In Sermon Illustrations: "Works Of The Flesh"

The Grace Gate

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 17, 2011

THE GRACE GATE An active, dedicated, hard-working church member dreamed that he passed away after a long and satisfying life. As he approached the heavenly gate, he noticed a sign posted which read, "ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT: 1,000 POINTS." The man looked a bit worried. He walked up to the ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sins Are Habits  PRO

Contributed by John Sattler on Feb 18, 2013

SINS ARE HABITS I’m reading a book right now called "The Power of Habit" (http://charlesduhigg.com/the-power-of-habit/) about how so much of our daily life is lived by habit. We have to. Our brain needs habits in order for us to be able to function. Just about everything we do is habitual. How ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28, Romans 12:2

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Lutheran

Not A Slave? Think Again

Contributed by Nickolas Kooi on Jun 22, 2017

Paul says that you were a slave. Slavery is unfortunately still alive and well in our world. The story of a young girl named “Dodzi” is a common one in Ghana. Dodzi was orphaned at nine months and lived with her Grandmother, who served as her guardian. Her Grandmother had a lot on her plate as ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:12-23

Tags: Sin, Slave

Denomination: Lutheran

False Converts

Contributed by Rick Palmer on Oct 5, 2018

As an archery deer hunter I walk a lot out in nature. Yesterday as I was walking across a corn field I found a small branch of pretty colored leaves. My wife loves collecting leaves and doing crafts with them. I looked around and there were no trees with in a great distance from the leaves. How ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6, Matthew 4:17, John 3:16-18

Tags: Grace, Believe, Salvation, Repentance

Ashamed When It Counted The Most

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Dec 18, 2019

Ashamed when it counted the most My two sisters, when they were somewhat younger, liked to play the piano and took lessons for some time. I like music, too, but not all the practicing that went along with it! We found out there was going to be a “recital” where all of the students in their ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, 1 John 2:28

Tags: Christian Life, Shame, Rewards

Denomination: Baptist

Swim Club

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 23, 2006

Swim Club There once was a swim club in a certain town. It was very popular because everyone in town wanted to be a good swimmer. The founders of the club had worked very hard to raise the money and do the work of building a beautiful swimming pool inside a very stylish building. They ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Delete Or Repeat

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Dec 27, 2022

Delete or Repeat Scripture: Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and ...read more

Scripture: James 4:13-15

Tags: Future, Goals, New Year, Tomorrow, Commitments, Starting The Year  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The One Who Takes The Son Recieves Everything

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 19, 2025

The story is told ... Years ago, ... there was a very wealthy man who, ... with his devoted young son, ... shared a passion ... for collecting fine art. Together ... they traveled around the world, ... adding only the finest art treasures ... to their collection. Priceless works ... by Picasso, ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:11-12

Tags: Father, Jesus, Son, Everything

Denomination: Anglican

It Was An Unusually Cold Day For The Month Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Nov 1, 2004

It was an unusually cold day for the month of May. Spring had arrived and everything was alive with color. But a cold front from the north had brought winter’s chill back to Indiana. I sat with two friends in the picture window of a quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town squire. The food ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 107:5-7

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines, Consequences, Choice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Door Knights Without Maidens!" John 17:13-19 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 28, 2005

“Door Knights Without Maidens!” John 17:13-19 Key verse(s): 17-19:“‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into this world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.’” Ingratitude. Doesn’t it seem sometimes that we ...read more

Scripture: John 17:13-19, Romans 6:1

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Plots, Plans, Villains And Fools!" Ezra 6:13-18 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 10, 2005

“Plots, Plans, Villains and Fools!” Ezra 6:13-18 Key verse(s): 14:“So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees ...read more

Scripture: Ezra 6:13-18

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Lutheran

That’s Why Doctors Call Us Patients

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 17, 2021

For the past month I have been engaging with my eye doctor. I've had two cataracts removed which isn't a serious thing in itself. But what goes into this surgery is what baffles me. I've often wondered why doctors call us patients. I have figured out that the doctors are not patient, ...read more

Scripture: James 5:7

Tags: Surgery, Relationship

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

When Is It Okay To Be Snarly?

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 6, 2022

Normally, whatever normal means, I don’t get agitated by many things. I can keep my cool under the most bizarre circumstances. Nothing gets under my skin, and I can take everything with a grin. I can’t remember the last time I lost my temper and got mad. I’ve been married for over 50 years, so I ...read more

Scripture: John 8:44

Tags: Humor, Telemarketers, Snarly, Aggitation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Learning What "Me-Time” Is All About

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 18, 2023

Several months ago, The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage said she and her daughter and granddaughter were going to St. Augustine for a week and wondered if I wanted to go along. I said, “Let me think about it for a while, and I’ll get back to you.” I then overheard a conversation between my ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Vacation, Me Time

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What’s The Harm With A Little Treat?

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 23, 2023

The last month has been crazy for me and The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Every month has its crazy element, but this past month beats them all. First, my main computer crashed, and I lost a lot of stuff. Second, we had a hurricane that came through; fortunately, it was only thunder, rain ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 28:13

Tags: Truth, Decisions

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

What It Was, Was A Cookie

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 11, 2025

At least once a month The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and her daughter will spend a day visiting thrift stores in our community. I’m not sure, so don’t quote me, but I think there’s a 100-mile radius where they do their shopping. This past week was one of those days. As she was backing out ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:2

Tags: Desire, Cookie

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Saint Arnold Janssen

Contributed by Dr John Singarayar Svd on Jan 10, 2025

Saint Arnold Janssen: A Prophetic Vision of Divine Encounter in a Transformative Century Intro: In a world often fragmented by ideological, cultural, and religious divisions, Janssen's vision offers a hopeful alternative—a spirituality of connection, respect, and mutual ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Tags: Leader, Mission, Founder, Saint Arnold Janssen, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Other

In His Book, First Things First, Author Stephen ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 11, 2001

In his book, First Things First, author Stephen Covey write about Viktor Frankl, and Austrian psychologist who survived the death camps of Nazi Germany. Frankl made a startling discovery about why some survived the horrible conditions and some did not. "He looked at several factors - health, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:13-14

Tags: Vision, History, Joy, Light, Perseverance, Foresight  (view more)  (view less)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt Got Tired Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Beaird on Nov 2, 2000

President Franklin D. Roosevelt got tired of smiling that big smile and saying the usual things at all those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was paying attention to what he was saying. As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed that ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Meditation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Bruce Larson, In There’s A Lot More To ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Mar 26, 2001

Bruce Larson, in There’s A Lot More To Health Than Not Being Sick, writes, Behavioral sciences in recent years have expounded the simple truth that "behavior that is observed changes." People who are accountable by their own choice to a group of friends, to a therapy group, to a psychiatrist or a ...read more

Tags: Church Small Groups, Workplace

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ