In Sermon Illustrations: "Boring Sermons"

It Is Said That When The Famous Missionary, Dr. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

It is said that when the famous missionary, Dr. David Livingstone, started his trek across Africa he had 73 books in 3 packs, weighing 180 pounds. After the party had gone 300 miles, Livingstone was obliged to throw away some of the books because of the fatigue of those carrying his baggage. As he ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

A Rattlesnake, If Cornered, Will Sometimes Become ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

A rattlesnake, if cornered, will sometimes become so angry it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against others is—a biting of oneself. We think that we are harming others in holding these spites and hates, but ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

As A Minister Was Addressing A Group Of Men, He ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

As a minister was addressing a group of men, he took a large piece of paper and made a black dot in the center of it with a marking pen. Then he held the paper up before the group and asked them what they saw. One person quickly replied, “I see a black mark.” “Right,” the preacher replied. “What ...read more

Tags: Joy

For 51 Years Bob Edens Was Blind. He Couldn't See ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

For 51 years Bob Edens was blind. He couldn’t see a thing. His world was a black hall of sounds and smells. He felt his way through five decades of darkness. And then, he could see. A skilled surgeon performed a complicated operation and, for the first time, Bob Edens had sight. He found it ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Tags: Promises Of God

Our Five Senses Give Us Some Astonishing ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

Our five senses give us some astonishing capabilities. We can see a candle’s flame 30 miles away on a dark, clear night, and smell a single drop of perfume diffused in a three-room apartment. We can taste . 04 ounce of table salt in 530 quarts of water. Our sense of touch can detect a pressure that ...read more

Tags: Men And Women

Only Kings, Editors, And People With Tapeworms ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

Only kings, editors, and people with tapeworms have the right to use the ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Novelist And Essayist George A. Birmingham Was In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

Novelist and essayist George A. Birmingham was in his nonliterary life a clergyman in Ireland where he was pestered by bishops and other authorities to fill in recurring questionnaires. He took particular umbrage against the annual demand from the education office to report the dimensions of his ...read more

Tags: Workplace

The "Coronary And Ulcer Club" Lists The Following ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

The “Coronary and Ulcer Club” lists the following rules for members… 1. Your job comes first. Forget everything else. 2. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are fine times to be working at the office. There will be nobody else there to bother you. 3. Always have your briefcase with you when not ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Of Nineteenth-Century Preacher Robert Murray ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

Of nineteenth-century preacher Robert Murray McCheyne: After graduating from Edinburgh University at age fourteen in 1827 and leading a Presbyterian congregation of over a thousand at age twenty-three, he worked so hard that his health finally broke. Before dying at age twenty-nine he wrote, “God ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

The Greeks Had A Race In Their Olympic Games That ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright Once Told Of An ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright once told of an incident that may have seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life. The winter he was 9, he went walking across a snow-covered field with his reserved, no-nonsense uncle. As the two of them reached the far end ...read more

Tags: Family

When Jim Burke Became The Head Of A New Products ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

When Jim Burke became the head of a new products division at Johnson & Johnson, one of his first projects was the development of a children?s chest rub. The product failed miserably, and Burke expected that he would be fired. When he was called in to see the chairman of the board, however, he met a ...read more

Tags: Workplace

In The Eleventh Century, King Henry Iii Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. “Your Majesty,” said Prior Richard, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:10-13

Tags: Peace

Here Is An Instruction On How To React To Hungry ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

Here is an instruction on how to react to hungry pythons, as given to Peace Corpsmen serving in Brazil: “Remember not to run away, the python can run faster. The thing to do is to lie flat on the ground on your back with your feet together, arms at your side, head well down. The python will then ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

To Carry Care To Bed Is To Sleep With A Pack On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

To carry care to bed is to sleep with a pack on your back. Thomas ...read more

Tags: Guilt

For Want Of A Nail The Shoe Was Lost; For Want ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost, being overtaken and slain by the enemy; ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

Here Are Some Tongue-In-Cheek Food Safety "Facts" ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

Here are some tongue-in-cheek food safety “facts” from New York’s Miner Institute: Nearly all sick people have eaten carrots. Obviously, the effects are cumulative. An estimated 99.9% of all people who die from cancer and heart disease have eaten carrots. 99.9% of people involved in car crashes ...read more

Tags: Men And Women, Tongue

In San Antonio, A Man Was Sentenced To Ten Years ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

In San Antonio, a man was sentenced to ten years probation for a bungled burglary of a liquor store. The burglar had cut his hand badly when he broke through the roof of the store. He tried to throw a bottle of whiskey out through the hole he had created but missed, causing the bottle to fall to ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

In A View From The Zoo, Gary Richmond, A Former ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

In A View From The Zoo, Gary Richmond, a former zoo keeper, tells about an experience a friend had with a raccoon. He explains that raccoons go through a glandular change at about 24 months. After that they often attack their owners. A 30-pound raccoon can be equal to a 100-pound dog in a scrap. ...read more

Tags: Apologetics General

A San Diego Patrol Officer Was Off-Duty When She ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 13, 2005

A San Diego patrol officer was off-duty when she witnessed a drug deal. Wearing a dress and high heels, she figured she’d never be quick enough to catch the buyer. But as she watched, the buyer walked back to his car and threw up his hands in despair. His dilemma left the officer plenty of time to ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed