In Sermon Illustrations: "Answers"

Giving Up The World

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2011

GIVING UP THE WORLD A man once said to D. L. Moody, "Now that I am converted, must I give up to the world?" "No," answered the evangelist, "you need not give up the world; if you give a ringing testimony for the Son of God the world will give you up pretty quick. They ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17

Tags: Christian Witness

More Than One Hundred And Thirty Years Ago, God ...  PRO

Contributed by James O. Davis on Nov 2, 2003

More than one hundred and thirty years ago, God called a man named John Williams to go to the South Pacific Island of Aramonda as a missionary. John Williams, and his friend Mr. Harris, set sail one day to take the Gospel message to a cannibalistic tribe that had never heard about Jesus Christ as ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:5

Tags: Faith, Evangelism How To, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Assembly Of God

You Are Driving A Bus. You Go East 12 Miles, And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

You are driving a bus. You go east 12 miles, and turn south and go 2 miles and take on 9 passengers, and then you turn west and go 3 miles and let off 4 passengers. How old is the bus driver? ***Give the youth a chance to answer the question and eventually ask one of them to explain the question ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

I Don't Know About You But As I Was Growing Up I ...  PRO

Contributed by Harvie Neatherlin on Jun 17, 2003

I don’t know about you but as I was growing up I worked hard at trying to figure out ways to insure that Mom or Dad would say yes. I don’t know how it worked around your house but I always got what I call the classic response. Here’s how it went, I would ask my dad if I could go somewhere or if I ...read more

Scripture: Judges 13:9-12

Tags: Communication General, Children

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Always Pray And Don't Give Up  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 11, 2004

ALWAYS PRAY AND DON’T GIVE UP Jesus taught that we should “always pray and not give up” · Not because God is hard of hearing · Not because God needs to be pestered into answering our requests · Not because God doesn’t want to answer us NO… Jesus taught us always pray and not give up because, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-18, 2 Kings 2:9, 1 Samuel 12:23-24, 1 Samuel 12:23-24, 1 Samuel 12:23  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Persistence, Parable General

Alistair Maclean Quotes A Story From Tauler, The ...

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Feb 18, 2009

Alistair MacLean quotes a story from Tauler, the German mystic. One day Tauler met a beggar. “God give you a good day, my friend.” He said. The beggar answered. “I thank God I never had a bad one.” Then Tauler said, “God give you a happy life, my friend.” “I thank God,” said the beggar, “I am never ...read more

Tags: Kingdom Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Happened Here ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 4, 2009

What Happened Here Today? One day a man came home from work to find total mayhem at home. The kids were outside still in their pajamas playing in the mud and muck. There were empty food boxes and wrappers all around. As he proceeded into the house, he found an even bigger mess. Dishes on ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Traditions  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Cash on Jul 7, 2009

TRADITIONS When the Shema prayer (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) was recited during a service at an old synagogue in Eastern Europe, half the congregation stood up and half remained sitting. The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and the ones standing yelled at the ones ...read more

Tags: Bitterness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Missionary To India Counters Brahmin View Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2009

Missionary to India Counters Brahmin View of Justice Mr. Thomas, one of the missionary brethren of Serampore, was one day, after addressing a crowd of natives on the banks of the Ganges, accosted by a Brahmin as follows: "Sir, don’t you say that the devil tempts men to sin?" "Yes!" answered Mr ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 9:1-20

Tags: Sin Punishment Of

Needing A Push  PRO

Contributed by Sean Harder on Sep 30, 2010

NEEDING A PUSH A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the back door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push. "Not a chance," says the husband, "It is three o'clock in the ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-17

Tags: Service, Compassion, Giving, Servanthood

The Unfair Contest

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 6, 2012

THE UNFAIR CONTEST A Christian university student shared a room with a Muslim. As they became friends, their conversation turned to their beliefs. The believer asked the Muslim if he'd ever read the Bible. He answered no, but then asked if the Christian had ever read the Koran. The believer ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

American Knowledge Of Religion

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 5, 2012

AMERICAN KNOWLEDGE OF RELIGION A survey conducted by the Christian Science Monitor found that atheists and agnostics and Jews and Mormons were among the highest scoring groups who took a 32 question survey of religious knowledge. On average Americans scored 16 of 32 correct. Atheists and agnostics ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Religion

What Is Our Tradition?

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 20, 2013

WHAT IS OUR TRADITION? It is said that during a service at an old synagogue in Eastern Europe, when the Shema prayer was said, half the congregants stood up and half remained sitting. The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and the ones standing yelled at the ones ...read more

Tags: Pentecost, Tradition

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Honesty And Bending The Truth

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

An Engineer, a physicist, an economist and a Planner were being interviewed for a position as chief executive officer of a large Local Authority. The Engineer was interviewed first, and was asked a long list of questions, ending with: "How much is two plus two?" The Engineer excused ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7, 1 Timothy 3:8, Ephesians 4:15, Zechariah 8:16, John 8:44  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Truth, Corruption, Honesty, Situation Ethics, Absolute Truth  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Members Of The 4th Grade Class At Spring Hill ...  PRO

Contributed by Alan Stokes on Apr 22, 2001

Members of the 4th grade class at Spring Hill Elementary School in McClean, Virginia were asked the question: "What Is Courage". Their answer was: "Having faith. Being brave. Doing something when you’re scared of it. Doing something when you think you can’t. Trying ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Doubt

Denomination: Holiness

There's A Story Told Of A Husband And Wife Both ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Jun 3, 2001

There’s a story told of a husband and wife both of who were doctors - one a doctor of theology and the other a doctor of medicine. When their doorbell was rung and the maid answered, the inquirer would often ask for "the doctor". The maid’s interesting reply was: "Do you want the one who preaches ...read more

Tags: Holy Spirit Baptism, Pentecost

Denomination: Baptist

Robert C. Shannon In James W. Cox, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jul 15, 2001

Robert C. Shannon in James W. Cox, The Minister’s Manual, 1995, p. 347 Celsus was the first great skeptic. He once asked, "What has Jesus given to the world that that no one else has given?" Someone answered, "Himself!" Yes, that’s Jesus’ magnificent, stunning gift to the world. He gave ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Humanity Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

An Elderly Woman Requests Birth Control Pills ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2002

An elderly woman requests birth control pills from her Doctor to help her sleep. "But Lady", the Doctor exclaims, "You’re 74 years old. You don’t need birth control pills!" "Oh yes I do", the Lady answers calmly. "I crush them up into a powder ...read more

Tags: Holiness, Sexuality

Why Should Leaders (Christians) Pray?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 1, 2002

“Why Should leaders (Christians) Pray?" Blackaby answers this question with 6 reasons why spiritual leaders need to pray. Spiritual Leadership page 153: 1. Prayer is an essential leadership (Christian) activity. 2. Prayer brings the Spirit’s filling. 3. Prayer brings God’s ...read more

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Young Boy Was Applying For A Job At A Local ...

Contributed by Jimmy Chapman on Nov 3, 2006

A young boy was applying for a job at a local newspaper office. The manager asked him, "Can you type?" "No sir," came the reply. "Can you run a printing press?" asked the manager. "No sir," again came the answer. "Well, young man, what can you do?" The boy stood ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Baptist