In Sermon Illustrations: "Be Saved Now"

A Small Defiant Boy  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Dec 8, 2003

A small defiant boy When I was a youth minister 30+ years ago I told a young 5 year old boy to stop running in church. He stopped and then turned to me and said I couldn’t make him. Well... I couldn’t let a challenge like that go by so I got down on his level and firmly took him by the arms. I ...read more

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Alice Cooper  PRO

Contributed by John Harvey on Jul 30, 2007

Alice Cooper “Drinking beer is easy. Trashing your hotel room is easy. But being a Christian, that’s a tough call. That’s rebellion.” That’s an especially interesting perspective coming from a man who works with a guillotine every night. At the height of his worldwide fame, Cooper drank a bottle ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Date For Easter Moves Around Each Year. In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2007

The Date for Easter moves around each year. In the year 2018 (and in 2029) it will land right on April 1st --April Fool’s Day. A lot of us have played April Fool’s jokes on others, or have had these jokes played on us. But what if history’s worst joke turned out to be that we were counting on a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:12-28

Tags: Easter, Resurrection, Tomb, April Fools Day

Ralph's Ultimate Purpose

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

RALPH’S ULTIMATE PURPOSE John Matters and I visited Ralph Drennan Thursday. You know, since he came back from WWII, Ralph has run a business of re-binding books. He’s in his 90’s now, so Ralph has cut his hours back a little. He still gets work sent to him from all across the US, because there ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 138:8

Tags: God Brings Purpose

We Are ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

"WE ARE HERE" On the Fourth of July 1917, an American Army officer, Charles Stanton, stood in for General Pershing at a ceremony in Paris. The occasion, as the date suggests, was America’s Independence celebration, the Fourth of July. But it was not in America; it was in Paris, 1917, in a city and ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:7-10

Tags: Obedience

Anger Vs. Annoyance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2012

ANGER VS. ANNOYANCE A young girl who was writing a paper for school came to her father and asked, "Dad, what is the difference between anger and annoyance?" The father replied, "It is mostly a matter of degree. Let me show you what I mean." With that the father went to the telephone and dialed a ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20, Ephesians 4:26

Tags: Anger

Redemtion - The Bank Ledgers

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

Hear Gods Word: BIBLE God made him who had no sin ....to be sin for us ... so that in him ... we might become ... the righteousness ... of God. END (2 Corinthians 5:21) Years ago ...... when I was a young banker in Ohio, ... we used large leather-bound ledgers ......where all accounts... were ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Blood, Salvation, Redemption, Ledgers

Denomination: Anglican

Had God Remained Silent … The Plight Of Mankind ...

Contributed by Stephen Wright on Mar 30, 2003

Had God remained silent … the plight of mankind would have been desperate indeed; but now he has spoken his revealing, redeeming, and life ...read more

Tags: God The Father, God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

My Lips Opened And I Said I Did. I Meant It. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"My lips opened and I said I did. I meant it. Like a wavering compass needle that points at last to north, that weather-vane soul of mine had ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

After A Sunday School Lesson On Ten Commandments, ...

Contributed by Dr. Madana Kumar, Phd on Jan 30, 2010

After a Sunday school lesson on Ten Commandments, the Sunday school teacher asked the students, "Now, which of the Ten commandments applies to our relationship with our siblings?" A little ...read more

Tags: Family

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Monogamy Trade-Offs?

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 28, 2011

MONOGAMY TRADE-OFFS? The Utah Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) is promoting polygamy as a solution to the problems of working mothers. Elizabeth Joseph said, "I've maximized my ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Years Ago, A Very Wealthy Man Shared With His ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Dec 20, 2007

Years ago, a very wealthy man shared with his devoted young son a passion for art collecting. Together they travelled the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Lee Thomas On Praying For The Lost

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

LEE THOMAS ON PRAYING FOR THE LOST Prayer is really the starting place for all of our evangelistic efforts. We need to be like Paul in Romans 10:1, when he said: "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved." *Lee Thomas is a great teacher on praying for the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 10:1

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Misapplied Scriptures: Ezekiel 16:6

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 26, 2023

Introduction: Some folks, perhaps well-meaning, will take a verse completely out of its context in order to use the words for something much different than what was intended. This verse is one that to my knowledge has never been used as the person (L, to protect the identity) said to me many years ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 16:6

Tags: Misapplied Scriptures, Blood, Israel

Denomination: Baptist

Unsung Heroes: Ebed-Melech, A Man Who Helped Jeremiah The Prophet

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 9, 2021

Introduction: The Old Testament prophets sometimes faced severe persecution. Jeremiah certainly had his share of troubles and in this instance, he had preached God’s message but was thrown into a cistern! Most likely he was going to be left there to die, but an unsung hero helped rescue Jeremiah. ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 38:7-13, Jeremiah 39:15-18

Tags: Jeremiah, Persecution, Ebedmelech

Denomination: Baptist

The Bike Before Christmas  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Dec 19, 2003

[The Bike Before Christmas, unknown] ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through our house Not a creature was sleeping, not even my spouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with screws. (If you can’t find the nails, what else do you use?) The children were restless, awake in their ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Toad Baked Some Cookies. "These Cookies Smell ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Redwine on Jan 2, 2004

Toad baked some cookies. “These cookies smell very good,” said Toad. He ate one. “And they taste even better,” he said. Toad ran to Frog’s house. “Frog, Frog,” cried Toad, “taste these cookies that I have made.” Frog ate one of the cookies, “These are the best cookies I have ever eaten!” said Frog. ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting, Temptation General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Phan Thi Kim Phuc  PRO

Contributed by John Harvey on Feb 12, 2004

Phan Thi Kim Phuc (Illustration from Still More Hot Illustrations for Youth Talks” Wayne Rice. Printed by Youth Specialties) On June 8, 1972, a nine-year-old Vietnamese girl, her clothes flaming from gasoline bombs, fled the American-led assault on her village of Trang Bang. With her eyes ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Baptist

People Seem To Believe That They Have An ...  PRO

Contributed by Jerry Vargo on Feb 1, 2001

People seem to believe that they have an inalienable right to be happy--"I want what I want and I want it now." No one wants to wait for anything and, for the most part, no one ...read more

Tags: Peace, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Pentecostal

About 12.4% Of The U.s. Population—some 35 ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2006

About 12.4% of the U.S. population—some 35 million people—are now age 65 or older. It’ll be 16.5% by 2050. (The Foster ...read more

Tags: What Is Evangelism?