In Sermon Illustrations: "Artificial Lives"

Don't Have To Spank Me

Contributed by Rev. Ryan Peters on Nov 3, 2008

DON'T HAVE TO SPANK ME During the normal works of the day, Jenny the local Pastor’s wife is watching her three little boys while her husband is at the church. When all of a sudden she hears a large crash in the living room, and when she runs in to see what it was there was little 4-year-old Brian ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Pentecostal

Help In The Garden  PRO

Contributed by John Herrmann on Nov 14, 2008

HELP IN THE GARDEN An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament: Dear ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:12

Tags: Service, Honor, Father's Day, Help, Confidence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

Faith Is An Adventure

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

FAITH IS AN ADVENTURE Some people feel as if living by faith is foolish. The truth is, it is a marvelous adventure. I was telling someone the other day about a Godly lady who was a member of a church I once served. This ladies husband had died leaving her with four small children. This happened ...read more

Tags: Faith

We Must Share The Gospel: Dr. Martin Neimoller ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

We must share the Gospel: Dr. Martin Neimoller was an outstanding German pastor during the time of Adolf Hitler's reign. Neimoller was sent to prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Before being sent to prison Neimoller had a 30 minute visit with Adolf Hitler. Hitler tried to persuade ...read more

Tags: Give, Share, Need, Evangelism Fear Of

Joseph Was Despised Because Of His Birth. (Cf. V. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Joseph was despised because of his Birth. (cf. V. 3) He was born a favored son when he was born to Rachel. It also was not Joseph’s fault that he was being despised because of who he was born to, and also when he was born. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: We are only born once, physically and all have the ...read more

Tags: Ot Characters

No One Ever Told Hitler

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 27, 2008

NO ONE EVER TOLD HITLER Dr. Martin Neimoller was an outstanding German pastor during the time of Adolf Hitler's reign. Neimoller was sent to prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Before being sent to prison Neimoller had a 30-minute visit with Adolf Hitler. Hitler tried to persuade ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

A Preacher's Little Girl Went To Bed Sick One ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

A preacher's little girl went to bed sick one evening. A few minutes later she got up and said to her mother, "Mama, I must see daddy right now." Her mama replied, "Honey, you can't talk to daddy right now. He's working on his sermon." She said, "Mother! I'm a sick woman and I must see my ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Make Sure We Were Abiding

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

MAKE SURE WE WERE ABIDING Stuart Briscoe, author and long-time pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, tells about the time he traveled to Poland during the cold war. He was involved in several weeks of itinerant ministry, and one winter day his sponsors drove him in the dead of night ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:13

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Paul And Kelly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

PAUL AND KELLY BENITEZ In 1967, Paul Benitez and his fiancée Debra were married. In 1968, they had a baby boy and named him Kelly. Paul was drafted into the Army in 1969. While he was overseas, Debra moved away and changed her name. Paul was never able to find his wife nor his baby boy. He would ...read more

Tags: Sin Separates From God

Jehovah's Witnesses And Mormons

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES AND MORMONS New studies reveal most adult Witnesses have made a personal commitment to Christ they consider important in their life, but only 10% base their hope of salvation on a confession of sins and acceptance of Jesus as savior. 61% of Jehovah’s Witnesses, vs. 42% of ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Liberals Give Less Than ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

LIBERALS GIVE LESS THAN CONSERVATIVES A couple years ago, a Syracuse University professor named Arthur C. Brooks wrote a book called "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism". He was not particularly excited about the outcome of the study he’d done (he’d been raised ...read more

Tags: Poverty

Come Hell Or High Water

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 2, 2009

COME HELL OR HIGH WATER Glen and Jo Ann live in Orange County, California in a low lying area. It flooded one year and the local newspaper sent a reporter, in a boat, out to Glen and Jo Ann’s neighborhood. The reporter found Jo Ann, sitting on their roof watching large objects floating by, so he ...read more

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Nobody Left Behind

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

We hear the mantra of “No Man left behind” (referring to both men a women) coming from the Military. But the left behind principle has more to do with those living. Although it does pertain to those that are MIA (Missing in Action). The “No Man left Behind” is seen as ---no matter the cost--- that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Tags: Encourage Each Other, Nobody Left Behind

Denomination: Independent/Bible

No One Thanked Him.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

Back in 1860, an excursion boat on Lake Michigan collided with a freighter and began to sink less than a mile from the shore. Hundreds of passengers began screaming as they leaped into the icy water. Edward Spencer was a student at a nearby seminary, and he ran down to the beach to see what he ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude, Selfishness, Depression

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Surrounded By Idiots

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 10, 2021

Do you ever feel like you are surrounded by idiots? One web site collected stories… I was signing the receipt for my credit card purchase when the clerk noticed that I had never signed my name on the back of the credit card. She informed me that she could not complete the transaction ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 29:5-7

Tags: Stupid, Sense, Brains, Idiots, Dumb Things We Do, Halfwit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Got You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Oct 2, 2021

I like to take my dogs places with me. They have their own seats in the back seat of my pickup. I have a small elderly dog named Bambi who has always had anxiety, I think from having to survive on her own when she lived in the streets as a tiny little thing with no one to feed or care for her. A ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:4, 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Adversity, Assurance, Anxious

Denomination: Charismatic

A Great Thanksgiving Illustration

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

Back in 1860, an excursion boat on Lake Michigan collided with a freighter and began to sink less than a mile from the shore. Hundreds of passengers began screaming as they leaped into the icy water. Edward Spencer was a student at a nearby seminary, and he ran down to the beach to see what he ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving, Gratitude

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Who Is Praying For Me?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

Pastor Jim Cymbala's daughter had been running from God for a long time. Chrissy had rebelled against her family, had left home, and was living as far from God as she could. But one night, this teenager awoke with the distinct feeling that someone was praying for her. And someone was. The ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, James 4:1-2

Tags: Petition, Intercessory Prayer, Interceding For Sinners, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Do So Few Christians Share Their Faith?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 4, 2022

What makes people hesitate to share their faith? Here are some of the fears that have been mentioned to me: "I am afraid I might do more harm than good." "I don't know what to say." "I may not be able to give snappy answers to tricky questions." "I may ...read more

Tags: Great Commission, Fear Of Man, Great Supper, Man Pleasing, Evangelism, Fear, Gospel, Parables, Excuses, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Slow And Steady

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 26, 2022

The power of the Holy Spirit is not just for salvation, but for sanctification, a process that is slow and gradual. The difference might look like this: You can take ten gallons of gasoline and release a tremendous amount of power and energy by just dropping a lighted match into it. It makes a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Energy, Fuel