In Sermon Illustrations: "The Birth Of Christ"

Lazarus Churches That Are Dead And Stinketh!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

Vance Havner once commented that ministries often begin with a man who has a vision. That vision is captured by others and becomes a movement. As the movement gains followers and momentum, it becomes a machine. After a while, people forget all about the vision and what was once a movement ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Book Of Acts, Backsliding, Dying Churches, Church, Holy Spirit, Revival, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Door Is Always Unlocked When You Come Home...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 15, 2022

J. C. Ryle tells of a mother whose daughter ran away and lived a life of sin. For a long time, no one knew where she was, but she finally came back, turned to Christ in repentance, and believed in Him. Someone asked the mother what she had done to bring her daughter back and she replied, “I prayed ...read more

Tags: Parables, Rebellion, Lost, Lost Sheep, Prodigal Son, Daughters, Parents, Mothers, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Empty Agnostic Who Wanted To Believe

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 4, 2022

T.H. Huxley, a well-known agnostic, was with a group of men at a weekend house party. On Sunday morning, while most of them were preparing to go to church, he approached a man known for his Christian character and said, "Suppose you stay at home and tell my why you are a Christian." The ...read more

Tags: Witnessing, Atheism, Great Commission, Agnostics, Evangelism, Gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pastor, Please Don't Stop Preaching On Hell.

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2022

"Preachers must not neglect preaching on the reality of Hell and the catastrophic consequence of rejecting Christ. When you abandon preaching on Hell, you ignore the accent in the Epistles on the coming judgment, you will need to skip large portions of Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels, and you ...read more

Tags: Hell, Salvation, Preaching, Judgment, Repentance, Pastors, Preachers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Moody's Attitude Toward Death

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 13, 2022

Thousands came to faith in Christ through Moody’s meetings. As he approached the end of his life, he viewed Heaven as something to anticipate. Moody wrote: “Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27

Tags: Death, Heaven, Salvation, Funerals

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jesus Called Us To Be Witnesses, Not Lawyers!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 10, 2023

As Adrian Rogers once said "We are to be witnesses. Now Jesus didn’t call us to be lawyers. A lot of you say, “Well, you know, I just can’t witness.” Of course you can. Suppose you saw an accident, and they brought you into the courtroom, and they said, “Tell us what you saw.” You ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Holy Spirit, Revival, Witnessing, Great Commission, Acts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Getting "me" Out Of The Way

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

If we were all honest, we would probably have to admit that we are all guilty of reading a text while we're driving. We see it all the time. People are swerving from their lane into our lane and almost hitting other cars. It can be a serious situation. The way we live can also impact those ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

Tags: Selfishness, Selflessness

Denomination: Baptist

Order From Chaos

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Mar 17, 2023

The late Harvard mathematician and philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead, maintained that the whole scientific enterprise of the western world rested upon the belief that at the bottom of things science would find order rather than chaos. Where animists were afraid to probe a world enchanted with ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:17, John 1:1

Tags: Alfred North Whitehead, Science, Logos, Reason

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Your Unsaved Friends Want You To Talk About Jesus!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 19, 2023

73% of Christians believed it was their responsibility to share their faith. Yet only 52% of them had actually shared their faith at least once with someone in the last year. Millennials were the only age group where the percentage of those evangelizing was increasing. Only 29% of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Evangelism, Unchurched, Roman Road, Sin, Salvation, Cross, Justification, Witnessing, Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Door To The Father's House Is Always Open (Father's Day Story)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 7, 2023

JC. Ryle tells of a mother whose daughter ran away and lived a life of sin. For a long time, no one knew where she was, but she finally came back, turned to Christ in repentance, and believed in Him. Someone asked the mother what she had done to bring her daughter back and she replied, “I prayed ...read more

Tags: Fathers, Families, Children, Father's Day, Prayer, Mothers, Prodigal Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jonathan Roumie's Path Towards Heaven

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 16, 2024

Jonathan Roumie, who portrayed Jesus in 'The Chosen,' profoundly stated, "Instead of waiting to go to heaven, I will work diligently for heaven until I enter." His life, marked by faith and service, mirrors this philosophy. Despite his role's fame, he focuses on his spiritual ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:20

Tags: Faith, Heavenly, Active, Goal

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Loves Me—and I Love Jesus!

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 8, 2025

Sociology professor Anthony Campolo recalls a deeply moving incident that happened in a Christian junior high camp where he served. One of the campers, a boy with spastic paralysis, was the object of heartless ridicule. When he would ask a question, the boys would deliberately answer in a halting, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Testimony

Denomination: Methodist

Coach Jim Fassel's Son Bears Family Likeness, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Oct 17, 2003

[Coach Jim Fassel’s Son Bears Family Likeness, source: Bill Pennington, "34 Years Later: One Coach’s Sweetest Victory," New York Times (5-16-03)] As the head coach of the New York Giants, Jim Fassel has enjoyed great success on the football field with a trip to the Super Bowl as recently as 2001. A ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Complaining On The Day Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 30, 2009

Complaining on the Day of Judgment The story is told of billions of people scattered on a great plain before Almighty God’s Throne. Some of the groups near the front talked heatedly - not with cringing shame; but, with belligerence. "How can God Judge us?" said one. "What does He know about ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-18

Tags: Injustice, God's Judgment

This Is For All The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

THIS IS FOR ALL THE MOTHERS. This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It’s OK, honey; Mommy’s here." Who walk around the house all night with their babies when they keep ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-12

Tags: Mother's Day, Mothers Love

The Colt Mccoy Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

THE COLT MCCOY STORY College football experienced a masterpiece national championship game featuring the number one ranked Crimson Tide from Alabama against the undefeated ballers from the University of Texas. The Longhorns, led by their Heisman nominated quarterback Colt McCoy hoped to prove to ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Tags: Father's Day

Grandma's Hands

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Mar 23, 2016

Grandma’s Hands When I stand at the graveside for an elderly person, I think about the life they have lived, that dash between the birth date and date of death. I think about all they have seen, all they have experienced. And I think about this story that is told: Grandma, some 90+ years, sat ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:8

Tags: Hands, Graveside

Denomination: Baptist

Ben Hooper

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

In Rising Above the Crowd, Brian Habour tells the story of Ben Hooper. When Ben was born in the foothills of East Tennessee, little boys and girls like Ben who were born to unwed mothers were ostracized and treated terribly. By the time he was three years old, the other children would scarcely play ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9

Tags: Christian, Encouragement

[017] A Message From A Poem - Altogether Lovely One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 21, 2024

[017] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - ALTOGETHER LOVELY ONE There are times when we feel our hearts going out in worship to our Lord. What is the difference between praise and worship? This is not a sermon so I won’t be answering that question here, but I hope you think on it and that it might warm ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:11, Isaiah 53:3-4, Psalm 150:1-3

Tags: Worship, Praise, Gold, Magi, Sorrow, Frankincense, Myrrh, Lovely One  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lessons From A Gps  PRO

Contributed by Coz Von on Jul 13, 2016

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Prov 16:9, 3:6. I’m sure you’ve driven a car with a Global Positioning System (GPS). A number of years ago I settled into the passenger’s seat of a fully equipped ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 16:9

Tags: Gps, Eternally Lost, Divine Direction, Heart For The Lost, Parable Lost Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational