In Sermon Illustrations:

Purpose In Life

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010

PURPOSE IN LIFE Many years before Abraham Lincoln was elected president, he was a store-keeper in Salem, Illinois. Abe had a rifle displayed in his store that was one of the most beautiful rifles ever made. The barrel was made from the finest steel, the stock from the best walnut wood; and a ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: *other

Trusting Doctors, Trusting God  PRO

Contributed by John Putty on Mar 19, 2011

TRUSTING DOCTORS, TRUSTING GOD Not many people enjoy going to the doctor, but according to Reuters, in 1994, one London accountant to that to an extreme. The 63-year-old man needed bladder surgery, but he couldn't overcome his fear of doctors and hospitals. So he self-reliantly did what had to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

Tags: Trust, Making Disciples

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Richest Man On The Island

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 4, 2011

THE RICHEST MAN ON THE ISLAND In his autobiography Just As I Am, Billy Graham recalls a story demonstrating that apart from God, we will not gain anything from living wisely. He said: Some years ago Ruth and I had a vivid illustration of this on an island in the Caribbean. One of the wealthiest ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Money

The Danger Of The Serpent

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

THE DANGER OF THE SERPENT There was a tragedy in Florida. I’m not sure if the baby BURMESE PYTHON came with a warning. If not, it should have. The Oxford, Florida family that brought the serpent home as a pet would live to regret allowing such a creature in the house. The snake, now 12 feet long, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Satan

Please Come Back  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2011

"PLEASE COME BACK" Max Lucado tells us about a girl named Christina. She lives in a small dusty village in Brazil. She’s bored. She feels like her strict parents have cheated her out of the joys of life. She longs for the excitement of the big city of Rio. One morning her mother Maria finds ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32, Mark 4:1-9

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son, Parable Sower And Seed

A Mother's Marred Hands  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

A MOTHER'S MARRED HANDS There was a teenager who didn’t want to be seen in public with her mother, because her mother’s arms were terribly disfigured. One day when her mother took her shopping and reached out her hand, a clerk looked horrified. Later, crying, the girl told her how embarrassed she ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13, John 15:4, John 15:1-8, Luke 12:1-118, Nehemiah 4:6  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Mothers, Mother's Day, Motherhood, Time

During One Of His Great Campaigns, D L Moody Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on May 20, 2011

During one of his great campaigns, D L Moody was approached by a man who had been to a number of the services and who, although convicted of his need for Christ, had kept on postponing a decision. Now the last night had come. The appeal was over, the people were going home, the work crew was busy ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30

Tags: Salvation, Justification

Airport Security And The Presence Of God

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jun 23, 2011

AIRPORT SECURITY AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD Airport inspections are more thorough than they used to be, and lines are longer. They also have X-ray machines for the checked baggage. Fortunately the standards aren't so stringent for that category, so you may arrive at the other end still owning a ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:2

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fire Of Discipleship

Contributed by Brad Henry on Jul 26, 2011

FIRE OF DISCIPLESHIP I love to make a campfire. Many years ago I remember going on a fishing trip in the mountains of Arizona. There were about 10 men from our church and it was a great time of fellowship. It was my duty to get the fire going. Well get it going I did. I had it so hot in that cabin ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

The Parable Of The Fig Tree  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 26, 2011

THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE 6 "Then Jesus told this story: 'A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, 'I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:6-9

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Other

The Guilt Of Their Deaths

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 17, 2011

THE GUILT OF THEIR DEATHS The movie "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) is a movie that many of us have seen and is quite a memorable movie because of its portrayal of the D Day invasion of Normandy in World War II. The movie begins and ends with an elderly man visiting the Normandy memorial. The ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

All In

Contributed by Tom Feola on Feb 6, 2012

ALL IN The New York Giants were just a handful of days from the Week 16 game against the New York Jets, with the Giants stuck at 7-7 and their season fast slipping away. Losers of four of their previous five games, it seemed as if the Giants were destined to finish second or even third in the NFC ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24-27, Matthew 16:13-20

Tags: Sports

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Top Ten Addictions

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

TOP TEN ADDICTIONS The top 10 addictions verify these statements: Alcohol, smoking, drugs, gambling, food, video games, internet, sexual, shopping, work People succumb to these addictions in search of peace and fulfillment; but fail to realize either one. It is a sad, circular, dangerous, and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:17-18

Tags: Addiction

A Lesson From A Light Bulb  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 5, 2012

A LESSON FROM A LIGHT BULB A missionary in Africa lived in his central mission which had a small generator to supply current for his church and a small rectory. Some natives from an outlying mission came to visit the pastor. They noticed the electric light hanging from the ceiling of his living ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-8

Tags: Power

$3 Worth Of God

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Jul 23, 2012

$3 WORTH OF GOD I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of God to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant, I want ecstasy, not ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:16

Tags: Lukewarm, Apathy, Commit

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Don't Worry Be ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2012

DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY The song Don’t Worry Be Happy was a late 80’s chart buster as it gained phenomenal success for such a simple song. The lyrics written by Bobby McFerrin were copied from original Indian sage from the late 1800’s whose mantra was one of peace. I remember the first time I heard ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

Tags: Worry

Stoning The Pastor  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rings on Oct 18, 2012

STONING THE PASTOR I bought some small rubber rocks from DC Works and put them on the chairs before people came into the room. As I opened the message, I asked them if I said anything that was blasphemous if they would stone me. I told them not to be shy and to let me have it. I then introduced ...read more

Tags: Blasphemy

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

True Worship

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 19, 2013

"True worship is God-centered worship. People tend to get caught up in where they should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how their worship looks to other people. Focusing on these things misses the point. Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in ...read more

Tags: Worship Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Filled  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 16, 2013

FILLED In his best selling book called, "Into Thin Air," Jon Krakauer relates the hazards that plagued some climbers as they attempted to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Andy Harris, one of the expedition leaders stayed at the peak too long and on his descent, he became in dire need of oxygen. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18, Matthew 4:4, Zechariah 12:10

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Standing Up On The Inside  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on Sep 17, 2013

STANDING UP ON THE INSIDE A five year old girl was having one of those trouble-filled days with her mother. It seemed they spent the day arguing back and forth. Finally the mom had enough. "Jenny, go sit in the corner, right now! Don’t get up until I tell you to!" Jenny went to the corner and sat ...read more

Tags: Evil, Rebellion, Defiance, Compliance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ