In Sermon Illustrations: "Absent From The Body"

Only One Test

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 19, 2011

ONLY ONE TEST For some crazy reason I have one of those migraine headaches this morning that started last night. I tried to pray this morning but couldn’t get past the pain. I spoke to God but more about MY pain instead of your pain. But I knew that I wanted to get this lesson out. Sometimes when ...read more

Tags: Tithes

They Sent Me Here To Finish

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 5, 2011

THEY SENT ME HERE TO FINISH During the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, the last runner to finish the marathon was an athlete from Tanzania. He'd had a difficult race, to say the least: he's stumbled at one point and ended up bruised, bloodied--and with a broken leg! But he didn't quit. Even ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pavarotti's Grandmother

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

PAVAROTTI'S GRANDMOTHER Luciano Pavarotti, the famous opera star, almost missed his calling. As a young man, he taught elementary school and sang only occasionally. But several people made the difference for him. One was his grandmother who, when he was a boy, would hold him in her lap and say, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Tags: Encouragement

The New Deal

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Sep 18, 2011

THE NEW DEAL Between the years 1933 and 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enacted a series of economic programs called "The New Deal." His programs served as a response to the effects of the Great Depression, and "focused on what historians call the "3 Rs": Relief, Recovery, and Reform. ...read more

Tags: Parable Vineyard

Denomination: Lutheran

Timothy's Story

Contributed by Timothy Enns on Oct 5, 2011

TIMOTHY'S STORY I want to tell you a story today about a little fellow named Jason. The circumstances that Jason was born into not entirely clear. What we do know is that his birth parents, for what ever reason, decided not to care for him or could not care for him. Instead they decided to place ...read more

Tags: Adoption

Denomination: Nazarene

Where Does God Fit In?

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 1, 2011

WHERE DOES GOD FIT IN? One Christmas season a schoolteacher in England supervised the construction of a manger scene in a corner of her classroom. Her pupils were delighted to set up the model barn and cover the floor with real straw and then arrange the clay figures of Mary, Joseph, the ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Christian Is Like A Diamond

Contributed by Colin Bain on Dec 1, 2011

THE CHRISTIAN IS LIKE A DIAMOND The difference between a lump of coal and a perfect diamond is simply that although they are both carbon, and although they are both crystal-like in structure, the lump of coal is dark and dirty, while the perfect diamond lets the let shine through. The diamond is ...read more

Tags: Righteousness

Denomination: Salvation Army

Are You Missing Jesus?

Contributed by William Akehurst on Dec 18, 2011

ARE YOU MISSING JESUS? During the manger scene of the kids' Christmas presentation, one of the important pieces was missing on the set.  As everyone was looking around, I noticed the bag in which this important part was hidden and went up in the stage area and retrieved it for the part.  The ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On Suffering  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Jan 11, 2012

ON SUFFERING "It is a very difficult matter to understand when God permits affliction or loss to come into our lives. Our humanity wants to cry out, "Why me God? I love you and faithfully serve you. Why did you permit this sorrow to happen to me?" . . . one reason for affliction is to make us into ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:17

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Baptist

I Know Where You Are, Just Tell Me What You Need  PRO

Contributed by H.b. Charles Jr. on Jan 16, 2012

I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU NEED DR. C.C. MCCUTCHIN of Oklahoma was on the highway, traveling from Tulsa to Oklahoma City, to visit a member who was in the hospital. But on the way, he got a flat tire. Thankfully, he made it to a "Call Box" on the side of the road. But he had never ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-17

Tags: Communion, Communing, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

The Key To Happiness...?

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 7, 2012

THE KEY TO HAPPINESS...? Want to be happy? A 26-year study of Germans suggests it’s not that hard: • Marry someone who’s not neurotic. • Focus more on friends and family, less on material goods. • Get involved in making the world a better place. • Have a job but also enough time for ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:13

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Baptist

The Problem With Being Deceased

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 13, 2012

THE PROBLEM WITH BEING DECEASED ABC News reported a strange story this week: Arthur Livingston, of Prosperity, S.C., may feel prosperous and alive, but his credit report says, "File not scored because subject is deceased." That's because Livingston's bank, Bank of America, has been reporting him ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Wearing 30,000 Bibles

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Feb 26, 2012

WEARING 30,000 BIBLES Years ago a missionary returned to England for a brief furlough after many years of faithful service in India. He was invited to a dinner at a great summer resort where he met many women of prominence and position. After dinner he went to his room and penned a ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Baptist

Lost In The Noise

Contributed by Tim White on Apr 2, 2012

LOST IN THE NOISE A youth pastor wanted to illustrate something to his students. He placed some valuable objects on small tables around the room. On one of the tables was a Bible. There was a $5 bill on another table. There was a kids' meal from a fast-food restaurant on one table. Other tables ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Baptist

The Slightest Wish  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2012

THE SLIGHTEST WISH During the War Between the States, General Lee one day sent word to Stonewall Jackson that the next time he rode in the direction of headquarters the Commander-in-Chief would be glad to see him on a matter of no great importance. General Jackson received the message and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:46-49

Tags: Obedience

Sola Fide: Faith Alone

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

SOLA FIDE: FAITH ALONE Sola fide isn’t a license to sin; it’s the motivation to follow your Savior Now, there was a time in the history of the church, when this doctrine was all but lost. By the fifteenth century the church had become a massive institution of power, and the gospel was polluted. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Unaware Of The King's Presence  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2012

UNAWARE OF THE KING’S PRESENCE Steve Brown tells the frustrating story of some British social scientists. Following the end of British rule in India in the 1940s, a group of researchers wanted to study the impact of the end of British rule on the life of the nation. After six months, the British ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-16

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Faithful Unto Death

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on May 29, 2012

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH When Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, the city was buried for 1700 years. When it was rediscovered, artifacts left a detailed picture of what was happening in the city at the time. For example, archeologists could identify the time by the clothes people were wearing, the produce ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Baptist

Pure White

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Jul 23, 2012

PURE WHITE A little girl went to the countryside on holiday. The cabin where she stayed was next to a grassy hillside on which sheep grazed. She had never seen sheep before. The girl could look from the front door of the cottage and see the sheep milling around on the slope of green. She exclaimed ...read more

Tags: Condition, Compare, God's Standard, Sin General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Need ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

NEED PROTECTION? Police sharpshooters were called to a scene in Rochester, NY. They surrounded a car because they noticed there was a man in the back seat with a rifle. The police attempted to negotiate with him but he wouldn’t respond. So they watched and waited. There was no movement. Finally, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:1-3

Tags: Security