Category Archives: Sermon Illustrations

“On The Road With Jesus” (John 4 sermon)

Posted on 2018/11/05 by Shawn Thomas

One of best ways to learn about someone is to spend some time on the road with them. I remember reading an article by the renowned actor, Charlton Heston (who played Moses in the classic 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments”). … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "The Ten Commandments" movie, ask Jesus into your heart, Charlton Heston, cheap grace, confront sin, conviction, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, direction, discipleship, Don Sunshine, evangeism, gospel, Gospel Resurgence, help, hope, I AM, I Peter 2:21, Incarnation, Jesus Christ humanity, Jesus Deity, Jesus is the answer, John 14:6, John 4, John 4 sermon, Luke 13:3, Matthew 19, Matthew 24:30, ministry, peace, prayer, repent, repentance, repentance and salvation, rich young ruler, Ronald Reagan, salvation, sin, strength, The Cost of Discipleship, tiredness, weariness, witness, woman at the well, YHWH | Leave a comment

“The Household of God” (I Timothy sermon)

Posted on 2018/10/22 by Shawn Thomas

In our “Discovering The Ridge” class for those who are joining our church, I often tell the story of the group in our home town which was starting a new church, and for some time they met in the home … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Acts 2, Acts 20:28, Acts 6, Apostle Paul testimony, C.S. Lewis, C.S. Lewis Athanasius quote, Christian bookstores, Christian music, church, church buildings, church handbook, church leadership, deacon, deacon qualifications, deacon servants, deacons, doctrine, doctrines of demons, ecclesiology, elder, evangelism, false teachers, gospel, grace, he did not move with the times, heaven, I Timothy, I Timothy 4, leadership, mercy, morning prayer, offices of the church, overseer, overseer pastor elder, pastor, pastor qualifications, salvation, test the spirits, the church, the gospel, witness | Leave a comment

“The Faith That Pleases God” (Hebrews 11 sermon)

Posted on 2018/10/15 by Shawn Thomas

What kind of gift makes your spouse happy? That’s important to know, isn’t it? Because people vary so much in what pleases them. For example, some women might be delighted if you got them a certain kitchen appliance for Christmas … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "name it claim it", archeology, believe, Bible and faith, Blaise Pascal enough light, blind faith, Christianity, discipleship, Don Sunshine evangelist, faith, faith acts, faith and works, Faith works, false teaching, Galatians 1:10, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, God's word, Hebrews 11:, Hebrews 11:1-6 sermon, Herman Melville Moby Dick, Hinduism, I Corinthians 6:19-20, I Peter 1:8-9, James 2:17, James 2:26, John 20:29, Luke 9:23, MasterLife, Mormonism, people pleaser, pleasing God, reasonable faith, religion vs. practical world, resurrection of Jesus, salvation, salvation by faith, scripture and faith | 3 Comments

“Opportunities For The Gospel” (Colossians 4:2-6 sermon)

Posted on 2018/10/01 by Shawn Thomas

Well, most of the church has probably heard about it by now, but in case you haven’t: I had a missed opportunity at our church senior adult cookout last week. I showed up at 6:00 last Saturday night, which was … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged ambassadors for Christ, Christian conduct, Christian walk, Colossians 4:2-6, conduct, Don Sunshine Make A Difference evangelism, evangelism, evangelism and prayer, gospel, gospel and words, Hudson Taylor, I Corinthians 15:3, kairos, lifestyle, lifestyle evangelism, missed opportunities, opportunities, opportunity, OU, prayer, prayer bookmark, prayer for the lost, praying for opportunities, Romans 10:1, salvation, Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out, sharing the gospel, St. Augustine words if necessary quote, the gospel, University of Oklahoma, witness | 4 Comments

“The Gift That Is An Insult” (I Kings 9:10-14)

Posted on 2018/09/24 by Shawn Thomas

In “Henry V”, one of my very favorite plays or movies, Shakespeare tells of how when King Henry V of England was considering invading France, the French ambassador came to him with a “treasure,” saying that the Dauphin (or Prince … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged alabaster vial, cabul, commitment, corporate worship, dedication, discipleship, Endor, Galilee, Genesis 4, gift, gifts, giving, hard work, Hebrews 11:16, Henry V, I Kings 9:10-14, II Samuel 23, James 1:17, Jerusalem, King Hiram, Magdala, Malachi 1, Mark Twain, marriage, mission trips, missions, palace, personal worship, President John F. Kennedy, sacrifice, Shakespeare, Solomon, Sunday School, Temple, The Innocents Abroad, Tiberias, tithe, we choose to go to the moon, widow's mite, work, worship | 21 Comments

“Where’s Your Glory?” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 sermon)

Posted on 2018/09/17 by Shawn Thomas

Sunday morning came to our church in Southwest Louisiana, and the crowd was exuberant. Purple and gold clothing was everywhere. People were cheerful and talking in the hallways. A festive air just covered the whole place. LSU had won their … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged church, conversation, crown, daily quiet time, Death, devotional time, discipleship, Ernest Hemingway, eternal life, eternity, exercise, glory, heaven, Houston medical center, Isaiah 55, J.I. Packer, Jeremiah 9:12, Jeremiah 9:23-24, John 17:3, knowing God, Knowing God book, LSU football, materialism, NFL injuries, Pete Rose, Philippians 3:10, prayer time, quiet time, relationships, riches, suicide, temporal values, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Washington Irving, Westminster Abbey, worship | 16 Comments

“Neglecting God” (Zephaniah 1:1-6 sermon)

Posted on 2018/09/10 by Shawn Thomas

You never know what your kids are going to do with the things they hear you say. We had not been at our church in Tulsa Oklahoma very long when we pulled up to a convenience store, and Cheryl saw … Continue reading →

Posted in Discipleship, Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged "The Twelve", Choose whom you will serve, church attendance, compromise, daily Bible reading, decisions, devotional time, evangelism, family, family time, Gibeonites, gratitude, Great Commandment, greatest sin, heaven, idolatry, James 4:17, John 17:3, Joshua 24, Luke 17 ten lepers, marriage, marriage commitment, Minor Prophets, neglecting God, neglecting your family, Old Testament prophets, pray without ceasing, quiet time, relationship with God, Romans 15:13, salvation, seeking God, singing, sins of commission, sins of omission, thanking God, Thanksgiving, time with family, time with God, worship, Zephaniah, Zephaniah 1:1-6, Zephaniah 1:6 | Leave a comment

“Worshiping God Anyway” (Habakkuk 3:16-19 sermon)

Posted on 2018/09/04 by Shawn Thomas

On November 5th of last year, a killer shot 46 people people who had gathered to worship at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas, just southeast of San Antonio. The pastor, Frank Pomeroy, and his wife were out … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged abortion, Acts 16, commitment, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Facebook, faith, gospel, Habakkuk 3, Habakkuk 3:16-19, heaven, hinds feet, hinds feet meaning, II Corinthians 4:16, Job, joy, joy in God, judgment, pain, pain holy angel, Paul and Silas, prosperity gospel, Psalm 147:10-11, Psalm 2:2, Romans 8, salvation, Sutherland Springs shooting, word faith, word faith teaching, worship | 1 Comment

“Your Most Important Prayer For Others” (Romans 10:1 sermon)

Posted on 2018/08/27 by Shawn Thomas

It’s usually a whole lot easier to pick on the sins of other people, instead of addressing our own. I remember years ago, when I was in seminary, watching an evangelist on television turn to the tv camera and say, … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged Augustine of Hippo, Charles Peace, Corrie Ten Boom, evangelism, gospel, hell, intercession for the lost, intercessory prayer, Matthew 16:26, Matthew 9 paralytic, Monica prayer, prayer, prayer for salvation, prayer for the lost, Psalm 12:6, Romans 10:1 sermon, Romans 5:1, salvation, sin, sow in tears, witness | Leave a comment

“Super Grace For Super Sinners” (Romans 5:20 sermon)

Posted on 2018/08/20 by Shawn Thomas

This week I read about a worship team that was meeting together, planning for upcoming services. They discussed using a certain song at the end of the service to encourage people to come forward and pray. But one woman on … Continue reading →

Posted in Sermon Illustrations, Sermons, Uncategorized | Tagged abundant grace, Agatha Christie, Agatha Christie autobiography, Agatha Christie piano, conviction, excuse to sin, Ezekiel 13:10, Genesis 6:5, grace, grace abounding, grace super abounds, grace that is greater than all our sin, I Corinthians 6:9, I Timothy 1:14, Jeremiah 17:9, Law, more than abundant grace, Parker Solar probe, preachers, preachers and entertainment, Psalm 103, Romans, Romans 3, Romans 5:20 sermon, salvation, sin, sun, super grace, super grace for super sinners, super sinners, tax cuts, Ten Commandments, Titus 2:11, truth | 2 Comments