In Sermon Illustrations: "Bowing Before God"

Search And Rescue

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 21, 2009

SEARCH AND RESCUE There is a group of people I hope we never have to meet. They’re job is hard, exciting, frightening and important all at the same time. They do SAR; Search and Rescue. They work near Reno, Nevada and work ski resorts and desert rescue. They pull people off of Mt. Hood, find lost ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Olympic Speed Skaters Slow Down When No Hope Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

Olympic Speed Skaters Slow Down When No Hope of Winning At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Apolo Ohno, an American, hoped to win his second gold medal in the men’s 5,000-meter short track, speed-skating relay. But during one of the turns, another American skater fell. His fall and recovery only took a ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

Tags: Sports

Mine Worker Understands The Cost Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2010

Mine Worker Understands the Cost of Forgiveness G. Campbell Morgan, the well known pastor of the last century of Westminster Chapel, near Buckingham Palace, was once approached by a soldier who said he would give anything to believe that God would forgive sins, “but I cannot believe He will forgive ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:18-20

Tags: Salvation

Getting The Fruit For Yourself  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 6, 2010

Getting the Fruit for Yourself A family was driving to Tampa, Florida. As far as the eye could see, orange trees were loaded with fruit. When we stopped for breakfast, I ordered orange juice with my eggs. "I’m sorry," the waitress said. "I can’t bring you orange juice. Our machine is broken." We ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:11-14

Tags: Growth In Christ

A Heart For ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jun 1, 2010

A Heart for Praise Louis Albert Banks tells of an elderly Christian man, a fine singer, who learned that he had cancer of the tongue and that surgery was required. In the hospital after everything was ready for the operation, the man said to the doctor, “Are you sure I will never sing again?” The ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Baptist

An Unread Note Costs A Commander His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 2, 2010

An Unread Note Costs A Commander His Army During the Revolutionary War, a loyalist spy appeared at the headquarters of Hessian commander Colonel Johann Rall, carrying an urgent message. General George Washington and his Continental [A]rmy had secretly crossed the Delaware River that morning and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 18:9

Tags: Leadership Listening

Paul Tournier On Persisting In Prayer

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

PAUL TOURNIER ON PERSISTING IN PRAYER Paul Tournier, the great psychiatrist and Christian counselor, tells in one his essays about the first time he tried to pray for a solid hour. He says that he set his watch on the table and began to pray, and after what he thought was a good while, checked the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Temptation Doesn't Always End In Failure

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 7, 2011

TEMPTATION DOESN'T ALWAYS END IN FAILURE The same Spirit that came down from heaven like a dove now led Jesus into the desert so He could be tempted by Satan. Why? Have you ever felt that you have been unjustly persecuted? Have you ever felt passed over, left behind, cast away or just can't seem ...read more

Tags: Temptation Of Christ

Start With Just One

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on May 8, 2012

START WITH JUST ONE Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, tells the story of a 23 year old Sailor that he spent time discipling. He spent many hours with this young man in the Word and the importance of being a witness for the Lord and leading other sailors to Jesus. A month later the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Lutheran

Hostile Heart

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

HOSTILE HEART Beware the hostile heart. That's the warning of Dr. Redford Williams from Duke University's Behavioral Medicine Research Center. He has been saying for years that having a hostile personalities can kill us--most often by heart disease but also by injuries and accidents. Anger speeds ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:20-27

Tags: Heart

When Unity Comes

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Dec 17, 2020

Psalms 133:1 A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 133:1, Ephesians 4:3, Ephesians 4:13

Tags: Unity, Maturity

Denomination: Baptist

If Ii Were Satan...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 14, 2021

IF I WERE SATAN… I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man's effort, instead of God's blessings; I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around; I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7-9

Tags: America, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, The Devil

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Here's A Funny New Approach To Evangelism!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 10, 2022

There was a barber that thought that he should share his faith with his customers more than he had been doing lately. So. the next morning when the sun came up and the barber got up out of bed he said, "Today I am going to witness to the first man that walks through my door." Soon after ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Sermon Intro, Barbers, Evangelism, Gospel, Humor, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Two Minutes

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 12, 2022

Two Minutes to Eternity Marshall Shelley tells the story of his son's short life - just two minutes.The baby boy was born with a "chromosomal abnormality" called Trisomy 13. After the delivery, the doctor passed the baby to his mom. He was a healthy pink; Then he began to turn ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 1:27, Psalm 90:10-12, John 14:1-3

Tags: Death, Eternity, Heaven, Birth, Grief  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Seven Life Lessons From Samson

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 13, 2022

Certainly the story of Samson and the prostitute of Gaza stands as a cautionary tale to all of us. Here are some of the obvious lessons: 1) Just because we think we have conquered a certain sin doesn’t mean it will stay conquered forever. 2) The price of long-term spiritual victory is continued ...read more

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Judgment, Samson, Brokenness, Backslidden  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Catholic Priest, A Jewish Rabbi And A Baptist Preacher...

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 14, 2023

A Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, and a Baptist preacher decide to have a contest to see who’s best at his job of converting others to their faith. So, they each go into the woods, find a bear, and attempt to convert it. Later they get together and tell about their experience. The priest begins. ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1-13

Tags: Preachers, Evangelism, Grace, Salvation, Legalism, Circumcision, Converts  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Excused Or Forgiven?

Contributed by John Bright on Jul 12, 2026

Here’s an interesting question for you: Do you want to be forgiven or excused? Back in the 1990s, there was a wonderful book – “Yes, Lord, I Have Sinned: But I Have Several Excellent Excuses” by James W. Moore. When we seek to be excused, it’s a way of shifting blame. In the Garden of Eden, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:11-13

Tags: Forgiven, Excused

Denomination: Methodist

The Most Recent Issue Of Tim Magazine Was Most ...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Shockley on Jun 29, 2002

The most recent issue of Tim Magazine was most revealing to say the least. Who would ever think that such a nationally known magazine would have this unique subject on its cover page and inside? (Issue: July 1, 2002) “The Bible & the Apocalypse! Why more Americans are reading and talking ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Second Coming

Steve Bouman Tells The Story We Began To Find ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 28, 2004

Steve Bouman tells the story We began to find our power as a congregation in New Jersey as a matter of being a place where you can go when there’s no where else to go. When you invite the poor and the homeless, they do come such as Edgar. He is by anybody’s standards a strange character. He lives ...read more

Tags: Giving, Palm Sunday, Patience, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Last Week My Wife Christina And I Were In Florida ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on May 29, 2008

Last week my wife Christina and I were in Florida visiting her father who has been ill. Besides the pollen wreaking havoc on our sinuses, and the Florida humidity reminding us of yet another reason we are so happy not to live there any longer, there was something that I saw which I must say, I am ...read more

Tags: Truth

Denomination: Christian Church