In Sermon Illustrations: "Understanding"

A Sacrifice Of Praise Hurts!

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Mar 1, 2012

A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE HURTS! Several years ago, there was a song on Christian radio that said, "We bring a sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord." It had a happy, upbeat tune. Listening to it, I had the feeling that the singers were intrigued by the words but had not personally ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Baptist

The Heart Of The Saviour

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2012

THE HEART OF THE SAVIOUR I am reminded of the story of a wee lass who sought baptism and membership in a country church. The elders questioned the child in a perfunctory manner, but they were not inclined to believe that such a young person could actually understand what it meant to be saved. So, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

A Lesson From A Light Bulb  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 5, 2012

A LESSON FROM A LIGHT BULB A missionary in Africa lived in his central mission which had a small generator to supply current for his church and a small rectory. Some natives from an outlying mission came to visit the pastor. They noticed the electric light hanging from the ceiling of his living ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Tags: Power

What's Wrong With Slandering Someone?

Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Aug 29, 2014

I was speaking with someone this past week who has spent a great deal of his life travelling around the world, much of it for a mission agency. He spoke of a time when he visited an extremely remote, forested part of India where people live very primitively. He stayed there for a while. This fellow ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-7, 2 Peter 1:5

Tags: Godly Character, Transparency

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Joy Of A Pb And J

Contributed by Nickolas Kooi on Sep 14, 2017

In the Christian congregations at Rome, some believers still kept these things. Others did not. The “weak,” those who don’t realize or understand their full freedom in Jesus, still continued to abide by these things. These believers were cautious with these food laws, and just ate vegetables to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 14:1-3

Tags: Jew, Jewish Feasts, Freedom In Jesus, Freedom, Ot Law  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Take Me Home

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Take Me Home I've been everything that I want to be. I've seen everything that I want to see. All over this world I did roam. Now, I'm asking you, Jesus, please take me home. I can hear my spirit within me groan. I wan to be sitting at the foot of Your throne. I've had my fill ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:13-14, Philippians 1:23-24

Tags: Success, Failure, Loneliness, Sorrow, Despair, Homesick  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Magi -- Who Were They?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 25, 2019

Lambert Dolphin writes: “The ancient Magi were a hereditary priesthood of the Medes (known today as the Kurds) credited with profound and extraordinary religious knowledge. After some Magi, who had been attached to the Median court, proved to be expert in the interpretation of dreams, Darius the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12

Tags: Wise Men, Magi, Kinds, Seers

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Got You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Oct 2, 2021

I like to take my dogs places with me. They have their own seats in the back seat of my pickup. I have a small elderly dog named Bambi who has always had anxiety, I think from having to survive on her own when she lived in the streets as a tiny little thing with no one to feed or care for her. A ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:4, 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Adversity, Assurance, Anxious

Denomination: Charismatic

Trust Issues

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jul 18, 2022

John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. As I ...read more

Scripture: John 2:23-25

Tags: Trust, Opposition, Betrayal, Brethren, Opposers  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Seeing The Light, Reflecting The Light.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jan 24, 2025

Did anyone else see the comet during the week, Comet Atlas 3G? Janaki and I went out to Titahi Bay to see it, thankfully we had another dad and daughter park near us who could point it out, otherwise we might not have seen it. The power of their witness was in instructing us where to look. ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12, Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Witness, Testimony, Salt, Salt And Light, The Light Of God, The Light Of The World, Reflecting Jesus  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Salvation Army

The First And Last  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

THE FIRST AND LAST He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End! He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all! He is the Architect of the universe and The Manager of all times. He always was, He always is, and He always will be... Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone! He ...read more

Tags: Undefeated, Blind, Descriptions Of God, Creation, Confession, Guide, God The Father  (view more)  (view less)

Remember Our Survivors  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 3, 2002

REMEMBER OUR SURVIVORS Can you hear me? Can you hear my friends and I? We’re crying out to you from underneath the rubble and debris, from down under the dust and stones... please tell us that we have not been left alone- please comfort our souls to know that though we cannot return, that you will ...read more

Tags: Death, Christian Love, Promises Of God

Ben Franklin's Quote From The Book America's God ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 29, 2007

Ben Franklin’s quote from the book America’s God and Country by Federer pages 247-248: Thursday, June 28, 1787, Benjamin Franklin, delivered a powerful speech to the Constitutional Convention, which was embroiled in a bitter debate over how each state was to be represented in the new government. ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Give A Birthday Present To Jesus

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 29, 2007

Give A Birthday Present To Jesus. One year our church celebrated Christmas by giving a birthday present to Jesus. On the first Sunday in December, I asked the congregation to think about what Jesus Christ really meant to them, and to offer a gift on the altar to symbolize their love for Him and ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Evidences Of ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Evidences of Salvation Repentance The truths relating to man’s acceptance of God’s great salvation are reflected through repentance, faith and obedience. The apostle Paul’s prayer for the church in Colosse was, “…That [they] live a life ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:10

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Biblical Change  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Biblical Change "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Renewal, Change, Transformation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Predestination Talks

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

THE PREDESTINATION TALKS Ligon Duncan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS, tells the following story: I well remember as a fifteen year-old boy at my grandparents’ house, reading through Ephesians 1 with grandmother and granddad and my aunt and the family for our morning ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

The Story Of The Teacup

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Dec 5, 2011

THE STORY OF THE TEACUP There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery, especially teacups. This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They were in this one shop when they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "We’ve never ...read more

Tags: Change

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Have You Seen The Rabbit - The Race

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 31, 2023

Yet as I prepared this Message ... the Holy Spirit made it clear to me ... that to be all that God has called us to be ... and before we should connect with others ... we first must be abiding with ... and be connected to the Jesus ... to the true vine. To continually abide in the Lord ... to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14, Luke 22:42, Matthew 6:6, John 10:27, John 15:5, Matthew 25:40, 1 Corinthians 9:24, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews 12:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Cost, Race, Prize, Connect, Chase, Endurance, Vine  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

[093]. A Message From A Poem – Foraging In The Depths Of Scripture

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 30, 2025

[093]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – FORAGING IN THE DEPTHS OF SCRIPTURE This poem deals with getting into the heart of scripture. There are images and techniques and encouragement in these stanzas. I actually make the comparison between a mudskipper that flits across the shallows on the water, and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 119:27, 2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Buried Treasure, Inspired, Dig Deep, Eel, Mudskipper, Scripture, Word Of God, Workman  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational