In Sermon Illustrations: "Stating The Obvious"

Six Thousand Years

Contributed by John Putty on Apr 14, 2011

SIX THOUSAND YEARS Early Christian writers held that at the end of 6,000 years of history, Christ would return and reign for 1,000 years (referred to as the Millennium). These included Barnabas (c. A.D. 100), Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (c. A.D. 150), Lactantius (c. A.D. 325), and Methodius, Bishop ...read more

Tags: Rapture

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Statistics On Loneliness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 7, 2011

STATISTICS ON LONELINESS This week I read an article by Medical News Today about the health effects of loneliness. Quoting the article, it states that "there is evidence that the risk of developing and dying from heart disease can depend on the strength of one's social network of friends and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-16

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Repentance In The White House  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

REPENTANCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE In 2001, Tim Goeglein started running the White House Office of Public Liaison, providing him almost daily access to then President George Bush for seven years. Then it all ended abruptly on February 29, 2008. A well-known blogger revealed the startling fact that 27 ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:4

Tags: Compassion, Repentance

What Are We Preaching?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

WHAT ARE WE PREACHING? False teachings abound whenever people do not know the truth. Many of our churches today do not teach the truth because many pastors do not know the Bible. In our seminaries, almost 50 percent of professors now teach that there was no virgin birth of Jesus, and that story ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:28-31

Tags: False Teaching

What Is Religious Syncretism?

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 13, 2011

WHAT IS RELIGIOUS SYNCRETISM? Syncretism, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, is "the reconciliation or fusion of differing systems of belief." This is most evident in the areas of philosophy and religion, and usually results in a new teaching or belief system. Obviously, this cannot ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It All Goes Back To The Head

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 26, 2012

IT ALL GOES BACK TO THE HEAD Mike Slaughter tells the story of his dog Luka, a giant schnauzer. Luka had an infected toe for several months on his back leg and one of the things that he noticed is that Luka will tend to drag that back foot causing him to scrape his toe. Their vet couldn't figure ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Methodist

If You Want To Walk On Water…  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 2, 2012

John Ortberg states: "The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus, you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life. And that’s sobering news to most of us, because we’re into comfort...but water walkers master ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:18-22, Romans 4:3

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ten Dollars Is Ten Dollars  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2012

TEN DOLLARS IS TEN DOLLARS A man named Stumpy and his wife Martha went to the state fair every year and every year when Stumpy saw the antique bi-plane he would say, "Martha, I'd like to ride in that airplane." Martha always replied, "I know Stumpy, but that airplane ride costs 10 dollars, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-7

Tags: Marriage Struggle

United We Stand

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2014

Let me read one of Aesop’s Greek fables; In the forest, there lived four oxen. They were very good friends and always went together to graze in the fields. However, every time they went, a hungry lion tried to attack them. The lion longed for their meat. But they withstood his attack by fighting ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Tags: Unity, Divisions

Joni Eareckson Tada's Wedding

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 16, 2014

Joni Eareckson Tada, who since a diving accident as a teenager has lived from a wheelchair, wrote about the day of her wedding: “I felt awkward as my girlfriends strained to shift my paralyzed body into a cumbersome wedding gown. No amount of corseting and binding my body gave me a good shape. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 19:7-9

Tags: Wedding Supper, Wedding Ceremony, Jesus As Bridegroom

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Fountain Of Youth

Contributed by Rev. Duraimony Dickson on Nov 6, 2020

The fountain of youth has been told in stories since medieval times. The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring that restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. Many have gone on conquests to find this mythical spring of water, but all have failed. In 1565, a Spanish explorer ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Tags: Everlasting Fountain Of Youth, Everlasting Fountain

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lady In Charge Of The Chicken! Haha!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

Jesus wants us to live up to the responsibility that goes with our authority. We each have different levels of authority and responsibility, and he expects us to meet those levels. When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20

Tags: Commitment, Leadership, Identity, Authority

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Truth Will Always Come Out.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2022

We live in a generation of government corruption and evil that is unparalleled. How long will God tolerate this? The Bible says in Luke 8:17 (NLT), "For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to ...read more

Tags: Evil, Truth, Corruption, Last Days, Lies, Government, Reaping  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Doctor Cho: Walking On Water

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 15, 2022

Matthew 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:27

Tags: Faith, Walk On Water

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Who's In Charge?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 3, 2023

One of the most disturbing movies ever produced is Francis Ford Coppola’s classic reflection on the Vietnam War, Apocalypse Now. The film tracks an American officer who is sent upriver into the heart of the war-torn countryside in order to find and eventually assassinate a renegade commander who ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 6:1-17

Tags: God's Sovereignty, Wrath, Apocalypse, Four Horsemen

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Benefits Of Humble Leadership

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 3, 2025

Earlier this year, Forbes magazine published an article that highlighted the leadership style of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who led the Allied forces to victory in World War II and served two terms as President of the United States. He was known for his humility. “Eisenhower’s humility was evident ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-5

Tags: Humility, Leadership, Dwight D Eisenhower

Denomination: Methodist

Bob Russell Shared That Several Months Before ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Demastus on Oct 22, 2001

*Bob Russell shared that several months before they moved into their new church building in 1998, their ministry staff met at the new site for a special staff meeting. Most of the building still wasn’t carpeted, and some of the rooms still had no drywall. They handed out hard hats, magic markers, ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-11

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Wonderful, Imaginative Short Story By Nathaniel ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 24, 2002

A wonderful, imaginative short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates the necessity of having the right focus. It is entitled “The Great Stone Face.” The tale centers around a man named Ernest who grew up in a village renowned for a natural wonder that rested just outside its boundaries. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 11:16-23

Tags: Humor, Mother's Day, Story, Devotional

Obituaries  PRO

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Apr 14, 2009

OBITUARIES Jeruselem 33 AD Calvary Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth died Friday on Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the place of the skull. Betrayed by Judas, Jesus was crucified by the Romans, by order of the Ruler Pontius Pilate. The causes of death were extreme exhaustion, severe torture, ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

[063]. A Message From A Poem – Drumming And Humming Become Obese

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 18, 2025

[063]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DRUMMING AND HUMMING BECOME OBESE This poem is not my usual style and I need to explain. Imagine the beginnings of something that multiplies itself and grows louder and louder as it advances; then will take over because nothing can stop it . . . . except ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:2, Revelation 6:3-4, 2 Timothy 3:1-2

Tags: Humming, Drumming, Leaven, Wickedness, Delusion, Poetry, Poem, Advance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational