In Sermon Illustrations: "Caught Up"

A Change In Hope

Contributed by Fred Schaeffer on Nov 20, 2008

A CHANGE IN HOPE Ben was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 16 years old. Hope is the one thing that kept his parents, Kevin and Laura moving forward. Hope is what kept them from giving up. His younger sister, Bethany, always kept her sights on the silver lining. He went through a series ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Crime Scene Investigation

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION It was September 18, 1910 on a Saturday at the Hiller home in Chicago. Clarence Hiller had spent the day painting his house. By early evening everyone was in bed asleep. The Hillers woke up in the early morning and noticed. Clarence went to investigate why a gas light ...read more

Tags: Apologetics Jesus

Would Your Child Write ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

WOULD YOUR CHILD WRITE THIS? Bub Roussel was only 17 on Sunday morning in 1941, when Pearl Harbor was bombed. A few weeks later, he was drafted and ended up in the Army Air Corps, assigned as a radio operator on a B-29 bomber. The youngest in his crew, Bub and many like him had to grow up fast ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Know-It-All Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

KNOW-IT-ALL CHRISTIANS Chuck Yeager, the famed test pilot, was flying an F-86 Sabre over a lake in the Sierras when he decided to buzz a friend’s house near the edge of the lake. During a slow roll, he suddenly felt his aileron lock. Says Yeager, "It was a hairy moment, flying about 150 feet off ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Tools In The Hands Of The Carpenter  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

TOOLS IN THE HANDS OF THE CARPENTER A group of tools once came together for a meeting with Mr. Hammer presiding. Brother Screwdriver said, "Brother Hammer must go, because he is always making noise, always knocking." Hammer said, "Brother Screwdriver has to go, because you have to turn him around ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Tags: Gifts General

C.s. Lewis And The Conversation Between Two Devils

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 2, 2023

One young devil asked an older devil: “How did you manage to bring so many souls to hell?” The old devil answered: “I instilled fear in them!” Answers the youngster: “Great job!" "And what were they afraid of? Wars? Hunger?” Answers the man: “No, they were afraid of the disease!” The ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: Hell, Community, Devil, Relationships, Demons, Excuses  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Ways To Build Self-Control

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

To be self-controlled is to restrain ourselves by not giving in to our depraved desires. We can say “no” when everything in us is saying “yes” for all the wrong reasons. We deny worldly lusts when we withhold our consent from them and when we refuse the delight they suggest. God will give us the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Temptation, Character, Fruit Of The Spirit, Discipline, Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Proverbs Is Not A Book Of Promises

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jun 26, 2023

A broken parent came to me and said, "Pastor Larry, I raised my kids in church. I raised my kids to follow Christ, know His Word and put Him first in their lives. They all made decisions for Christ in our church and were baptized. But, now that they have all graduated from high school, not ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-10

Tags: Proverbs, Children, Parenting, Failure, Prodigal Son, Promises  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hilarious Marriage Joke To Share!!!!!!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 8, 2024

There’s a very funny story going around like a virus about a man who went to his doctor after weeks of serious symptoms. The doctor examined him carefully, then called the patient’s wife into his office. The doctor told her, "Your husband is suffering from a rare form of anemia. The bad ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Marriage, Husbands, Wives, Death

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Talking Dog For Sale!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 13, 2024

A guy sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog for Sale." He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy goes into the backyard and sees an old black mutt just sitting there. "You talk?" he asks. "Yep," the mutt replies. "So, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:22, Colossians 3:9, Exodus 20:16

Tags: Truth, Lies, Deceit, Dogs, Sermon Introductions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gossip Test

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Do I get excited when I hear, “Have you heard…?” Does my heart do a little dance when someone starts with, “You won’t believe what I just found out!” If so, you know the answer—it’s gossip. If you find yourself pulling up a chair and grabbing some popcorn, it’s time to rethink your choices. The ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Prayer, Gossip, Power Of Words, Test

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Ten Dollars Is Ten Dollars

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 28, 2025

A man named Stumpy illustrates how money affects people. Stumpy and his wife Martha went to the state fair every year and every year when Stumpy saw the antique bi-plane he would say, “Martha, I’d like to ride in that airplane.” Martha always replied, “I know Stumpy, but that airplane ride costs ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:24-28

Tags: Money, Stewardship

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Thermostat War

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

I had a roommate, and we had this thing with the thermostat. I’d set it where I wanted it. He’d walk by and bump it up. I’d walk by and bump it back down. He’d change it again. This went on for weeks. Neither of us said a word about it. It was a completely silent war. And finally, I did what any ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-2

Tags: Conflict, Pride

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

All Appearance, Zero Substance

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

An artificial plant looks impressive. But it produces nothing. You could easily buy one thinking it will bring life to any room. And sure, it brings the appearance of life. The leaves stay green. They never drop. It never needs water. In fact, if you tried to water it, the only thing that would ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:12-14

Tags: Faith, Hypocrisy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ruth Axsom Is A Dear Friend Of Ours And She ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Oct 12, 2002

Ruth Axsom is a dear friend of ours and she relates this true story of her father that I think it illustrates so well what we’ve been discussing this morning. Ruth’s father, Robert Eason was 8 years old when he lost his father, John Eason. It is hard to lose your father at any time but Robert ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God, God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: Christian Church

First The Stones; Then The Mountain!" 1 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“First The Stones; Then The Mountain!” 1 Corinthians 9:24-28 Key verse(s) 6:“Therefore I do not run as a man aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.” One thing I have learned is that one of the primary reasons for accepting defeat too soon is that some of us, myself included, tend to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-28

Tags: Endurance, Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Father's Day: A Tribute Today Is Father's Day. A ...  PRO

Contributed by John Raulerson on Oct 12, 2005

FATHER’S DAY: A TRIBUTE Today is Father’s Day. A day of cologne. A day of hugs, new neckties, long-distance phone calls, and Hallmark cards. Today is my first Father’s Day without a father. For thirty-one years I had one. I had one of the best. But now he’s gone. He’s buried under an oak tree in a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-10, Psalm 91:1-16

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Compassion–acts Of Kindness Showing God's Love

Contributed by Ray Ellis on Sep 10, 2006

Compassion –Acts of kindness showing God’s love. A Hospice physician living in Denver, Colorado wrote about his experience of showing God’s kindness to a desperate mother. I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and ...read more

Denomination: Free Methodist

Bob Had Been A Christian For About 6 Years And ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Willis on Jan 2, 2007

Bob had been a Christian for about 6 years and had come to Dallas to head up a major city wide evangelistic campaign, hosting a daily radio program and working with some of the largest churches in America. He was beginning to think he was close to reaching the ultimate in Christian maturity - ...read more

Tags: Hope, Despair, Restoration

Denomination: Baptist

None Of Us Get Out Without Pain

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

NONE OF US GET OUT WITHOUT PAIN There is a calendar entitled "The 365 Stupidest Things Ever Said." Each day, it features a stupid statement from someone. A page in the calendar had this amazing quote, "Listen closely: If you bought our course, ’How To Fly In Six Easy Lessons,’ we apologize for any ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:10

Tags: Hardship Of Life