In Sermon Illustrations: "Used For Bad"

It Is So Easy To Confuse Our Daily Busyness ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"It is so easy to confuse our daily busyness with our daily business. Many of us earn our living in business, but waste much of the rest ...read more

Tags: Workplace

Eugene Peterson Said, "When We Sin And Mess Up ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 10, 2007

Eugene Peterson said, “When we sin and mess up our lives, we find that God doesn’t go off and leave us—he ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Know What You Believe  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2002

KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE The contention of the atheist is logically unsustainable and realistically unlivable. English journalist Steve Turner, in a work entitled, “Creed” sums it up pretty well: We believe in Marxfreudanddarwin. We believe everything is OK as long as you don’t hurt ...read more

A Modern Version Of The Parable Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on Jul 18, 2003

A MODERN VERSION OF THE PARABLE OF THE LABOURERS: A large, mulit-national, retail giant moved into a new city. We’ll call it “Stuff Mart.” They put an add in the paper inviting applications for people to work for one month to stock their shelves, and received 100 applications. The manager ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

Tags: Parable Vineyard

Denomination: Baptist

Not Long Ago Americans Got To Know Another ...

Contributed by Kent Lenard on Sep 8, 2003

Not long ago Americans got to know another American better. His name is General Norman H. Schwarzkopf. He showed great leadership ability in leading the troops in the Persian Gulf War, just like he had done throughout his military career beginning at West Point. In Vietnam he turned a battalion ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Look Back  PRO

Contributed by Tylor Cates on Jan 24, 2004

DON'T LOOK BACK And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. - Luke 9:62 Text: Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:32,33 Summary: Once we start to follow Jesus we must never look back. We must give up our old way of life to find new life ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:26, Luke 17:32-33, Luke 9:62

Tags: Call Of The Disciples, Desire

Denomination: Baptist

I Have Always Held My Father In High Respect. I ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Dec 23, 2005

I have always held my Father in high respect. I always wanted to please him. But, when I was in 10th grade I lost interest in school. Grades had always been pretty easy and I thought I could just skate by. Besides, everybody knew, baseball and basketball was what was really important. Then I got ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Christian Church

There's Always Hope  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2009

THERE'S ALWAYS HOPE Ever felt like your life was the most unlucky of all? No matter what, the human spirit can be an amazing thing. Take for example the case of Larry Hanratty, who was named by the Los Angeles Times in 2007 the most unlucky man in California. This poor man was nearly executed to ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 3:19-30

Tags: God Brings Hope

Here's Some Common Sense That Doesn't Sound ...

Contributed by Terry Barnhill on Oct 24, 2009

Here’s some common sense that doesn’t sound especially biblical, but it has some really good biblical foundations. Consider these quotes from “The Wisdom of Cowboys”: • A cowboy would say, “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.” Now this is from ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Same, Same

Contributed by Scott Wakefield on May 17, 2010

Found at http://www.christianstandard.com/articledisplay.asp?id=783 In an article for Christian Standard magazine, preacher and college president Matt Proctor reflects on the Incarnation: My 5-year-old, Carl, and my 3-year-old, Conrad, love it when I dress like them. After they put on jeans and a ...read more

Tags: Incarnation, Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Caddy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

THE CADDY Two golfers stepped up to the first tee on the St. Andrews course in New York. The older golfer was a kindly man who played a thoughtful, deliberate game. The younger golfer was full of pride and impatience. On the first hole he sliced, lost his ball in the tall grass, hit another one, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude, New Year

Communion Meditation: Compassion In A Deli

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 11, 2011

COMMUNION MEDITATION: COMPASSION IN A DELI Dr. Fred Craddic tells of the time he was asked to speak in Winnipeg, Canada. While he was there he stopped into a deli get something to eat. He said the place was packed but people moved over and made room for him. Many people in there where just in to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Tags: Compassion

Painlessness Is Your Enemy

Contributed by Bret Toman on Jan 31, 2012

PAINLESSNESS IS YOUR ENEMY Dr Paul Brand was born in India to missionary parents and spent most of his life caring for people who couldn’t feel pain - people with leprosy. He spent much of life studying pain. At one point he was given a grant to develop a system of warning that would protect ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

Throughout The History Of Major League Baseball, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Throughout the history of Major League Baseball, and certainly that of the Minnesota Twins baseball team, few characters have achieved the iconic status as that of former major-leaguer Kirby Puckett. His life started in the world’s largest housing projects -- Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes -- a ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Max Lucado Tells A Story About A Young Girl From ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Max Lucado tells a story about a young girl from Brazil who wanted to see the world. Discontent with a home having only a pallet on the floor, a washbasin, and a wood-burning stove, she dreamed of a better life in the city. One morning she slipped away, breaking her mother’s heart. Knowing what ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Unsung Heroines-They Helped Rebuild Jerusalem’s Wall

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 12, 2022

Introduction: The Book of Nehemiah is almost like a report or memoir of what Nehemiah did, and why. He led the effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, as these walls were in sad shape. Chapter 3 of his book lists a number of people and groups who did work on these walls. The word “repaired” is ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:12, Numbers 27:1-11

Tags: Nehemiah, Walls Of Jerusalem, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Sometimes God Sends The Brilliant Light Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

Sometimes God sends the brilliant light of a rainbow to remind us of His presence, lest we forget in our personal darkness His great and gracious ...read more

Tags: Disappointment, God's Provision, Promises Of God

Disappointment, In Life, Is Inevitable. Pain Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Disappointment, in life, is inevitable. Pain is the common lot. Sorrow is not given to us alone that we may mourn. It is given us that, having felt, ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

Peace With God Brings The Peace Of God. It Is A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Peace with God brings the peace of God. It is a peace that settles our nerves, fills our mind, floods our spirit and, in the midst of the uproar around us, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Bob Mumford

I Believe God Is Made Sad At The Sight Of So ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"I believe God is made sad at the sight of so many of us trying to work things out for ourselves. He longs to help ...read more

Tags: God The Father