In Sermon Illustrations: "Stille Nacht"

Dr. S. Lewis Johnson, A Noted New Testament ...

Contributed by Jesse Roncales on Mar 12, 2010

Dr. S. Lewis Johnson, a noted New Testament scholar, tells of his visit in Britain, where he observed that British people love dogs as their pets. During his stay he noticed three kinds of dogs which he relates to people in reference to freedom. The first are those dogs who have law but no freedom. ...read more

Tags: Christian Liberty

Denomination: Assembly Of God

An Angel Story

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Aug 3, 2010

AN ANGEL STORY Julie and the kids were on their way home from the park when it happened. Ben was only about 5 years old and happily walking and running ahead on the edge of the road. There was no footpath beside the road, but he was still on the grassy area. Then he must have seen our house on the ...read more

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Shame Upon The Father

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 30, 2010

SHAME UPON THE FATHER A man was successful in business and had a well-educated son who was highly respected and honored, like his father. But one day to everyone’s surprise, the young man was charged with embezzlement. At his trial, he appeared nonchalant and arrogant about his sinful actions. ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 28:7

Tags: Father's Day

When Love Reigns, God Reigns

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2010

WHEN LOVE REIGNS, GOD REIGNS During the puritan OLIVER CROMWELL'S (1599-1658) reign as Lord Protector of England (1653-1658) a young soldier was sentenced to die. The girl to whom he was engaged pleaded with Cromwell to spare the life of her beloved, but to no avail. The young man was to be ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-13

Tags: Christian Love

Hardships Further His Kingdom  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Feb 6, 2011

HARDSHIPS FURTHER HIS KINGDOM Bill Hybels' The Power of a Whisper (p.110-111): "Don't ever buy into the idea that everything God prompts His followers to do will be uncomplicated or low-cost. Sometimes God asks His children to carry heavy loads, as He did with the apostle Paul. But even--and ...read more

Tags: Love, Others, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Better One Safe And Sure Way  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2011

BETTER ONE SAFE AND SURE WAY There is a story about a Fox boasting to a Cat about his clever tactics for escaping its enemies. "I have a whole bag of tricks," he said, "which contains a hundred different ways of escaping from my enemies." "I have only one," said the Cat; "but I can generally ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6, John 14:6-14

Tags: Salvation, Humor

No Fear  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 7, 2011

NO FEAR Brian Simo is a race car driver, and most of you have probably never heard of him. However there is one thing about him with which you are probably familiar. In 1985 he created the "No Fear" clothing line and found an idea that appealed to many Americans. We have a lot of respect for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33

Tags: Fear And Worry

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

Playing In The Dirt

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 15, 2012

PLAYING IN THE DIRT If you see a baby playing in the dirt, the baby may be dirty but you pretty much don’t make a big deal about it because it’s understood that babies play in dirt. Babies try to eat dirt. Babies scrub themselves in dirt. Dirt is a toy to a baby. But if you see a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:11-16

Tags: Growth In Christ

His Yoke Is Light

Contributed by Norman Lawrence on Jan 14, 2013

HIS YOKE IS LIGHT Mark Guy Pearse preached a sermon on Christ's invitation to the weary and heavy-laden. I had finished my sermon when a good man came to me and said "I wish I had known what you were going to preach about. I could have told you something." "Well, my friend," I said, "may I have ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Is There Hope For The Next Generation Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 7, 2013

IS THERE HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF EVANGELICALS? Russell Moore recounts a conversation with the evangelical theologian Carl Henry. As Moore and some of his friends were lamenting the miserable shape of the church, they asked Dr. Henry if he saw any hope in the coming generation of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:1-15, Acts 2:47, Romans 8:31-36, Proverbs 20:21, Luke 8:22-25, Matthew 16:18  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: God Brings Hope

Spiritual Gambling

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on May 30, 2013

SPIRITUAL GAMBLING The problem of compulsive gambling may seem foreign to most of us. Yet experts believe that millions of Americans are psychologically addicted to gambling. It gives them the excitement of hope and risk, but it usually ends in defeat. It is indeed a temporary pleasure. For those ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Lamb With The Broken Leg

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 7, 2014

A tour bus was journeying through Israel with a group of Americans when they saw a unique sight. An Israeli shepherd was carrying a lamb in his arms. The bus stopped to talk with the shepherd and to give tourists a chance to take pictures. A little boy asked the shepherd, "Why are you carrying ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13:1-10

Tags: Discipleship, Shepherd, Brokenness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Persuaded By The Mail

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2014

"I GIVE UP!" In the early 1960s, the publishers of Time Magazine were concerned about their declining circulation, so they designed a campaign to send out thousands of letters making an emotional appeal to potential subscribers. In the past, such mailings had been done manually, at a great cost in ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Tags: God's Love, Surrender, Persuasion

Wrong Reasons For Study Of Bible

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jan 21, 2018

At the village church in Kalonovka, Russia, attendance at Sunday school picked up after the priest started handing out candy to the peasant children. One of the most faithful was a pug-nosed, lad who recited his Scriptures with proper piety, pocketed his reward, then fled into the fields to munch ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Holy, Sanctification

Eating The Wrong Cookies - Assumptions

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 30, 2019

A traveller, between flights at an airport, went to a lounge and bought a small package of cookies. Then she sat down and began reading a newspaper. Gradually, she became aware of a rustling noise. From behind her paper, she was flabbergasted to see a neatly dressed man helping himself to her ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 9:1-14

Tags: Deception, Assumptions, Satan's Craftiness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

She Refused The Abortion....

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 28, 2019

Pam and her husband Bob were serving as missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they ...read more

Tags: Faith, Abortion, Miracles, Testimony, Football  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Semper Fi - Forever Faithful

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 12, 2023

One of the most tragic events during the Reagan Presidency was the Sunday morning terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, in which hundreds of Americans were killed or wounded as they slept. Many of us can still recall the terrible scenes as the dazed survivors worked to dig out their ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Holy Spirit, Commitment, Faithfulness, Fruit Of The Spirit, Works Of The Flesh, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Al Mohler's Theological "triaging"

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 11, 2024

Many readers will be familiar with Al Mohler’s helpful analogy of “theological triage” in which he speaks of first-order, second-order, and third-order doctrines. (Note - this is a theological statement about the Bible, not a clear biblical statement from Scripture. It is one author trying to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Church, Discernment, Unity, Doctrine, Heresy, Pastors, False Teaching, Elders  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Contentious Spirit - Speaking Strife

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Here’s a fun fact: You don’t actually have to correct someone when they’re wrong. Shocking, I know! There’s no official appointment letter naming you Earth’s Guardian of Truth and Accuracy. (If there is, it probably got lost in the mail.) Sometimes, it’s okay to just let it go—yes, even if they ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 26:21

Tags: Contentious, Strife, Contentious Spirit

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed