In Sermon Illustrations: "Take"

As An Amateur Photographer, I Have Often Been ...

Contributed by Michael Tkachuk on May 17, 2010

As an amateur photographer, I have often been asked to take photos of people at various events – maybe it was at a wedding, or for a school yearbook, or for the press. Well, some of the photos turned out very pleasing but some were not so flattering. The request has always been to destroy bad ...read more

Tags: Truth Absolute, Photographer

Denomination: Catholic

Woodpeckers Grounding The Shuttle Discovery ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

Woodpeckers Grounding the Shuttle Discovery Likened to Problems in Marriage The space shuttle Discovery was grounded recently--not by technical difficulties or lack of government funding, but by woodpeckers. Yellow-shafted flicker woodpeckers found the insulating foam on the shuttle’s external fuel ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:31-33

Tags: Marriage Struggle

The Impact Of A Small Group With A New Vision On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2010

The Impact of a Small Group with a New Vision on Society Robert Bellah is the Elliott Professor of Sociology, Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. Throughout his academic career, he has been very interested in the influence of religion on society. In an interview in Psychology Today, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Tags: Religion

Richard Calson On Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2010

RICHARD CALSON ON FORGIVENESS Let me conclude with in the words of Dr. Richard P. Carlson, Professor of Biblical Studies at Gettysburg Seminary: "God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ is a scandal. It goes out to sinners regardless of their religious or social standing. It breaks into human existence ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:7

Tags: Wholehearted, God's Forgiveness, Commit

Get Used To It

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 22, 2010

GET USED TO IT A missionary was assigned to some remote islands in the Pacific. After three months, he sent a fax to mission headquarters: "I'm being plagued by rats. What shall I do?" Soon a crate arrived, filled with rat traps. However, hardly a month later the missionary sent a second fax ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Brethren

The Artist And The Gardener

Contributed by Matthew Carpenter on Apr 1, 2011

THE ARTIST AND THE GARDENER Both the artist and the gardener begin with contemplation, paying close attention to what is already there. The gardner looks carefully at the landscape; the existing plants, both flowers and weeds; the way the sun falls on the land, and so on. The artist regards their ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Baptist

Carnival Christians

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Apr 2, 2011

CARNIVAL CHRISTIANS What’s a "Carnival Christian?" A Carnival Christian is someone who enjoys the fun. Someone who gets caught up in the excitement of cheering for Jesus, but sometimes has a hard time taking a personal stand for him when the crowd isn’t around. Commitments for them are difficult ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Salvation Army

Proof Of Who He Is

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 14, 2011

PROOF OF WHO HE IS This reminds me of the three lunatics in an insane asylum: The first lunatic said to the second, "Did you know that I'm Napoleon Bonaparte?" Indignantly, the second lunatic replied, "I beg your pardon! It just so happens that I am Napoleon Bonaparte!" The first one said, "Oh ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist

Living Stones

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on May 22, 2011

LIVING STONES I have to tell ya, I’m so proud of my baby girl. She's working on a project for the school’s science-fair by growing citrine crystals in the basement. What normally takes thousands of years to do in nature; chemists have somehow been able to reproduce in a matter of weeks. I think ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Lutheran

Trapped On A Tram

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Jun 1, 2011

TRAPPED ON A TRAM It was a beautiful sunny day in Ostrava, Czech Republic, a city of 300,000. It was 1995, and I had just moved there to take an intense Czech language course. After half a day of Czech grammar, I was tired. I got on the tram and spaced out for my 20-minute ride to the suburbs ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Lutheran

Revenge In Witnessing

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jun 10, 2011

REVENGE IN WITNESSING Yubis was filled with grief and didn't know where to turn. Yubis' husband--a pastor--was brutally murdered as a martyr in Colombia for his faith and teachings of Jesus Christ. As a result, their two-year-old daughter was despondent--and she stopped speaking. She would only ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Disposable Guilt Bags

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

DISPOSABLE GUILT BAGS Several years ago a new product called "Disposable Guilt Bags" appeared in the supermarkets. It consisted of a set of ten ordinary brown bags on which were printed the following instructions: "Place the bag securely over your mouth, take a deep breath and blow all your guilt ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-5

Tags: Guilt

Picking The Wrong Door

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

PICKING THE WRONG DOOR Stuart Briscoe, in his book Everyday Discipleship for Ordinary People, tells the story about a fellow pastor who was officiating at the funeral of a war veteran. The dead man’s military friends wanted to have a part in the service at the funeral home, so they requested that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-5

Tags: Leadership General

The Agenda Of The Coach

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

THE AGENDA OF THE COACH LSU tackle Drake Nevis was the anchor of the defensive line for LSU last year. Listen to what Defensive Coordinator John Chavis said about Nevis before the draft: "Folks are going to fall in love with him. When you get a guy that has the athletic ability he does and ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Methodist

The Old Rugged Cross

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Dec 4, 2011

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS About an hour away from where I used to live in Coventry (England), there is a little village called Bredwardine. It is in the county of Herefordshire. A lady who attended the Anglican Church in that village died, and in her will she left some money for the Church. As well as ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Brethren

Time To A Pig

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 7, 2011

TIME TO A PIG Reminds me of a man who was walking past a farm, and noticed a farmer feeding pigs in a most extraordinary manner. The farmer would lift a pig up to a nearby apple tree, and the pig would eat the apples off the tree directly. The farmer would move the pig from one apple to another ...read more

Tags: Time

Denomination: Baptist

For Blessings Already Received

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 23, 2012

FOR BLESSINGS ALREADY RECEIVED "Returning thanks for blessings already received increases our faith and enables us to approach God with new boldness and new assurance. Doubtless the reason so many have so little faith when they pray is because they take so little time to meditate upon and thank ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

Years Ago I Read An Autobiography Of A Lady ...

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Apr 2, 2012

Years ago I read an autobiography of a lady named Patty Roberts. She had been the wife of Richard Roberts and the daughter in law of Oral Roberts. She and Richard were often the musical portion of Oral Roberts television specials. Patty had a simple faith and struggled with the financial aspect ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

First-Century Fire

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on May 16, 2012

FIRST-CENTURY FIRE Billy Graham, that great and uncompromising preacher, once in a Revival meeting held at Los Angeles, shared a passionate message on the Early Church, outlining what needs to be done for the Churches of modern era to become more effective. While many were moved by it, some ...read more

Tags: Pentecost

Denomination: *other

Worship Warrior  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 17, 2012

WORSHIP WARRIOR I like the way songwriter and worship leader, Brian Doerksen, puts it. He says, "Becoming a worshipper means becoming a warrior... And by toning that down...we have sent men and women away from the church in droves. It's time to call them back," Doerksen says, "as worshiping ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Worship Definition