In Sermon Illustrations: "Unexpected Love"

When The 1960s Ended, San Francisco's ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

When the 1960s ended, San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district reverted to high rent, and many hippies moved down the coast to Santa Cruz. They had children and got married, too, though in no particular sequence. But they didn’t name their children Melissa or Brett. People in the mountains around ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Max Lucado Tells The Story Of A Youngster Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Tom Mccrossan on Apr 17, 2006

Max Lucado tells the story of a youngster who was shooting rocks with a slingshot. He could never hit his target. As he returned to Grandma’s backyard, he spied her pet duck. On impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck was dead. The boy panicked and hid the bird in the woodpile, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

My Hometown Is Dadeville, Alabama The County Seat ...

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006

My hometown is Dadeville, Alabama the county seat of Tallapoosa County, and I presently live in Wetumpka, the county seat of Elmore County. However, I was born in San Diego, California when my dad was in the United States Navy for 4 years. He met my mom there who was from Fort Meade, Florida - ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-8

Tags: Graduation

Denomination: Baptist

We Can Overcome

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

WE CAN OVERCOME Take for example Egyptian hieroglyphics. In seminary I had plenty of brilliant folks for classmates, just amazing people. One man, Kevin was with us on our trip to the Holy Land. Kevin finishing his M.Div at Princeton and was soon on his way to Harvard for a Ph.D. in biblical ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:4-5

Tags: God Brings Hope

Moses Wrote,

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Apr 16, 2009

Moses wrote, “…The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” (Genesis 2:25) A Biblical marriage destroys thoughts of self-consciousness, they defeat shame, there is no fear of ridicule, no hang-ups, they can choose to avoid embarrassments and with Christ leading the marriage ...read more

Tags: Marriage Commitment, Marriage Intimacy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You A Christian?

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on May 7, 2009

ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? Two men met on a plane and one man asked the other, "Are you a Christian?" "Yes I am." "Wonderful! Are you Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox?" "I’m a Protestant." "That’s great. So am I. Are you Calvinist or Arminian in your theology?" "I’m happy to say that I’m a staunch ...read more

Tags: Unity

Where Fruit Begins

Contributed by Mark Eberly on May 19, 2009

WHERE FRUIT BEGINS I believe with everything that is in me that fruit begins with each one of us. It begins with a decision, “I want to bear fruit. I want to honor Jesus. I want to walk in his ways. And I will do it no matter what. No matter what life throws at me. No matter what struggles I face. ...read more

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Church Of God

How Many Christians To Change A Light ...

Contributed by Michael Carbaugh on Jun 11, 2009

How Many Christians to Change a Light bulb? CHARISMATICS: Only 1 - Hands are already in the air. PENTECOSTALS: 10 - One to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the spirit of darkness. PRESBYTERIANS: None - Lights will go on and off at predestined times. ROMAN CATHOLICS: None, they only use ...read more

Tags: Change, Light And Dark

Denomination: Baptist

Let's Say That I Am At Home, Sitting In My ...

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Jul 7, 2009

Let’s say that I am at home, sitting in my favorite chair and Diana comes in and puts her hands out. In her hands, is a beautiful watch that she says she has purchased for me. Now, what would happen if I yelled at her in anger and said for her to get it away from me and to never do such a thing ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: *other

S Unlimited: The Lonely In The Crowd: ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 9, 2009

Illustrations Unlimited: THE LONELY IN THE CROWD: A few years ago, the press carried a heartrending story of a young father who shot himself in a tavern telephone booth. James Lee had called a Chicago newspaper and told a reporter he had sent the paper a manila envelope outlining his story. The ...read more

Tags: Loneliness, Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God Of All Comfort

Contributed by Bradley Kellum on Aug 25, 2009

GOD OF ALL COMFORT I remember one time, when I was around 10 years old, I went to summer camp with my church for the first time. This was the longest I had been away from home. I remember the first few nights being so homesick. I cried for my mom and dad. I missed them so much and all I wanted to ...read more

Tags: Comfort

Denomination: Baptist

Commitment Or Convenient?

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Oct 14, 2009

COMMITMENT OR CONVENIENT? Deacon Wives author Diana Davis writes about Angie and her commitment. Let’s take a look at Angie. She loves her church and is committed to its ministry. She considers herself to be a faithful worshipper. If you take a careful look, however, you’ll find a few gaps in ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:3-5

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Baptist

The Cross: Solution To Alignment Problems  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

THE CROSS: SOLUTION TO ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS I remember when my first car, a beautiful 92 Chevy Cavalier, developed and alignment problem. I would be driving down the freeway, and it pulled to the right pretty hard. In fact, you really had to work against the car to make it get in the left lane. On ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:25-26

Tags: Cross

Terah And The Gods

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Oct 26, 2009

TERAH AND THE GODS There is a Jewish midrash (not Scripture) that tells a funny story about Terah being a merchant who sold idols but had a son named Abram who wasn’t convinced about the validity of the gods because the real God had been speaking to him. Since it isn’t actually Scripture, I’m ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

Denomination: *other

From Betty Lukens- A Roman Soldier's Letter To ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 26, 2009

From Betty Lukens- A Roman soldier’s letter to his parents in the 1st century AD. “But the most shocking experience I’ve had lately was over 40 men who denounced the gods to become Christians. They have really caused a stir. Nothing our priests could do, nothing they could offer them, nothing ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Elisha Hoffman: A Burden Too Big To Bear  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

ELISHA HOFFMAN: A BURDEN TOO BIG TO BEAR Many New Testament promises have corresponding verses in the Old Testament that reinforce their power. When Peter, for example, said, ". . . casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7), he was but restating David’s words in Psalm ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

Stowell: How People Go Astray  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

STOWELL: HOW PEOPLE GO ASTRAY Dr. Joseph M. Stowell, in his book, Following Christ, asks the question: HOW DO PEOPLE GO SO FAR ASTRAY SPIRITUALLY? The question was prompted when Dr. Stowell read an article given to him from the local paper the about Tom Wilson who died, gunned down as a member ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12

Tags: Apostasy

God Wants To Touch Us. He Knows That We Need His ...

Contributed by Greg Nance on Nov 23, 2009

God wants to touch us. He knows that we need his touch to live. Through Jesus God came here to do just that. Jesus’ death for us, and resurrection for us, and ascension to glory from which he sent the Holy Spirit for us, is God’s gift to us so that we can touch him. Our granddaughter, Brisa, ...read more

Tags: Comfort

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Story From The Book Upon Which The Old Movie ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 24, 2009

A story from the book upon which the old movie “The Bridge on the River Quai” was based, is telling. The Irish Republican Army had a ‘buddy’ system called ‘The Mucker System.’ In this system soldiers agreed to ‘muck’ someone else. That meant the other person was more important than ones self – ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Tomb Is Empty

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Apr 14, 2010

THE TOMB IS EMPTY Little Philip, born with Down Syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in Leadership Magazine. But because of a ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist