Spreading The Deadly Disease Of Gossip

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 2, 2023

In 1520, one person stepped off a Spanish ship in Mexico and caused the deaths of thousands of people. The man was a soldier under the leadership of Pánfilo de Narváez, and he had smallpox. The soldier didn't know it, but wherever he went he exposed the citizens to a new disease. As a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28-30

Tags: Church, Lies, Gossip, Rumors, Division, Church Splits, Church Fights  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Calling - Story About Peter Marshall

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 7, 2023

In her book, ...A Man Called Peter, ...Catherine Marshall ...tells how her late preacher-husband ...felt a sense of destiny ... a sense of call ...in his life. (Pause) One dark night, ...Peter, ...then a young man, ...decided to take a Shortcut ...across the Scottish moors. Customize this ...read more

Scripture: John 1:43-51, 1 Samuel 3:1-20

Tags: Plan, Purpose, Master, Calling

Denomination: Anglican

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

This Is For All The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

THIS IS FOR ALL THE MOTHERS. This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It’s OK, honey; Mommy’s here." Who walk around the house all night with their babies when they keep ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-12

Tags: Mother's Day, Mothers Love

A Beginners Guide To Giving Thanks

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Nov 21, 2023

You would think giving thanks would come easily and naturally but, for me and I suppose others, it often times doesn’t. So, with the season of Thanksgiving upon us I thought I’d write this little guide for my benefit and hopefully for yours. Give thanks for the good things This is the easy one. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 106:1

Tags: Thanks, Gratitude, Thanksgiving

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

[020] A Message From A Poem - Arrogance Without Truth

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 26, 2024

[020] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ARROGANCE WITHOUT TRUTH Those of us who are older know very well the great change that has come over our societies from what we lived under in the 1950s to the 1990s at which point it all started to decline. The decline is rapid now as we see lawlessness, riots, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 2:17-18, 2 Timothy 3:1-2

Tags: Truth, Arrogance, The Me Generation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is The Church On The Endangered List?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 18, 2006

** IS THE CHURCH ON THE ENDANGERED LIST? Many Americans are on a spiritual quest. This should be good news for the church. But, according to researchers, many of them are choosing noninstitutional forms of religion. A recent poll by Gallup shows that weekly church attendance is holding steady at ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:18

Tags: Church General, Sanctuary

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Saint Arnold Janssen And His Mission Relevance Today

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Feb 1, 2024

Saint Arnold Janssen and His Mission Relevance Today (The Feast Day is on 15th January) Scripture: Mark 1:14-20 The 19th century saw the birth of a visionary priest Saint Arnold Janssen, who devoted his life to evangelization and the promotion of the Christian faith. The following words will ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:14-20

Tags: Saint Arnold Janssen, The Society Of The Divine Word

Denomination: Other

Blessed Are The Merciful. I Learned The Truth Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 22, 2002

Blessed are the merciful. I learned the truth of this Beatitude from Henri Nouwen, a priest who used to teach at Harvard University. At the height of his career, Nouwen moved from Harvard to a community called Daybreak, near Tornonto, in order to take on the demanding chores required by his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5

A New ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

A New Commandment In the Book of John 13:34-35, Jesus makes a powerful statement, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (emphasis ours) Often people have ...read more

Scripture: John 13:34-35

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Wise Man Vs. The ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

The Wise Man vs. the Fool The Bible says Jesus was one who taught with authority. That amazed the crowds because their own teachers did not. (Matt. 7 : 28) The Lord’s parable of the “The Wise and Foolish Builders” found in Luke 6: 46-49 is specifically directed to those who profess to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:49

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The God Squad

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 26, 2009

THE GOD SQUAD This week, we finished remodeling our old house and started moving into our new house. But last Monday I threw my back out while working on the house. I was frustrated and hurting. But the pain was not as bad as the feeling of not being able to finish my tasks which what I wanted to ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rach And I Have A Friend Who Is A Source Of Grief ...  PRO

Contributed by Christopher Lanham on Feb 17, 2005

Rach and I have a friend who is a source of grief for us. It is not that he has done anything to us – he is quite dear to us actually. Rather it is what he has done to himself, what he has chosen to believe. About ten years ago, this friend began absenting himself from church. He was getting ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed