In Sermon Illustrations: "Starting The Year"

An Outward Expression Of An Inward Experience

Contributed by Christian Cheong on May 11, 2012

AN OUTWARD EXPRESSION OF AN INWARD EXPERIENCE David Ring was born with cerebral palsy. He had complications at birth and he was technically dead for 18 minutes after delivery. No oxygen reached his brain and a portion was permanently damaged. His family’s story was catastrophic – his father had ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Pastor In Disguise

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 9, 2013

A Pastor in Disguise A few years ago at a Methodist Church in North Wales, as worshippers arrived at the church, they were distressed to see a dirty, drunk, smelly homeless man on the front steps. They didn't realize this bum was actually their pastor, Derek Rigby, who had disguised himself as a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Compassion, Homeless

Is Evangelism Too Hard?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

Jenn Hopkins writes of attending a funeral several years ago. "There he lay, dead. He was gone and unsaved. Lived a life and then, in the flash of an eye, he was in Hell. Someone I loved and respected was gone and so was my opportunity to share the Gospel with him. His funeral was in a church, one ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8-13

Tags: Evangelism, Hell

Denomination: Methodist

Perpetual Babyhood

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 18, 2018

WE HAVE AN IMPERATIVE COMMAND: 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. PERPETUAL OR ETERNAL BABYHOOD… From LIVING WITH JESUS TODAY by Juan Carlos Orte We have a phenomenon in the church today which I ...read more

Tags: Babyhood, Diaper Changes

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Vine

Contributed by Michael E. Bartee Sr. on Oct 19, 2018

When I was growing up I was one of six children. Our house was very small, only four rooms. And without any of the convieniences most houses had in those days. We did not have a bathroom,running water, or a furnace. There were two boys, about my age, that lived close by. In my mind they were ...read more

Scripture: John 5:15

Tags: Trusting God, Faith In Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Doing Something

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 14, 2019

GOD IS DOING SOMETHING Gas Station Business Card A few years ago, I was impressed of God to design a business card that had a picture of hell on the front with the words “GET OUT OF HELL FREE” on the back I placed Salvation Scriptures. I was driving to work early one morning and nearing my exit, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:27

Tags: Obedience, Unexpected

Denomination: Pentecostal

Imhotep And Joseph

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 9, 2019

A memory of Joseph may have been merged into the legend of Imhotep: “According to Egyptologists, the Pharaoh Djoser employed an adviser named Imhotep, who designed his pyramid. Prior to that time, Pharaohs were buried in low, rectangular structures called mastaba. Imhotep’s design used a creative ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 41:1-57

Tags: Leadership, Joseph, History, Egyptology, Imhotep  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Unity Of The Bible

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

Notice the UNITY of the Bible. it is miraculous! * The Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years. • The Bible was written by over 40 different authors (Among them were kings, military leaders, peasants, philosophers, fishermen, tax collectors, poets, statesmen, musicians, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Bible, Scripture, Christ, Plan Of Salvation, Unity Of The Bible  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Your Freedom

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Mar 20, 2021

As we conclude Galatians today, I want to further discuss your freedom in Christ. This entire letter is about not giving up your freedom in Christ for rituals. When I worked for McDonald’s in Canyon, TX; I was an Assistant Manager. It was around this time of year, which meant we sold many ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-18

Tags: Freedom, Freedom In Action

Denomination: Baptist

Voice Of The Poor

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Jul 9, 2021

Sometimes in our lives, we wonder when God will send the angels to come and save us. There was a story last week that was published by a lot of magazines and daily newspapers. Stanislaus Lourduswamy, popularly known as Stan Swamy, was an Indian Roman Catholic priest, a member of the Jesuit order. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10

Tags: Voice Of Voiceless, Voice Of Poor

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Was A Professional Thief. His Name Stirred ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

He was a PROFESSIONAL THIEF. His name stirred FEAR in the hearts of the people. He TERRORIZED the Wells Fargo Stage Line for 13 years. He spooked even the most RUGGED FRONTIERSMAN. During his reign of TERROR between 1875 and 1883, he is credited with STEALING the bags away from 29 different ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Mickey Mantle, An Almost Mythical Baseball Star ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Mickey Mantle, an almost mythical baseball star who feared he had failed to fulfill career expectations because of alcohol abuse and whose recent years were haunted by self-recrimination, died of cancer. He was 63. The former New York Yankees center fielder and a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame ...read more

Tags: Paul

Pioneers Are In A Class All Their Own. They Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Pioneers are in a class all their own. They are people who swim upstream against the ethical current of the day (like Noah). They are individuals who take on the Goliath of the day with no fear of defeat (such as David). As servants of God living grace filled values they accept injustice in a ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

In England In 1649, Charles I Was Executed, And ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In England in 1649, Charles I was executed, and Lord John Culpepper was entrusted to protect Charles II. Forced into exile during twelve years of Oliver Cromwell’s reforms and bloodhsed. FInally, just before Culpepper’s own death Charles II was to return to reign over the Monarcy. When it was ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Sophie And Shirley, Two Elderly Widows In A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Sophie and Shirley, two elderly widows in a Florida adult community, are curious about the latest arrival in their building -- a quiet, nice looking gentleman who keeps to himself. Shirley says, "Sophie, you know I’m shy. Why don’t you go over to him at the pool and find out a little about him. He ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

In Fact I Believe Traditional Values Have Been ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In fact I believe Traditional values have been under attack for the past 15-20 years. How many of you remember Dan Quayle? He served as Vice President under George Bush Senior and during the 1992 re-election campaign Quayle delivered a speech in which he made the following statement regarding the ...read more

Tags: Faith General

One Night, A Group Of Thieves Broke Into A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One night, a group of thieves broke into a jewelry store. But rather than stealing anything, they simply switched all the price tags. The next day no one could tell what was valuable and what was cheap. The expensive jewels had suddenly become cheap, and the costume jewelry, which had been ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry

Do You Know And Love The Author?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Do you know and love the author? The story was told about a young college woman who read a book that she found to be extremely boring. Reading each page of the book was cumbersome and difficult. Yet, because reading the book was required for her education, she forced herself to move through its ...read more

Tags: Paul

A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Speaker, Jill Briscoe tells this story: Not too long ago I was babysitting one of our three, 3-year-old grandchildren. In our family, we had twins and a single birth all within 24 hours. We call them Search, Destroy, and Demolition. I was to baby-sit Demolition. As I waved good bye to his parents, ...read more

Tags: Death

By The Power Of His Holy Spirit Filling And ...

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Jul 2, 2007

By the power of His Holy Spirit filling and empowering us, let us fulfill the fervor of Dorothea Day’s poem “My Captain”: Out of the night that dazzles me, Bright as the sun from pole to pole, I thank the God I know to be For Christ the conqueror of my soul. Since His the sway of ...read more

Tags: Commandments Steal

Denomination: Methodist