In Sermon Illustrations: "Together With Christ"

Titles

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Jun 2, 2008

TITLES I have been a pastor at Shiloh Bible Church for eleven years. But my association with the church began long before that. My in-laws, Harold and Dorothy Wills, retired to the Bloomsburg area back in the 1980's and they started coming to Shiloh. And so when our family would come up from ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Recently Came Across A Chinese Parable That ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Jun 19, 2008

I recently came across a Chinese parable that eludes to our thoughts for today’s text. It’s a tale about a water-bearer and his two pots of clay. An elderly peasant had two large clay pots. One of the pots had a crack down its side to a point about half way. The other pot, perfect! Each had been ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: *other

Several Years Ago, As I Was Just Beginning My ...

Contributed by Deborah Westbrook on Aug 13, 2008

Several years ago, as I was just beginning my serious study for ministry, I became friends with a woman about my own age, and in similar circumstances. She was a single mother of two middle school age boys. She wanted the best she could provide for her children…as we all do. Through several ...read more

Tags: Principles

Denomination: Methodist

Everybody's Doing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

“Everybody’s doing it.” This is a common phrase used today to excuse our behavior, but it is no excuse. We were shocked a decade ago when youth ministries guru Josh McDowell did an extensive survey of Bible-believing church teens that showed that more than half of them were sexually active, even ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:14

Tags: Purity

Discernment—or Judgment?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

DISCERNMENT--OR JUDGMENT? So how does a critical attitude come back to haunt you? Here’s one way. A man wanted to impress his friends with his eye for art as they went to an art gallery together. He forgot his glasses, was nearsighted, and couldn’t hardly see his hand in front of his face. But he ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-6

Tags: Gifts Discernment

Marlene's Top 20 Life Lessons: (As Well As I Can ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Blevins on May 14, 2009

Marlene's Top 20 Life Lessons: (as well as I can piece them together) Life's Lesson Number 20 Is About: The Value A Job Well Done "If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning." Life's Lesson Number 19 Is About: Time Travel "If you don’t straighten up, I’m going to ...read more

Tags: Mothers

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Stealing

Contributed by Akinsanya Adubi on Sep 28, 2009

STEALING People have also used their own hands to take what does not belong to them. I told you the story of a politician whose mandate was taken away from him after winning the presidential elections, somebody was given the presidency, where is he today?, He even died before the politician ...read more

Tags: Commandments Steal

Denomination: Pentecostal

Brother Of John Wilkes Booth, Edwin Booth, Saves ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

Brother of John Wilkes Booth, Edwin Booth, Saves Abraham Lincoln’s Son The story is told of two brothers. One of them would carry a letter to the grave that could have set the record straight, but I will tell you about that later. There was a man whose name was Edwin Thomas, a master of the stage ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 12:11-12

Tags: Heroism

Church Cake Cover-Up  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

CHURCH CAKE COVER-UP It was time for the annual cake sale at a Presbyterian church not much different than our own. Ms. Billings always made the most beautiful cakes...she was expected to make another one this year. However, Ms. Billings was a very busy woman with the time she spent with her ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-15

Tags: Hypocrisy, Cake

Most Action Movies I Have Seen Have Some Aspect ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 8, 2010

Most action movies I have seen have some aspect of revenge in their storyline. And I must admit it, when the bad guy finally gets killed, I find myself agreeing with the hero as he says “The guy was a jerk and deserved everything he got!” Am I the only one? Some friends of mine were driving me ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Steps In Where Our Fathers Fail

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 31, 2012

GOD STEPS IN WHERE OUR FATHERS FAIL John Eldredge, author of Wild At Heart and Fathered By God among others, writes of fishing with his dad as a boy. Spending hours together on a Saturday morning trying to catch fish. "But" he writes, "the fish were never the issue. What I longed for was his ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Baptist

The Myth Of More

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 14, 2014

Society is trying to sell us stuff all the time...and it's not all that difficult to do because we're so unsatisfied with what we have. Would you agree that discontentment is our default setting? Capitalizing on our inherent dissatisfaction, the worldwide marketing machine spends around $450 ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:17

Tags: Covetousness, Contentment, Satisfaction, Discontentment, Advertising, Ten Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

Evangelism Through Fellowship

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Charles Moore writes, “Alan and I met 20 years ago. We were both students at Cal Poly. I was a freshman and he was a junior. As a physics major, Alan was both intelligent and articulate. How Alan got on with his studies, however, is still a mystery to me. Alan was vritually blind. He could not see ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:33-38

Tags: Evangelism, Fellowship, Community

Denomination: Methodist

Unsung Heroes: He Told Abram That Lot Was Captured

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 6, 2021

After leaving Egypt, Abram and Lot, his nephew, decided to separate from each other so that there would be enough to sustain each respective household. Genesis 13 tells the story, where, from Bethel, Lot went to the south and east, towards Sodom. Abram went south and west, settling near Hebron. At ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 14:13-16

Tags: Unsung Heroes, Abram, Lot, Sodom

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroines-Esther’s Maidens

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 30, 2022

Introduction: Esther was a Jewish maiden who was selected to become Queen of the Persian Empire. The Book of Esther gives additional information about how she truly lived a dream come true. We’re not told how many girls from the Persian Empire were evaluated, but Esther won the contest and became ...read more

Scripture: Esther 4:15-17

Tags: Esther, Mordecai, Fasting, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

When Close Enough—isn’t!

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Nov 23, 2022

Introduction: Sometimes, close enough just isn't! Text, Matthew 13:25, KJV: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Thoughts: Have you ever heard the phrase, “Oh, that’ s close enough” or “that’s good enough”? Sometimes, it’s true but there ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:25-30

Tags: Holy Spirit, Wheat, Tares, Close Enough

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes-The Lad Who Helped Samson

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Feb 24, 2023

Introduction: The story of Samson is one of the saddest in the Bible. He started off well but ended his days as a captive of the Philistines, Israel’s greatest enemy at the time. Even then, there was an unsung hero who helped him when Samson couldn’t help himself. Text: Judges 16:23-26, KJV: 23 ...read more

Scripture: Judges 16:23-26

Tags: Samson, Philistines, Unsung Heroes

Denomination: Baptist

An Amusing Sight!

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Sep 2, 2023

An Amusing Sight! Use as an Icebreaker. Ron, Billy, a Dodge Truck and a Red Lawnmower Humorous story, in which you can change the names to fit a couple of guys from your congregation. Make sure you get their permission to joke about them. We know how thin skinned some people are. Lead in... As you ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Job 8:21, Psalm 65:12-13, Psalm 96:12, Proverbs 15:13, Proverbs 31:25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Laughter, Icebreaker, Funny Story, Trucks, Bikes, Lighten Up, Joy, Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Football Practice Was Over, And Denny Was Sore ...  PRO

Contributed by Lynn Floyd on Apr 26, 2002

Football practice was over, and Denny was sore from head to toe. Slowly he climbed the graffiti-laden stairway of the aging apartment building. Suddenly, his mother’s chilling screams pierced the cold, still air. He had heard the sound many times before. Still, a sickening knot formed in Denny’s ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Baptist

Do Some Screaming! (09.15.05--Heavenly ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 13, 2005

Do Some Screaming! (09.15.05--Heavenly Citizens!--1 Cor 15:31) The hog-nose snake flipped over on its back and coiled itself up into a neat coil. It lay seemingly lifeless in front of us somehow waiting for us to either move on or dare to pick it up. Banking on the former, I am sure it was pleased ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:31

Tags: Discipleship, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran