In Sermon Illustrations: "Back Row"

Let Me Share With You The Story Of A Lesser Known ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

Let me share with you the story of a lesser known man, Rev. John Perkins. According to Philip Yancey in his book "Soul Survivor", John Perkins, a black minister in the South "lived through the worst nightmares of the civil rights movement"(Philip Yancey, Soul Survivor, p 31). Perkins started a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:24-43, Matthew 13:14-40

Tags: Hatred

Rocky

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 12, 2008

ROCKY One of the biggest movies of modern times, "Rocky" starring Sylvester Stallone, almost never got made. Stallone was struggling to find work as a screenwriter. He saw a fight against Ali and little-known Church Wepner. Wepner went 15 rounds, and it gave Stallone an idea. Three days later, ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

Dumpster-Diving God  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

DUMPSTER-DIVING GOD Being from the South, David Slaigle loves ribs. He remembered hearing about this particular restaurant that had amazing ribs, and a bunch of his friends and him drove 50 minutes to get there. The place was packed, and the food was great. It was "all you can eat rib night," and ...read more

Tags: Christmas

See You In The Morning.  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

"SEE YOU IN THE MORNING." Dr. W. A Criswell, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas, said on one occasion on an airplane flight he found himself seated beside a well-known theologian. He desperately wanted to start a conversation and they did get to talk. The man told Dr. Criswell ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: God In The Hardships

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

THE i-POD One day a woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, shaking frantically with what looked like a wire running from his waist to the electric coffeepot he had in his hand. It seemed that he was being electrocuted. So - intending to jolt him away from the deadly current - she ...read more

Tags: Technology

Little Ones To Him Belong

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Feb 21, 2009

LITTLE ONES TO HIM BELONG Author Keith Miller tells of an outgoing 40-year-old woman who was part of a sharing group he led. Here is her story: "When I was a tiny little girl, my parents died, and I was put in an orphanage. I was not pretty at all, and no one seemed to want me. But I longed to ...read more

Tags: Adoption

Denomination: Wesleyan

Habits

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

HABITS The American Heritage Dictionary "A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition." It comes from the idea "to have, to hold, possess." Roman poet Ovid in 43 BC: "Nothing is stronger than habit." Habit is a cable; we weave a thread each day, ...read more

Tags: Character

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness In Rwanda

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness in Rwanda Bishop John Rucyahana, a Tutsi Rwandan, found Christ while growing up as an exile from his native Rwanda. I like the way he describes His conversion: "I did not accept Jesus. Jesus graciously met me and accepted me." This is a man who understands how we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Imagine This ...

Contributed by Todd Catteau on Oct 6, 2009

Imagine this scenario: You have been diagnosed with a rare blood disease and need a blood transfusion. But this transfusion must come from a sibling. To your knowledge you have no siblings, that is until your parents tell you a story they have kept secret for years. You do have a brother. Years ...read more

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pow's Freed In Philippines During World War Ii, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

POW’s Freed in Philippines During World War II, as told by Hampton Sides in his book “Ghost Soldiers.” In his book Ghost Soldiers, Hampton Sides tells of a dramatic mission during World War II. On January 28, 1945, hand-selected Army Rangers and Filipino resistance slipped 30 miles behind enemy ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Tags: War, Freedom From Bondage

Mother Rescues Son From Alligator And Leaves ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 2, 2009

Mother Rescues Son From Alligator and Leaves Scars on His Arms Some years ago, on a hot summer day in South Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-30

Tags: Lord's Supper

So What Does This Gentle Restoration Or ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

So what does this gentle restoration or correction look like? Well here’s what it doesn’t look like, from a real example I observed: “How could you be so stupid, did you grow up with wolves? You are going to pay for this buster, and you’re going to straight to hell where you belong.” I have left ...read more

Tags: Mercy

Listen To This From A Guy Named Per Nilsen, From ...

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Dec 15, 2009

Listen to this from a guy named Per Nilsen, from Burnsville, Minnesota: Last week my son, Bjorn, got sick. I took his temperature, and it was 102.5 degrees. The Children’s Advil came out. He slugged down the appropriate dose for his size. Forty-five minutes later the fever was down to 100. Just ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Wesleyan

Surprise Reward At The End Of Bill Broadhurst's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

Surprise Reward at the End of Bill Broadhurst’s Marathon In July 1981, Bill Broadhurst entered the Omaha, Nebraska, Pepsi 10k. Broadhurst is slowed by a brain aneurysm he suffered 10 years earlier, which left him partially paralyzed on the left side. He made it his goal to finish the 10k despite ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Tags: Sports

God Is The Glue In A Marriage Even When ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

God is the Glue in a Marriage even When Alzheimer’s Strikes God is the bond which holds our marriages together. & If we’re going to STAY together, He must actually BE at the center of our relationships. We must be committed to Him first of all. Then we’ll remain committed to each other no matter ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:4-6

Tags: Marriage Commitment

It Is Safe To Die In Jesus

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 12, 2010

IT IS SAFE TO DIE IN JESUS Max Lucado in his book Fearless, says, "There are many rooms in my Father's home, and I am going to prepare a place for you." We Westerners might miss the wedding images, but you can bet your sweet chuppah that Jesus' listener's didn't. This was a groom-to-bride ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:5-6

Tags: Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Location, Location, Location

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Apr 15, 2010

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Back in 1991, I did an internship as a hospital chaplain in Philadelphia. At that time, AIDS was a new thing, and honestly, the hospital wasn’t sure how to handle people with AIDS, they were not sure what precautions to take when treating AIDS patients, so they took ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Atheist In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

An Atheist in Battle What the people in Gilead did in Judges 11:7 to Jephthah is what our nation has done to God. We only turn to Him when in distress. During the Korean War an atheist soldier was in a foxhole and bullets were flying above him. Some of his comrades were fallen in the field ...read more

Scripture: Judges 11:7

Tags: Atheism, Confidence In Prayer

James Montgomery Boice On Eternal ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 30, 2010

James Montgomery Boice on Eternal Security James Montgomery Boice has a wonderful picture to show how Jesus preserves believers for all eternity: I have sometimes thought that what Jesus did in uttering these words was like something a carpenter often does. Sometimes in rough carpentry a workman ...read more

Scripture: John 10:27-29

Tags: Security

Minister The Word  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Nov 28, 2010

MINISTER THE WORD There are valid ministries which are pleasing to the Lord such as, missions, youth ministries, local church services and ministerial alliances. However, there are two ministries that are often set on the back burner. The ministry of truly preaching the whole council of God's ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:4

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational