In Sermon Illustrations: "Be Still"

When Jesus Does Not Meet Our Expectations We End ...

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Dec 28, 2006

When Jesus does not meet our expectations we end up going back to what is most important to us. For some of us it is sex. We stop being moral people or we leave our marriages to get as many sexual encounters as we can. Others it is like Judas it is money. God has failed so I will get as much ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Seoul -- At His Father's Funeral, American Carl ...

Contributed by Bruce Landry on Jan 15, 2007

Seoul -- At his father’s funeral, American Carl Lewis placed his 100-meter gold medal from the 1984 Olympics in his father’s hands. "Don’t worry," he told his surprised mother. "I’ll get another one." A year later, in the 100-meter final at the 1988 games, Lewis was competing against Canadian ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Young Woodsman Came Into A Store One Day To Buy ...

Contributed by Chris Edmondson on Feb 4, 2007

A young woodsman came into a store one day to buy a new axe. He manually chopped down trees. He saw an advertisement on the counter a chainsaw. The advertisement said, “Will cut down ten times the trees that can be cut by a hand axe.” Well, the woodsman seeing this for the first time got very ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Give It To Get It

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Aug 18, 2008

Give It to Get It I have the opportunity to hang out with alcoholics and addicts that are working on recovery. And it is truly amazing to see how they often serve one another. You see for those in recovery serving those who are still suffering in terms of sharing the greatest thing that they have, ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Church Of God

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

THE PUSH A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o’clock in the morning by a loud pounding on their door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger in the pouring rain is asking for a push. "Not a chance!" says the husband. "It’s three o’clock in the morning!" He slams the door ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Servanthood

From Wm. Barclay's Commentary: One Of The Great ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 8, 2009

From Wm. Barclay’s commentary: One of the great stories of the Christian Church is that of Telemachus. He was a hermit of the desert, but the call of God told him he must go to Rome. Rome was nominally Christian, but still the gladiatorial games went on. Men fought with other and crowds roared with ...read more

Tags: Reformation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Rosemary's Rag Doll

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 7, 2009

ROSEMARY'S RAG DOLL There is a natural, logical kind of loving that loves lovely things and lovely people. That's logical. But there is another kind of loving that doesn't look for value in what it loves, but that CREATES value in what it loves. Like Rosemary's rag doll. When Rosemary, my ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Baptist

On Nimrod And Super Heroes

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 12, 2010

ON NIMROD AND SUPER HEROES My grandson loves super heroes. He has videos of "Ben Ten" He stands there and with a big voice declares "I am Tahmongasaur!" (I think he means to say "Humongasaur" but you can't correct a three-year-old). Humongousaur is strong enough to bench press a pickup truck. Half ...read more

Tags: Heroism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Tree Of Hippocrates

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 23, 2010

THE TREE OF HIPPOCRATES In the Greek Islands, one can seek out the home of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. In the area, one can also find an olive tree, supposedly dating from his time. If this is so, this tree would then be some 2400 years old. The trunk of this tree is very large ...read more

Tags: Hypocrisy

Denomination: Pentecostal

You’ve Heard The Expression "Rally ...

Contributed by Mark Pierce on May 25, 2010

You’ve heard the expression “Rally Around the Flag.” It is where our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner” comes from. Francis Scott Key, as a prisoner aboard a British ship, saw the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry in the early morning hours of September 14, 1814. Today we ...read more

Tags: Independence Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The One  PRO

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Apr 22, 2011

THE ONE The crowds cheered and waved their hands. Many stood upon their tip-toes hoping to catch a glimpse of their deliverer as he processed by. "He's the one! echoed throughout the streets. Many praised his name with hands and fists held high. Was it true? Had "the one" finally come ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Denomination: Lutheran

Memorial Day: Remember The Martyrs

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jun 4, 2011

MEMORIAL DAY: REMEMBER THE MARTYRS It’s honorable and fitting this morning we remember the sacrifice of our nation’s great veterans, who gave their lives on battlefields abroad and here at home. By some estimates, nearly 1.3 million Americans have shed their blood and died for freedom’s cause. ...read more

Tags: Holidays Civic

Denomination: Lutheran

He's No Longer In The Grave  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

HE'S NO LONGER IN THE GRAVE In 1887, twenty two years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, his coffin was dug up and opened because there were constant rumors that his body was not in the grave. So they dug it up and the body was there. The rumors continued so 14 years later they ...read more

Scripture: John 20:1-20

Tags: Jesus Lives, Easter Resurrection

A Gift Of Kindness - You Never Know

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Oct 20, 2018

A number of years ago, my husband and I went to Applebees on our Anniversary for a quiet dinner together. It was, indeed, very quiet, because my husband had just been ordered to undergo an MRI, and we knew that the results might change our future forever. Still, we did what old married couples ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:31, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:39-40

Tags: Do Unto Others, Love Your Neighbor, Loving Acts, Kind Acts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Cycles Of Dying Churches

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 16, 2022

Almost all churches go through “lifecycles” - they start with a MAN, a visionary leader has a passion to to accomplish a God-given Vision -- then they become a MOVEMENT. At this stage the people are nearly 100% committed. They spend time together at each other’s homes and in Bible studies. Then ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Dying Churches, Church, Revival, Seven Churches

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Like A Glove

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 23, 2022

Here’s a story of how I explain the Holy Spirit in us to children. I take an empty glove and tell the kids that it's a magic glove. I tell them it is amazing because it can pick things up. Then, I drop it on a hymn book or Bible and tell it to pick up the book. When it doesn't move, I ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Holy Spirit, Abiding

Orders Remain Unchanged!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 10, 2023

There is a tomb of unknown soldiers in America which has a guard 24 hours a day. Every hour on the hour, 365 days a year, a new soldier reports for duty. When the new guard arrives, he receives his orders from the one who is leaving. The words are always the same: “Orders Remain Unchanged.” The ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Holy Spirit, Missions, Revival, Witnessing, Great Commission  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Alone

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

I'm not sure if I am the only one that does this or not. Growing up, if I was ever walking down a dark country road by myself, I found myself whistling, or singing, or humming an old familiar gospel song. It seemed like it made everything safer. It made me feel protected as I drew myself ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:9-17

Tags: Alone, God's Presence

Denomination: Baptist

George W. Bush Meets Moses!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 22, 2024

George W. Bush was walking through an airport last week, when he saw an old man with white hair, a long white beard, wearing a long white robe and holding a staff. He walked up to the man, who was staring at the ceiling, and "Excuse me sir, aren't you Moses?" The man stood perfectly ...read more

Tags: Moses, Wilderness, Miracles, Voice Of God, Burning Bush  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

During Gladys Aylward's Harrowing Journey Out Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Oct 18, 2000

During Gladys Aylward’s harrowing journey out of war-torn Yang Chen during the Communist take-over, she faced one morning with no apparent hope of reaching safety. A 13-year old girl tried to comfort her by saying, "Don’t forget what you told us about Moses in the wilderness," to which Gladys ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope, God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist