In Sermon Illustrations: "Times"

Given The Farm  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2014

The story is told of a farmhand who had worked for a married couple for several years. As time went on, the couple grew older and older and they couldn't do as much they had and the farm was beginning to look a little shabby. The paint on the barn was peeling. The fences had holes in them and slats ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:14-17, Romans 8:14

Tags: Servanthood, Attitude General, Heirs Of God, Co-Heirs With Christ

Is Heaven Real?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

The Bible uses the word heaven 532 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word for "heaven" is shamayim and is plural meaning "heights," "elevations." It is found in the first verse of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" and in Gen 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Methodist

Finishing The Race

Contributed by Paul Steen on Jul 12, 2014

My wife and I watched as Danny, our youngest son, competed in the Carnival of Champions back when he was in elementary school. He was entered in the half-mile race. It was two laps around the track. When the starting gun sounded, he quickly leapt ahead of everyone and built a sizable lead. He had ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:2

Tags: Goals, Finish The Race, Finish Well, Fixing Eyes On Jesus

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Dugger's

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 24, 2014

We see something similar when an only child has a new baby brother or sister in the house. Not getting attention sothey cause trouble. Parents try to reassure the child that they love him because the child thinks that the parents will love her less because of the new baby. Think about the ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:1

Tags: God The Father, Heavenly Father

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Evangelistic Meaning Of Your Birthday Celebration

Contributed by Joel Israel Shashikumar on Jan 26, 2015

I went to bed with a heavy heart one day. All those news and reports of death for the past few weeks. Only to wake up with a thought of birthday cake and celebration. Now why do we celebrate birthdays, blowing candles and cutting cake. I admit, I do not know the meaning that has been tagged with ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28-29

Tags: Grace, Birthday

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Watch Where You're Going!

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 28, 2015

I had just flown back home from attending a class for my Doctorate in Pasadena, CA. The week was filled with long days and short nights. I had an early morning flight and then flew most of the day. By the time I got home, I was exhausted. Yet I didn’t want to miss my workout so I headed to the gym. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-14

Tags: Consequences, Watchful Servants, Direction Of Life

Denomination: Methodist

Freedom

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

In the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, VA, there’s a special display for a rickety, home-made aluminum kayak. This tiny, makeshift boat seems oddly out of place in the midst of displays for impressive Navy vessels and artifacts from significant battles on the sea. But a bronze plaque tells museum ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Freedom, Persecution

Denomination: Methodist

The Laws Of Spiritual Motion!!!

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Aug 14, 2017

THE LAWS OF SPIRITUAL MOTION!!! The Fundamental Laws of motion designed by the all-wise God (discovered and revealed to us by Sir Issac Newton) says that we move forward whilst walking or running not just by exerting the force on earth with our feet by ourselves but by the propulsive force which ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2

Tags: Persecution, Action Reaction

Denomination: *other

That Sounds Like A Cross To Me  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Feb 13, 2018

That Sounds Like a Cross to Me “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34 A little boy was playing in the yard. He fell and scraped his elbow. It was bleeding a ...read more

Tags: Cross, Suffering, Follow Me

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Predicting The World Series Winner. . . And Failing Miserably

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

It was a dramatic performance in Game 7 of the World Series about a month ago: Madison Bumgarner coming in as a relief pitcher and proceeding to sow up the win for the San Francisco Giants. An impressive performance. Let’s go back to the spring – before the first pitch was thrown on the 2014 ...read more

Tags: Bible, Prophecy, Predictions

Denomination: Baptist

Persecuted For Faithfulness

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Aug 6, 2018

Many of our sisters and brothers are persecuted even in our own time. Voice of the Martyrs reports, for example, the experience of a young man named Philip, who lives in Laos. Philip walked two hours to another village to hear the gospel. Just three weeks after he returned home as a new believer, ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18-20

Tags: Persecution, Faithfulness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Circuit Riders

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

In the early years, Circuit riders were most often lay preachers without formal education. They were young, poor, and, for the most part, single. Traveling thousands of miles a year. Though circuit riders eventually represented many different denominations but none were more aggressive or ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:35

Tags: Personal Sacrifice, Teaching And Preaching

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Your Cheatin' Heart

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Aug 12, 2020

Your Cheatin’ Heart is a song written and recorded in 1952 by country music singer and songwriter Hank Williams. However, the song was released after his death in 1953. Your Cheatin’ Heart is considered one of the greatest songs of country music. The song is a slow ballad, telling an ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-27

Tags: Obedience, Compromise

Denomination: Baptist

The Answer To My Prayers

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 5, 2021

I don’t see as many vending machines around as I used to see. The ones I see now, you can pay with your phone or your smart watch. In the old days, all the vending machines had the food on metal coils that would rotate and move the food forward when you make your selection. Sometimes, that item ...read more

Scripture: John 14:13, Luke 4:38-44

Tags: God, Prayer, Vending Machine

Denomination: Methodist

The Lady In Charge Of The Chicken! Haha!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 14, 2021

Jesus wants us to live up to the responsibility that goes with our authority. We each have different levels of authority and responsibility, and he expects us to meet those levels. When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20

Tags: Commitment, Leadership, Identity, Authority

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Good Intentions

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 29, 2021

In our younger days, my husband and I sign up for a “boot camp” fitness class. This class costs $300 per person for ten classes. At the start of the first class, our instructor. Tara, does a quick roll-call. She frowns and comments: “Hmm, Susie isn’t here. That’s a shame; attending the first ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:14-33

Tags: Unrealized Intentions, Excuses, Discipline, Follow Through, Explanations  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

"worst Day - Best Day - Begins And Ends With Me"

Contributed by Terry Miller on Mar 24, 2022

No note was written. There was no obvious clue to why I had reached the depths of a horrible pit of desperation. How could life for a forty-something get any worse than that? My Worst Day had brought me to contemplating suicide! A feeling of reaching life’s dead-end road had overpowered any ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 56:3

Tags: Motivational, Inspirational

Let Me Get A Fry?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 20, 2022

Once upon a time, last week, I picked up my son after football and he was hungry. So he and I stop at Burger King to pick up a snack. Well, I bought my son two of his basic food groups, Chicken Nuggets, and French Fries. After going through the drive-through, and tossing the bag of food in the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 24:1

Tags: Giving, Tithes, Offerings

Persecution

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Aug 4, 2022

John Stott has pointed out that “persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value-systems.” That clash is what we are seeing now, and it is ultimately between those who believe, trust, and love the God of the Bible and those who do not. The changes afoot today represent a ...read more

Tags: Persecution Of Christians, Cultural Warfare

Denomination: Lutheran

What Is Truth?

Contributed by John Bright on Oct 17, 2022

I hate to be the bearer of bad news… but there is a deep divide in this sanctuary. No – it’s not what you think. It’s not political parties. It’s not hot-button social justice issues. Nope, it’s our view of “What is truth?” Here’s a way to view our divide from Os Guiness: “Three baseball ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:24-36

Tags: Baseball, Absolute Truth, Umpires

Denomination: Methodist