In Sermon Illustrations: "Thinking Ahead"

What Would They Say About You?

Contributed by Guy De Swardt on Feb 18, 2011

WHAT WOULD THEY SAY ABOUT YOU? I want you to imagine the following scene. You’re going for the most important job interview of your life. You’re nervous. In your hand you’re holding your all-important CV, and in the other hand you’re holding onto some of your best work samples. The interview ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Baptist

Sabbath Vs. Little League

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 1, 2011

SABBATH VS. LITTLE LEAGUE The NT changes several things about the Sabbath. However, it is wise to observe a time of rest and worship. A couple of years ago Roman Catholic Cardinal John O' Connor took on Little League baseball because many altar boys were missing Sunday services. He wanted ...read more

Tags: Sabbath

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Does The Size Of A House Become Sinful?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 4, 2011

WHEN DOES THE SIZE OF A HOUSE BECOME SINFUL? Several years ago, Millard Fuller of Habitat for Humanity addressed the National Press Club on public radio, on which he recalled a workshop he conducted at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary with 200 pastors in attendance. The assembled pastors quickly ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Daniel 1:5-16

Tags: Greed

Beauty From What He Puts In

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Apr 15, 2011

BEAUTY FROM WHAT HE PUTS IN There once was a brier growing in a ditch when a gardener came along with his spade and dug it up. He dug around it and gently lifted it out of the ground, bringing the brier to ask itself, "What is he doing? Doesn’t he know I’m a worthless brier?" But the gardener ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Is Still On The Throne

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 15, 2011

GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE We used to have a song leader in our church in Wiesbaden named Steve who whenever I saw him, I’d ask, “How’s it going Steve?” His response was always the same--he’d say, “God is still on the throne!” He was almost always happy and on top of things when he’d say ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

It Is Finished  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

IT IS FINISHED We trample the blood of the Son of God if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only explanation for the forgiveness of God, and for the unfathomable depth of His forgetting (of our sins), is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the outcome ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Have No Fear Of Sudden Disaster...

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 27, 2011

HAVE NO FEAR OF SUDDEN DISASTER... I was taking Julie and the boys on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville to Boone, North Carolina. First of all let me say we didn't make it. I rounded a corner in the road and all of a sudden you could see down a couple thousand feet. The "Grip" came on, my ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Excuses, Excuses

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Dec 24, 2011

EXCUSES, EXCUSES We live in a word of excuses. Here are some complied by the Readers Digest that have been offered for not showing up for work: "I dreamed I was fired, so I didn't want to get out of bed." "I was up all night arguing with God." "A raccoon stole my work shoe off my porch." "I ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:12, Genesis 3:7-17

Tags: Faults

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Ring And The Carrot

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 9, 2012

THE RING AND THE CARROT "A Swedish woman who lost her wedding ring 16 years ago was flabbergasted when she found it again, around a carrot growing in her garden, media reported Saturday. Lena Paahlsson had taken off the white gold ring before a Christmas baking session with her daughters in 1995, ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Evil In Ourselves

Contributed by Steven Ferber on Apr 10, 2012

THE EVIL IN OURSELVES A few weeks ago Americans were stunned by the news that an American soldier in Afghanistan apparently killed 17 Afghan civilians. Friends and teachers of Robert Bales describe him as caring, gregarious and self-confident before he just "snapped." One childhood friend told the ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Lutheran

Start With Just One

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on May 8, 2012

START WITH JUST ONE Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, tells the story of a 23 year old Sailor that he spent time discipling. He spent many hours with this young man in the Word and the importance of being a witness for the Lord and leading other sailors to Jesus. A month later the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Lutheran

Self-Denial At The Threat Of Death  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 15, 2013

"Faith Helped Woman Confront British Terrorists" Remember a few weeks ago when the British soldier was beheaded in broad daylight outside his barracks? The Telegraph, a British paper, reported that a mother and Cub Scout leader, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, age 48, confronted the terrorists immediately ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25, 2 Kings 5:1-14

Tags: Self Denial, Dying To Self

Denomination: Nazarene

Father, Forgive Them

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

The word ‘forgive’ in this passage is in the imperfect tense. We tend to think it is in the present tense and that Jesus prayed this prayer once and then moved on. The imperfect tense in Greek means that the prayer is not said once but continuously, through the scourging and the crucifixion as he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:33-38

Tags: Forgive, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Methodist

In 1937, Napoleon Hill Wrote A Development / ...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 18, 2015

IN 1937, NAPOLEON HILL wrote a development / self-help book: THINK AND GROW RICH. Hill discussed a man that invested all his and his family’s money into a GOLD MINE. The man worked and worked. He was so excited, he was going to make millions of dollars and become rich and famous. For weeks the man ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: 3 Feet From A Miracle

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Leadership

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

I remember hearing a story about a famous film producer. As a child, he had a fight with another boy and lost. While his mother was bathing his black eye, he told her how it was entirely the fault of the other boy. It was the other boy who had started the fight, he claimed. His mother said ...read more

Scripture: John 13:2-17

Tags: God Is Love, Giving In Love, Jesus Leadership

Denomination: Baptist

If People Are Coming.....the Product Must Be Good!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 1, 2016

In his awesome book, Selling Jesus, by Douglas D. Webster, the author gives an incredible quote about the lack of spiritual discernment in American church growth and marketing today: "American Christianity is increasingly tolerant of any and all methods, as long as they bring NUMERICAL results. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Tags: Discernment, Truth, Church Growth, Marketing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness Is Not Found In More Things....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 19, 2016

HAPPINESS IS NOT FOUND IN MORE THINGS... If having more would make us happy, we would never need the Tenth Commandment - "You shall not COVET.’ It is written especially for unhappy people who think that happiness is found in more things. Have you heard the story about the king who fell into a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Tags: Happiness, Materialism, Ten Commandments, Coveting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When You Have Nothing Left But God, Then Fgod Is Enough

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Pastor Norm Johnson tells the story of Bill who was gravely ill in the hospital. Norm was visiting him when the doctor came in and point blank said, “Bill, you're dead. There’s no hope. You’d better get your things in order.” Just that bluntly, no hope, no comfort, no, “How are you doing?” After ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Hope, God Is Enough

Denomination: Methodist

If Ii Were Satan...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

IF I WERE SATAN… I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around; I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7-9

Tags: America, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, The Devil

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keep It Short, Pastor!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 5, 2023

A pastor was scheduled to address a large Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. His wife, who often reminded him to preach shorter sermons, said to him, “I am giving you an envelope in which is a message for you. Open the envelope just before you speak and it will really help ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31, Ephesians 2:15

Tags: Sermon Introductions, Humor, Pastors, Churches, Husbands, Sermons, Wives, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational