In Sermon Illustrations: "24 Hours Awake"

The Hitchhiker

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Mar 3, 2011

THE HITCHHIKER There was a man the side of the road hitch hiking on a very dark night in the middle of a storm. It was late at night and no cars were passing. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him. Suddenly, he saw a car coming towards him and stop. Without further ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Dreams Of James Irwin

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Mar 21, 2011

THE DREAMS OF JAMES IRWIN It started like so many evenings--Mom and Dad at home and Jimmy playing after dinner. Mom and Dad were absorbed with jobs and did not notice the time. It was a full moon, and some of the light seeped through the windows. Then Mom glanced at the clock. "Jimmy, it's time to ...read more

Tags: Dreams

Denomination: Baptist

Warfield's Faithfulness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2011

WARFIELD'S FAITHFULNESS There’s an old story about Dr. Benjamin Warfield. He was a theology professor at Princeton Seminary. While he was still at the height of his academic powers, his wife got sick. And she became an invalid. He took care of her for ten years. During that ten year period, he ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:25-33

Tags: Marriage Faithfulness

A Dying Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2011

A DYING CHURCH An artist was once asked to put on canvas what he considered to be the picture best symbolizing a decaying and dying church. After several months, he returned and reported that he had finished the task. The hour finally arrived when the painting was to be unveiled. Several people ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Church Growth

What Occupies Your Heart

Contributed by Scott Carroll on May 20, 2011

WHAT OCCUPIES YOUR HEART I squirmed a bit as I forced myself to listen to my friend cataloging her problems. After three hours, I interrupted her gently to ask, "If you were to draw a circle to represent your life, what would be in the center? She thought a moment, then said, "My problems." My ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Scheme Of The Devil Is To Create A Twisted ...

Contributed by Michael Walther on May 25, 2011

One scheme of the devil is to create a twisted view of God. USA Today ran an article on a very comprehensive religion survey conducted by Baylor University. This survey showed that 96% of Americans believe in some view of God. But of this group 40% , or almost half, believe in a God who does not ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Lutheran

Improving On A Good Design...or Not

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

IMPROVING ON A GOOD DESIGN...OR NOT Years ago I bought a Chevy Caprice at a used car lot. It was a thing of beauty. It was big and stylish and it purred as I drove it down the road. Well, it purred for the first few days. Then it began to cough and sputter and I had difficulty getting above 30 ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27-30

Tags: Church General

When I Was Your Age...

Contributed by Larry Wilson on Sep 2, 2011

WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE... A young man who was also an avid golfer found himself with a few hours to spare one afternoon. He figured if he hurried and played very fast, he could get in 9 holes before he had to head home. Just as he was about to tee off, an old gentleman shuffled onto the tee and ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Baptist

Set Free

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 5, 2011

SET FREE It all began on Sunday, December 11, 2005, when a fisherman spotted a 50-ton humpback whale tangled up in crab trap lines off the coast in northern California. His call for help was answered by a group of Coast Guard divers and whale experts. The rescue operation was both difficult and ...read more

Tags: Sin Bondage To

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Darkened Mind

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Feb 15, 2012

A DARKENED MIND The god of this age, Satan, wants people to be blinded to the Truth. He loves a darkened mind. Sean Sellers was a willing mind. His parents were long haul truckers from Colorado. Sean filled the empty hours with the occult. He began with Dungeons and Dragons. The he began ...read more

Tags: Cults

Denomination: Holiness

The Ram And The Cowboy

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 4, 2012

THE RAM AND THE COWBOY A couple of years ago in the Rocky Mountains a bighorn ram approached the home of a man named Ed Bailey while he was watching football on television. The bighorn stopped suddenly, seeing its reflection in a plate glass window. Thinking it was another ram, the bighorn bowed ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Death And Resurrection

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

Our son, John learned a valuable lesson about death when he was a child. One day he took aim with his new BB gun at a little bird sitting on a limb near our back deck. He aimed and fired and hit his target and the bird collapsed to the ground. Dead. At first there was the excitement of being a ...read more

Scripture: John 14:19

Tags: Death, Resurrection

Denomination: Christian Church

Offering Story

Contributed by Gerald Manning on Nov 23, 2015

Words of Offering: A rich, but cynical businessman said to one of his staff, "Show me a truly unselfish act and I will give you a $100 bill." The staffer, said, "OK, walk with me at the lunch hour." They went to that part of town where there were lots of street people. The staffer said, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Tags: Offering, Giving, Generosity

Denomination: Nazarene

Where Are The Men?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 1, 2016

WHERE ARE THE MEN? Churches in America are needing more than just a few good men. Here are the statistics from God Facts: *** The typical U.S. Congregation draws an adult crowd that’s 61% female, 39% male. *** On any given Sunday, there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-10

Tags: Men, Church Attendance, Ministry To Men

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Joy And Peace From A Child

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Dr. Bryant Kirkland, pastor of 5th Ave. Pres. Church in NY was traveling to do a series of sermons on the west coast. He needed time on that 3 hour flight to study and prepare, so he buckled down and let everyone near me feel the tension. His body language said, "Don't bother me, I'm a busy man ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Tags: Peace, Joy, Christ Child

Denomination: Methodist

Following The Wrong Leaderf

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 23, 2019

One cold, snowy Minnesota night, I got lost on the way home. The snow was blowing so fast and piling up so high, I couldn't see any street signs. With no map in my car and a dead cell phone, I thought I might be stranded so I pulled over to the side of the road. Then breaking through the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:19-22

Tags: Direction, Leadership, Ignorance, Gullibility, Naivete  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Wake Up, Leroy!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 20, 2019

Two brothers were being interviewed for a truck-driving team. They were engaged in a hypothetical situation. The interviewer said, "Now, Charlie, imagine you're driving the truck and Leroy, your brother, is up on top asleep. Charlie, your truck is loaded down with hundreds of pounds of ...read more

Tags: Revival, Humor, Wake Up, Jokes, Sleeping  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Redemption - Doctor Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

This story is reported as true ... though true or a parable ... it speaks to the importance ... of the One ... of one who can save. It was almost 1:00 in the morning... when the phone rang. Dr. Leo Winters, ...a highly acclaimed surgeon... was abruptly awakened ...from his nights sleep. There ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:21, Ephesians 1:7, John 8:36, Matthew 26:28, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 43:25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Redemption, Lamb, Redeemed, Sin, Blood, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Meekness: The Cutting Horse And The Mule

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 20, 2023

Meekness is strength under control. At one time in my life, I was heavily involved with horses. It is a beautiful thing to watch a well-trained cutting horse work. Just a gently touch of reign on his neck or a shift in the rider’s weight can ignite a quick turn in that powerful animal. He does ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5, 1 Timothy 6:11, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Submission, Meekness, Meek, Teachable, Submitted  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Winston Churchill's Resolve

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

After the Nazis drove the British army from the European continent at Dunkirk and obtained France’s surrender in June of 1940, the Germans were certain that victory in Europe was at hand and that Great Britain would seek a peace agreement. France also believed that was true. French General Maxime ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:62

Tags: Resolve, Commitment