In Sermon Illustrations: "Brokenness"

We Used To Live In This Small Farming Town North ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Sep 22, 2008

We used to live in this small farming town north of Manhattan. Down the street from our house was a sweet-natured and friendly family with a strange habit. They never seemed to throw anything away. They had completely filled their front porch with bags of trash and it wasn't long before their yard ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:37-38, Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22

Tags: Change, Transformation, New Life, Born Again, Wineskin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: United Methodist

Thu Feb 26, ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 2, 2009

Thu Feb 26, AP DENVER – A good Samaritan who helped push three people out of the path of a pickup truck before being struck and injured has gotten a strange reward for his good deed: A jaywalking ticket. Family members said 58-year-old bus driver Jim Moffett and another man were helping two elderly ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Have You Heard The Story Of The Hms Resolute? ...

Contributed by Michael Carbaugh on Apr 19, 2009

Have you heard the story of the HMS Resolute? The HMS resolute was a vessel in Royal British vessel rigged for Arctic exploration. In August of 1853 the HMS Resolute got caught in the Arctic ice. After staying the Winter in the Arctic, the Captain of the HMS Resolute ordered the ship to be ...read more

Tags: Strength, Refuge And Strength

Denomination: Baptist

A Bad ...

Contributed by Dwight L. Moody on Jun 11, 2009

A BAD BOY I once heard of a father who had a prodigal boy, and the boy had sent his mother down to the grave with a broken heart. One evening the boy started out as usual to spend the night in drinking and gambling, and his old father, as he was leaving, said, "My son, I want to ask a favor of you ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 7:1-27

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son

Denomination: *other

Don't Stop Ringing The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

DON’T STOP RINGING THE BELL Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. Augustine. A man took his son to the tiny rural community where he grew up. He was disappointed to discover that the little church ...read more

Scripture: Luke 4:18-19

Tags: Revival

Martin Luther's Depression And The Hymn

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

Martin Luther’s Depression and the Hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" The year 1527 was the most trying year of Martin Luther’s life. On April 22 he was preaching in Wittenberg when he became dizzy and fainted. Over the next several months he dealt with debilitating depression and sickness. It had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Tags: Affliction

Several Years Ago I Was Walking To Work From The ...

Contributed by Sean Harder on Dec 4, 2009

Several years ago I was walking to work from the train back in BC. I pretty much set my own schedule so it didn’t matter if I was a little late. I was walking across a quiet intersection where there were a few broken bottles, with the really jagged pieces that would shred a tire. A middle aged ...read more

Tags: Kindness

In The World Today...we Are Trying To Marry ...

Contributed by Hugh Laing on Feb 17, 2010

In the world today...we are trying to marry Christianity to all the wrong things...we are trying to marry it to prosperity...popularity...personalities...politics...and beloved...it ain't working 'cause it's broken! And yet many ministers preach a PROSPERITY DOCTRINE today because it feeds our ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Baptist

A Better Pitcher

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2011

A BETTER PITCHER "There's a story from the late 1800s of English evangelist Henry Moorhouse who made several trips to America to preach. On one of these occasions, he was taking a walk through a poor section of the city when he noticed a small boy coming out of a store with a pitcher of milk. Just ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:4

Tags: Compassion

A Dying Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2011

A DYING CHURCH An artist was once asked to put on canvas what he considered to be the picture best symbolizing a decaying and dying church. After several months, he returned and reported that he had finished the task. The hour finally arrived when the painting was to be unveiled. Several people ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6

Tags: Church Growth

I Was Born On Christmas Day In 1948 And When I ...

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Jul 25, 2011

I was born on Christmas day in 1948 and when I was around 10 years old my hero was Superman. I can remember watching it on our black and white TV. It was a very popular show back then and kids like me looked up to this man of steel that was as the advertisement says, "Faster than a speeding bullet, ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:16

Tags: Faith, Believe, Work, Superman, Faith General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

How Leprosy ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2012

HOW LEPROSY WORKS According to the Jewish Encylopedia: Priests were in charge of the diagnosis of all diseases. They were not allowed to live in a community that didn’t have a doctor. Those who were diagnosed with the curable strain of leprosy had to appear before a priest every 7 days. Once ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 12:4-15

Tags: Affliction

Who's Got The Power?

Contributed by Dr. David Hallum on Jul 10, 2017

The light switch in the main bathroom in our house has been sketchy and in need of replacement for some time. Last Friday night it finally gave up the ghost. Do you think it broke in the “on” position or the “off” position? Of course it broke in the off position. If you drop buttered bread it ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 8:6-8

Tags: Power, Life And Death

Denomination: Baptist

Inspired To Share Your Faith

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Tom Mercer writes, “Years ago, I heard an incredible story about a guy who, while walking through an intersection in a large city, noticed a police officer directing traffic in the middle of the street. As he walked by, the man sensed the Holy Spirit prompting him to go up to the officer and tell ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4

Tags: Witnessing, Sharing Your Faith, Evangelism

Denomination: Methodist

A Silent Kindness

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 27, 2019

Sir Nicholas George Winton – “A Silent Kindness” Nicholas Winton’s parents were German Jews who had moved to London two years before his birth. The family name was Wertheim, but was changed to Winton, they also converted to Christianity, and had Nicholas baptised. Nicholas Winton became a banker ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:15-17

Tags: Love, Children, Compassion, Kindness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

This Old House

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

This old house once knew my children This old house once knew my wife This old house was home and comfort As we fought the storms of life This old house once rang with laughter This old house knew many shouts Now it trembles in the darkness When the lightning walks about Ain't gonna need this ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Tags: Body, Temple Of God, New Body, Songs, Resurrection, Heaven  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Not Because Me, But Because Of You Lord!

Contributed by Charlie Roberts on May 12, 2019

Not because me, but because of You! Illus. From Guideposts, “Miracles of Healing” There was a woman and her son Mark that went shopping in a large department store one day. On their way down to the main floor her son hopped on the escalator. She then followed. Suddenly her son Mark screamed like ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Mothers, Faith, Trust, Miracles

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

My Penance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 17, 2002

MY PENANCE The story of George C. Wallace sounds like something from Paul Harvey’s “the Rest of the Story.” It comes in two parts: the sad, earlier life and the hard but hopeful remainder. Even more dramatic is a tragic event in the middle that brought life-changing consequences for the man ...read more

A Prayer Nag! (09.28.05--Teach Me To ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Sep 26, 2005

A Prayer Nag! (09.28.05--Teach Me to Pray!--Colossians 1:9) Does god ever weary of hearing our prayers? I mean, it’s the same old, same old–day in and day out. Does He really need to hear the same things over and over again? Being a “broken record,” the one that just can’t get over the rut in ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:9

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Lutheran

The Story Of George C. Wallace Sounds Like ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

The story of George C. Wallace sounds like something from Paul Harvey’s "The Rest of the Story." It comes in two parts: the sad, earlier life and the hard but hopeful latter life. A dramatic and tragic event in the middle brought life-changing consequences for the man from Alabama. In 1962, ...read more

Tags: Repentance