In Sermon Illustrations: "Treasure In Heaven"

Plumb Luck

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Jan 25, 2009

PLUMB LUCK Plumber recovers $78,000 diamond ring; Woman accidentally flushed 7-carat gem down restaurant toilet PHOENIX - Just a case of plumb luck. It took a plumber to retrieve a woman's 7-carat diamond ring after city workers failed in efforts to flush the gem out of the pipes of a restaurant ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-7

Tags: Anxiety

Denomination: Baptist

Children On Silence  PRO

Contributed by Carl Greene on Feb 16, 2009

CHILDREN ON SILENCE Author Kathleen Norris used to play a game with elementary-school children in which she would make a deal with them. "First you get to make noise," she would bargain, "and then you’ll make silence." The time of noise was always predictably chaotic -- shouting, pounding and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Silence

Denomination: Methodist

What Do You Hold ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

WHAT DO YOU HOLD SACRED? One of the most profound things I learned in graduate school was taught to me by one of my professors. He is now my Counselor Intern Supervisor, my mentor, and my good friend, Tom Moore. It was really more of a question than a profound fact to puzzle over. On an essay ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-31

Tags: Christian Values

14 Years Ago Florida State’s Sports ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Feb 16, 2010

. 14 years ago Florida State’s sports information department had big news for Clay Shiver last year: Playboy magazine had selected him for its preseason All-America football team. But quicker than he snaps the ball, the 6-foot2, 280-pound center said, “No thanks.” he went on to say, “My mind was ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Box Was Not Empty

Contributed by Perry Greene on Jul 3, 2012

THE BOX WAS NOT EMPTY "We often learn the most from our children. Some time ago a friend of mine punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the tree. Nevertheless, the ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How To Send An Ultra Top Secret ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2012

HOW TO SEND AN ULTRA TOP SECRET MESSAGE There is a distinguished British gentleman by the name of Sir Oliver Franks. He had been a professor of philosophy at Oxford, and president of a couple of different colleges during the turbulent years of the 1960s and following. He had also been the chairmen ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Tags: Preaching

During Super Bowl Xxxvii, Fedex Ran A Commercial ...  PRO

Contributed by Raymond L. Johnson on May 27, 2013

During Super Bowl XXXVII, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Castaway, in which Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker, whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like Tom Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee in the commercial goes up to the door of a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 25:8-10

Tags: Fulfillment, Discovery, Doing God's Will, God's Sovereign Will, Knowing God's Will  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Sailing Away  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Aug 17, 2002

SAILING AWAY A personal testimony. Inspired by His calling, Joel Vicente. ------- I was secure at home when I heard the voice from the Captain exclaim, "Come follow me. Go where I send you. No need to fear. I will be with you." I asked, "But Captain, may I remain here on the shore where it is ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Years Ago, A Very Wealthy Man Shared With His ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 20, 2007

Years ago, a very wealthy man shared with his devoted young son a passion for art collecting. Together they travelled the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

The Invitation

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Bob Goff tells the story of he and his friend Brandon going to Washington DC on business and being close to Capital Hill at midnight. They saw a bunch of cars awkwardly parked around the Library of Congress and barricades and so they decided to investigate. They discovered that it was a set for the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:21

Tags: Invitation, Gospel, Chosen

Denomination: Methodist

John Newton, The Writer Of The Most Popular Hymn ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2001

John Newton, the writer of the most popular hymn in history, "Amazing Grace" said: "… if two angels in heaven were given assignments by God at the same time, one of them to go and rule over the greatest nation on earth and the other to go sweep the streets of the dirtiest village, each angel would ...read more

I Recall A Story About A Man Who Had To Cross A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Wood on May 29, 2002

I recall a story about a man who had to cross a wide river on the ice. He was afraid it might be too thin, so he began to crawl on his hand and knees in great terror. He thought he might fall through at any moment. Just as he neared the opposite shore, all exhausted, another man glided past him ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:12-13, Galatians 5:10-11

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Baptist

A Methodist Prayer

Contributed by Andrew Clark on Aug 23, 2002

A Methodist Prayer I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with who you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you. Exalted for you, or brought low for you. Let me be full, let me be empty, Let me have all things, let me ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Holiness

The Story Is Told Of The Preacher Who Went To ...  PRO

Contributed by George Bannister on Oct 21, 2002

The story is told of the preacher who went to pastor a particular church. He was one who was fond of preaching on water baptism. Week after week he would preach about baptism. Finally in desperation, the deacons requested that he allow them to pick his scripture text for the following Sunday’s ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Baptist

The Movie "Blank Check" Tells The Story Of A ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Oct 30, 2002

· The movie “Blank Check” tells the story of a young boy who finds a blank check complete with the signature! His imagination begins to run wild. He thinks about cashing the check for $1,000 then $10,000. He finally decides to make the check out for $1 million dollars. The boy takes the check ...read more

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Getting An Outside Line  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jan 24, 2003

Getting an Outside Line A young woman came to the welfare office to apply for social help. The social worker told her that her husband would have to sign the papers as well. The social worker then noticed that the young lady was looking at the telephone as if she wanted to call her husband, so ...read more

Tags: Gifts General, God's Omniscience

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Billy Graham's Hands Often Go Clammy And His ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 29, 2004

Billy Graham’s hands often go clammy and his knees shake before he preaches. While most would agree that standing in front of a crowd of people is probably not their favorite occupation, this is not a confession one would expect from the man who has preached the Gospel to more people than anyone ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?, Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Billy Graham Tells … The … Story About His ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2005

Billy Graham tells … the … story about his grandmother. When she died, “the room seemed to fill with a heavenly light. She sat up in bed and almost laughingly said, ‘I see Jesus. He has His arms outstretched toward me. I see Ben [her husband who had died some years earlier] and I see angels.’” ...read more

One Of The Truths Of The Bible Given Over And ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jun 4, 2005

One of the truths of the Bible given over and over again is you can never be good enough on your own to earn heaven. Because once you sin one time, you can’t brag to a perfect God how good you are. I mean, you don’t impress the engineers of Boeing with the airplane that you made from paper. You ...read more

Tags: Faith, Faith In Action, Faith Vs. Works, Misconceptions

Denomination: Christian Church

A Real Christian Is An Odd Number Anyway. He ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2005

A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feel supreme love for One whom he has never seen. Talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see. He expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order that he might be full, admits he is wrong to he can be declared right, ...read more

Tags: Faith