In Sermon Illustrations: "Prodigal Son"

The Healthy Christian Life

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Aug 12, 2007

ILLUSTRATION A father is reading his newspaper when his small son jumps up into his lap and tugs at the bottom of the paper, wanting his father’s attention. The father feels a surge of anger within. Why? He at first perceives that his right to read the paper without being disturbed is being ...read more

Denomination: Charismatic

There Was A Jewish Man Who Became A Christian ...

Contributed by Rick Bezanson on Oct 17, 2007

There was a Jewish man who became a Christian missionary. He became a pastor. But his family disowned him for becoming a Christian and refused to see him for fifteen years. Then his father became ill with cancer and asked him to visit him on his death bed. But his father refused to talk about ...read more

Denomination: Lutheran

What We Tolerate...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Jun 25, 2008

WHAT WE TOLERATE... Years ago, Bill Gothard taught a principle I never forgot. He said, “What ever we tolerate in moderation, our children will indulge in to excess.” The visual picture that went along with that for me involved an Elder in the church where I grew up. He had an extensive liquor ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

John Rigas Served In An Armored Infantry ...

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 7, 2008

John Rigas served in an armored infantry division in WW II. He worked his way up from being an employee in a Sylvania plant to own a movie theatre which he parlayed over time into the Adelphia cable system, which also employed his sons. He was a religious man. He was the backbone of his small ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Denomination: Catholic

A. One Day, A Grandfather Went Fishing On A ...

Contributed by Nathan Johnson on Nov 21, 2008

A. One day, a grandfather went fishing on a small lake. Pushing his boat away from the dock, he jumped in and managed to get a way out before dropping anchor. His grandson and son came down to the dock and noticed that grandpa was just sitting in the boat with his head propped on both hands, not ...read more

Tags: Preparation

Denomination: Baptist

Ex – A Man With A Nagging Secret Was Unable To ...

Contributed by Et Tapper on Feb 9, 2009

Ex – A MAN WITH A NAGGING SECRET WAS UNABLE TO KEEP IT ANY LONGER. HE WENT TO CONFESSIONAL AND ADMITTED THAT FOR YEARS HE HAD BEEN STEALING BUILDING SUPPLIES FROM THE LUMBERYARD WHERE HE WORKED. “HOW MUCH LUMBER DID YOU TAK?” THE PRIEST ASKED. “I TOOK ENOUGH TO BUILD MY HOME NAD ENOUGH FOR MY ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Faith Of Thomas

Contributed by Jesse Bennett on Apr 18, 2009

THE FAITH OF THOMAS What if you told your son, "I put 100 dollars in the bank for you." And he said, "Are you sure? I want to see the deposit slip." You say, "Son, you've got to believe me!" The boy answers, "Well, maybe I can just withdraw it look at it and put it back. Dad, can you give me ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Dad, Are You God?

Contributed by Bruce Howell on May 20, 2009

DAD, ARE YOU GOD? One day after church, the pastor asked his little boy what he learned in Sunday school. The lad said, "I learned that God loves me more than anything else in the whole world." "What else did you learn?" asked his dad. "I learned that when I’m bad, He spanks real hard." "What ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Wesleyan

Let Us Love Them

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 25, 2011

LET US LOVE THEM Tony Campolo tells about some homeless teenagers from the Philadelphia streets who beat to death a Korean honor student doing graduate work in medicine at the U of PA. His parents came to the U.S. for the trial, and sat silently through his murderers’ entire trial. At the end, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Woman Sees A Father Shopping With A Fussy ...  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jun 3, 2013

A woman sees a father shopping with a fussy two-year-old in his grocery cart. “Be patient, Billy,” he whispers. “You can handle this, Billy. It’s okay, Billy.” The woman said to him, “I don’t mean to interrupt your shopping, but I just had to tell you how wonderfully loving and patient you are ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-33, Genesis 15:1-6

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Baptist

I Sure Wish Jesus Could Have Been There!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2014

I SURE WISH JESUS COULD HAVE BEEN THERE! A church had a special concert and the worship center was packed. The congregation had one of their greatest times of worship ever! Later that evening, a young mother from the church was putting her little boy to bed. He had enjoyed the concert so much ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 33:1-20

Tags: Jesus, Children, Prayer, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bible Characters Who Prayed

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

BIBLE CHARACTERS WHO PRAYED: * Abraham prayed and God gave him a son. • Moses prayed, and the Israelites were delivered from Egypt. • Joshua prayed and the sun stood still in the valley of Aijalon • Gideon prayed, and He defeated the Midites with three hundred men. • Hannah prayed, and God gave ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: Prayer, Miracles, Bible Characters, Answers To Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In The Hole You Go!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 22, 2024

As a minister, I conduct many baptismal services. My denomination baptizes in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. One Sunday, my family and I went to a friend’s home in the country. Our four children went outside to play with the others. After a short while, we heard only silence ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:25-34

Tags: Faith, Baptism, Church, Children, Great Commission, Salvation'  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Views On The Nephilim

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 13, 2024

Who Are the Nephilim? 4 Different Theories For centuries, scholars from Judaism and Christianity have presented different views on who the Nephilim were. 1: The first view is that fallen angels had relations with the "daughters of men," which resulted in a part human, part supernatural ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:6-8

Tags: Judgment, Giants, Nephilim, Satan, Angels, Flood, Noah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Mercy

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Nov 2, 2024

Henri Nouwen tells the story of a family from Paraguay. The father spoke out against the military regime and its human rights abuses. The police arrested his teenage son and tortured him to death. Enraged townsfolk wanted to turn the boy's funeral into a huge protest march, but the doctor ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-18, Romans 5:1-11, Ephesians 2:1-5

Tags: Mercy, Sin, Evil, Salvation, Cross  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Road To Success Is Not To Be Run Upon By ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The road to success is not to be run upon by seven-leagued boots. Step by step, little by little, bit by bit that is the way to wealth, that is the way to wisdom, that is the ...read more

Tags: Workplace Success

A Newsweek Poll Found That 84% Of American Adults ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

A Newsweek Poll found that 84% of American adults call themselves Christian, 82% see Jesus as the son of God, and 79% believe in the Virgin ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Ever Since The World Began, It Has Been Mostly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Ever since the world began, it has been mostly wickedness that has made the headlines. How many people even know that Adam and Eve ...read more

Tags: Sin Fall Of Man

Today One Grave Is Open, And From It Has Risen ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Today one grave is open, and from it has risen a sun which will never be obscured, which will never set, a sun which creates new life. ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Let Me Close With This Story, At First You May ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 31, 2002

Let me close with this story, at first you may not catch my point, but hang in there, when I land you will see a wonderful point. I had been teaching in Virginia, and I resigned my position and accepted a pastorate of a mission work in eastern Kentucky. The area was very poor, and the little church ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

Tags: Funerals Christian, Death

Denomination: Assembly Of God