In Sermon Illustrations: "Two Olive Trees"

Staying In Our Assigned Scope

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 9, 2024

I was sitting on my deck at home one day this week having a brief devotional with the Lord. I looked up into a tree and saw a very small bird, a tiny yellow finch. I looked at him, and he looked at me. He was perched there without a care in the world, feeling safe and sound on his God-given turf. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:13, Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Peace, Safety, Spiritual Warfare, Obedience, Assignment, Empowerment, Vain Ambition  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Undertakers

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Jan 8, 2004

Undertakers Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court for 30 years. His mind, wit and work earned him the unofficial title of "the greatest justice since John Marshall." At one point in his life, Justice Holmes explained his choice of a career by saying: "I might have ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Charismatic

True Or False?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 20, 2002

TRUE OR FALSE? Palm Sunday celebrates the day Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Test your knowledge of that day’s events, recorded in all four Gospels, with these true or false statements. 1. According to the Gospels, the people waved palm branches when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:5-10

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

I Like The Story Of The 4 Year Old Boy From ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 19, 2000

I like the story of the 4 year old boy from Nashville who went with his grandfather into the woods to select a Christmas tree. They tramped all over, but the boy couldn’t find a tree that suited him. Finally, it began to get dark and cold, and the grandfather said they would have to quit looking. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 4:8-11

Tags: Worthy, Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Blight Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

THE BLIGHT OF SIN Blight is a destructive plant disease that can infect any plant, even trees. Infected trees exhibit a blackening of the blooms, leaves and twigs, and the whole tree is eventually involved. The blight causes the tree to decay outwardly and the decay can eat all the way to the ...read more

Scripture: Hosea 9:15-17

Tags: Sin Wages Of

A Woman By The Name Of Sandy Willey Related A ...  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Burgess on Dec 11, 2002

A woman by the name of Sandy Willey related a Christmas story that occurred during World War II. A woman named Anne took her two little children to Texas to be with her parents because her husband was stationed in Europe. And they prepared for Christmas and got the tree up and all the gifts ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Are We Ready To Do What God Designed Us To Do?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 26, 2004

Are we ready to do what God designed us to do? Some of you may remember back in January I showed you this cordless drill that I had as a gift from my Mother for Christmas. As with gifts that God gives us, I mentioned, at the time, that it would be no point in me having this gift if I didn’t use it. ...read more

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

The Straightest Path  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 12, 2012

THE STRAIGHTEST PATH Two boys were playing in the snow one day, when one said to the other, "Let us see who can make the straightest path in the snow." His companion readily accepted the proposition, and they started. One boy fixed his eyes on a tree, and walked along without taking his eyes off ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:13-15

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Heading In The Opposite Direction

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Nov 4, 2007

1. We need to work in partnership with God. 1-3 Jonah wasn’t always working together with God, he was a reluctant prophet who was singing from a different hymn sheet to God. After all God had said go to Nineveh – Jonah headed in the opposite direction for Tarshish. Jonah actions remind me of ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 9, 2005

Widow-Makers! (11.11.05--Christian Soldiers!--Ephesians 6:16-17) Beech trees tend to bend and grow at odd angles. When it comes to felling one, you have to do a bit more than simply cutting it down. First you need to determine which way the tree is leaning. Then you need to size-up the other ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:16-17

Tags: Angles, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Lutheran

The Bear And The Travelers — Aesop  PRO

Contributed by Gary Kins on Feb 7, 2003

1. The Bear & The Travelers - Aesop Two travelers were on the road together, when a bear suddenly appeared on the scene. Before he observed them, one made for a tree at the side of the road, and climbed up into the branches and hid there. The other was not so nimble as his companion; and, as he ...read more

Tags: Friendship New Friends

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It All Started With An Apple

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 24, 2025

In my backyard I have two apple trees. They grow low to the ground and in July the apples are plentiful but small and green. Harvest is not until late September here in Ontario. But the low hanging branches present an enticing temptation to pick the apples. One beautiful morning I noticed an ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:7-25, Romans 6:1-4, Romans 3:21-31

Tags: Original Sin, The Fall, Sin, Obedience, Temptation, Adam  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Second Pilgrim Winter

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Nov 19, 2011

THE SECOND PILGRIM WINTER After the first Thanksgiving with Massosiat and the Indians, the Pilgrims were excited that another ship arrived with 35 new colonists. Quoting again from William Bradford, “they were all landed; but there was not so much as bisket-cake or any other victialls [AO] for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Communication: Who Is The Problem, Really?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 8, 2021

. A woman met with a counselor and stated, "I want to divorce my husband." ?On what grounds?” asked the counselor. ?Grounds? We have two acres at the edge of town with a big lawn and some fruit trees.” ?No, that's not what I meant. Do you have a grudge?” ?Yes, we've a two car ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:2, Jeremiah 17:9

Tags: Communication, Blame, Rationalization, Blaming Others

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Root Bound

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on May 27, 2026

CONCLUSION: Many years ago I was in Illinois and was in a discussion with my father-in-law. He told me about this huge apple orchard. There were 10,000 trees, 5,000 red, and 5,000 yellow apple trees. I asked to go visit it. When we got there the owner had a hand drill and was drilling several holes ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:16

Tags: Fruit, Try Harder

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Linked At The Roots, Citation: Blair F. ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Aug 17, 2001

[Linked at the Roots, Citation: Blair F. Rorabaugh, Uniontown, Ohio. Leadership, Vol. 12, no. 2] The article "What Good Is a Tree?" in Reader’s Digest explained that when the roots of trees touch, there is a substance present that reduces competition. In fact, this unknown fungus helps link roots ...read more

Tags: Friendship General, Church Body Of Christ, Church Small Groups

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

While Visiting The U.s. After World War Ii, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2006

While visiting the U.S. after World War II, Winston Churchill was aboard a train bound for Missouri with President Harry Truman. They were in a special car which had the presidential seal hung up on a wall. Truman noticed Churchill studying the seal and he pointed out that he had changed it so that ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

The One-Dollar Bill  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

THE ONE-DOLLAR BILL Take out a one dollar bill and look at it. The one dollar bill you’re looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it. It is actually ...read more

Tags: America

Baskin' Through Life

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 13, 2010

BASKIN' THROUGH LIFE Two robins were sitting in a tree. One of the robins turned to his buddy and announced that he was hungry. The other robin said that he was hungry too, so they flew down to find some lunch. As they came down, they saw an entire field full of worms. They ate and ate until ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In Sequoia National Park In California, There Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In Sequoia National Park in California, There is a big tree that stands 275 feet high and is 36 feet in diameter. It is called the General Sherman. It is known as the biggest tree in the world. Today I want to talk to you about a tree that reaches from earth all the way to heaven and reaches all ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony