Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas

Sermon Illustrations

HOW EASY IS IT TO STIR UP A MESS? THERE IS A HIDDEN AGENDA AND MOTIVE WITHIN.

There was a cowboy who road into town to visit a saloon on the edge of town. The cowboy tied his horse to the hitching post in front of the bar. He then went inside to drink. The devil came by and saw the cowboy drinking. The devil thought, I wander what kind of mess can I stir up? So the devil said lets see what kind mess I can stir up? So the devil untied the horse and let him go.

The horse saw a beautiful garden across the way. The horse looked around and was hungry. So the horse walked through the gate and started eating from the garden. The food was so good. The farmer heard something and looked out the window and saw the horse had utterly destroyed the garden. The farmer sold vegetables out of the garden and the family canned food to survive through the winter. In great anger the farmer grabbed his rifle and shot and killed the horse.

Several hours later the cowboy came out of the saloon. He was about half way in the wind. The cowboy couldn’t find his horse. He walked over to the garden and saw his horse was lying dead. The cowboy enquired around and the farmer came out and pointed to his garden and said look what your dumb horse did. I had no choice but to kill your dumb horse. So the angry cowboy pulled out his pistol and shot and killed the farmer.

Get the slides for this sermon

Build Something That Will Last! Take Comfort! Give Comfort!Jeremiah 17:9-10

Download Free Today

Unlock preaching slides with PRO

The farmer’s wife was looking out the window and saw what the cowboy did. The farmer’s wife grabbed the double barrel shot gun from behind the door. She ran out on the porch and called the cowboy to come near. The cowboy said, your husband killed my horse so I killed him. The lady shot both barrels at the cowboy and killed him out by the garden.

The cowboy’s son heard the terrible news that his dad was dead. He then saddled his horse and rode into town. He asked around who had killed his dad. Someone told him, the farmer’s wife had shot him because he had shot her husband. The son said why would my dad do that? They explained her husband had killed his dad’s horse. So his dad killed her husband. The boy said did you kill my dad? She said YES! The boy pulled out his pistol and killed the farmer’s wife for killing his dad.

The town’s neighbors heard that the cowboy’s son had killed the farmer’s wife because she killed his dad, the cowboy. The cowboy killed the farmer because the farmer had killed the cowboy’s horse for eating his garden. So the farmer had killed his horse. The town’s people went to the cowboy’s house and his son would not come out. The neighbors burned the house down and killed the cowboy’s son.

SOME PEOPLE ASKED THE DEVIL: HOW DID YOU STIR UP THIS TERRIBLE MESS? THE DEVIL SAID: DON’T BLAME ME ALL I DID WAS UNTIE THE HORSE. I DID THAT, ALL THE REST WAS ANGER AND BITTERNESS THAT WAS HIDDEN IN THE HEART!

Related Sermon Illustrations

  • What Is Sin?  PRO

    Contributed by David Schaal on Sep 4, 2003
    based on 5 ratings
     | 8,394 views

    What is Sin? · Man calls it an accident; God calls it an abomination. · Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness. · Man calls it a defect; God calls it a disease. · Man calls it a chance; God calls it a choice. · Man calls it an error; God calls it an enmity. · Man calls it a ...read more

  • The Rock

    Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Feb 8, 2007
    based on 1 rating
     | 7,048 views

    The Rock A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his ...read more

  • Marine Corps Boot Camp Lasted 18 Weeks When I ...  PRO

    Contributed by David Schaal on Sep 4, 2003
    based on 3 ratings
     | 6,559 views

    Marine Corps Boot camp lasted 18 weeks when I was in the Corps. During those 18 week, we were never, ever called Marines. The very last week of Boot Camp was so exciting because we new we were going to graduate. Then our Drill Instructors handed us a patch to iron on our camouflaged uniform. The ...read more

  • The Movie Rudy  PRO

    Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 20, 2004
    based on 3 ratings
     | 4,152 views

    Video Illustration: The Movie Rudy The Movie: Based on the true story of Rudy Ruettiger, this film is about friendship, courage, and sacrifice. Rudy (Sean Austin) grew up in a small steel town with the dream of someday playing football for Notre Dame. Despite many obstacles, he refused to give ...read more

  • Did You Know There's A Company Called "The Alibi ...  PRO

    Contributed by Timothy Smith on Sep 8, 2002
    based on 7 ratings
     | 3,207 views

    Did you know there’s a company called “The Alibi Agency.” This London based agency’s slogan is: “We serve those who stray.” Here’s what’s on their web site: “With the pressures of modern life many of us have occasion to stray from our long term partners & dally with a brief sexual relationship with ...read more

Related Sermons