In Sermon Illustrations: "Caught"

Admirer Or Follower?  PRO

Contributed by Ty Tamasaka on Jul 19, 2011

ADMIRER OR FOLLOWER? Recently I heard that in Scotland, a voluntary survey was given to law enforcement officers of their religious affiliations. That may not sound very interesting, but what caught my attention was that 8 of the officers claimed their religious affiliation to be "Jedi". I ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:13-21

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Other

Nothing But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 27, 2012

NOTHING BUT SLAG I read a story told by Russell Conwell about a young man who lived in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania years ago. It just so happened that he inherited an iron furnace after his grandfather and father had passed away. He was a young man who had inherited a passel of wealth and as many have ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Christmas Tree

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Dec 9, 2014

Around 10 years ago I began to tell my Grandson Ryan, who then was 5 years old about how when I was his age we always had a cedar for a Christmas tree and how to this day the smell of a cedar tree reminded me of Christmas growing up as a child at home. So, we decided to go Christmas tree hunting ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Christmas Tree, Saviour Born

Denomination: Baptist

Hearing And Making Good Choices

Contributed by Tim Baker on Jan 20, 2018

I remember so clearly my storm chase on May 13th 2009 of the Kirksville Missouri tornado. My chase started with spotting my first tornado near Novinger Missouri, where I played tag with it several times, getting some nice video clips of it, until finally it approached the city limits wrapped in ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:26-27, James 1:22-24

Tags: Choices, Hear And Obey, Obedience, Action, Disbelief, Decision Making, Ignore, Doers Of The Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Is Your Value?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 17, 2020

Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? A boy asked a wise man: WHAT ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:29, Matthew 16:25

Tags: Value, Mirror

Denomination: Assembly Of God

When Mary Almost Turned Back

Contributed by John Allen on Dec 8, 2020

Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been rightly regarded as one of the godliest people in history. But she was also human, subject to the same doubts we have. Why, after the biggest announcement in history, does she "hurry away" from her family? Why did she go by herself? Why did she stay ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-56, Matthew 1:18-25

Tags: Mary, Christmas

In The Name Of Jesus Stop!

Contributed by Steve Malone on Sep 7, 2022

Telemachus was a monk in the 4th century. One day in prayer, He felt called by God to leave immediately and head to Rome. So he put his possessions in a sack and headed out. Upon arriving in Rome, he was immediately caught up in the crowd. The crowd was immense and excited. Soon ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:9

Tags: Courage, Martyrs, Peacemakers, Telemachus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Misapplied Scriptures: The "Mizpah” Moment

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Sep 17, 2023

Full disclosure: Sermon Central has accepted and posted a complete message on this text and context called “Jacob-His Mizpah Moment”. This illustration is not an abbreviated form of that message, only a brief attempt to post some highlights. In addition, this verse/passage was featured back in the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 31:49

Tags: Laban, Jacob, Mizpah

Denomination: Baptist

[126]. A Message From A Poem – Heaven Opens To Us

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 11, 2025

[126]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HEAVEN OPENS TO US From a quick recollection heaven will open at least three times in the future (written by one who is still living). One of those will be the Rapture. One will be the Second Coming. The other one is when a saint passes from this life and into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Tags: Heaven, Open, Absent From The Body, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[150]. A Message From A Poem – James Chapter One

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jul 31, 2025

[150]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – JAMES CHAPTER ONE The author of this letter is known as James the Less, to distinguish him from James the brother of John. This author was the half brother of Jesus, the full son of Joseph and Mary. James is a book that is often rejected for messages, but there ...read more

Scripture: James 1:19-20, James 1:12, James 1:5

Tags: James The Less, Letter Of James, James, Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John Griffith Lived Through The Great Depression. ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Nov 6, 2000

John Griffith lived through the Great Depression. He got a job on the edge of the Mississippi caring for one of those great, huge railroad bridges that cross that mighty river. John brought his 8-year-old son, Greg, to work with him to see what Daddy did all day. The little boy was wide-eyed ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Humanity Of Christ, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: United Methodist

Sammy's Big Catch - Sammy Was A Young Boy Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Wall, Jr. on Aug 26, 2003

Sammy’s Big Catch - Sammy was a young boy who lived in the Deep South. His summer days were filled when times of walking through the woods, playing with friends, and fishing in the pond down the road. Fishing was by far his favorite thing to do. Just about every day during his summer vacation, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-23

Tags: Sin General, Sin Wages Of, Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Steve Bouman Tells The Story We Began To Find ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Sep 28, 2004

Steve Bouman tells the story We began to find our power as a congregation in New Jersey as a matter of being a place where you can go when there’s no where else to go. When you invite the poor and the homeless, they do come such as Edgar. He is by anybody’s standards a strange character. He lives ...read more

Tags: Giving, Palm Sunday, Patience, Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is The Doctor Behind?" Psalm 13:1-6 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on May 30, 2005

“Is the Doctor Behind?” Psalm 13:1-6 Key verse(s) 5:“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” Waiting is not something that comes natural to me. When I am put to wait, the time drags by so slowly, so tediously. While other more accommodating individuals are able ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 13:1-6

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Lutheran

What A Friend We Have In Jesus  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Jun 24, 2008

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS Only the Lord and the man in question really know what burdens of sorrow and affliction were heaped upon the writer of this great hymn. One thing we do know, however, is that this beautiful and blessed hymn would never have been penned if the author had not known ...read more

Scripture: John 15:15

Tags: Music

A Good Friend Of Mine, Who Has Been Sober And ...

Contributed by Daryl Grimes on Sep 25, 2009

A good friend of mine, who has been sober and drug-free now for many, many years shared his testimony with me several years ago. After being caught in the 1970’s as a teenager with cocaine his dream of becoming a Major League Baseball Player was over. He used this discouragement and depression as ...read more

Tags: Church

Denomination: Baptist

The Invitation

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Bob Goff tells the story of he and his friend Brandon going to Washington DC on business and being close to Capital Hill at midnight. They saw a bunch of cars awkwardly parked around the Library of Congress and barricades and so they decided to investigate. They discovered that it was a set for the ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 14:21

Tags: Invitation, Gospel, Chosen

Denomination: Methodist

Baseball - The Curious Case Of Scooter Gennett

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Dec 31, 2018

Baseball And The Curious Case Of Scooter Gennett Baseball is known for its surprises. It's a beautiful game that lets grown men play a kids game. For more than a century of baseball and thousands of games, only 16 men have homered four times in one game. The last was Josh Hamilton, five years ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-3, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Romans 5:1-4

Tags: Perseverance, Hope, Good News

Denomination: Pentecostal

[028] A Message From A Poem – Be Not Conformed To The World

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 15, 2025

[028] A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – BE NOT CONFORMED TO THE WORLD “If you don’t agree with us, you are not included.” “We will finance your new building but only if you add a night club.” This world is absolutely full of compromise. It happens in relationships (sexual pressure on a woman), in ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:10, 1 Peter 1:14, Romans 12:1-2, Romans 10:17

Tags: Compromise, Poetry, Conform, Conformity, Conformed To His Death, Conformed To The World  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

[089]. A Message From A Poem – Specific – For The Unsaved - The Three Ts

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 26, 2025

[089]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – SPECIFIC – FOR THE UNSAVED - THE THREE Ts Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. That was the purpose of the First Advent called Christmas. There is no way to be saved except through repentance and placing your life in the hands of God. There are many ...read more

Scripture: Acts 16:30, Psalm 37:5, Romans 3:12, Acts 26:20

Tags: Turn, Poem, Take, Must Be Born Again, Be Saved Now, Hell, Trust, Salvation, Repentance, Poetry, Unsaved  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational