In Sermon Illustrations: "Better Life"

The Tomb Is Empty

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Apr 14, 2010

THE TOMB IS EMPTY Little Philip, born with Down Syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in Leadership Magazine. But because of a ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist

Grace Is God Drawing Sinners Closer And Closer To ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 7, 2010

Grace is God drawing sinners closer and closer to him. How does God in grace prosecute this purpose? Not by shielding us from assault by the world, the flesh, and the devil, nor by protecting us from burdensome and frustrating circumstance, not yet by shielding us from troubles created by our own ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

Carey: God's Sovereign Will  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

CAREY: GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, began his missionary career to India in 1793. He served the Lord in that country for 40 years, never once returning to his home in England. And throughout those years he translated portions of the Bible into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Gods Will, Still God, God's Sovereign Will, I Can Do All Things

Shoot The Moon

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jul 17, 2011

SHOOT THE MOON The other day I needed to take my mind off things, so I opened my computer and played a game of hearts. Now, like all card games, no matter how diligent you play, there's time when the unexpected happens, and you're hand turns to disaster. One sneaky move from an opponent and it's ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Lutheran

The Heritage Tree  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2012

THE HERITAGE TREE The Heritage Tree, Cape Perpetua, Central Oregon coast. This giant spruce is called The Heritage Tree because it stands almost 200 feet tall and because it started to grow as a seedling about the same time Martin Luther was pounding his theses on the church door at Wittenberg. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Tags: Discipleship

The New ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

THE NEW STUDENT Wendy has the typical dreams owned by the typical High School students. She wants to make friends, she wants to join some clubs, she wants to become a cheerleader, and ultimately wants to graduate and make a living for herself and her future family. There’s only one problem however. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Tags: Lies

The Savior And The Judge

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Sep 6, 2012

THE SAVIOR AND THE JUDGE I heard a story that took place in a western town in the late 1800's. It told of a horse that was spooked and then bolted, running away uncontrollably with a small boy in the bed of the wagon. Seeing the child was in grave danger, a young man risked his life to catch the ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: *other

The Obedience Of Gladys Aylward

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jan 23, 2013

THE OBEDIENCE OF GLADYS AYLWARD Gladys Aylward, missionary to China, during the 1930s as a young woman she left her home in England and sailed to China. Here she opened a home for orphaned children who'd been left to starve or wander the streets. When the Japanese invaded China, Gladys was forced ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Brethren

We're On The Same Team  PRO

Contributed by Gaylon Clark on Dec 9, 2013

Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin had every reason as teammates to be friends, but they were not. Incognito harassed and bullied Martin. He called him a racial slur in a voicemail played by every media outlet in the country. He threatened to kill him and his family. Incognito claimed all of this ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6, John 17:20-23, Colossians 3:12-17, Psalm 133:1-3

Tags: Teamwork, Christian Unity, Church Unity, Christian Friendship

Denomination: Baptist

Pastor! Tell Them!

Contributed by Fred Parker on Oct 23, 2014

Written by Pastor Fred Parker Sat, 21st January, 2012 Proverb 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: [and] a good report maketh the bones fat.KJV Frankie was a dynamic woman. Her whole life has been spent in ministering to others in her quiet gentle way. As she sat in her wheel chair ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:30

Tags: Kindness, Christian Love, Godly Thinking

Denomination: Pentecostal

Trust God He Knows The Future!

Contributed by Roger Whipp on Dec 29, 2014

Testimony: When I was in the Police one of my note books containing vital evidence went missing. I started to panic as in the UK any verbal evidence written down must be shown, if requested in it’s original form at court. The small voice of God prompted me to look in the confidential waste sack. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10

Tags: Trust God, God Knows The Future

Denomination: *other

Who's Flying The Plane?

Contributed by Roger Whipp on Dec 31, 2014

I guess many here including me have in the past and if honest still do sometimes ask this question “Why God?” or “How can there be a God with all this suffering” Sometimes life hands us some tricky situations. Former President Ronald Reagan likes to tell a story which he says is true about a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-31

Tags: Hope, Suffering

Denomination: *other

No One Is A Lost Cause

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Ron Smith was in law enforcement for 20 years. After he retired, he was asked to join a prison ministry of his church. He scoffed at the idea, knowing he had put a lot of those guys in prison and he, above all, knew what types of peoplethey were. But eventually he broke down and joined and God ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Forgiveness, Compassion, Hope, Reconciliation

Denomination: Methodist

The Gossipping Preacher

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 5, 2021

Three preachers from the same small town in Texas were out fishing together, just getting away from the busy pace of a minister's schedule. All alone in a boat together, they began to open up and confess things in their lives. The first preacher said, "Well, I hate to admit it, but I ...read more

Tags: Tale Bearing, Gossip, Critical Spirit, Rumors, Preachers, Backbiting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Types Of Lives!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 29, 2022

Genesis 4:6-26 Cain had an unrighteous heart and sinned against God in many ways including taking the life of his brother; but what can we learn from God as He related to Cain, from the following verses: v6-7: God gave instructions how and why to repent. v9: God was specific in confronting in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-26

Tags: People, Pride, Godly, Creativity, Ungodly, Provisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Fishing With A Net

Contributed by John Bright on May 12, 2023

Dr. Daniel B. Wallace has taught Greek and New Testament courses on a graduate school level since 1979. He wrote about this idea based on Matthew 4 “19 He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 20 They left their nets immediately and followed him.” “It’s strange ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19

Tags: Fishing, Evangelism, Hell

Denomination: Methodist

Why We Believe That Jesus Rose From The Dead

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 25, 2024

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, the Christian faith is a foolish fantasy. However, if the resurrection of Christ did occur, it confirms His life, message, and atoning work. It is the basis of our hope of life beyond the grave. Christ is alive, and the evidence is overwhelming. Here are some of ...read more

Tags: Easter, Resurrection, Gospel, Disciples, Witnesses, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Putting Up Faith Or Fight When It’s Most Important

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on May 14, 2025

Over the decades of my life, I have learned there are some things in life worth fighting for and some not. We have to choose our battles and then fight with all our might those battles that really matter. Years ago, I attended the wedding of my niece, a beautiful blonde cowgirl. She married her ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-12, 2 Corinthians 10:4

Tags: Standing In Faith, Battles Worth Winning

Denomination: Charismatic

Walking In The Spirit

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 23, 2026

Their problem was this: if it hasn’t already happened, we don’t believe it is coming. Maybe they were all from Missouri – the “Show Me” state. Some folks have to see it to believe it. That’s not how faith in these promises works. Instead, we who believe are promised to see it. In these verses, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:3-4, Jude 1:18-19

Tags: Faith, Holy Spirit, Last Days, Walk In The Spirit

Denomination: Methodist

One Day I Looked At Myself—at The Self That ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Dec 30, 2000

One day I looked at myself—at the self that Christ can see; I saw the person I am today and the one I ought to be. I saw how little I really pray and how little I really do; I saw the influence of my life—how little of it was true! I saw the bundle of faults and fears I ought to lay on ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Wesleyan