In Sermon Illustrations: "Boxing"

Rocky

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 12, 2008

ROCKY One of the biggest movies of modern times, "Rocky" starring Sylvester Stallone, almost never got made. Stallone was struggling to find work as a screenwriter. He saw a fight against Ali and little-known Church Wepner. Wepner went 15 rounds, and it gave Stallone an idea. Three days later, ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Baptist

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

THE i-POD One day a woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, shaking frantically with what looked like a wire running from his waist to the electric coffeepot he had in his hand. It seemed that he was being electrocuted. So - intending to jolt him away from the deadly current - she ...read more

Tags: Technology

Survival: What Would You Take?  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 4, 2011

SURVIVAL: WHAT WOULD YOU TAKE? About 20 years ago I went on a training conference when I was working as a Patent Attorney for a Swiss multinational company called Sandoz. And one of the conundrums they set us to test our ingenuity was this: You are in a plane flying over the desert and as you are ...read more

Tags: Security

Denomination: Anglican

One Of My Favorite Movies Is The Christmas ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Mar 5, 2001

One of my favorite movies is the Christmas classic, A Christmas Story, the saga of a little boy named Ralphie Parker growing up in Gary, Indiana of the 1950’s. Ralphie has been drinking Ovaltine for months, saving up box tops so that he could send in a get a Little Orphan Annie Secret Decoder Ring. ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Christmas, Prayer Adoration, Hope

Denomination: United Methodist

Listing The Comebacks  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Rogers on Apr 2, 2002

LISTING THE COMEBACKS The 2001 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks will go down as that of the comeback. So in the November 12, 2001 issue of Sports Illustrated, they ranked the 10 greatest comebacks in world history. Among those making the list: 1. Muhammad ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

After A Divorce, A Mom Was Left To Bring Up Her ...  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Mar 29, 2004

After a divorce, a mom was left to bring up her teenage daughter. She was becoming increasingly rebellious. One night the police called to ask her to get her daughter from the police station, because she’d been arrested for drunk driving. Not a word was spoken between them until the next ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Rules Of Chocolate  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 6, 2004

Rules of chocolate: If you’ve got melted chocolate all over your hands, you’re eating it too slowly. Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want. The problem: How to get 2 pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Remembering My Purpose  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 22, 2004

REMEMBERING MY PURPOSE The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful and costly tombs ever built, but there is something fascinating about its beginnings. In 1629, when the favorite wife of Indian ruler Shah Jahan died, he ordered that a magnificent tomb be built as a memorial to her. The shah ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:10-14, John 2:14-25

Tags: Fulfillment, New Year's Day, Lost, Purpose, Communion  (view more)  (view less)

The Sack Lunch  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 23, 2005

THE SACK LUNCH A man was packing a shipment of food contributed by a school for the poor people of Appalachia. He was separating beans from powdered milk, and canned vegetables from canned meats. Reaching into a box filled with various cans, he pulled out a little brown paper sack. Apparently ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:30-44, Mark 6:30-44

Tags: Giving General, Miracles Of Jesus

There's A Secular Group In Britain Called "Join ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Feb 18, 2007

There’s a secular group in Britain called “Join Me” that came up with a novel approach toward helping people, called “Good Fridays.” Each Friday they to take to the streets and carry out Random Acts of Kindness for the benefit of strangers. As the founder writes, “They took to their task with ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

This Past Week, Scientists Were Predicting That ...

Contributed by Sherm Nichols on Dec 31, 2007

This past week, scientists were predicting that they will someday, in the next 10 years or so, be able to “create artificial life.” Interesting. As it turns out, they were talking about being able to put together a cell – a membrane, a nucleus, and the other parts that make it “live,” all in the ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forgiven, Forgiven, Forgiven...  PRO

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Mar 16, 2009

FORGIVEN, FORGIVEN, FORGIVEN... I once read a marvelous story about a country doctor in Scotland who had a very poor practice. Although his patients would pay him in eggs, chickens, vegetables at harvest, and meat at slaughtering time, his huge ledger book would contain many names, symptoms, ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: *other

In 1986 We Moved From Kalamazoo To Grand Rapids. ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 24, 2009

In 1986 we moved from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids. Sometime later we wanted those slides and began to look for them. They were nowhere to be found. We looked in every box and closet in our house; we went back to Kalamazoo and looked in every closet in the parsonage and the church; we ran ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Temptation...means Enticement, Forbidden Fruit, ...

Contributed by Hugh Laing on Mar 1, 2010

TEMPTATION...means Enticement, Forbidden Fruit, Allure, Bait, Desire... and I love this story on temptation. “There is a story told about a little boy in a grocery store that I think illustrates the nature of TEMPTATION. The boy was standing near an open box of peanut butter cookies. “Now then, ...read more

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Baptist

Branded As Christ's Disciple

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

BRANDED AS CHRIST'S DISCIPLE Two Texans were trying to impress each other with the size of their ranches. One asked the other, "What's the name of your ranch?" He replied, "The Rocking R, ABC, Flying W Circle C, Bar U, Staple Four, Box D, Rolling M, Rainbow's End, Silver Spur Ranch." The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Tags: Discipleship

I Simply Came To Give...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

"I SIMPLY CAME TO GIVE..." In the middle of President Lincoln’s Presidency, an elderly lady made an appointment to see him. As she entered his office, he inquired, "How can I be of service to you, Madam?" The lady answered, "Mr. President, I know you are a very busy man, and I have not come to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Gratitude

The Gentleman Cat

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jun 22, 2011

THE GENTLEMAN CAT Two men sought to prove to their king whether a man had to be "born a gentleman" or could become one by "discipline and training." The one told the other that he would prove his point regarding "training" by showing the king his cat, which he had trained to stand on its back ...read more

Tags: Allegory

A Little Girl's Prayer  PRO

Contributed by Tim Zingale on Oct 15, 2001

A LITTLE GIRL’S PRAYER One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died, leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity ...read more

Scripture: James 5:17, Hosea 6:2

Tags: Prayer, Prayer Answered, Prayer General, Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

It Was A Fool’s Game And I Lost

Contributed by James Snyder on Apr 6, 2024

When it comes to games, I am not a good player. I lose more times than I win, and I can’t remember the last time I won. My paternal grandfather’s favorite holiday of the year was April Fools’ Day. He often would spend the whole year developing a prank for family and friends. He had a construction ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:31

Tags: Fool, Pranks

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

In December 1925, Guests At The Swankiest Hotel ...

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Sep 27, 2004

In December 1925, guests at the swankiest hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, watched with interest as a mysterious man arrived in a Rolls-Royce driven by a chauffeur. Over the next days they studied this handsome man, who walked with an elegant cane, received telegrams at all hours, and only engaged ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Pentecostal