In Sermon Illustrations: "Bad News"

Only One Test

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 19, 2011

ONLY ONE TEST For some crazy reason I have one of those migraine headaches this morning that started last night. I tried to pray this morning but couldn’t get past the pain. I spoke to God but more about MY pain instead of your pain. But I knew that I wanted to get this lesson out. Sometimes when ...read more

Tags: Tithes

Martin Sheen's Faith

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 2, 2012

MARTIN SHEEN'S FAITH Former Hollywood bad boy Martin Sheen says watching his son, Charlie Sheen, lead a similarly decadent life fills him with remorse. He worries that he learned to be a father too late. He particularly regrets his failure to share his faith. "I never lost my faith," Sheen says. ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7

Tags: Family

Denomination: Baptist

Richard Eye On Divorce

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 16, 2013

RICHARD EYRE ON DIVORCE "We now have over 40 years worth of very conclusive statistics that show that children from two parent homes (a mother and a father) are at substantially less risk for drug abuse, teen pregnancy, school dropout, suicide, and a whole host of other problems. Statistically ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:6

Tags: Children

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Isolation, Loneliness More Difficult Than ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

ISOLATION, LONELINESS MORE DIFFICULT THAN PAIN William H. Willimon, in his commentary on our text, shared the following story from his childhood. "A little girl in my second grade class got the dreaded disease of polio. Our teacher described to us the possible complications of her disease. She ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:40-45

Tags: Loneliness, Suffering Loneliness

Something Better Down The Road  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2009

SOMETHING BETTER DOWN THE ROAD A football game was being played in Badger Stadium in 1982 in Madison, Wisconsin with more than 60,000 fans in attendance. The home team was losing. But out of the blue during time outs, when play was a at stop, the fans would jump up and roar with excitement. Why? ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Disappointment

Right And Wrong

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jun 22, 2010

RIGHT AND WRONG Years ago, when I lived on South Holmes Street, I used the Super D pharmacy that was nearby. There was a young woman who worked there with whom I had occasional conversations. She told me that everyone in her family had had an abortion except her. She added that she did not judge ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Wisdom Of Children

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 27, 2010

THE WISDOM OF CHILDREN Patrick aged 10: "Never trust a dog to watch your food." Michael aged 14: "When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don't answer him." Joel, aged 10: "Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a cricket bat." Andrew aged 9: "Puppies still have bad breath ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Brethren

A Joyful Noise

Contributed by Noel Herr on Dec 18, 2010

A JOYFUL NOISE You know, when our youth group went Christmas caroling, Emma was all aglow. We sang to her, perhaps not in the most angelic of tones----especially when we tried to sing "O, Come, All Ye Faithful", because the music we used wasn't the familiar tune we sang today. I felt kind of bad ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Lutheran

The Black Death And The Great Fire  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2011

THE BLACK DEATH AND THE GREAT FIRE In 1665 the residents of London were dying by the thousands each day. The bubonic plague was spreading from house to house because of the unsanitary conditions. Rats and fleas spread the germs throughout the city. Almost 30,000 people died, almost a third of ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: God In The Hardships

Praying For Rain

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 27, 2025

A story from drought-stricken Texas captures the boldness of true intercession. For months no rain had fallen. Desperate believers called a Friday-night prayer meeting. One farmer stopped for fuel on the way. In the back seat lay an umbrella. The station attendant mocked, “Why carry that? It ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:24, James 5:17, Matthew 7:7, 1 Kings 18:41, Luke 18:1  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Prayer, Intercession, Providence, Persistence, Expectation, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

What's Wrong With The Music?

Contributed by James Chandler on Jul 2, 2019

People complain about the new music. Remember, hymns used to be the new music! What is wrong with the inspiring hymns we grew up with? When I go to church, it is to worship God, not to be distracted with learning a new song. Last Sunday’s was particularly unnerving. The song was un-singable ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:19-20

Tags: Worship, Unity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Green And White Plate!" 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 24, 2004

“A Green and White Plate!” 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21 Key verse(s): 17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!.” “London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 5:16-21, 1 Corinthians 5:1

Tags: Misconceptions, Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Lutheran

Ministry Meltdown

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2013

MINISTRY MELTDOWN My dear friends, when life seems overwhelming, don't get busy; get help! Otherwise, you'll just wear yourself out and those around you. That's what Bob Merritt, pastor of the Eagle Brook Church in Minnesota, was doing. In a recent issue of Leadership Journal he writes about ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30

Tags: Stress

Leslie Weatherhead Tells Of A Little Boy Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Mar 19, 2001

"Leslie Weatherhead tells of a little boy who was admitted to an orphanage after his parents were killed. One of the first items on the agenda was to find him a new set of clothes. He was given a new pair of pants, a new shirt, and a pair of shoes that shinned as he saw his face in its glow. ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 21:1-7, Acts 9:10-17, Galatians 5:22, Genesis 1:4, Colossians 1:15-28, Exodus 19:1-9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Lord's Supper

Denomination: Lutheran

Remember, Overweight Results Not From What You ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"Remember, overweight results not from what you eat between Christmas and New Years, but from what you eat and ...read more

Tags: Addiction

Not Happy With The View

Contributed by Bill Love on Jul 29, 2009

NOT HAPPY WITH THE VIEW A young salesman lands a job selling new windows door to door. On his first day of the job he comes across this sweet older lady who agrees to purchase a beautiful new window in her living room. A few days after the job was completed the salesmen gets a call from the lady ...read more

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Baptist

Sunday Morning August 31 1997 We Awoke To The ...  PRO

Contributed by David Whitten on Nov 29, 2001

Sunday Morning August 31 1997 we awoke to the news that seemed to rock the world. It was the of a Princess. Millions watched as news reporters described in great detail the events that caused the of Princess Diana. Up dates told every late breaking tid bit of information. The world sat hungrily ...read more

Tags: Sharing My Testimony, Great Commission, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Of My Friends Who Pastored In The Phoenix ...

Contributed by Don Jones on Jan 27, 2007

One of my friends who pastored in the Phoenix area left to go do new work in another state. God had laid on his heart the desire to start new churches. The plans were laid for him to begin with the cooperation of two established churches. Funds and families were in place to further the kingdom. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Baptized Cucumbers  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Donelan on Oct 12, 2010

BAPTIZED CUCUMBERS What is this (a cucumber), and what is this (a pickle?) No, it is a baptized Cucumber! A few thoughts on this: 1. When those cucumbers are put in that pickling jar and covered with the pickling juice and sealed, they do not get any more juice, they are heated and stored for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20

Tags: Holy Spirit Baptism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Incredible Gift—communion Mediation  PRO

Contributed by Dawn Marie Turner on Apr 9, 2003

THE INCREDIBLE GIFT--COMMUNION MEDIATION Danny was born with no ears. He could hear all right, but he didn’t have ears like normal people. All his life, Danny endured ridicule and rejection because of his deformity. But he learned to live with it. Thankfully, he had loving parents and a strong ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, Rejection, Promises Of God, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ