In Sermon Illustrations: "Business And Marketplace"

An Angry Hospital Patient ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2010

An Angry Hospital Patient Repents I read about a woman who was in the hospital when she got a bad report. She was so mad at God she went into the hospital chapel to tell God off. She was angry because she thought God had been fooling people by telling them he was a God of love. As she approached ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:13

Tags: Repentance

So Much For Paradise

Contributed by Brad Henry on Jul 26, 2011

SO MUCH FOR PARADISE Have you ever received a beautiful brochure of a vacation spot and it never felt that way when you go there? Years ago I went on a business trip to the Bahamas and the hotel and surrounding area looked beautiful. The first evening in the hotel as I was drifting off to sleep I ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting

Economy Funnies

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Feb 16, 2012

ECONOMY FUNNIES Even as dark clouds of depression hang somberly above the American economy (is anyone not aware?), we do see some "silver linings" of humour in them. For instance take this self-deprecatory cartoon humour of a bulging, balding entrepreneur quite used to striking big business ...read more

Tags: Money

Denomination: *other

No One Missed Him

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Mar 7, 2012

NO ONE MISSED HIM There was a story in the papers years ago that occurred in Hamburg, Germany. The skeletal remains of a man were found in his apartment, sitting in front of a TV set, with Christmas lights twinkling nearby. But the lights were from a long past year. In fact, the man had been ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

Porn Stats

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 24, 2012

PORN STATS The Internet is a good tool but it can also be used to fuel heat of sexual lust. Statistics are truly staggering. This is from 2006 and worldwide statistics: According to compiled numbers from respected news and research organizations, every second $3,075.64 is being spent on ...read more

Tags: Temptation Sex

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Everything We Need

Contributed by Sylvester Fergusson on Jan 22, 2013

EVERYTHING WE NEED The story is told about an American company which opened a new plant in Central America because the labour was plentiful and inexpensive. Everything went well until the villagers received their first pay cheque; afterward they did not return to work. Several days later the ...read more

Tags: Change

Denomination: Adventist

Visiting Preacher  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 13, 2014

A pastor went out visiting his church members on a Saturday afternoon. At one house, it was obvious that someone was home, but nobody came to the door even though the preacher knocked several times. Finally, the minister took out his church business card and wrote out "Revelation 3:20" on the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-10

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Adam And Eve

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Conformity

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Feb 29, 2016

I first noticed this in leading people to Christ. They were beautiful before they were “church broke.” Great young converts often start out as radiant Christians and end up only as carbon-copy Baptists. Great young ministers start out as adorable mavericks, but after a business meeting or two and a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2, Romans 12:2-5

Tags: Conformity, Accepting

Denomination: Baptist

Hope

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

In September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert hit the Louisiana coast. At that time it was considered the “Storm of the century.” It battered the shoreline, severely disrupting the shrimping business. Many shrimp boats were lost, causing great concern for several families dependent on shrimping for their ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:1-16

Tags: Hope, Hope Deferred

Denomination: Baptist

Harriet, The Church Gossip And Self-Appointed ...

Contributed by Arley Ellingson on Apr 2, 2008

Harriet, the church gossip and self-appointed supervisor of the church’s morals, kept sticking her nose into other people’s business. Several were unappreciative of her activi-ties, but feared her enough to maintain their silence. She made a mistake, however, when she accused George, a new ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

A Young Man Accepted The Call To Become An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2008

A YOUNG MAN ACCEPTED THE CALL TO BECOME AN AFRICAN MISSIONARY BUT FOUND ON FURTHER EXAMINATION THAT HIS WIFE COULD NOT STAND THE CLIMATE OF AFRICA. IT MADE HER VERY SICK. HE WAS HEARTBROKEN, BUT HE PRAYERFULLY RETURNED TO HIS HOME AND DETERMINED TO MAKE ALL THE MONEY HE COULD TO BE USED IN ...read more

Think Of A Group That You May Belong To; A ...

Contributed by Stephen Smarowsky on Jun 26, 2008

Think of a group that you may belong to; a fraternity, sorority, political group, social club. Now suppose the members of this group never came together and most of them didn't even know each other. All business was done through mail. How much do you think this group would mean to its members? How ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Baptist

No Faith, No Power

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

NO FAITH, NO POWER One night at dinner a man, who had spent many summers in Maine, fascinated his companions by telling of his experiences in a little town named Flagstaff. The town was to be flooded as part of a large lake for which a dam was being built. In the months before it was to be ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Bill Hybels States This About Prayer From His ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 25, 2009

Bill Hybels states this about prayer from his book Too Busy Not To Pray: “From birth we have been learning the rules of self-reliance as we strain and struggle to achieve self-sufficiency. Prayer flies in the face of those deep-seated values. It is an assault on human autonomy, an indictment of ...read more

Tags: Prayer Hardship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Conductor's Job

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

THE CONDUCTOR’S JOB In a symphony orchestra, a violinist will not go around checking what a trombonist is playing, nor will an oboist worry about whether a trumpeter will come in on time. That is the business of the conductor. These people play their parts and the conductor puts it all together. ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Song Above The Noise

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

SONG ABOVE THE NOISE A man said: While walking along a busy street one day, I heard someone singing. His sweet voice was distinguishable even above the noise of the traffic. When I located him, I noticed that he had no legs and was pushing himself through the crowd in a wheelchair. Catching up ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:2

Tags: Joy

Rationalizing (Justifying)

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Nov 1, 2022

Morris Siegel, the owner of a small Kosher New York deli, was being questioned by an IRS agent about his tax return. He had reported a net profit of $60,000 for the year. Why dont you people leave me alone? the deli owner said. I work like a dog, everyone in my family helps out, the place is ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:1-8

Tags: Honesty, Shrewd, Deceit, Cover Up, Rationalizing, Quick On Feet  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Jill Stanek Is A 44 Year Old Nurse Who Worked ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 21, 2001

JILL STANEK IS A 44 YEAR OLD NURSE WHO WORKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT THE CHRIST HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER IN OAK LAWN, ILLINOIS, A CHICAGO SUBURB. SHE CHOSE THIS HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF ITS CHRISTIAN NAME, HOPING THAT SHE WOULDN’T HAVE TO FACE SOME OF THE ETHICAL DILEMMAS REGARDING ABORTION THAT SHE ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:1-6

Tags: Abortion, Name

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Charles Swindoll's Book, Living Above The Level ...  PRO

Contributed by Dawn Marie Turner on Jan 25, 2003

Charles Swindoll’s book, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity Imagine, if you will, that you work for a company whose president found it necessary to travel out of the country and spend an extended period of time abroad. So he says to you and the other trusted employees, “Look, I’m going to leave. ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

It's As If God Says To A Rebellious Mankind, "Ha! ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 3, 2008

It’s as if God says to a rebellious mankind, "Ha! Rebel against me all you want. No matter what you do, what I’ve determined will come to pass will come to pass! Look! It’s as good as done. I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill" A man once met Horace Greely, the famous newspaper editor, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 2:6