In Sermon Illustrations: "Brokenness"

Instant Anger

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jul 7, 2010

INSTANT ANGER "Many men find themselves unable to cope with even minor frustration. They get angry over trivial things, such as a broken pencil lead or overcooked hamburger. Their anger erupts and gets out of control. They feel as though they are constantly under attack, that everyone is out to ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Heard The Story Of A Blind Girl Who Sold ...

Contributed by Donny Granberry on Mar 29, 2008

I heard the story of a blind girl who sold costume jewelry in a busy airport. Someone running to catch a plane bumped into her stand and knocked everything over and scattered jewelry everywhere. Overwhelmed at trying to gather everything back up she began to cry in frustration. Seeing her plight, a ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Our Kids Are Wet Cement!

Contributed by Johnny Creasong on Apr 17, 2008

Our kids are wet cement! When cement is still wet, it will take the form of the form into which it is poured. Once it dries and becomes hard, it can take a jack hammer to break it up and all you will have left is broken pieces. It will never be the same again! Our children are wet cement! ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Church Of God

The Breaking Of The Bread

Contributed by Daniel Haas on Aug 22, 2008

Matthew 14:13-21 Mark 6:30-44 Luke 9:10-17 John 6:1-15 "By the breaking of the bread, he makes it into a seedbed of food--for if the bread had been left intact and not pulled apart and broken into pieces, they would have been unable to feed the great crowds of men, women, and children...Mysteries ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Congregational

Longfellow Could Take A Worthless Piece Of ...

Contributed by Dave Kinney on Nov 9, 2008

Longfellow could take a worthless piece of paper, write a poem on it, and instantly make it worth 1000’s of dollars – and we call this genius! Rockefeller could sign his name on a piece of paper and make it worth millions of dollars – and we call this riches! An artist can take the courses ...read more

Tags: Authority

Denomination: Baptist

Ignoring The Barriers Of The Past

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

IGNORING THE BARRIERS OF THE PAST Every four years, the world’s attention turns to the summer Olympic games. For a few days, men and women from around the globe gather to compete against the best. Amazing records are broken and new ones are set at these games. The Four-Minute-Mile: Just a few ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:1-8, Deuteronomy 2:1-3, Ecclesiastes 9:10

Tags: Encouragement

Temporal Vs Eternal

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 21, 2021

I HAVE BEEN WITH MANY DYING PEOPLE AND LISTENED CLOSELY TO “THE REGRETS.” I was driving an elderly lady to a doctor’s appointment in Lexington. It was a four hour trip. The doctor did not have real good news. Her days were limited. On the way home we stopped and ate. Then we headed home. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:9-14, Malachi 3:8-11

Tags: Eternity, Temporal Vision

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Young Boy Was Sent To The Corner Store By His ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 9, 2001

A young boy was sent to the corner store by his mother to buy a loaf of bread. He was gone much longer than it should have taken him. When he finally returned, his mother asked, “Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you.” “Well,” he answered, “there was a little boy with a broken ...read more

Tags: Friendship General, Church Small Groups, Disappointment

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

There Is A Story Of A Persian King Who Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Nov 5, 2002

There is a story of a Persian king who was elevated from a poverty-stricken home to the glory of a royal throne. When he became king he sent his servants to the old shack where he was reared, with orders to gather every relic of those days. They brought fragments of his home many broken toys, and ...read more

Tags: Humility, Temptation Pride

Denomination: Wesleyan

In College, James Dobson's Goal Was To Become The ...  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jan 29, 2004

In college, James Dobson’s goal was to become the school’s tennis champion. He felt proud when his trophy was prominently placed in the school’s trophy cabinet. Years later, someone mailed him that trophy. They had found it in a dustbin when the school was renovated. He said, "Given enough ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Independent/Bible

There Was Once A Very Old Widow Who Lived In A ...

Contributed by John Shearhart on Mar 19, 2006

There was once a very old widow who lived in a dirt floor shack. She worked hard for every bite of food she ate. After one particularly long, hard day she sat down and looked at the “dinner” before her. She had a glass of water in a broken cup, a dry crust of bread, and a handful of beans. A ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment

Tiffany Shared A Story With Me At Christmas. The ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 9, 2007

Tiffany shared a story with me at Christmas. The Starbucks she works in at Normal, Illinois last Christmas (2006) witnessed something amazing. A person in the drive thru lane one morning paid for the person behind them. It was a random act of kindness. But the amazing thing was the next person did ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

William Barclay Wrote: "For Most Of Us The ...

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Jul 15, 2007

William Barclay wrote: “For most of us the threat of life is not so much that we should plunge into disaster, but that we should drift into sin. There are few people who deliberately and in a moment turn their backs on God; there are many who day by day drift farther and farther away from him. ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Salvation Army Was Holding A Convention. ...

Contributed by Paul Green on Jul 14, 2009

The Salvation Army was holding a convention. Morale was at an all-time low. The organization had hit rock bottom. They did not know what to do. They sent a telegram to their founding father, William Booth, asking for any advice he could give on how they could get back on their feet. William Booth ...read more

Tags: Revival, Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

We Have All Heard The Expression, "It's Enough ...

Contributed by Rick D Brackett on Feb 15, 2008

We have all heard the expression, “It’s enough to make a preacher cuss”. There’s the story of a boy trying to sell a broken down lawnmower. The local pastor walked up and he was able to persuade him to buy it. The pastor pulled on the rope several times but the mower wouldn’t start. The boy told ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

The Nicholson Shed

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 1, 2008

THE NICHOLSON SHED William Pattison Nicholson has been called the ’tornado’ of the pulpit. He was mightily used by God in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century. Nicholson was as Irish as the turf and as rugged as the hills of Donegal. But Holy Ghost power rested upon him. In the ...read more

Tags: Commandments Steal

Nicholson Shed

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

Nicholson Shed William Pattison Nicholson has been called the 'tornado' of the pulpit. He was mightily used by God in Northern Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century. Nicholson was as Irish as the turf and as rugged as the hills of Donegal. But Holy Ghost power rested upon him. In the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

So Hungry

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 16, 2012

SO HUNGRY The silence of the congregation partaking of the Lord’s Supper was suddenly broken by a loud exclamation. A 5-year-old girl was watching that passing out of the bread and juice and asked her mother is she could take some. Her mother said that she was not old enough to take some. With ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Twenty Years Ago, I Visited The City Of Calcutta ...

Contributed by Jyoti Banerjee on Nov 27, 2006

Twenty years ago, I visited the city of Calcutta on work. I was looking forward to the visit because it was the city my father grew up in, and being a typical Bengali, he was very proud of his city. But I was also looking forward to the trip because there was a little old lady in Calcutta that I ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

Jesus' Words

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

JESUS’ WORDS There is a hopefulness in life as we hear and become empowered by Jesus’ words. A Sunday School teacher illustrated this concept of hopefulness in life by drawing on the blackboard two pathways. In the middle of one she placed a large rock, covering the entire path. At the end of ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope