In Sermon Illustrations: "miss the point"

In The Summer Of 1982, I Was Living By Myself In ...

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Nov 6, 2006

In the summer of 1982, I was living by myself in a trailer house after graduating from high school, biding my time until leaving for college. One day after getting home from work, I decided to take a quick nap before catching that day’s "Lone Ranger" episode. During that nap I was awakened by ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Together We Entered The Terrifying Building ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2005

Together we entered the terrifying building [Ravensbruck prison camp]. At a table were women who took away all our possessions. Everyone had to undress completely and then go to a room where her hair was checked. I asked a woman who was busy checking the possessions of the new arrivals if I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:7

Tags: Unknown, Trust God

138 Years Ago Today Marked A Key Event In Our ...  PRO

Contributed by Peter Schmidt on Nov 13, 2003

138 years ago today marked a key event in our nation’s history. The date was July 1st, 1863. The location was a small town in Pennsylvania, a town at that time not known for much except a shoe factory that was there. Today, the name of this town represents the bloodiest and one of the most ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Lutheran

When You First Met "J.e.", You Could Tell He Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Dec 29, 2006

When you first met “J.E.”, you could tell he was a very angry man. In fact, at age 54 he’d been an angry person for many years. In a Bible study that night, many questions had been raised in his mind. Talking with the leader afterward, J.E. said, “I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was 9 years ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:1-7, Romans 12:1-3

Tags: Mind

Denomination: Baptist

The Homeless Man

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

THE HOMELESS MAN There is a big church in North Carolina that has classes every summer to help train people in different ministries. During one such period a few years ago, a young man appeared on campus where hundreds of others were. But this young man didn’t take part in any classes. He was ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness In Rwanda

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness in Rwanda Bishop John Rucyahana, a Tutsi Rwandan, found Christ while growing up as an exile from his native Rwanda. I like the way he describes His conversion: "I did not accept Jesus. Jesus graciously met me and accepted me." This is a man who understands how we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Wake Up Little Susie

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Sep 14, 2009

"Wake Up Little Susie" is a popular song written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant and published in 1957. The song is best known in a recording by The Everly Brothers. It is written from the point of view of a high school boy to his girlfriend, Susie. In the song, the two go out on a date to a ...read more

Tags: Music

Denomination: Baptist

How God Used A Phrase From A Gospel Tract To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 18, 2009

How God Used a Phrase from a Gospel Tract to Bring an Indian to Faith in Christ, the Bread of Life; Paul Harvey on the Meaning of God’s Providence So providence assumes that God is the supreme Creator of all things. And as Creator he prevents the universe from going into non-existence, he guides ...read more

Scripture: John 6:25-59

Tags: Bible, Bible Influence

Blessed Are The Peacemakers - For They Shall Be ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 28, 2009

"BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS - for they shall be called sons of God." You may say "Well that’s nonsense. All you have to do is see all the so-called Christians who have been involved in bloody conflict in history, all done in the Name of God". In fact even Al-Qaeda operates in the Name of a god ...read more

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Married But Not Engaged

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 6, 2010

MARRIED BUT NOT ENGAGED Years ago, Julie and I began to have difficulty in our marriage. I was spending all my time pastoring a small Church, and our relationship was being neglected. It suffered to the point where I needed to take time out of ministry, and we needed to do some repair work. That ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Chaffing Under ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

Chaffing Under Authority How many of you are ‘rule-keepers’? When you see a rule do you try to do everything possible to not break it? How many of you are ‘rule-breakers’? When you’re faced with a rule, do you find yourself wanting to inwardly disregard it or outwardly disobey it? I was accused of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-2

Tags: Law And Gospel, Authority

God Is The Glue In A Marriage Even When ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

God is the Glue in a Marriage even When Alzheimer’s Strikes God is the bond which holds our marriages together. & If we’re going to STAY together, He must actually BE at the center of our relationships. We must be committed to Him first of all. Then we’ll remain committed to each other no matter ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:4-6

Tags: Marriage Commitment

I Have Prayed For A Sick Lady Who Had Cancer, And ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 26, 2010

I have prayed for a sick lady who had cancer, and she died. In fact more than one person I have prayed for has died and not been healed. Do you want someone like me to pray for you? Why weren't they healed? Not enough faith? I prayed for a wonderful Pastor who had cancer who was involved in doing ...read more

Tags: Jesus' Ministry

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Veteran Baseball Player Gets Frustrated When ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2010

Veteran Baseball Player Gets Frustrated When Manager Lets a Rookie Play His Position A story is told of a baseball manager who was in charge of a great baseball team that he felt sure was headed for the World Series. The Manager was excited about his team’s progress but desired to see more ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-10

Tags: Sports

But As We Leave Today I Want You To Forget ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 16, 2010

But as we leave today I want you to forget everything I said for a minute, and think about this (hold up a bag of coins). I have two dollars in change here and I’m giving it away to the first adult that runs up here and gets it. Hey let’s not trample each other. The majority of the world, 53% of ...read more

Tags: Money, Welfare

My Supreme Weapon Is Dying.

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 30, 2011

"MY SUPREME WEAPON IS DYING." Joseph Ton was pastor of Second Baptist Church, Oradea, Romania, until he was exiled by the Romanian government in 1981. In Pastoral Renewal, he writes of his experience: "Years ago I ran away from my country to study theology at Oxford. In 1972, when I was ready to ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Phil Sheldrake's Story

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Apr 10, 2011

PHIL SHELDRAKE'S STORY At the age of 14 Phil Sheldrake was invited by a school friend to attend an event called Festival ’89. The event was being held on Sun Corner in Billericay and hosted by the preacher J. John. That night, Phil came to find a personal faith in Jesus. With his best friend, ...read more

Tags: Youth

Denomination: Anglican

Seeing You For Real

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2011

SEEING YOU FOR REAL Just a few years ago, Leadership Journal did an interview with Saul Cruz, who along with his wife founded Armonia (Harmony) Ministries in Mexico City. They minister to hundreds of poor people all over Mexico today, but they began their ministry by planting a church on the edge ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:17-19

Tags: Servanthood

The Ram In The Bush

Contributed by Preacher Fo Real on May 14, 2011

THE RAM IN THE BUSH Jeffery is not an avid cook, but he can hold his own in any kitchen. As the youngest child in the Honiara extended dysfunctional family, he spent many hours reluctantly tied to his mother’s apron springs. Often, he would find himself assisting her in the daily chores around the ...read more

Scripture: Joel 2:28-32

Tags: Doing God's Will

Denomination: *other

The Story Of Martin Luther

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jul 17, 2011

THE STORY OF MARTIN LUTHER In 1517, an obscure Catholic priest named Martin Luther placed his life in God's hands when he nailed his 95 theses, his 95 arguments against the Catholic church, on the door of the Wittenberg Church. There was nothing wrong with nailing pages to the door. Everything was ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:1-11

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Baptist