In Sermon Illustrations: "Study"

Jesus Freak: Hezekiah

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

JESUS FREAK: HEZEKIAH Laos 2001. Hezekiah’s life had been so transformed that he had to tell someone. When he returned to the village he grew up in, he told the 35 relatives and villagers who met him and demanded to know why he had converted to Christianity, "Jesus is the only way I can be saved ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Baptist

Three Views On Civil Disobedience By Believers

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 29, 2023

There are at least three general positions on the matter of civil disobedience. The anarchist view says that a person can choose to disobey the government whenever he likes and whenever he feels he is personally justified in doing so. Such a stance has no biblical support whatsoever, as evidenced ...read more

Tags: Authority, Leaders, Civil Disobedience, Patriotism, Persecution, America, Submission, Government  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Second Coming Of Jesus

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

In the 19th century, there was a wave of enthusiasm for prophecies predicting the actual date for the Second Coming of Christ. One such prophecy was an Adventist leader name William Miller. After studying Daniel 8, Miller predicted that Christ would return on March 21, 1842, but then revised the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Second Coming, Jesus Return

Denomination: Methodist

William Wilberforce

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 13, 2021

Jesus is the supreme example. He cares so much about completing His mission on earth that he lets himself be killed. That total commitment to God’s will literally costs Him His life. It also saves it, as the resurrection proves. There are many examples from history of persons who have proved ...read more

Scripture: John 12:25

Tags: Glory, Die, Hate, Lose

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Movie Industry Has Made Some Pretty Creative ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Miano on Jun 18, 2001

The movie industry has made some pretty creative attempts at explaining conflict with god. For those of you that remember the movie “Caddyshack,” there is a scene toward the end of the movie in which a golfing enthusiast priest is playing the round of his life. As he makes his way around the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:14, Genesis 39:1-23

Tags: God's Omnipotence, God's Omniscience

Denomination: *other

The Bet — Anton Chekhov

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 7, 2006

The Bet -- Anton Chekhov We live in a world that knows little about what’s truly valuable. People all around us are pursuing things that have no lasting value. That pursuit is ably treated by Anton Chekhov in his classic short story The Bet. This story gives us great insight into the value system ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:28-38, Matthew 8:5-13

Denomination: Pentecostal

Better Than Silver And Gold By Zachary Fisher, ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 22, 2007

BETTER THAN SILVER AND GOLD by Zachary Fisher, NY, NY. (Guideposts, 9/92). My father was known as a bricklayer and a builder, but what mattered most to him was his good name. I’m a builder. In my job I constantly find myself facing decisions. Some are easy to make, some are tough. And on some, ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Kingdom Of God Is Like A Home

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jul 9, 2008

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE A HOME The father and son never could get along. The boy was constantly in trouble and the father was harsh in his attempts to correct him. F: What have you done this time? S: What difference does it make? You always take the other side no matter what I say. F: If you ...read more

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: Mennonite

A Small Congregation In The Foothills Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Crow on Sep 2, 2003

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:21

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

Why Does God Hate Divorce? Listen To Some ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 18, 2005

Why does God hate divorce? Listen to some ramifications of divorce, taken from Biblical Counseling for Today - Watson Pages 187-188 -- Watson notes: Dobson commissioned his Focus on the Family staff to conduct a broad based survey of existing research concerning marital status. “From a social ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Possible When There Is Hope  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN THERE IS HOPE Joyce Hollyday tells the story of a school teacher who was assigned to visit children in a large city hospital who received a routine call requesting that she visit a particular child. The teacher took the boy’s name and room number, and was told by the teacher ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 62:5-8, Colossians 1:27

Tags: Witness, Faith, Power, Life, Simple, Easter Resurrection, God's Faithfulness, Integrity, Difference, One, Brokenness, Live, Pathfinder  (view more)  (view less)

Jars Of Clay

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

JARS OF CLAY In his book "Disappointment with God," Philip Yancey offers a powerful metaphor for the church: I have a bright, talented, and very funny friend in Seattle named Carolyn Martin. But Carolyn has cerebral palsy, and it is the peculiar tragedy of her condition that its outward ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Sending A Teacher To A Dying Boy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

SENDING A TEACHER TO A DYING BOY There was a school system in a large city that had a program that helped children in the hospital keep up with their homework. One day a teacher who was assigned to that program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular. She took the child’s name and ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

C ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

CHRISTIANS? Let’s go for a second to the lastest Barna Poll on Born Again Christians. In order to do this we need to understand a little information about what they consider to be a Born Again Christian. In Barna Research Group studies, born again Christians are not defined on the basis of ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Fred Douglas Shepard Was Born On September 11, ...

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jul 27, 2008

Fred Douglas Shepard was born on September 11, 1855 in Ellenburg, New York in Clinton County. His father died while he was very young and his mother spent most of her adult life as an invalid. It was probably through this that Fred became associated with illness and caring for the sick. Fred lived ...read more

Tags: Love For God

Denomination: Nazarene

Medicine For ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

“Medicine for America” “Peculiar People” Titus 2:14 says, “[Christ] …gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.” The King James Bible says the Lord will purify unto Himself a “peculiar people.” ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:14

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Undefiled Eyes

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Undefiled Eyes The church that continues the proclaiming of the gospel of Jesus Christ has Christians who long to have undefiled eyes. The first thought that comes to mind regarding undefiled eyes is a child of God who refrains from watching pornography or movies that are full of violence. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-4

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Habits

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

HABITS The American Heritage Dictionary "A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition." It comes from the idea "to have, to hold, possess." Roman poet Ovid in 43 BC: "Nothing is stronger than habit." Habit is a cable; we weave a thread each day, ...read more

Tags: Character

Results Of Materialism--Bankruptcy, Prison And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

Results of Materialism--Bankruptcy, Prison and Suicide Let me share a story with you about how Satan attacks a Christian. First, Satan shot a poisonous dart at his heel; but the Christian was unharmed because his feet were protected with the message of God’s peace. Next, Satan shot an arrow at his ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 18:9-24

Tags: Materialism

How God Used A Phrase From A Gospel Tract To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 18, 2009

How God Used a Phrase from a Gospel Tract to Bring an Indian to Faith in Christ, the Bread of Life; Paul Harvey on the Meaning of God’s Providence So providence assumes that God is the supreme Creator of all things. And as Creator he prevents the universe from going into non-existence, he guides ...read more

Scripture: John 6:25-59

Tags: Bible, Bible Influence