In Sermon Illustrations: "Better Home"

Ill - In 2006 Elizabeth Shoaf Was Abducted While ...

Contributed by Michael Wiley on Mar 20, 2008

ILL - In 2006 Elizabeth Shoaf was abducted while walking home from school. The predator was a local man – weird past… He put Elizabeth in a bunker he had dug in the woods, and there molested her for 14 days! How do you survive that? Elizabeth used several techniques to shut her mind down and keep ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:17-18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Gave Me The Light

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Apr 22, 2008

GOD GAVE ME THE LIGHT I remember back when I graduated from college and was beginning to interview for ministry positions. I was being looked at by three churches, but I wanted God to be able to guide in where I would go, so I agreed to go to the first church that would give me the official call. ...read more

Tags: Trust

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Smile Is All We Need

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Apr 26, 2008

A SMILE IS ALL WE NEED When the famous Canadian 20th Century Pentecostal missionary, Jonathan Goforth, was 16 and still living at home with his parents on the farm, his father bought a second farm. He asked Jonathan to look after a huge field on that second farm and get it ready for harvest. ...read more

Tags: Love For God

Denomination: Anglican

Playing At Religion

Contributed by Stephen Smarowsky on May 2, 2008

PLAYING AT RELIGION An elderly man visited a church during a business meeting. After a number of reports were presented, the chairman of the evangelism committee stood and solemnly stated that there were 200 homes in their county without a Bible. There was a moment of silence, and then the ...read more

Tags: Religion

Denomination: Baptist

Wherever We Go Into The Dark, We Bear The Light ...

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Aug 21, 2008

wherever we go into the dark, we bear the light of Christ’s love. Millions of Christians are doing just that. ANNIE HOWARD is a case in point. In 1991 she was awarded one of President Bush’s “Thousand Points of Light” awards for her Prison Fellowship volunteer work in the Kentucky Correctional ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Wesleyan

I Recently Read Of A Sign Which Hangs On The Wall ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

I recently read of a sign which hangs on the wall of Shishu Bhavan, a children’s home in Calcutta, which reads; People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered, love them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives, be kind anyway. If you are successful, you ...read more

Tags: Love For God

Some Of You Here Tonnight Will Be In That Same ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 18, 2008

SOME OF YOU HERE TONNIGHT WILL BE IN THAT SAME PREDICAMENT - STILL IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND SINS, BUT THE WHY OF CHRISTMAS MEANS YOU CAN BE REDEEMED AND MADE A CHILD OF GOD. I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT A TRUE STORY TO DRIVE THIS TRUTH HOME TONIGHT. IT’S TOLD BY ERNEST GORDON INFACT THERE IS A FILM ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Baptist

The Worst Industrial Accident In History ...

Contributed by Wayne Presnell on Feb 10, 2009

"The worst industrial accident in history occurred on April 26, 1986, in the town of Chernobyl in north central Ukraine of the former Soviet Union. It was caused by two electrical engineers who were playing around with one of the nuclear reactors. They were conducting an unauthorized experiment ...read more

Tags: Warning, Sin Wages Of

Denomination: Baptist

Bible Literate

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

BIBLE LITERATE Americans are among the world’s most ’Bible-literate’ people with Spaniards, French and Italians among the least, claims a Catholic Biblical Federation study. The 9-country poll (U.S., Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy, Spain and Poland) found Americans are ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Deuteronomy 30:19, Deuteronomy 30:6-11

Tags: Bible Study

The Priest And The Levite (Parable Of The Good Samaritan)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 20, 2022

Keathley makes several interesting points that the Priest and Levite mentioned in the Parable of the Prodigal Son were leaving Jerusalem and could not use the excuse that they did not want to touch the man and be unclean for worship. Why? They had already accomplished their duties and were heading ...read more

Tags: Priest, Parables, Hypocrisy, Pharisees, Kindness, Levite, Good Samaritan  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Do You Want To Play Beethoven's Piano?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 5, 2023

J Vernon McGee offers the following illustration of humility of mind and adds a practical application. The story is told of a group of people who went in to see Beethoven’s home in Germany. After the tour guide had showed them Beethoven’s piano and had finished his lecture, he asked if any of them ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-11, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Honor, Humility, Lowliness Of Mind, Position, Spiritual Gifts, Service, Servants  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 3, 2025

It’s Christmas Eve in 1818, in the little village of Oberndorf near Salzburg. St. Nicholas Church will soon be full. Father Joseph Mohr has words for a new carol—but no melody. He walks through the snow to the nearby village of Arnsdorf and asks his friend, schoolteacher Franz Gruber, “Could you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:10-14, Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2

Tags: Peace, Incarnation, Worship

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Mind Your Manners - Servant - President Calvin Coolidge Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 1, 2025

Have you ever dined at a fancy restaurant ... or at someone's home ... and felt a little ... uncomfortable? President Calvin Coolidge ... invited some friends from Vermont ... to dine with him ... at the White House. They were extremely ... nervous. And were concerned ... about the correct ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:7-14, Matthew 15:36, John 13:14, 1 Corinthians 11:27

Tags: Friends, Servant, Manners

Denomination: Anglican

Stubborn Joy—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Dec 1, 2001

STUBBORN JOY--Communion Meditation "No man had more reason to be miserable than this one – yet no man was more joyful. His first home was a palace. Servants were at his fingertips. The snap of his fingers changed the course of history. His name was known and loved. He had everything – wealth, ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-13

Tags: Human Body, Humanity Of Christ, Joy

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Richest Man's Death  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Jan 24, 2001

THE RICHEST MAN’S DEATH Carl was a very rich man who owned a great estate. One of his favorite pastimes was riding horseback through his valley, looking at everything he owned & congratulating himself on his great wealth. One day, as Carl was riding along, he came up over a hill & in the ...read more

Tags: Joy, Death Nearness, Death

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

There Was A Family With One Little Daughter. ...  PRO

Contributed by Darren Ethier on May 9, 2002

There was a family with one little daughter. Mother and daughter were very faithful in church and Sunday School attendance…The father wasn’t interested and he made it plain it was okay for his wife and daughter, but not for him. He worked in a steel mill, a huge hulk of a man who had been a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:36-39, James 1:12

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Incredible Gift—communion Mediation  PRO

Contributed by Dawn Marie Turner on Apr 9, 2003

THE INCREDIBLE GIFT--COMMUNION MEDIATION Danny was born with no ears. He could hear all right, but he didn’t have ears like normal people. All his life, Danny endured ridicule and rejection because of his deformity. But he learned to live with it. Thankfully, he had loving parents and a strong ...read more

Tags: Lordship Of Christ, Rejection, Promises Of God, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Want To Conclude With A Story That Tony ...  PRO

Contributed by Tim Richards on May 18, 2005

I want to conclude with a story that Tony Campolo tells about a time he was asked to speak at a Pentecostal college. He remembered that before the service, eight men had him kneel so they could place their hands on his head and pray. He was glad to have prayer, but each of them prayed a long time, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Baptist

Heavenly Botox! (09.12.05--Heavenly Citizens!--2 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 8, 2005

Heavenly Botox! (09.12.05--Heavenly Citizens!--2 Cor. 5:17) Make-overs! We are a people obsessed with them these days. We restore our cars, pump botox into our chins and eyelids, remodel our homes at a record pace and are transfixed by the various shows on television whose story lines are founded ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Grace, Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Lutheran

The Guest  PRO

Contributed by James Chandler on Jan 11, 2007

The Guest Author Unknown A few months before I was born, my dad met a stranger who was new to our small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ