In Sermon Illustrations: "Start"

Barna On New Year's Resolutions

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 19, 2011

BARNA ON NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS When it comes to the types of resolutions people make, Americans not surprisingly focus on self-oriented changes. Among those planning to make resolutions, the top pledges for 2011 relate to weight, diet and health (30%); money, debt and finances (15%); personal ...read more

Tags: Future

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Object Lesson: Egg Osmosis

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Jun 4, 2011

OBJECT LESSON: EGG OSMOSIS Osmosis is the process by which water enters our tissues. All of our cells are surrounded by a membrane that selectively allows in anything the cell needs but prevents unwanted molecules from entering. Weigh a couple of uncooked eggs and carefully place them into a ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Baptist

Blood Flows In The Bomokande  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 20, 2011

BLOOD FLOWS IN THE BOMOKANDE In November 1964, anarchy broke out in the Belgian Congo. Assemblies of God missionary J. W. Tucker knew he was at risk, but he stayed where God had placed him. One day, a mob attacked and killed him with sticks, clubs, fists, and broken bottles. They took his body, ...read more

Scripture: John 12:20-34

Tags: Church, Missions, Purpose

Sarah's Vase  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 21, 2011

SARAH'S VASE Just like life comes in the place of death, so honor comes in the place of service. Pediatrician David Cerqueira tells the story of a little girl in his wife's Sunday School class. His wife had prepared a lesson on being useful and told the children that everyone can be useful in ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-26, Mark 14:1-9

Tags: Servanthood

Love Is A Process  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

LOVE IS A PROCESS When we obey the truth, whether we feel like it or not, we can "love one another deeply from the heart." That's what Bible College professor, Yohanna Katanacho, discovered. He pastors a small church in the Israeli city of Jerusalem. He is a Palestinian living in Israel, and a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Miss Bettye And The Power Of Prayer

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 2, 2012

MISS BETTYE AND THE POWER OF PRAYER A 2009 article in the Chicago Tribune told the story of Bettye Tucker, a Christian cook who works the night shift at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She has been doing her job for 43 years--28 of them on the night shift. She sees a steady ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Thank You, Sensei Don

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Feb 12, 2012

THANK YOU, SENSEI DON Dr. Don Sisk, the former president of the mission board I'm with, BIMI, tells of winning an old "papa-sahn" to Christ, the father of one of the ladies in his church. He had such a grateful spirit for Dr. Sisk, whom they referred to as "Sensei Don" which means "Teacher Don." ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Baptist

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

The Agony Of Defeat

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 28, 2012

"THE AGONY OF DEFEAT" Some of you might remember the TV program "The Wide World of Sports". For many years, the opening of the program opened like this: "Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport; the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat." The opening illustrated "the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 27:12

Tags: Change

The Tree Of Hippocrates

Contributed by Kelly Mitchell on Oct 3, 2012

The Tree of Hippocrates On the island of Kos, the home of Hippocrates, the great physician from whom we get the “Hippocratic Oath”, there grows a tree that history says Hippocrates himself once gathered his students for class. Although the current tree is only about 500 years old, it is purported ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:46-49

Tags: Revival, Restoration, Church Growth, Church Practices

Denomination: Baptist

An Urgent Message At Easter

Contributed by Troy Borst on Apr 4, 2015

EASTER FAMILY TIME (p) It is Easter time and a gathering opportunity for your whole family. Your family made a commitment to all get together this year at Easter to make sure you celebrated something this year as a family. Grandma chose Easter and chose to rent a few beach houses for everyone to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Sharing Christ, Christian Witness, Mission To Family

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ugandan Juvenile Jail

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Bob Goff tells the story of his longtime friend Charlie. Charlie was one of those guys who measured his life not by what he was but by what he has given up. He was a graduate of law school and then became an FBI agent. He met Bob for coffee and then said he wanted to use his training to help kids ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-25

Tags: Prayer, Forgiveness

Denomination: Methodist

Moving Forward For Christ

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jan 30, 2018

*The early church kept moving ahead. And we can too! In spite of our enemies, in spite of the setbacks, we can still move forward for the Lord Jesus Christ! *In February of 2007, a deadly tornado struck central Florida. And it smashed almost everything in its path. The storm struck at the worst ...read more

Tags: Overcome, Gospel Advancing

Denomination: Baptist

The Most Expensive Doorstop In The World!

Contributed by David Simpson on Apr 23, 2018

1 Peter 2:7-8 “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, and, ‘A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:7-8

Tags: Precious Cornerstone, Treasure, Foundation, Stumbling Stone

Denomination: Christian Church

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

Unsung Heroes: The Man Who Fed A Hundred Men

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 24, 2020

Introduction: A number of miracles took place in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 4 alone, there are at least three such miracles mentioned: the pot of oil that kept flowing until all the vessels in town were full and the time, maybe just before this, when Elisha found some meal then used it to cure ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:42-44

Tags: First Fruits, Elisha, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

Praying For Unity

Contributed by Jw Worcester on Feb 8, 2021

As I think of the unity of God’s Gospel to us, I’m reminded of the unity I’ve experienced over the years with other saints on short term mission trips, volunteer positions at a crisis pregnancy center and a “Rescue Mission”, Promise Keepers (Men’s nationwide Ministry), and the Urban-Suburban ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14

Tags: Self Image, Reflecting Christ

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 Monastery In Germany Trained Christian Brothers ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 18, 2007

A monastery in Germany trained Christian brothers for various responsibilities within the Roman Catholic Church. One Christian brother in training lived in mortal fear of being called upon to preach the sermon in the daily chapel exercises. As this young man thought about his apprehension, he ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Listen To This True Story About God's Love: I Am ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Listen to this true story about God’s love: I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last ...read more

Tags: God's Provision