In Sermon Illustrations: "Ten Thousand Talents"

Contentment

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 11, 2017

Two old friends met each other on the street one day. One looked sad and almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What has happened to you, my old friend?” The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, my uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars.” “That’s a lot of money,” ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:11-13

Tags: Contentment, Satisfaction, Content

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

The Lord Was With Missionaries John Paton, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

The Lord was with missionaries John Paton, Alexander Duff, and William Carey Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The Lord stood with me; the Lord gave me strength, with that strength the gospel was preached; and the aim was the Gentiles - all the nations. That was ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 5:9-10

Tags: Perseverance, Missions

A.w. Tozer (1897-1963) God Wants Worshipers ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Gibney on May 19, 2002

A.W. Tozer (1897-1963) God wants worshipers before workers; indeed the only acceptable workers are those who have learned the lost art of worship. . . . The very stones would praise him if the need ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:40

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Confidence: (Wesley)"When I Was Young I Was Sure ...

Contributed by Steve Miller on Feb 5, 2006

CONFIDENCE: (Wesley)"When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: *other

57 Cents  PRO

Contributed by Scott Sharpes on Feb 16, 2002

57 CENTS One afternoon a little girl, who had eagerly wished to go, turned back from the Sunday-school door, crying bitterly because there was no more room . . . [I] asked her why it was that she was crying, and she sobbingly replied that it was because they could not let her into the ...read more

Tags: Death, Church Practices, Life

Denomination: Nazarene

Buddha's Finger  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Mar 30, 2002

BUDDHA'S FINGER In 1981 there was a devastating flood in central China. During the flood an ancient pagoda collapsed at Famen Temple. A few years later, archaeologists were digging through the rubble when they made a startling discovery. Sealed in a miniature stone casket, they found what ...read more

Tags: World Religions, Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Methodist

Who's The Guy With George

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2004

WHO’S THE GUY WITH GEORGE George had a friend with an inflated opinion of himself. As a friend should, George decided to help his friend lose this quirk. Subtly, George mentioned that he knew Johnny Carson. The friend said, "Oh, yeah, prove it." In a few minutes, they were in front of a large ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:12-24

Tags: Parable Great Banquet, Humility

If You Ever Happen To Listen To Positive 89.3 On ...  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Twitchell on Oct 26, 2006

If you ever happen to listen to Positive 89.3 on Saturday nights, you know that Joe Polek and I often enjoy sharing humorous stories from the news between the songs that we play. If you listened last night, you would have heard us talking about a variety of mistranslations with humorous results. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:44-53

Tags: Commission, Communication General

Denomination: Nazarene

A Religion Professor Named Dr. Christianson ...  PRO

Contributed by West Garner on May 8, 2006

A Religion Professor named Dr. Christianson taught a required survey of Christianity course at small college. Every freshman was required to take the course regardless of his or her major. Although he tried hard to communicate the gospel, students viewed the class as nothing more than a waste of ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:11-22

Tags: Quicksand, Shoulder, Stand, Brother, Evangelism How To  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

In His Book The Crisis In The University, Sir ...  PRO

Contributed by Evie Megginson on Apr 17, 2001

In his book The Crisis in the University, Sir Walter Moberly cites the failure of evangelicals to penetrate university campuses with the gospel. To those who claim to follow Christ he says, "If one-tenth of what ...read more

Tags: Great Commission, Sharing Your Faith, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Baptist

George Hunter Contends That The First ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 17, 2000

George Hunter contends that the first characteristic of a secular person in the modern world is that he or she is ignorant of basic Christianity. It has been said of the Baby Busters, those born between 1963 and 1977 and the first generation to grow up in a postmodern context, that they lack even ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:1-21

The Fleas Or God?  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on May 20, 2002

Title: The fleas or God? Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place relates an incident which taught her this principle. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Joy, Doing God's Will, God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Billy Graham, The Great Evangelist, Tells Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Burgess on Oct 7, 2002

Billy Graham, the great evangelist, tells of driving through a small southern town and being stopped by a policeman and being charged with speeding. Graham admitted his quilt, but was told by the officer that he would have to appear in court. The judge asked, "Guilty, or not guilty?" When Graham ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Slow And Steady  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on May 28, 2003

SLOW AND STEADY The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but transformation, a process that might be slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:4-8, 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit Attributes, Holy Spirit General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Giving Thanks For Fleas

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Nov 19, 2006

Giving Thanks for Fleas Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place relates an incident that taught her an important principle. She and her sister, Betsy, had just been transferred to the worst German prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Money Often Comes Between Men And God. Someone ...

Contributed by Chris Edmondson on May 26, 2007

"Money often comes between men and God. Someone has said that you can take two small ten cent pieces, just two dimes, and shut out the view of a panoramic landscape. Go to the mountains and just hold two coins closely in front of your eyes--the mountains are still there, but you cannot see them at ...read more

Tags: Money, Offering, Coin, Mountain

Denomination: Baptist

Meekness: Personal Restraint For The Sake Of Others

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 20, 2023

Years ago, a young man named George Atley was serving in the Central African Mission. He was attacked by a group of natives. He had with him a Winchester repeating rifle with ten loaded chambers. The group was completely at his mercy. He could have killed every one of them. But as he assessed the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:15, Psalm 37:11

Tags: Evangelism, Love, Missions, Meekness, Restraint  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Could The Veil Be Lifted, We Would See That ...  PRO

Contributed by Adam Deibert on Feb 11, 2005

“Could the veil be lifted, we would see that angels of God are around us to preserve us from unseen dangers. Thousands of times has their care been especially manifested for us in our warfare with the agencies ...read more

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

After Pentecost, The Church, Yes That's Who We ...

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Sep 24, 2009

After Pentecost, the Church, yes that’s who we call our group the Church, grew like the lilies of the field in Spring. Three thousand came to the Lord on the one day. As they came people would sell their possessions, not just small ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Church Growth, Growth In Christ

Denomination: Salvation Army

If Our Company Is To Be More Successful Than ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"If our company is to be more successful than the enterprises with which we compete, it will be becauseall our people are distinguished by a small positive increment of devotion, dedication or determination beyond that of their opposite numbers elsewhere. It is such modest differences in individual ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 6:6

Tags: Business And Marketplace