In Sermon Illustrations: "Christian Names"

A Murderer Broke Into An Old Couple’s ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Dec 3, 2001

A murderer broke into an old couple’s bedroom. Before he pulled the trigger on his victims, he always made a point of asking them their names. When he asked the woman for her name, she said, "Elizabeth." The man with the gun said, "Oh, I can’t shoot you because that is my mother’s name." Then he ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Did An Experiment By Asking Everyone In The ...

Contributed by James Chandler on Nov 28, 2007

I did an experiment by asking everyone in the auditorium to say their name outloud three times. Beforehand I asked one man to say the name of Jesus three times outloud. After everyone had said their name outloud three times I asked if anyone had heard the name of Jesus being said. Only one person ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Bear And The Atheist  PRO

Contributed by Brent Williams on Jun 1, 2001

The Bear and the Atheist An atheist was walking through the woods looking at the beautiful trees and flower that had just bloomed. Because he was an atheist he couldn’t thank anyone for the beautiful landscape that he was witnessing. As he was gazing at the sky he saw a bear running toward him, ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Apologetics God, Creation

Denomination: Baptist

A Sinking Ship  PRO

Contributed by Tony Britt on Jan 23, 2002

A SINKING SHIP Back in the days of steam ships, only rich white people sailed at sea. One day while sailing, something suddenly happened to the ship and it was about to sink. Terrified, the white folks aboard didn’t know what to do. Someone suggested that they do what the black folks ...read more

Tags: Taste, Racism

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

That Question Went Through The Minds Of Daryl And ...  PRO

Contributed by Ryan Johnson on Mar 6, 2002

That question went through the minds of Daryl and Clarita Gusstafson? This God loving, dedicated Christian couple was infertile for many years, despite exhaustive medical tests and procedures. They prayed consistently for God to grant them the privilege of bringing a child into the world, but the ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life, Disappointment, Emotions

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

And I Am One Of Them  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2002

AND I AM ONE OF THEM In the third century St. Cyprian wrote to a friend named Donatus, "This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out over the wide lands, you know very well what I ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Love Of The Disciples, Supernatural

Touched By Rain

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 30, 2003

TOUCHED BY RAIN Pfc. Jeremiah Stoppel is a fuel truck driver with Alpha Co. 703rd Battalion. His supply convoy lost vehicles to enemy fire as it followed the 3-7th into battle. A Lutheran, he is from Lincoln, Neb. He stands near the cab of his truck, rubs his coarsely sheared hair and looks down ...read more

Tags: War

Our Circle Of Impact  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Oct 27, 2003

Most of you probably haven’t heard of a woman named Henrietta Mears. Henrietta was a education director in a church in California. Through her influence many in her church, including two prominent christian leaders were influenced for Christ. Henrietta was faithful in many small ways to God and ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Baptist

A Vision Changes Everything  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

A VISION CHANGES EVERYTHING Donald S. Whitney in his book, "Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life" has said: "Discipline without direction is drudgery." He gives an example of a six-year-old boy named Kevin sitting one afternoon at guitar lessons. Outside are the other boys laughing and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

God Can Turn Evil To Good

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 26, 2023

Myra Wattinger was 40 years old and living in Pasadena, Texas when she experienced a traumatic event in her life. She was raped and then became pregnant. She did not feel that she could take care of a child, so she placed an ad in the Houston Post newspaper at the time she gave birth to a baby ...read more

Tags: Sovereignty, God's Will, Testimony, Providence, Rape, Preachers, Miracles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

True Or False?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 20, 2002

TRUE OR FALSE? Palm Sunday celebrates the day Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Test your knowledge of that day’s events, recorded in all four Gospels, with these true or false statements. 1. According to the Gospels, the people waved palm branches when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:5-10

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Thomas Campbell And The Restoration Movement  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2011

THOMAS CAMPBELL AND THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT Back in early 1800's there was a preacher in Western Pennsylvania named Thomas Campbell. He was a preacher for the Old-light, Anti-burger, Seceder Presbyterian Church. Each of those phrases described a political division within the Presbyterian Church ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:27-30, John 17:17-23

Tags: Divisions

A Teaching On Hospitality  PRO

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Oct 1, 2016

My wife’s grandmother was a real character. Her name was Ora Gee Craycraft . Everyone in the family just called her Mom. She was a loving lady, always smiling, full of compassion, always putting others before herself. Her strong suit was nurturing. If you were sick, or someone hurt your ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:1-14, Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Compassion, Practicing Faith, Faith And Obedience

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

People Mark Off Times And Celebrations In ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Mar 2, 2009

People mark off times and celebrations in different ways. In Belgium (since 1394, in Binche), Brazil (a four-day celebration in Rio de Janeiro), Italy (in Venice, six months of celebrating in the 18th cent., now 12 days), Trinidad and Tobago (featuring a daylong competition among calypso bands), ...read more

Tags: Sexuality

Denomination: Other

C. Franklin Graham, Son Of Billy Graham, Spoke ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 2, 2007

C. Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, spoke at a memorial service for the slain youth of Columbine High School and prayed at the first inauguration services for George W. Bush. Each time he was criticized for talking about and using the name of Jesus Christ. He wrote a book about this called, ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Remember Hearing Of A Man Who Was Deeply In ...  PRO

Contributed by Ronald Keller on Apr 6, 2003

I remember hearing of a man who was deeply in debt. The bill collectors called constantly. One in particular was extremely harassing. The man finally told the bill collector: “When I cash my pay check, I put the name of all my creditors in my hat. I shake the hat. Then I reach in and randomly ...read more

Tags: Gifts Giving

Denomination: Nazarene

Some Of You Know That When I Was In Liverpool In ...

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Sep 1, 2007

Some of you know that when I was in Liverpool in 2002 a lady with learning disabilities asked my name; the name I really disliked as a child. When I said, “Warner” she laughed hysterically. When I then said “Pidgeon” she could barely breathe! After the laughter she said, “I like your name” and I ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

God Is Also Like An Obsessed Lover. Let Me Tell ...

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jan 25, 2007

God is also like an obsessed lover. Let me tell you what I mean by that. I have known people so captivated by romance that they have had the name of their beloved tattooed on their body. I knew one man who did that, and the woman he loved eventually broke it off with him. Her name was Marie, and -- ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Planet Of The Year

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 19, 2009

PLANET OF THE YEAR Time Magazine in 1989 celebrated not the Person of the Year but the Planet of Year. It was a wakeup call for me and convicted me and my faith. "Through most of his 2 million years or so of existence, man has thrived in earth's environment -- perhaps too well.... The reason is ...read more

Tags: Creation

Denomination: Methodist

Ready For Resurrection Morning

Contributed by Ferdinand Funk on Sep 29, 2008

READY FOR RESURRECTION MORNING A true story is told about a distinguished man, the only white person buried in a Georgia cemetery reserved exclusively for blacks. He had lost his mother when he was just a baby. His father, who never married again, hired a black woman named Mandy to help raise his ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Mennonite