In Sermon Illustrations: "A Good Day"

Margaret: The Hard Soil

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 13, 2011

MARGARET: THE HARD SOIL Each week I give a devotion in each of the 8 dining areas of the Shalom Centre and Margaret (not her real name) is there, with ears which will not hear. Her heart is a fortress, cold, hard, defensive. The gates are huge, old and impenetrable, bolted with fear and pride that ...read more

Tags: Unbelief

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Frederick And The Confession

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Jan 18, 2011

FREDERICK AND THE CONFESSION Truth is we can't please God, that is, not on our terms. Nor does it do any good to try and hide our sin. Like Isaiah, we can only be used by God when we're willing to admit, "I am a person of unclean lips." It reminds me of the story of KING FREDERICK II, an ...read more

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Baptist

Out-Of-Whack Priorities

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2011

OUT-OF-WHACK PRIORITIES USA Today ran an article on October 25th, 1995 that is a great illustration about priorities. It reads... "Ronald Warwick, captain of the luxury cruise ship Queen Elizabeth II, questioned a passenger who paid full fare for his dog to join them on an around-the-world ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Tags: Worldliness

Colossian Philosophy: "Borrowed" Features

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2011

COLOSSIAN PHILOSOPHY: "BORROWED" FEATURES I used to collect basketball cards. This was way back in the early 90s, though I still have held on to them. Basketball cards took off well after baseball cards, and each brand over time had its own unique features. Some were UV coated, others had gold ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:15-23

Tags: False Teaching

What Is Your Purpose?

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Apr 13, 2011

WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE? 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

A Little Girl's Trust

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2011

A LITTLE GIRL'S TRUST It's a lesson we need to learn, as well. Our true security comes from God and God alone, so we must learn to trust Him. Don't trust in a lie. Don't trust in an idol. Trust in the Lord. Then and only then will you be truly secure. Five-year-old Jessica became a bit ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 30:1-24

Tags: Trust

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

Non-Christians Can Be Happy  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 23, 2011

NON-CHRISTIANS CAN BE HAPPY I didn't say that non-Christians can't be happy or that they can't be content. Sure they can be happy...as long as life goes the way they want it to go. As long as our health is good, we enjoy our job, people love us and the sky is blue, anybody can be fairly content ...read more

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Stay Out Of The Stagnant Water

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

STAY OUT OF THE STAGNANT WATER Palmer Chinchen, in his book, True Religion, talks about traveling to the western edge of Zimbabwe with his brothers to raft the Zambezi River, starting at the base of the Victoria Falls. The falls are the largest in the world, more than a mile wide and three hundred ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Church Practices

Wynton Marsalis: Someone To Play With

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

WYNTON MARSALIS: SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH People are preoccupied with their own thoughts and interests. When we show interest and concern for another person’s interest or concern, it meets a deep need. People feel cared for and valued. Wynton Marsalis is a recognized musician. He is invited to teach ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-4

Tags: Humility

How Far Was Jonah Running Away?

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 14, 2011

HOW FAR WAS JONAH RUNNING AWAY? Let me give you a little perspective on how far Jonah was running away. Joppa was on the far eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. Tarshish was on the western side of the coast of Spain bordering the Atlantic Ocean. That is approximately 2,200 miles away. That ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

The Lord's Game Plan

Contributed by Eugene Morell on Jan 7, 2012

THE LORD'S GAME PLAN After I had been a Christian for a while, I felt that I was being called ton the ministry. I figured that the Lord had made just about his biggest mistake by calling me. When I told Barbara about what I felt, I rejoiced when she told me that I couldn’t be a pastor because all ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Salvation Of Karla Faye Tucker

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Mar 29, 2012

THE SALVATION OF KARLA FAYE TUCKER Many of you probably remember Karla Faye Tucker. She was the first woman to be executed in the US since 1984. She was an accomplice to a brutal ax murder of two people in the early eighties. Soon after being imprisoned, Tucker took a Bible from the prison ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Lutheran

Is Your Name In The Bible?--The Case Of A New ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2012

IS YOUR NAME IN THE BIBLE?--THE CASE OF A NEW YORK CITY BAG LADY Years ago, there was a bag lady in New York City who attended a preaching service at a Manhattan Rescue Mission. Afterwards in the line to receive soup, she mentioned to the preacher she was now ready to give her life to Jesus. She ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-7

Tags: Sunday, Parable Lost Sheep

Horse Sense

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 7, 2012

HORSE SENSE I like horses okay, but I am not a horse-person. But for much of history, horses were crucial. As a result, we have developed a lot of idioms involving horses. "Many terms and phrases in the English language harken back to a time not so long ago when horses were of extreme ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Perseverance And Poise In The Midst Of Pain--The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

PERSEVERANCE AND POISE IN THE MIDST OF PAIN--THE EXAMPLE OF KERRI STRUG When the Olympic Games were in Atlanta, Georgia, the whole world knew the name and fame of young Kerri Strug. Kerri became the key to the American women’s gymnastic team receiving the gold medal. If she could ace her turn to ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Endurance

My Friend Will Find Me

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 16, 2012

MY FRIEND WILL FIND ME Sam was a great bird dog. If he pointed to a clump of bushes, there surely was a bird in there. He was much more than just a bird dog. Often we’d share together lazy lunches in an abandoned apple orchard, and the snooze that followed. Late one afternoon, Sam and I became ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 4:7-9

Tags: Trust

You Have Inherited The Divine Nature, Says Peter ...(2 Peter 1:4)

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 16, 2012

You have inherited the Divine nature, says Peter (v.4), now turn your attention to add good habits. Be diligent and concentrate and work on your character. No man is born either naturally or supernaturally with character, he has to make character. Nor are we born with habits; we have to form ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-20, 2 Peter 1:4

Tags: Service, Discipleship

Denomination: Anglican

10) What’s Red, White, Blue, And Green? A ...

Contributed by Samuel Fulkerson on Aug 23, 2012

10) What’s red, white, blue, and green? A patriotic turtle! From Jessica, age 7, Abilene, TX 9) What did one flag say to the other flag? Nothing. It just waved! From Eloise, age 9, Charlottesville, VA 8) Why did Paul Revere ride his horse from Boston to Lexington? Because the horse was too ...read more

Tags: Humor

Denomination: Pentecostal

Ridiculous Gifts  PRO

Contributed by Ken Henson on Sep 11, 2012

RIDICULOUS GIFTS There is a program in the US called “Good Morning America.” This was about 10 years ago, there was a lady named Joan London, who did a segment on Christmas Gifts and made some suggestions about the list: “You may want to include these in your list: • Jaguar 220 – this is a ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Gift, Value, Gifts General

Denomination: *other