In Sermon Illustrations: "Artificial Lives"

Door Knights Without Maidens!" John 17:13-19 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Feb 28, 2005

“Door Knights Without Maidens!” John 17:13-19 Key verse(s): 17-19:“‘Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into this world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.’” Ingratitude. Doesn’t it seem sometimes that we ...read more

Scripture: John 17:13-19, Romans 6:1

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

April 18, 2005 "Good Name Above Good Gain!" ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 14, 2005

April 18, 2005 “Good Name Above Good Gain!” Genesis 43:1-12 Key verse(s) 12:“Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back in the mouths of your sacks.” In a world so caught up in rules and regulations it is not surprising that in that regulating ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:31-35, Genesis 43:1-12

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

Is The Church On The Endangered List?  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 18, 2006

** IS THE CHURCH ON THE ENDANGERED LIST? Many Americans are on a spiritual quest. This should be good news for the church. But, according to researchers, many of them are choosing noninstitutional forms of religion. A recent poll by Gallup shows that weekly church attendance is holding steady at ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 71:18

Tags: Sanctuary, Church General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The King  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 19, 2011

THE KING What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “The king is dead - long live the king!”? It is an historical phrase coined in France and said after the death of a monarch through the streets and the countryside of their realm. Phil Morgan recalls: "Not too long ago I watched part of ...read more

Tags: Memories

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ellen Porter Tells The Story Mitsuyo A Japanese ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Ellen Porter tells the story Mitsuyo a Japanese exchange student coming to live with her family. Her father had written and warned Ellen that Mitsuyo was a willful child but she saw no signs of that at all. She dressed the same each day, was silent while eating at the dinner table and seemed ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

It Was One Of Those Weeks

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 19, 2019

At my stage in life, I have experienced a gazillion weeks. I thought about actually counting how many weeks I have lived, but I don’t have that many fingers or toes. It doesn’t matter how many weeks it is. I have lived enough weeks to know, when you think you have experienced everything there is ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:23

Tags: Week Work, Victory

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The World Needs More Grandfathers

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 22, 2020

As time has gone by, I have learned a few things. According to the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, I have not learned enough yet, but that's just her opinion. She gave me a great compliment the other day when she said, “Dear, you’re as smart as you will ever be.” I am still not over that, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:6

Tags: Grandchildren, Grandfathers

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Well, Here We Go Again

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 9, 2021

I have lived long enough to know that the only change that has any kind of reality is the change in my pocket. I keep track of that change with great supervision and count it every day. When people tell me that this is a New Year and there will be a lot of changes this year, I search my pocket ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9

Tags: Old, Humor, Change, New Year

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unsung Heroines-Another Woman At A Well

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 7, 2022

Introduction: Many of us are familiar with the story of “the woman at the well” in Samaria who spoke with Jesus (John 4). Many years before, another woman, at another well, helped save David’s life and maybe even the kingdom! Text, 2 Samuel 17:15-20, KJV: 15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 17:15-20

Tags: Unsung Heroines, Wells, Hushai

Denomination: Baptist

Nothing Like A Mystery To Calm My Nerves

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 11, 2023

Nothing calms me down more than a mystery when I have a busy week. The other afternoon I got caught up and faced some rather stressful situations. The remedy to all of this would be to watch one of those mystery movies. One was playing that afternoon, so I decided to rearrange my schedule, enjoy ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Humor, Mystery, Rest

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Ugly Is As Ugly Sees

Contributed by James Snyder on Jan 11, 2025

Dr. James L. Snyder I was drinking a cup of coffee in the middle of the shopping mall. I don’t like going to shopping malls, but The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage sent me to get a new dress shirt for Sundays. I told her I could wear the same one I wore last year, but she has different ideas ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:3-4

Tags: Beauty, Life

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Story Behind The Hymn "when Peace Like A River"

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 21, 2025

Story: The last but one time that I went to Israel , when we went to the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem our Guide pointed across Jersualem to some buildings and told us that is where Horatio Spafford used to live. Many on our trip didn’t know who Spafford was. Horatio Spafford, a well-known Chicago ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24-34

Tags: Peace, Worry, River, Perspective, Horatio Spafford  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

[333]. A Message From A Poem - What Do You Think Of Jesus Christ?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 15, 2026

[333]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHAT DO YOU THINK OF JESUS CHRIST? This poem is a challenge to the non-committed soul. It is a mix of explanation, preaching and challenge. What do you really think of Jesus Christ? Who is He? Where do you stand in relationship to this fact? {{Matthew ...read more

Scripture: John 3:36, John 5:40, Matthew 16:13-15

Tags: Decision, Preaching, Neglect, Challenge, The Gospel, The Gospel Message, Christian Poems, Unwilling, Accept Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mastering Fatherhood

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Jun 12, 2017

In 2001, I was serving as the youth pastor of Destiny Church and sitting at my office desk when I received a phone call from my mother. She called with sad news! My grandmother’s health had declined significantly and she was near death. She’d been suffering with Alzheimer’s for over seven years up ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:2

Tags: Parenting, Legacy, Fatherhood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mr. Holland’s Opus": Leaving A Legacy, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jun 15, 2001

["Mr. Holland’s Opus": Leaving a Legacy, Citation: Mr. Holland’s Opus, (Hollywood Pictures, 1995), rated PG, written by Patrick Sheane Duncan, directed by Stephen Herek; submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois] Mr. Holland’s Opus is a movie about a frustrated composer in Portland, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Tags: Family, Fulfillment, Gifts General, David, Jonathan, Legacy, Leadership General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Hitchhiker  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Aug 28, 2001

Illus.:The Hitchhiker Roger Simms, hitchhiking his way home, would never forget the date—May 7. His heavy suitcase made Roger tired. He was anxious to take off his army uniform once and for all. Flashing the hitchhiking sigh to the oncoming car, he lost hope when he saw it was a black, sleek, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 26:13, Psalm 139:1-24, Jonah 3:1-15, 2 Peter 3:9

Tags: God's Provision, One God, Prayer Answered, Faith

Denomination: Wesleyan

B. Tennessee Williams Tells A Story Of Someone ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2001

B. Tennessee Williams tells a story of someone who forgot- the story of Jacob Brodzky, a shy Russian Jew whose father owned a bookstore. The older Brodzky wanted his son to go to college. The boy, on the other hand, desired nothing but to marry Lila, his childhood sweetheart- a French girl who ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Lordship Of Christ, Promises Of God

Many Years Ago, I Failed The Lord In A Stupid ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 27, 2002

Many years ago, I failed the Lord in a stupid teenager deed. I can painfully remember January the 1st, 1968. I was raised in the parsonage, I was 16 years old, I knew right from wrong. But I failed the Lord! 1/1/68 was always a painful memory of my stupid failure. Before the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:12, Psalm 103:12

Tags: Forgiveness General, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Assembly Of God

And, Finally, We Are To Apply Christ In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 8, 2003

And, finally, we are to apply Christ in everything we do and say so that others will be pointed to the first part of the resolution and come to know Christ as their Savior. Your witness is more far reaching than you will ever know. This past week on Dr. Dobson’s Focus On The Family I heard this ...read more

Tags: Faith, Sharing My Testimony

Let's Imagine A Situation Where A Homeless Man ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Mar 16, 2003

Let’s imagine a situation where a homeless man is begging on the streets of New York. A well dressed man in a long limousine pulls up next to him and offers him a job as vice-president of his company. You might say that is ridiculous; nothing like that would ever happen. But that is exactly ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Methodist