In Sermon Illustrations: "Coming Home"

A Tree Grows In England

Contributed by Ken Pell on Apr 6, 2010

A TREE GROWS IN ENGLAND In Tewin, England's St. Peter's churchyard stands a great four-trunked tree growing out of a grave. Its presence there is a constant reminder of resurrection for residents in the community. The grave from which it grows is that of the 18th century's Lady Anne ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Nazarene

Ignorance Of One's ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 27, 2010

Ignorance of One’s Inheritance A Michigan factory worker, earning less than ten thousand dollars a year, was an unknowing heir to a half-million dollars. When located by an investigator some years after his benefactor’s death, the worker explained that he had neither returned home nor kept in touch ...read more

Scripture: John 6:1-13

Tags: Inheritance, Ignorance

William Carey Fights Discouragement

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 15, 2010

WILLIAM CAREY FIGHTS DISCOURAGEMENT William Carey, the father of the modern missionary movement, arrived in India in 1793 with a burden to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who had never heard the name. For seven years he proclaimed the gospel message faithfully week after week, month ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:1-20, Mark 4:35-41

Tags: Disappointment

Consuming Fire

Contributed by Bruce Rzengota on Dec 4, 2010

CONSUMING FIRE Every year there is at least one story or a wildfire born of carelessness quickly spreads, consuming the thick, dried-out vegetation and almost everything else in its path. What was once a forest becomes a virtual powder keg of untapped fuel. In a seemingly instantaneous burst, the ...read more

Tags: Zeal

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Church Conflict

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2011

CHURCH CONFLICT In Winchester, Ohio there’s a church called the Bethlehem Church of Christ. It’s been in existence for over 150 years, and over the years different events have been recorded in their “history” book. One of their recent ministers was reading back over the different entries in this ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 16:1-41

Tags: Divisions

Something In Their Eyes...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2011

SOMETHING IN THEIR EYES... A prominent atheist named Matthew Parris wrote in a 2008 essay about a strange phenomenon that he had observed in Africa. Amazingly, as an atheist, he wrote an essay for The Times titled, "Why Africa Needs God." Although Parris made it clear that he does not believe in ...read more

Scripture: John 8:31-36

Tags: Christian Witness

The Guilt Of Their Deaths

Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 17, 2011

THE GUILT OF THEIR DEATHS The movie "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) is a movie that many of us have seen and is quite a memorable movie because of its portrayal of the D Day invasion of Normandy in World War II. The movie begins and ends with an elderly man visiting the Normandy memorial. The ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Getting To Know Man

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 18, 2011

GETTING TO KNOW MAN Julie and I have the wonderful privilege to raise Bryce and Chase. But that is a privilege given to us by God. God created our children and is allowing Julie and I to raise them. We get to keep them in our home for a time and then they are off into the world. But God created ...read more

Tags: Worldliness

It Was Enough

Contributed by Brad Henry on Sep 8, 2011

IT WAS ENOUGH This past Sunday morning I had an encounter with God. I had a bad headache (from God to keep me home) so I did not go with Julie and the boys to church. I got my bible out and then started praying. I felt the Lord flood my soul and then I felt like laying prostrate on the floor and ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Shepherds: The Lower Class

Contributed by Timothy Enns on Oct 17, 2011

SHEPHERDS: THE LOWER CLASS For many years I drove truck, hauling produce from California to Canada. I would often cut across the back roads of Idaho instead of staying on the busy interstate. The area I would travel trough on the back roads would take me through deserts and volcanoes, but it would ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Nazarene

A Safe Place

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 3, 2012

A SAFE PLACE Some years ago, I used to see Project Safe Place signs. Perhaps you have seen them too. They were most often displayed on houses along residential streets, or on fire stations, or even on public library buildings. They are diamond-shaped with a yellow background and a black logo, ...read more

Tags: Security

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Enduring Frog

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jun 13, 2012

THE ENDURING FROG We can flourish and develop in new ways or we can drown in despair. Story from India: One night two frogs found themselves in a dairy. Hopping and jumping around as frogs do they both jumped into a milk pail half full of milk. After swimming around for some time they tried to ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Whose Side Are You On?

Contributed by Perry Greene on Mar 20, 2013

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? One day in 1943 thousands of soldiers were preparing to leave for Europe. The Army, the Navy, and the Marines were preparing to load on the ships. The General decided to have a huge parade through New York City to seek prayer and honor for the men. Many of these brave men ...read more

Tags: Testimonies About Jesus

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Where Are You Leading?

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 18, 2014

David Wheeler tells of a funeral procession that illustrates a leader’s influence. David officiated at a funeral. In accordance with custom, after the funeral, the attenders filed out of the funeral home and into their waiting cars to form a processional to the cemetery. The hearse led the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-13

Tags: Funeral, Role Model, Spiritual Leadership, Outhouse

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Purity

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 1, 2015

A mother was concerned when she heard that her son had a live in girlfriend. She went to his house. Her son was the only one home. The son said, “It’s not what you think, Mom. She needed a place to stay. She has her bedroom and I have mine.” The son then showed his mother the guest bedroom ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Tags: Cohabitation, Shacking Up, Sexual Purity, Living Together

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Fear Restrains

Contributed by Shine Thomas on Aug 28, 2017

Janez Rus lived in Germany during the days of the Nazi ruler Adolf Hitler. During that time he was a young shoemaker, looking to make his name prominent. Because of the power of the German government, he participated in public supports of the Nazi regime in hopes of gaining recognition. But after ...read more

Tags: Fear, Fear Restrains

Denomination: Assembly Of God

How Will You Face Death?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 13, 2019

Voltaire, one of history’s best known atheists, often stated that “by the time I’m buried, the Bible will be non--existent.” His last words were: “I am abandoned by God and man; I shall die and go to hell alone.” His condition had become so terrible that his associates were afraid to approach ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Tags: Death, Heaven, Atheists, Hell

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Cipa (Congenital Insensitivity To Pain With Anhydrosis)

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Mar 10, 2022

Not far from my home lives a young woman who was born with a very rare disease called CIPA, congenital insensitivity to pain with anhydrosis. Imagine having a body that looks normal and acts normally, except for one thing: You cannot feel physical pain. That sounds as if it would be a blessing. But ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10

Tags: Pain, Prayer

Denomination: Brethren

Do You Think God Knows What He Is Doing?

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 4, 2022

A young woman prepared for missionary service on foreign fields. She had been appointed by the mission board and was ready to sail when she received a telegram saying that her sister had died in a western state. She cancelled her reservation and went home. The sister left four little children ...read more

Tags: Missionaries, Sovereignty Of God, Evangelism, Missions, Trusting God, Providence, Will Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Way Is The Best.

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 31, 2022

I read the story about a young woman who had prepared for missionary service on foreign fields. She had been appointed by the mission board and was ready to sail when she received a telegram saying that her sister had died in a western state. She cancelled her reservation and went home. The ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Faith, Trust, Obedience, Purpose, Providence, Will Of God, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational