In Sermon Illustrations: "Wrong"

He Took The Lashes

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

HE TOOK THE LASHES Cliff Barrows tells of the time his two young children did something wrong. Although they were gently warned, they repeated the offense and needed to be disciplined. Cliff's tender heart was pained at the thought of having to punish the ones he loved. So he called Bobby and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:24

Tags: Atonement

John Ortberg Wrote The Book, "Everyone Is Normal ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 2, 2008

John Ortberg wrote the book, "Everyone is Normal Until You Get To Know Them." John stated on pages 13, 14: In certain stores you will find a section of merchandise available at greatly reduced prices. The tip-off is a particular tag you will see on all the items in that area. Each tag carries the ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Amazing ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 9, 2008

Amazing Grace In every country, on every day, there is man trying to work his way into favor with God. Many years ago the Grand Rapids Press covered this story… "Conversation to Hindu Faith Is Tortuous." "A West German businessman has completed his conversion to the Hindu faith by piercing ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Don't Get Caught  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Dec 3, 2008

DON'T GET CAUGHT So often people do what is wrong as long as they know they won't get caught. I've seen surveys where people were asked about doing certain things like stealing and having an affair if they were assured they would never get caught. Would they do them? Amazingly, some of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-4, Matthew 6:1, Matthew 6:1-4

Tags: Love, Christian Love, Secrets, Serving

Denomination: Church Of God

Plymouth, England, December 1: Being Too Part...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 15, 2008

Plymouth, England, December 1: Being too particular about cleanliness can make you a lenient judge, says a strange but interesting British study. Dr. Simone Schnall, a psychologist at University of Plymouth, stated that people who tend to wash their hands before making judgments are more likely to ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Mind ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 7, 2009

Mind Reader? The Guardian, a British daily newspaper, reported on February 9, 2007 that a team of scientists has determined that reading brain waves can reveal a person’s intentions. Literally, if this report is true, science has determined a way to read the mind and determine what you intend to ...read more

Tags: Thought, Mind Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Forgiving The Unrepentant By R.t. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2009

Forgiving the Unrepentant by R.T. Kendall In an article by R.T. Kendall titled, ‘Forgiving the Unrepentant’, he recalls an incident that happened to him. “When I was minister of Westminster Chapel in London, the people who had betrayed me didn’t think they had done one thing wrong. You could have ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:34

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiveness For Others

There Is A Statement That Says

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Dec 21, 2009

There is a statement that says “Perception is reality.” I think that means that one’s understanding is taken as reality, even when it is perverted and false. Here’s an example: Some early studies concerned with prejudice show that we’re quite capable of reordering our perceptions of the world ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Pentecostal

Crossing Hypocrisy

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on May 15, 2011

CROSSING HYPOCRISY I remember one holiday sitting in the living room chatting with my in-laws, when the subject of high school reunions and old classmates came up. In the course of our conversation, my brother-in-law started laughing when he proceeded to tell us a story about one of his ...read more

Tags: Hypocrisy

Denomination: Lutheran

Why Should I Let You Into Heaven?

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 5, 2011

WHY SHOULD I LET YOU INTO HEAVEN? If you were to die today and God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' what would you say?" Over the years I would have to say that 85% of the answers I get are "I have tried to be a good person, I have tried to be a good parent, I have tried to ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Longing

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 15, 2012

LONGING In his book The Spiritual Life of Children, the famous Harvard psychiatrist Robert Coles tells the story of Alice, a ten-year-old girl who came from a family that did not believe in God. She expressed her doubts to him with these words: "I remember... I saw the people next door coming ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Methodist

Standard Of Comparison  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

STANDARD OF COMPARISON Michael Green, in his book Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, shares a good lesson which I think is appropriate for beginning our message this evening. He states: All of us frequently compare ourselves favorably with someone else. We all think of someone whom we ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16, Exodus 7:8-23

Tags: Holiness

Pushing The Outhouse  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 10, 2013

PUSHING THE OUTHOUSE A young boy lived in the country. His family had to use an outhouse, which the young boy hated. It was hot in the summer, cold in the winter, and always smelly. The outhouse was located near the creek so the boy decided that he would push it into the water. After a spring ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14, John 8:1-11

Tags: Repentance, Discipline, Consequences, Outhouse

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Contentious Spirit - Speaking Strife

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Here’s a fun fact: You don’t actually have to correct someone when they’re wrong. Shocking, I know! There’s no official appointment letter naming you Earth’s Guardian of Truth and Accuracy. (If there is, it probably got lost in the mail.) Sometimes, it’s okay to just let it go—yes, even if they ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:9, Proverbs 26:21

Tags: Contentious, Strife, Contentious Spirit

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Knowing Everything Is A Blessing And A Curse

Contributed by James Snyder on Aug 5, 2023

If you ever spent more than five minutes with me, you would conclude that I do not know everything. I would agree 100%. It is not bad that I don't know everything. I know today more than I knew ten years ago, if that is any consolation. The thing that is surprising to me is that I do not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5

Tags: Blessing, Curse

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Proud People Vs Broken People

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2022

Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need. Proud people have a critical, fault-finding spirit; they look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope. Broken people are compassionate; they can ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23, Galatians 2:20

Tags: Brokenness, Humility, Revival, Repentance, Pride  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Many Years Ago, Al Capone Virtually Owned ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeffrey Dillinger on Jun 21, 2005

Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. He wasn’t famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for filling Chicago with everything evil. How did he keep himself out of jail? That is where his lawyer came into play. Big Al’s lawyer was nicknamed “Easy Eddie.” He was excellent at ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4, Proverbs 22:1

Tags: Parenting, Children, Example, Footsteps, Father  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Stop The Bleeding But Heal The Wound! ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 4, 2005

Stop the Bleeding But Heal the Wound! (10.07.05--Beginning Again!--Genesis 16:7-10) There is one good rule for starting over. If something’s broken, don’t try to fix it with anything less than your best effort. The odds are that the more you try to “band-aid” things, the longer it will take for ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 16:7-10

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

God Is Watching  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Dec 2, 2004

Notice what Malachi says; “…A child HONORS his father, and a servant HONORS his master. I am a father, so why don’t you respect me? I am a master, so why don’t you respect me? You priests do not respect me? But you ask, ‘How have we shown you disrespect?’ You have shown it by ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Polycarp (2nd Century)  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jul 3, 2007

POLYCARP(2nd Century) Can you imagine what it was like for the church in Smyrna as they watched their beloved and aged pastor burn at the stake? Polycarp was his name. he was a disciple of Jesus’ disciple, the Apostle John. One could tell it immediately because he possessed the same tenderness and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-25, 2 Samuel 12:1-15, Exodus 3:6-8, Psalm 91:1-2, Luke 8:43-49, James 1:23-25, Joshua 24:11-15, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Colossians 2:6-14, Matthew 6:33  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Bible, Faith, Love, Father, Fellowship, Gratefulness, Pieces, Destruction, Willingness, Empty, Unsaved, Posture, Young People, Negative, Energy, Spiritual Faith, Stand, Self-Control, Existentialism, Jabez, Procrastination, Mind, New Beginning, Edify, Right, Endure, Broken, Prepare, One, Reverence, Forward, Release, Sanctification, Look, Choose, Might, Positive, Soldier, Holiness, Influence, Teamwork, Priorities, Lost, Grow, Counselor, Friend, Listen, Righteousness, Pride, Teen, Comforter, Unity, Encouragement, Faithfulness, God's Love, Power, Hope, Leadership, Prayer, Anxiety, Worry, Heart, Soul, Trust, Endurance, Humility, Joy, John, Church, Children, Persecution, Son, Family  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene