In Sermon Illustrations: "Value Of Life"

America's Sin Of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Nov 1, 2002

[America’s Sin of Self-Sufficiency, Citation: Richard Halverson, "The Question Facing Us," Preaching Today, Tape 46.] In 1863 President Lincoln designated April 30th as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. Let me read a portion of his proclamation on that occasion: "It is the duty ...read more

Tags: Christian Values, God's Provision, Political Freedom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Perpetual New Year's Resolutions  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2002

PERPETUAL NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you’ve always wanted to do but couldn’t find the time. Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Share a funny story with ...read more

Tags: New Year's Day, Bucketlist, Christian Values

The Problem Of Goodness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2003

THE PROBLEM OF GOODNESS "The simple fact is that for all our moral hesitation and stuttering, many people know goodness and excellence when they see it and they are overwhelmed by the magnetism of goodness. Goodness attracts. Goodness is proclaimed so that the circle of adulation can widen. So we ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Christian Love, Christian Values

Concrete Love  PRO

Contributed by Glenn Hickey on Jun 10, 2003

CONCRETE LOVE Pastor Joel Gregory tells the story of a seminary professor who taught the Christian graces of love and forbearance for forty years until he retired. Occupying himself in his retirement years, he poured a new concrete driveway to his house. Finished, he went in to rest and get a ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:13

Tags: Forbearance, Forgiveness General, Christian Values, Patience

Denomination: Baptist

What Would You Be Willing To Do For ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 4, 2001

What would you be willing to do for $10,000,000-00? In their book, The Day America Told the Truth, James Patterson and Peter Kim reveal some shocking statistics about how far people in this country are willing to go for ten million. Would abandon their entire family (25%) Would abandon their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17, 1 Timothy 6:9-10

Tags: Exile, Pilgrims, Greed, Value, Refugees, Strangers  (view more)  (view less)

Success In This Great Enterprise Of Teaching ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Success in this great enterprise of teaching the Bible for fruitful results, like success in any other undertaking, ...read more

Tags: Promise, Purpose, Faithfulness, Fruitful, Christian Values  (view more)  (view less)

Dr. Martin Luther King Penned In His Book The ...  PRO

Contributed by Engleburg Toney on Jan 18, 2010

Dr. Martin Luther King penned in his book The Strength of Love, "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture ...read more

Tags: Love, Value, Purpose, Conscience, Church General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Someone To Love Me

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Dec 22, 2008

It’s like this child in an orphanage. A man and his wife visited an orphanage where they hoped to adopt a child. In an interview with the boy they wanted, they told him in glowing terms about the many things they could give him – good food, good toys, and nice clothing. To their amazement, the ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Love, Identity, Love For God, Value Of Man

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Have You Lost The "scent"?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 1, 2021

DEMAS LOST THE "SCENT" A man bought a new hunting dog. Eager to see how the dog would perform, the man took him out to track a bear. No sooner had they gotten into the woods than the dog picked up the trail. Suddenly he stopped, sniffed the ground, and headed in a new direction. He had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:10, 1 John 2:15-16

Tags: Compromise, Worldliness, Backsliding, Values, Loving The World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If There Is No God, Who Decides?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Mar 6, 2026

In 1882, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a short parable that still echoes through Western culture. He imagines a man running into a crowded marketplace in broad daylight, holding a lantern. He cries out, “Where is God? I will tell you—we have killed Him. You and I. We are His ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Judges 2:10-15

Tags: Evil, Culture, Meaning, Good, Values, God Is Dead  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Bread Of Comfort  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2003

THE BREAD OF COMFORT In his book entitled God’s Psychiatry, Charles Allen tells this story: As World War II was drawing to a close, the Allied armies gathered up many hungry orphans. They were placed in camps where they were well-fed. Despite excellent care, they slept poorly. They seemed nervous ...read more

Scripture: John 6:25-35

Tags: Bread Of Heaven, Bread Of Life, Lordship Of Christ, Life-Giving, Jesus Teachings  (view more)  (view less)

Thank God For The Delusion!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 4, 2021

Someone told a reformed alcoholic that his experience wasn't valid; that his religion was a delusion. He said, "Thank God for the delusion; it has put clothes on my children and shoes on their feet and bread in their mouths. It has made a man of me and it has put joy and peace in my ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, John 3:1-7

Tags: Changed Life, Forgiveness, Salvation, Word Of God, New Life, New Birth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In The First Century, A 12-Year-Old Would Have ...  PRO

Contributed by Todd Schäve on Jun 26, 2001

In the first century, a 12-year-old would have been well along in their life since: -a third of those born would have died by age 6; -60% by their mid-teens; -by their mid-twenties 75%; -90% by their mid-forties; and -maybe 3% reached their 60s. Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:42

Tags: Jesus Life, Children, Death Nearness

Denomination: Baptist

This Year Will Have A Notoriety Among Its ...  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 26, 2001

"This year will have a notoriety among its fellows as the year of calamities. Just as that season when man goes forth to reap the fruit of his labors, when the harvest of the earth is ripe, and the barns are beginning to burst with the new wheat, Death too, the mighty reaper, has come forth to ...read more

Tags: Second Coming, Patience, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Man Had A Checkup And Then Went In To See His ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jan 9, 2002

A man had a checkup and then went in to see his doctor to get the results. The doctor said he had bad news and worse news for him. Which did he want to hear first. The man was a pick shocked and said, “Well, give me the bad news first. The doctor said, “The bad news is that you only have 24 ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Forgiveness For Others, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Drastic Change  PRO

Contributed by Aaron Burgess on Jan 14, 2002

A DRASTIC CHANGE Dr. Bernard Nathanson was the leading abortion doctor in the United States in the 1970’s. He had campaigned vigorously for the legalization of abortion and he himself had performed 60,000 abortions. He even believed his intentions were good and that he was doing a righteous ...read more

Tags: Abortion, Life, Sanctity, Repentance, Ultrasound  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Vacationing In Arizona, A Group Of British ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Jan 25, 2002

Vacationing in Arizona, a group of British tourists spots a cowboy by the side of the road, with his ear to the ground. "What’s going on?" they asked. "Two horses, one grey- one chestnut, are puliing a wagon carrying 2 men" the cowboys says. "One man is wearing a red shirt and the other a black ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life, Endurance, Gifts Prophecy

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Missing The Circus  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Johnson on Mar 6, 2002

MISSING THE CIRCUS A little boy who lived far out in the country in the late 1800s had reached the age of twelve and had never in all his life seen a circus. You can imagine his excitement, when one day a poster went up at school announcing that on the next Saturday a traveling circus was coming ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Tags: Fulfillment, Abundant, Lukewarm, Life, Risk  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Day A Man Was Talking To His Grandson ...

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jul 2, 2002

ILL. One day a man was talking to his grandson right after he had graduated from high school. And he asked, "My boy, what are your plans? What are you going to do with your life?" The grandson said, "I plan to go to college & then graduate from college. His grandfather ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:26, Luke 9:25

Tags: Eternity, Graduation, Future, Life, Planning  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Real Bad Dude  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 14, 2002

A Real Bad Dude An old fellow had been in the north woods for weeks by himself, camping out. Each night at dusk he built a campfire, boiled water for coffee, and took out his skillet to fry up some bacon for dinner. As he was sitting by the fire one night, the water boiling and the bacon ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life, Fear And Worry, Endurance

Denomination: Baptist