In Sermon Illustrations: "Treasures"

There Was A Rabbi On A Journey With The Prophet ...

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 21, 2002

There was a rabbi on a journey with the prophet Elijah. They walked all day, and at nightfall they came to the humble cottage of a poor man, whose only treasure was a cow. The poor man ran out of his cottage, and his wife ran too, to welcome the strangers for the night and to offer them all the ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

Have You Heard The Classic Short Story By ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2002

Have you heard the classic short story by O’Henry, "The Gift of the Magi?" The story is about a young married couple who are very much in love. Christmas is approaching and neither one has enough money to buy the other a Christmas gift. Each one does have one prized possession that they hold dear ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Becky Pippert Tells A Wonderful Story, An Old ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 28, 2004

Becky Pippert tells a wonderful story, an old legend really or three trees that make this very clear for me. “There were once 3 ambitious trees on a mountain who were small and were talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up. The 1st tree said, "When I look at the stars and see them ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will, Knowing God's Will

Denomination: Christian Church

Time Magazine's Cover Story This Month Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Sep 24, 2006

Time magazine’s cover story this month was entitled, “Does God Want You to Be Rich?” The header said, “A growing number of Protestant evangelicals raise a joyful Yes!” The article opens with the story of George Adams, a man from Ohio who had lost his factory job. His reaction to the job loss ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Security

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Apr 21, 2008

SECURITY When something historic occurs, we remember it the rest of our lives. Where were you on September 11, 2001? I was listening to the radio after taking my wife to work. Suddenly, an announcer interrupted and said there was "an incident" in New York. The reports worsened during that ...read more

Tags: Comfort

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Sideshow Strongman Was Exhibiting His Prowess ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 10, 2003

A sideshow strongman was exhibiting his prowess and as a final trick he squeezed the juice from a lemon between his hands and then offered ten dollars to anyone in the audience who could squeeze a single drop out of it. Several husky men tried, to no avail. Finally, a small bespectacled man came ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The More Personal A Gift Is The More It Is ...

Contributed by Bruce Rzengota on Dec 28, 2009

The more personal a gift is the more it is treasured. Illustration: Bob and Becky Braffhart are missionaries to Mali. She is teacher. He is a builder and projects manager. He has helped construct the Mali woman’s hospital where Allie Cornoyer will be this Christmas. Their first son was ...read more

Tags: Gifts General

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Dwayne Roberts: "We Must Understand That The ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 30, 2010

Dwayne Roberts: "We must understand that the greatest treasure is waiting in front of every believer. We've all seen reality shows. I'd even guess that you have imagined winning a million dollars. You may not have phrased it exactly like this, but the question comes down to, 'What would it be like ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Need Or Greed

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jun 2, 2011

NEED OR GREED Clovis Chappel in his book "Feminine Faces," wrote that when the Roman city of Pompeii was being excavated, the body of a woman was found mummified by the volcanic ashes of Mount Vesuvius. Her position told a tragic story. Her feet pointed toward the city gate, but her out ...read more

Tags: Greed

Denomination: Baptist

There Is An Ancient Scottish Legend - A Shepherd ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 12, 2001

There is an ancient Scottish legend - a shepherd boy tending a small flock of sheep on the side of a mountain. One day as he cared for his sheep he saw at his feet a beautiful flower -- one that was more beautiful than any he had ever seen in his life. He knelt down upon his knees and scooped the ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

C. S. Lewis, In The Voyage Of The Dawntreader, ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Sep 29, 2002

C. S. Lewis, in The Voyage of the Dawntreader, part of The Chronicles of Narnia series, tells the story of Eustace, a boy who happens upon a hidden treasure which is guarded by a dragon. He has become alienated from his friends and their values by his own churlishness, and when he finds the ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Discipleship

Denomination: Methodist

Hunting Monkeys

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Jul 8, 2007

Hunting Monkeys Natives in Africa place shiny objects in empty termite hills in full view of a tribe of monkeys, then move a little distance away and hide in the bush. It isn’t very long before a monkey will venture over to investigate. He will slip his hand into the narrow slit in the side of the ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Several Years Ago I Used To Heat Our House With ...

Contributed by John Braland on Apr 3, 2007

Several years ago I used to heat our house with wood. Every fall I would go out and cut wood with my friend Roger Raether and Bob Bosma. I never liked cutting wood because it was a lot of back breaking work but I liked the price. It was free except for the labor so we would take a Saturday here ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Charlemagne's Final ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

Charlemagne’s Final Communication In 1000 AD, 186 years after the death of Emperor Charlemagne, officials of the Emperor Otto re-opened Charlemagne’s tomb. Before them was an extraordinary sight. In the midst of all the finery buried with him—the gold, the jewels, the priceless treasure—there was ...read more

Scripture: Mark 8:34-38

Tags: Riches, Worldliness

Believing The Ancient Record

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

BELIEVING THE ANCIENT RECORD On January 6, 1822, Heinrich Schliemann was born. He would one day achieve world renown and great wealth. When Heinrich Schliemann was seven years old, a picture of ancient Troy in flames captured his imagination. Contrary to what many people believed, Heinrich argued ...read more

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Brethren

John Piper: Your Heart Has To Get Bigger  PRO

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

JOHN PIPER: YOUR HEART HAS TO GET BIGGER "Little hearts give little lusts big power. Big hearts give little lusts little power because they look little! When you SEE the magnitude of your treasure, your soul swells to get around it and you MOCK pornography as a POWERLESS thrill! That’s the way it ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:104

Tags: Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Baptist

He Died On January 28, 814. Many Years Later, ...  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 17, 2007

He died on January 28, 814. Many years later, archaeologists discovered the tomb of Charlemagne, the great king and emperor of France. When the tomb was opened, after being closed for centuries, the men who entered it found something amazing. They found certain treasures of the kingdom, of course. ...read more

Denomination: Nazarene

In A Wycliffe Bible Translators Publication, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

IN A WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS PUBLICATION, THERE WAS A RECENT STORY ABOUT A WOMAN WHO SERVED AS A HOUSE-PARENT FOR MISSIONARIES’ CHILDREN IN THE PHILIPPINES. SHE LOVED BOOKS. THOUGH SHE LOANED OUT SOME, OTHERS SHE TREASURED IN A FOOTLOCKER. ONCE, IN THE QUIET OF THE NIGHT, SADIE HEARD A FAINT ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:9

You May Be Familiar With A Television Series ...

Contributed by Alan Perkins on Jun 2, 2002

You may be familiar with a television series called “Antiques Road Show”. People bring in their antiques, and expert appraisers tell them what the pieces are worth. The highlight of every show is when someone brings in a beat-up old piece of furniture and the appraiser tells them it’s a rare ...read more

Tags: Peace, Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Warren Wiersbe Tells About The Time The Late ...  PRO

Contributed by Dana Chau on Sep 1, 2002

Warren Wiersbe tells about the time the late William Randolph Hearst sent out his agent to secure particular art pieces. After months of searching, the agent reported that he had finally found the treasures. They were in Mr. Heart’s warehouse. Hearst had been searching frantically for art pieces ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself

Denomination: *other