In Sermon Illustrations: "Belief In God"

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

Grant And Custer  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Apr 21, 2011

GRANT AND CUSTER There is a story of two Civil War Generals: George A. Custer and Ulysses S. Grant. Both graduated from West Point -- Gen. Grant, being the oldest, graduated in the 1840's and Gen. Custer in 1861. Grant fought in several wars and was a field General in every sense of the word. ...read more

Tags: Humility, God's Humility

Denomination: *other

Tomorrow Brings Hope

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2011

"TOMORROW" BRINGS HOPE In late March of 1993, a sudden snowstorm covered the East coast of the U.S. Over in the Smoky Mountains, it was the snow of the century. Many hunters and hikers were trapped in the park. Four doctors from Knoxville had chosen that weekend for a hunting trip to the Smokies. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 31:1-5

Tags: God Brings Hope

Brezhnev's Hope

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

BREZHNEV'S HOPE As Vice President of the U.S., George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

The World Is Without Hope

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

THE WORLD IS WITHOUT HOPE In Kurt Vonnegut’s novel, Cat’s Cradle, an important book comes to light. It is titled, "What Can a Thoughtful Man Hope for Mankind on Earth, Given the Experience of the Past Million Years?" The chief character is anxious to read it. But when he does, he finds that it ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:12

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Hope Is A Source Of Life

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

HOPE IS A SOURCE OF LIFE Hope prays for God’s "will to be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10) and then seeks to be God’s agent of change! One writer says: "Biblical and Christian hope does not mean living in the clouds, dreaming of a better life. It is not merely a projection of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

No Faith, No Power

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

NO FAITH, NO POWER When I was growing up in Oklahoma, there was a lake my family and I frequented a lot called Keystone Lake. Keystone was not a natural lake; prior to its creation in 1962, there were towns located there, one of which gives the lake its name. The town was to be flooded to make a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Charlie's Thanksgiving List

Contributed by Perry Hancock on Nov 22, 2022

Charlie’s Thanksgiving List The pastor at the downtown men’s shelter was ready to begin the Thanksgiving service. Everyone was ready for him to begin and finish since the service was before the meal. After a few hymns were sung, it was time for the pastor’s Thanksgiving sermon. This year he had ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:2

Tags: Thanksgiving, God's Blessings

Denomination: Baptist

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

Knowledge Of Jesus

Contributed by Samuel M on May 16, 2024

The knowledge of you (Jesus) changes my understanding of who I am. The words I speak, the way I think, the life I live will radically change when I see you and get to know you Jesus. ‘I’ in me will alter (change or destroy) to become more like you (Jesus). Knowing and seeing you Jesus helps me to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:8

Tags: Faith, Knowledge Of God

Metamorphosis

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Mar 1, 2025

I thought of a book I read years ago in German class. We were assigned the task of reading the Famous Novel by Franz Kafka entitled “The Metamorphosis”. It was about a young man who woke up one day and realized he had been transformed into, of all things, a large Roach. The story line of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Tags: Transfiguration, God's Presence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

For Thou Art With Me

Contributed by John Bright on Apr 17, 2025

In Psalm 23:4, we read: “4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” I often to talk to folks who are grieving the loss of a loved one to remember the “FIVE LITTLE WORDS” of Psalm 23:4 – For… thou… art… with… me. Jesus died so that ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:4

Tags: Fear, God With Us

Denomination: Methodist

Forgiveness

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

One of my heroes of the faith is the late Richard Wurmbrand who died in February 2001. Wurmbrand was born in Rumania in 1920 as a Jew and became a Christian when he encountered Christ at an early age. He shared his faith with the occupying troops in the 1940’s and the Germans threw him in prison ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:4

Tags: God's Underground, Wurmbrand

Denomination: Anglican

The Church

Contributed by Mitchell Leonard on Jan 16, 2026

“The Church” “You don’t have to agree with me today. You don’t have to like me and what I have to say. You can go home ANGRY, but I really hope that you can See that I LOVE YOU, and that’s why I’ve shown you God’s plan. It’s a CHURCH, a group of BELIEVERS, that honor and glorify JESUS It’s NOT ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:18

Tags: The Church, Glorifying God

Denomination: Baptist

Listening For The Car In The Driveway

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

Think about what it’s actually like to wait for someone you love to come home. Maybe your spouse is on a business trip, or your kid is coming home from college after a long semester. You’re not just waiting. You’re listening for the car in the driveway. You’re glancing at the clock. You’re ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:25, Romans 8:25

Tags: Hope, Waiting On God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Ring In Witness Protection

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

Have you ever had one of those moments where, as the words are leaving your mouth, you know you're making a terrible mistake? I had one of those back in 2014. I had just started my first real job at an advertising agency, and I was so excited that I went straight from work and bought an ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:2-3, Isaiah 40:3

Tags: God's Timing, Waiting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Missed The Sunrise

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

I recently had the chance to visit Acadia National Park in Maine. There's a place there, Cadillac Mountain, where you can be one of the first people in the entire country to see the sunrise. While the rest of America is still in darkness, light first makes its appearance on that mountaintop. I ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2

Tags: Hope, God's Faithfulness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Breakfast Was Always Ready

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

Every morning before school, without fail, my mom had breakfast ready for me. It didn't matter how busy she was or what else was going on. There was always a warm meal waiting. It wasn't just about the food. It was her way of saying, "I'm thinking about you. I care about you. I ...read more

Scripture: John 21:9-13

Tags: Grace, God's Provision

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Navigtionally Challenged

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

When I was 16, I went to pick up my girlfriend to drive and meet my parents and grandparents for a hockey game downtown. Downtown was north of my house in Amarillo. You get on I-27, head north, fifteen minutes, done. We drove for a while. And a little while more. And nothing was looking familiar. ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 5:22-24, Psalm 119:105

Tags: Guidance, God's Word

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When The Door Opened

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 18, 2026

Before Cassy and I moved to Middle Tennessee, we were in West Texas. I was running a pretty small graphic design business and driving for Uber and Lyft in the evenings, and I was frustrated overall. Not because anything was particularly wrong, but because I kept feeling like I wasn't doing what ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:8, 1 Corinthians 16:9

Tags: God's Timing, Calling

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational