In Sermon Illustrations: "Belief That Matters"

Miss Gad-About

Contributed by J.d. Tutell on Jan 3, 2011

MISS GAD-ABOUT Years ago a man named Phillip Keller went from being a shepherd to a pastor, in his book on the 23rd Psalm he talks about one particular sheep that he had. Phillip took great pride in maintaining his fields, they were far greener than that of his neighbor, much better then the ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

We All Have To Run

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2011

WE ALL HAVE TO RUN First of all, let’s establish one immutable fact--we all have to run; we have no choice. An intelligence far above our own; and the circumstances which have been placed upon us, dictate that we all must run just to survive. Out on the grassy plains of the African Savannah lives ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Christian Disciplines

A Confession Of Stealing

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

A CONFESSION OF STEALING Jack removes the envelope from the small pile of mail and draws in a deep breath. It is from his former employer. He has lost sleep waiting for it. What he is about to read could lead to his exoneration or to imprisonment. He had written to this man two weeks ago, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 28:13

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Works-Driven Rituals

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

WORKS-DRIVEN RITUALS Every year a great throng of people make pilgrimage to the Shrine of Guadalupe in Mexico, a site where supposedly the Virgin Mary once stood...however unlikely that is. They go there hoping to get her attention, and to get her to intervene for them with her son Jesus. They ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:7-10

Tags: Action

Give God The Big Stuff, Too

Contributed by Sean Harder on Aug 5, 2011

GIVE GOD THE BIG STUFF, TOO I am mechanically inept and every once in a while I try to do some mechanical thing. Sometimes it's as simple as trying to put up a light fixture. Inevitably it fights back and doesn't go easily. I start getting frustrated and forcing the issue, usually making it worse. ...read more

Tags: Trust

Come Down Off The Chair

Contributed by Michael Milton on Sep 11, 2011

COME DOWN OFF THE CHAIR There is a pastor who was once a professor--a very creative professor--at RTS in Jackson, Mississippi. One day he had the responsibility of leading the chapel service. Most of us prepare for chapel messages by Bible study and prayer. This professor prepared by not only ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Billy Graham's Arena Dreams

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 7, 2012

BILLY GRAHAM'S ARENA DREAMS Billy Graham, in his book "Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well" (pp. 2-3, Thomas Nelson) writes: I have remained a baseball fan, not necessarily of one team over another but of the game itself--the teamwork, the strategy, and the challenge of defeating the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Dreams

Denomination: Baptist

How To Send An Ultra Top Secret ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2012

HOW TO SEND AN ULTRA TOP SECRET MESSAGE There is a distinguished British gentleman by the name of Sir Oliver Franks. He had been a professor of philosophy at Oxford, and president of a couple of different colleges during the turbulent years of the 1960s and following. He had also been the chairmen ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Tags: Preaching

The Hobbit: Denying Yourself  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 15, 2013

The Hobbit: Denying Yourself In the movie “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” there is a scene where the Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit who is accompanying 13 dwarves on a mission, unexpectedly disappears and seems to have abandoned the dwarves during a crucial battle. They were losing. Bilbo does ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23-25

Tags: Dying To Self, Deny Self

Denomination: Nazarene

When Your Sin Finds You Out.  PRO

Contributed by Larry Turner on Sep 16, 2013

I was 18 years old when I stole my first and only item. I was a bagger at a local grocery store. The store had some small battery operated record players that played 45s. (For those too young to remember what 45s were, they looked like bid CDs with a hole in the middle.) A lot of the record players ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 32:23

Tags: Truth, Unconfessed Sin

Denomination: Foursquare

The Ugliest Suit Ever

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

Note: this story is told from my perspective - Jim Butcher of Madison WV. When I was at Southern Seminary in Louisville, there were a few days in the spring when they offered official photos. It was a professional photographer with a nice backdrop and the prices were reasonable. The seminary ...read more

Tags: Change, Transformation, Appearances

Denomination: Baptist

It's Never Too Late To Start Over

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 28, 2019

At age 5 his father died. At age 16 he quit school. At age 17 he had already lost four jobs. At age 18 he got married. Between ages 18 and 22, he was a railroad conductor and failed. He joined the army and washed out there. He applied for law school, he was rejected. He became an insurance sales ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-7

Tags: New Birth, Don't Quit, Never Too Late, Success

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christmas Significance

Contributed by Sourav Dasgupta on Dec 30, 2021

*Josiah and Jesus* (Significance of Christmas) At 8 yrs. he became King - Josiah and reigned for 31 years @Major Changes @One of the best Kings of Israel @Similarities with Jesus Christ 2Kings22,23 His father was Manasseh and was a bad example but Mother was a good example **(my nature is ...read more

Tags: Reference To Christ, King's Responsibility

Jingle Bells At A Funeral?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 22, 2022

Several years ago, a pretty well-known singing group made a monster mistake at a funeral service. This group traveled all around the USA singing and sharing Christ. One of the men in their home church back in Texas told them that he prayed for them, supported them greatly and loved to hear them ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 1:9

Tags: Christmas, Communication, Confession, Confusion, Embarrassment, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Victorious Living

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

2 weeks ago as I sat in the office of my lawyer, he showed me a photocopy of a handwritten letter from Abraham Lincoln that was written to my lawyer’s great-great uncle. The uncle happened to be the president of the University of Pennsylvania at that time. He was involved in writing a pamphlet on ...read more

Scripture: John 16:19-22

Tags: Victory, Hard Times

Denomination: Baptist

Just Listen Please!

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

Could You Just Listen? When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving me advice, you have not done what I asked. When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn’t feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings. When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do ...read more

Scripture: Job 2:11-13, James 1:19

Tags: Quietness, Listening, Grieving

Denomination: Independent/Bible

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

Trouble In The Church  PRO

Contributed by Douglas Duvall on Dec 3, 2006

Trouble in the Church ACTS 15:1-12 I. Decision 15:1-4 A. Men 15:1 B. Method 15:2 C. Messages 15:3-4 II. Demand 15:5-6 A. Demands 15:5 B. Deliberations 15:6 III. Declaration 15:7-12 A. Choice 15:7 B. Comparison 15:8-9 C. Conversion 15:10-12 Introduction Peter had ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

Aunt Bessie's Pickled Beets!" 2 Corinthians ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 19, 2005

“Aunt Bessie’s Pickled Beets!” 2 Corinthians 7:2-13 Key verse(s): 10:“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” The worst part of doing wrong is being found out. We’ve all been caught doing wrong in life; especially when we ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 7:2-13, Luke 17:5-10

Tags: Crucifixion

Denomination: Lutheran

No Parts Left Over!" Psalm 37: 25-26 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 14, 2004

“No Parts Left Over!” Psalm 37: 25-26 Key verse(s): 25: “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” When I was a boy I received one of those expensive model cars for Christmas. It was not your typical model with only about a hundred ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:25-26, Psalm 37:25-40, Psalm 37:1-2

Tags: Giving General

Denomination: Lutheran