In Sermon Illustrations: "Beauty"

Fix It!

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Feb 13, 2009

"FIX IT!" The Catholic archbishop and novelist, Andrew Greeley, brilliantly describes God’s redemptive work and holy clean-up as "God’s big crayon making crooked lines straight," but this only addresses the result, not the process. It reminds me of when, as a young boy, my mother and I would color ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Denomination: *other

Imhotep And Joseph

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 9, 2019

A memory of Joseph may have been merged into the legend of Imhotep: “According to Egyptologists, the Pharaoh Djoser employed an adviser named Imhotep, who designed his pyramid. Prior to that time, Pharaohs were buried in low, rectangular structures called mastaba. Imhotep’s design used a creative ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 41:1-57

Tags: Leadership, Joseph, History, Egyptology, Imhotep  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How Should A Christian Walk?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 29, 2025

Have you ever noticed how novelists or movie directors make use of the way a person walks to highlight his or her character? Proud man walks erect, their heads held high. Beautiful women glide or float. Villains slouch, sneak, creep, or swagger. The need to describe different ways of walking has ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1, Isaiah 57:2, 1 John 1:7, Micah 6:8, Psalm 119:106  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Light, Humble, Walk, Worthy, Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Ballerina - Using Your Talents

Contributed by John Gullick on Oct 22, 2015

Let me tell you a story - it is a modification of a story I wrote a few years ago and I simply want to draw out that each person invested what God had invested in them. It is called the Ballerina. Once upon a time there was an orphan ballerina - how she loved to dance. She was the most elegant of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-44

Tags: Gifts, Talents, Ballerina

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Unsung Heroes: The Lame Man Of Acts 3

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Apr 30, 2021

Text: Acts 3:1-10. KJV: 1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into ...read more

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Tags: John, Peter, Healings

Denomination: Baptist

An Old Lady Spent Much Of Her Summer Setting And ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Apr 27, 2002

An old lady spent much of her summer setting and swinging in the old swing hanging on her front porch. Her husband had been dead several years and she had withdrawn from all but the closest family. Her lonely time grew and grew?? One spring day, the old lady went out in the garage and dug the old ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1, John 11:1-44

Tags: Disappointment

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Satan's Worldwide Convention  PRO

Contributed by James Harrington on Sep 20, 2004

Satan’s worldwide convention: Satan called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his devils, he said, “We can’t keep Christians from going to church. We can’t keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can’t keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:15-24, 1 Corinthians 7:35

Tags: Feelings, Emotions, Temptation General, Temptation Resisting

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Church Cake Cover-Up  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

CHURCH CAKE COVER-UP It was time for the annual cake sale at a Presbyterian church not much different than our own. Ms. Billings always made the most beautiful cakes...she was expected to make another one this year. However, Ms. Billings was a very busy woman with the time she spent with her ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11:1-15

Tags: Hypocrisy, Cake

Two Sons And What They Did With Their ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2009

Two Sons and What They Did With Their Marbles Once upon a time, a mother gave each of her sons two dollars and took them to a toy store to buy the beautiful, shiny marbles they had been asking for. The older son quickly figured out how many marbles he could get with his two dollars, chose the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Stewardship

Un Amigo Que Dura (Translation Follows)

Contributed by Rolando Delgado on Sep 22, 2010

UN AMIGO QUE DURA (Translation follows) Una Señorita tenía un perro al que quería mucho; pero un día el animal enfermó y al poco tiempo murió. La muchacha se puso muy triste ; se sentía muy sola sin su perro, pero en eso llego una amiga a quien ella amaba con todo su corazón, y en su compañía se ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Case Of Margaret Ault

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 19, 2011

THE CASE OF MARGARET AULT In his book, The Jesus Creed, Scot McKnight shares the moving story of Margaret Ault. When Margaret was just about to complete her Ph.D. at Duke, something unexpected -- but quite welcomed -- happened: she fell in love. She went on a date with a man named Hyung Goo Kim, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:23

Tags: God Brings Hope

Baptism: Clothed In Christ  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Apr 1, 2012

BAPTISM: CLOTHED IN CHRIST Just this last week we baptized a 9-year-old boy into Christ. His name is J.J. J.J. knew all the answers to the questions I posed to him, but his father was concerned that his young son viewed baptism as a "magic act" that would make all kinds of marvelous changes ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Ship Is Safer In The Harbor, But That's Not ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 25, 2007

“A ship is safer in the harbor, but that’s not what a ship was made for.”-Dad The truth of those words sunk into my heart… and I believe they’ve helped to direct the course of my life. Imagine a beautiful ship… built with the best wood, and decorated with great sails and flags honoring the ships ...read more

Tags: Flag, War

Crown Of Thorns  PRO

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

CROWN OF THORNS Nearly thirty years ago on Saturday night I sat in an indoor arena excitedly watching a beautiful Arabian stallion receive the very high honor of "Legion of Merit." The lights were turned off and a large spotlight appeared at the entrance gate. Music played as this beautiful bay ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:28-30

Tags: Easter Good Friday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Death Of A Eagle (Let Go)

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 9, 2016

CONCLUSION: There was a young man that attended school in a large north-eastern city. In his studies he fell in love with EAGLES. He read everything he could about eagles. He watched documentaries about eagles and the more he studied the more he loved EAGLES. He promised himself when he graduated ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5

Tags: Eagle, Let Go

Denomination: Assembly Of God

You Share Christ By Imitating Christ. A Story Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Oct 27, 2000

You share Christ by imitating Christ. A story is told – by Fredrick Beuchner I believe – called “The Happy Hypocrite." It is a story about a man who was born with an awful facial deformity. He grew up alone and lonely. When reaching adulthood, he decided to move from his town to begin a new life. ...read more

Tags: Hypocrite, Image Of Christ, Influence, Great, Accomplishment, Call Of The Disciples, Change, Discipleship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Robert Robinson Had Been Saved Out Of A ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Apr 24, 2001

Robert Robinson had been saved out of a tempestuous life of sin through George Whitfield’s ministry in England. Shortly after that, at the age of twenty-three, Robinson wrote the hymn Come, Thou Fount. Come, Thou Fount of ev’ry blessing, Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest ...read more

Tags: God's Forgiveness, Promises Of God, Repentance

Denomination: Baptist

Richie Cunningham Had Been Watching Her Walk By ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on May 10, 2001

Richie Cunningham had been watching her walk by his house for days. Every day a certain neighbor gal walked by, the more he noticed her long dark hair - her gentle smile - her soft features - they were all things that beckoned his heart to go beyond the living room window and meet this girl of his ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love, Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran

The Valley Of Sorrow  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 24, 2002

The Valley of Sorrow by Bernice Peyman I came to the Valley of Sorrow, And dreadful it looked to my view But Jesus was walking beside me, So together we journeyed it through. And now I look back to that valley As the fairest I ever have trod, For I learned there the love of my Father, I leaned on ...read more

Tags: Human Body

He Set It All Aside  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 16, 2002

He Set It All Aside By Dan Adkins And Tracy Dartt Somewhere Upon A Distant Land Long Ago, And Far Away Was A Crown Of Gold And Precious Jewels Still Unequaled To This Day It Was A Crown Desired By Kings And Princes Throughout The Years Of Time But The King For Whom The Crown Was Made For Love... ...read more

Tags: Christ The King, Divinity Of Christ, King, Jesus Is King