In Sermon Illustrations: "Bad To Worse"

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

Thank You For Tomorrow

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2011

"THANK YOU FOR TOMORROW" I like that story about the boy and his father who were planning a trip for the next day. The father told his son that they would go on a very exciting and wonderful trip. He did not tell his son where they would go or what they would do. Nevertheless, the son was full of ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:1-3

Tags: Faith General

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

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

Torch Races!" Job 6:8-13 Key Verse(S) 9:". . . ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 27, 2005

“Torch Races!” Job 6:8-13 Key verse(s) 9:“. . . that God would be willing to crush me, to let loose his hand and cut me off!” Sometimes it doesn’t matter how quickly you run the race; just that you finish. Everyone has bad days; days which like any other days start out all right but somewhere ...read more

Scripture: Job 6:8-13

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Lutheran

This Past Christmas, Jade Did Something That ...

Contributed by Stephen Evoy on Jan 4, 2008

This past Christmas, Jade did something that re-awakened a part of my heart that should never have been allowed to doze off. It was late in the evening; my parents had dropped by for a short visit. Jade was overly tired and out of sorts. Looking for some trouble, she wadded up a piece of ...read more

Denomination: Free Methodist

It Was A Week That Was Shot To Pieces

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 27, 2020

I only made one mistake last week, which is something of a record for me. I try limiting mistakes to one at a time, but not always in sequential order. I once tried to make my mistakes in a logical order, but it turned out to be a mistake. The one faux pas I made was taking Monday off. I proposed ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Humor, Plans

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Unintentionally Humorous Texts: "Don’t Ask Me, It Just Happened!”

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Mar 2, 2024

Introduction: Chances are either you, me, or someone we know has tried to excuse something that whoever it was, did. Excuses vary, but more often than not, the reply is something along the lines of “I don’t know how this happened!” One of the clearest cases of “I-don’t-know-itis” took place at the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:21-24

Tags: Moses, Aaron, Golden Calf

Denomination: Baptist

It’s My Pain I’ll Use It If I Want To

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 1, 2025

When I think I've turned a page to a new chapter in my life, I realize there is nothing new in life. I'm referring to pain. I cannot remember a time in my life when I didn't have some pain. In the years of my naivety, I never imagined that when I got older, I would experience more ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18

Tags: Tylenol, Pain, Doctors

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Six -Year-Old Brandon Decided One Saturday ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Jones on Jul 15, 2005

Six -year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Pentecostal

Woodson Armes Was Pastor Of Polytechnic Baptist ...  PRO

Contributed by Glenn Hickey on Jun 9, 2003

Woodson Armes was pastor of Polytechnic Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas during my seminary years. At a seminary chapel service he told this story from his growing up as a teenager in rural Texas. “As a teenager growing up I really gave my parents a lot of grief. On one particular occasion I ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Father

Denomination: Baptist

Thank You For The Goats In Our Lives!" 1 ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 23, 2004

“Thank You for the Goats in Our Lives!” 1 Chronicles 16: 1-4 Key verse(s): 4: “He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. ” “God would surely understand if I wasn’t thankful for this!” If ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:1-4

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Lutheran

Poor Little Orphan Annie! It's "A Hard-Knock ...  PRO

Contributed by Jim Luthy on Jan 23, 2002

Poor Little Orphan Annie! It’s "a hard-knock life" for her and her friends. All the hard chores, the abuse, and the neglect only add insult to injury to these poor little girls already carrying the weight of abandonment. But if you’ve seen the musical "Annie," either on stage or screen, you know ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships, Endurance, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Dear Lady In The Church I Serve Shared With Me ...

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on May 14, 2007

A dear lady in the church I serve shared with me a poem she cut out of a magazine over 60 years ago. It has the spirit of what Dr. Graham’s mother felt about being a mother: A Mother’s Prayer Sing me no eulogy of praise, Give me no hallowed stool; Just let me be my children’s friend, ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

I Love The Jason Bourne Stories. Jason Bourne Is ...

Contributed by Scott Brewer on Jul 22, 2007

I love the Jason Bourne stories. Jason Bourne is a fictional character created by Robert Ludlum in books and film. The first film, “The Bourne Identity”, is the intriguing story of what it is like when you forget who you are. Jason Bourne is a highly trained, specialized agent of the US government ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:1-9, Matthew 4:1-11

Denomination: Baptist

In 1983 A Fifty-Year-Old Tradition Was Quietly ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2005

In 1983 a fifty-year-old tradition was quietly dropped by the U.S. House of Representatives. The tradition involved the annual reading of George Washington’s farewell address on the occasion of his birthday. Democratic and Republican leaders decided it was useless to continue to read the lengthy ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

A Little Boy Always Went Next Door To Play Even ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 11, 2006

A little boy always went next door to play even though his mom had warned him against doing so. This worried his mom so badly that she asked him why he was so disobedient. He replied that Satan tempted him so bad and he did not know what to do. ? ? His mom then advised him to say ’get ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

One Day, Ten-Year Old Ryan Was Driving Imaginary ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

One day, ten-year old Ryan was driving imaginary race cars with his friends. Several minutes later he came bounding into the house and yelled, "Mom, you’ve got to come quick. Billy wants to accept Jesus into his heart." Skeptical of the child’s sudden interest in spiritual things, Susie asked, ...read more