In Sermon Illustrations: "Be Still"

Royalty Receives The Punishment

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Dec 10, 2007

Royalty Receives The Punishment Throughout history, royal families have received special treatment. Often they were exempt from keeping the law or receiving punishment or even discipline. But the royal children still needed to know that when they misbehaved they deserved to be punished. When a ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Hours Behind The Runner In Front Of Him, The ...  PRO

Contributed by Joo-Ching Chng on Jan 4, 2008

"Hours behind the runner in front of him, the last marathoner finally entered the Olympic stadium. By that time, the drama of the day’s events was almost over and most of the spectators had gone home. This athlete’s story, however, was still being played out. Limping into the arena, the ...read more

Tags: Finish

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Asked A Pastor Friend Who Is Native Pastor ...

Contributed by Todd Pugh on Jan 14, 2008

I asked a pastor friend who is native pastor from India, "What do people in India think about America?" Because many people in the world truly despise us. So I asked him. He said, “People in India think America is heaven on the Earth.” Wow, what an indictment, I thought. They look at us and see ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Whole Concept Of Aiming Has Also Become A ...

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 18, 2008

The whole concept of aiming has also become a metaphor for at least a multi-million dollar business about life and business goals and plans. People and companies pay big bucks for help in answering questions such as, ‘What are you aiming at?’ ‘What will give us the most bang for the buck?’ Slogans ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

The Story Is Told Of A Carpenter Nailing Shingles ...

Contributed by Glenn Durham on Apr 8, 2008

The story is told of a carpenter nailing shingles when he lost his footing and started to slide off. As he was sliding he began praying, “Lord, oh, Lord, help me.” Still he kept sliding. Again the man prayed, “Lord, oh, Lord, help me.” He kept sliding until he got to the edge and a nail sticking up ...read more

Tags: Grace In Action

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Young Man Accepted The Call To Become An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

A YOUNG MAN ACCEPTED THE CALL TO BECOME AN AFRICAN MISSIONARY BUT FOUND ON FURTHER EXAMINATION THAT HIS WIFE COULD NOT STAND THE CLIMATE OF AFRICA. IT MADE HER VERY SICK. HE WAS HEARTBROKEN, BUT HE PRAYERFULLY RETURNED TO HIS HOME AND DETERMINED TO MAKE ALL THE MONEY HE COULD TO BE USED IN ...read more

The Elephant And The ...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 12, 2008

The Elephant and the Ambulance A woman’s red station wagon was crushed by an elephant at a circus. The owners of the animal apologized, explaining that the animal, for some reason, simply liked to sit on red cars. In spite of the damage, the woman’s car was still drivable. But on the way to the ...read more

Tags: Truth Absolute

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ed Vasicek On The Parable Of The Prodigal ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 16, 2008

Ed Vasicek on the Parable of the Prodigal Son If some Dr. Spock-like psychologist wrote this parable, he might say that the Prodigal left home because his father oppressed him, or that he was sheltered from life by his overly-protective mother and the poor financial prospects in a profit-driven ...read more

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Was ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 9, 2008

I was hungry and you formed a humanities club and you discussed my hunger. Thank you. I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel in the cellar to pray for my release. I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick and you knelt and ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Pentecostal

Shallow ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

SHALLOW LIVES A few statistics clarify a problem. The figures I have are from five years ago, but I believe the comparisons are still the same. Americans gave $2.9 billion dollars to overseas missions. That sounds pretty good until you find out that we spend $8.4 billion to see movies, $13 billion ...read more

Tags: Materialism

Ever Hear This Phrase? There Is Some Truth ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Sep 15, 2008

Ever hear this phrase? There is some truth there. In this perspective, religion is seen as something negative and even detrimental at times to one’s spiritual walk. Common conceptions here might include the idea that I really don’t need a religion or a church or a faith community as long as I still ...read more

Tags: Religion

Denomination: Church Of God

Stand Up And Be Counted

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Oct 28, 2008

Stand Up and Be Counted Some years ago Premier Khrushchev was speaking before the Supreme Soviet and was severely critical of the late Premier Stalin. While he was speaking someone from the audience sent up a note: "What were you doing when Stalin committed all these atrocities?" Khrushchev ...read more

Tags: Anxiety

Denomination: Wesleyan

Ingrid Trobisch, Reflecting On The Death Of Her ...

Contributed by Todd Leupold on Nov 3, 2008

Ingrid Trobisch, reflecting on the death of her husband, Walter – a godly man whose writings have ministers to millions – wrote in an article for Partnership magazine (Sept-Oct. 1985): "It took me many years to learn that no man on this earth can satisfy the deepest longings of a woman's heart. ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist

One Sunday Morning The Pastor Noticed Little Alex ...

Contributed by Todd Brock on Nov 13, 2008

One Sunday morning the pastor noticed little Alex was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor ...read more

Tags: Memories

Denomination: Baptist

I Have Some Christian Friends Who Live In India. ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Nov 25, 2008

I have some Christian friends who live in India. After one of my Indian friends visited America, he made this observation. “You Americans have insurance for everything … insurance if you get sick … insurance if you get robbed … insurance if you wreck your car … even insurance if you die. In ...read more

Tags: Worry

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Dead Man Bleeding  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Feb 5, 2009

DEAD MAN BLEEDING The question about impossibilities applied to God's sovereignty is a display of foolish unbelief. A lady brought her husband to the psychiatrist as a last ditch effort; the man thought he was dead. The shrink did everything he could to convince the man otherwise, but the crazy ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: United Methodist

Hope For A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

HOPE FOR A CHANGE In the Peanuts comic strip, we find Snoopy thinking to himself: "Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Ohh...there’s so little hope for advancement." Well, there is hope for those who have a dog’s life, but the change will require them ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Change

Weird Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

WEIRD CHRISTIANS Unchurched Americans think Christians are weird, but it’s not for the reason you might think. Fifty-seven percent of the unchurched wonder why Christian friends and neighbors never talk with them about spiritual matters. To the majority of those outside the church, believers are ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

A Voice That Doesn't Shout  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Marquardt on Mar 30, 2009

A VOICE THAT DOESN'T SHOUT On the Easter just before he died, D. William Sangster painfully printed a short note to his daughter. A deeply spiritual Methodist, he had been spearheading a renewal movement in the British Isles after World War II. Then his ministry, except for prayer, was ended by a ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Assembly Of God

George Duncan Once Went To Visit Some Friends In ...

Contributed by Bruce Howell on May 20, 2009

George Duncan once went to visit some friends in the English countryside. For years they had lived in an old-fashioned, rundown building. To Mr. Duncan’s surprise, he discovered that the house had been completely remodeled. The people had installed new lights, an electric stove, and many other ...read more

Tags: Power

Denomination: Wesleyan