In Sermon Illustrations: "American"

A Teen's Plea On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

A TEEN’S PLEA ON LISTENING I want to close now by reading a letter. Here is a modern example of the tragedy of not listening, a modern example of the measure you measured with being measured back to you. In this particular case, it’s a college girl pleading with parents to listen. But I think I ...read more

Tags: Parenting

John ...

Contributed by Michael Wiley on Jan 7, 2009

John 3:16 Introduction: Finished Shopping? What kind of gifts are you looking for? We look for gifts for Christmas that show our love for others. Joke; one man asked another, “what are you getting your wife?” “I’ll wrap myself.” “I’m not getting my wife much either.” ILL Little Sammy Williams ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Importance Of Refuge

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

THE IMPORTANCE OF REFUGE When conducting fire inspections two important things that I look for are AREAS OF REFUGE (protected area in a bldg., such as mall/hospital halls, wings, sectioned off) and MEANS OF EGRESS (clearly marked, unobstructed, visible path, door width, adequate ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Redemptive Love Changes People

Contributed by Tim Smith on Mar 9, 2009

REDEMPTIVE LOVE CHANGES PEOPLE John Ed Mathison, former pastor of Frazier Memorial UMC, tells the story of Tommy Waite, an African-American man serving time in jail and converted through Frazier’s Prison Ministry. They didn’t stop there though. They discipled him and even helped him to get his ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Methodist

Dead Fathers Better Than Absent Fathers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 27, 2009

DEAD FATHERS BETTER THAN ABSENT FATHERS According to the New Jersey Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, in 1960 the total number of births to teenagers was 11,636. In 2000, the number of births to teenagers was 8,219. At first glance, we would say we are doing something right, yet a little more ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Credit And Savings ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

CREDIT AND SAVINGS CRISIS A man decides he’s going to pay off his credit card. He owes $7,500 and believes God does not want him to be in debt, so he decides he’ll cut up the card and pay off the $7,500 by making the minimum monthly payment until it’s gone. Your question -- how long do you think ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:7

Tags: Money, Love Of God Or Money

A Few Years Ago I Had The Opportunity To Travel ...

Contributed by Tyler Edwards on Sep 22, 2009

A few years ago I had the opportunity to travel to Italy on a Mission trip to work with some local missionaries and help them get their church developed. It was a great trip we got to go to Rome which I was really excited about. On our way back we had an 18 hour layover in Munich. So rather than ...read more

Tags: Misconceptions

Denomination: *other

Dave Dravecky On The Impact Of Suffering On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

Dave Dravecky on the Impact of Suffering on Faith Again, it’s a reminder that following Christ is risky and that suffering will come. Jesus makes it very clear: there is no avoiding the cross. Peter couldn’t avoid it, and neither can we. Dave Dravecky was a professional baseball pitcher who lost ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Enduring Trials, Trials And Difficulties

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2010

"The Invasion" • In his book The Faith, Chuck Colson has a chapter entitled "The Invasion." In it he describes the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. • D-Day was the largest seaborne landing in history. • More than 150,000 U.S. troops • Employing 6,900 vessels, 4,100 landing craft, and ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Christmas

Saint Patrick's Day Is Just Around The Corner ...

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Mar 9, 2010

Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and, of course, in our modern-American celebration that basically means lots of drinking and the occasional pinching of those who forgot to wear green. It’s really disappointing that Saint Patrick’s Day has regressed in many parts of the world to a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19

Tags: Trinity, Saint Patrick, Patrick

Denomination: Christian Church

Shoes Pave The Way To The Kingdom

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

SHOES PAVE THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM Because Vance is an African American living in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood, he stands out. But what really sets Vance apart is that he is a servant-hearted father who cares not only for his own kids, but also for the many other kids who play in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism How To

El Señor Está Contigo (Translation Follows)

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Mar 22, 2010

El Señor está Contigo (Translation follows) Los indios americanos tenían una practica única de entrenar a sus guerreros jóvenes. En la noche del cumpleaños número 13 de un varón, después de aprender a cazar, rastrear y pescar, lo pasaban por una prueba final. Con la aprobación de sus padres, lo ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Salvation Army

The In-Laws: "Are You A Praying Man?"

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Nov 19, 2010

THE IN-LAWS: "ARE YOU A PRAYING MAN?" Sheldon Kornpett was a quiet, reserved man with a successful dental practice in Manhattan, that is, until he met his future in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Vince Ricardo. Sheldon’s daughter was soon to be married to their son, so Sheldon’s wife hosted a dinner party at ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Anna's Stories

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2011

ANNA'S STORIES A thirty-four-year-old German woman named Anna Rosmus recently told the tragic story of what happened in her hometown in Germany during World War II. Speaking at Carson-Newman College in Tennessee, she told of growing up in Passau, Germany, years after the war. As a teenager, she ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

Tags: Church Purpose Of

The City And Its Crosses

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 20, 2011

THE CITY AND ITS CROSSES Two water towers have always served as landmarks for travelers heading for their homes near Wauconda, Illinois. But especially at the holidays. More than 40 years ago, John Kuester, then village police chief, suggested mounting large twin crosses on the towers to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Unsung Heroines

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2011

UNSUNG HEROINES In Tom Brokaw’s book "The Greatest Generation Speaks," Veronica Mackey Hulick tells of her service during World War II. Veronica was 20 when she joined the Navy WAVES [Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service]. She and about 1500 other bright young women worked for hours at ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:35, Mark 9:33-35

Tags: Servanthood

Unusual People, Unexpected Places

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 8, 2011

UNUSUAL PEOPLE, UNEXPECTED PLACES Akiane Kramarik is only 12 years old, but she has abilities far beyond her years. Her mother chose to give birth to her underwater at the family home on July 9, 1994 in Mount Morris, Illinois. The family now lives in Idaho. Akiane speaks four languages, writes ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Christian Witness

Rejoicing In Pain  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

REJOICING IN PAIN Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, visited a church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake. The church's building consisted of a tent made from white tarps and duct tape, pitched in the midst of a sprawling camp for thousands of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

Why Worry?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 12, 2011

WHY WORRY? In a 2006 article in Time magazine called "Why We Worry About the Things We Shouldn’t" Jeffrey Kluger, writes: As human beings, we pride ourselves on being the only species that understands the concept of risk. Yet we have a confounding habit of worrying about mere possibilities while ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-8

Tags: Worry

Persecution Of Baptists In The Colonies

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

PERSECUTION OF BAPTISTS IN THE COLONIES Throughout their long history as a people of faith, Baptists have consistently opposed any diminution of the rights of the individual to seek and to pursue their own faith, or for each person to decide to be without faith if that is the choice. Though ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:13-17

Tags: Persecution