In Sermon Illustrations: "Coming"

The Right Name Opens Doors  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Aug 15, 2011

THE RIGHT NAME OPENS DOORS Mark Roberts wrote of a time when he visited the Capitol as a guest of Congressman John Campbell. As long as he was with the congressman, he could walk freely around the Capitol, entering many areas that were reserved "for authorized personnel only," reserved for members ...read more

Scripture: John 15:16, John 16:23-24, John 14:13-14

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Baptist

They Refused To Be Rescued  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 15, 2011

THEY REFUSED TO BE RESCUED On August 30, 2005 Coast Guard Lieutenant Iain McConnell was ordered to fly his H46 helicopter to New Orleans and to keep that machine flying around the clock for what would turn out to be a heroic rescue effort. None of his crew were prepared for what they were about to ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Matthew 8:28-34, 2 Peter 3:7-10

Tags: Rejection, Heroism

Fly To The Light  PRO

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 20, 2012

FLY TO THE LIGHT Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky has this huge sanctuary that seats thousands upon thousands. Sometimes birds get in there. The facilities department has the job of trying to figure out how to get these birds out. The last thing you want Sunday morning is a bird ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12

Tags: Light, Darkness, Escape, Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Match Made In Heaven

Contributed by Ken Henson on Oct 16, 2012

There is a story about a couple that went to heaven and in this life they loved each other, but from a distance. So when they got to heaven, they decided to get married. They said to Peter, "Pete, we want to get married." And Peter says, "You have got eternity, why don't you think of it for 50 ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: *other

Daddy, What Does It Feel Like To Die?  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2014

Years ago I heard the compelling story of a young pastor whose son was very sick and not expected to live long. Night after night the pastor and his wife would put their boy to bed and say a prayer hoping for a miracle. One evening, the boy looked at his father and said, "Daddy, what does it feel ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, 2 Timothy 3:1-9

Tags: Death, Children, Heaven, Grief

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Clean Pigeon

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 9, 2015

Lester Roloff told about visiting a friend in Massillon, Ohio who had a number of pigeons. During the visit his friend showed him one of the birds and said, “See this bird. She just flew 500 miles from St. Louis to Massillon non stop.” Roloff interrupted his host: Come on, non stop! How do you ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Tags: Clean, Holiness, Sanctify

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Boat In The Storm

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Oct 27, 2019

ILLUS: BOAT THRU THE STORM Imagine you’re in a small boat and a sudden storm comes up. The sky is dark the wind is howling; the waves are raging. All of a sudden there are 20-foot swells and your boat is being tossed like a twig in a stream, one minute you are at the bottom of the swell the next ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12

Tags: Good Fruit, Bad Fruit

Denomination: Pentecostal

Yanking And Pulling.

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

A woman that had boarded a plane to visit family struggled to wedge her suitcase into the tight overhead bin. Eventually triumphantly closing the door and taking her seat. When the plane landed, she got up opened the bin and found her suitcase was struck so she began yanking and tugging. The ...read more

Scripture: James 5:10-11

Tags: Persistence, Resilience

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Resilience When Faced With Insurmountable Problems

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

A woman that had boarded a plane to visit family struggled to wedge her suitcase into the tight overhead bin. Eventually triumphantly closing the door and taking her seat. When the plane landed, she got up opened the bin and found her suitcase was struck so she began yanking and tugging. The ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 10:28

Tags: Resilience, Insurmountable Problems

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Deceitfulness Of Sin

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 8, 2020

One of the largest freshwater turtles is the alligator snapping turtle. Found primarily in the southeastern United States, these massive turtles have been known to weigh close to 250 pounds. They are carnivorous, and while their diet is primarily fish, they have been known to eat almost anything ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-3, Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:23

Tags: Sin, Deception, Temptation, Deceit

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Churches Closed Due To Lack Of Power!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 19, 2022

Bill Crowder gives us a greatIllustration of Need for the Power of the Holy Spirit: "The first winter that my wife Marlene and I were married was marked by severe blizzards. I can vividly remember one Sunday when we awoke to find that the electricity had been knocked out by an ice storm. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:11

Tags: Holy Spirit, Power, Acts 2, Church

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Little Camel Asks Mummy Camel, "Mummy, Why Have ...

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Jun 27, 2007

A little camel asks mummy camel, “Mummy, why have I got such big flat feet?” She replies, “Well darling, in the desert you need big flat feet because the sand is soft and they help us to keep stable.” The little camel goes away but then comes back. “Mummy, why have I got such big eyelashes?” “Well ...read more

Denomination: Anglican

This Past Tuesday, Stacy And I Went Up To ...

Contributed by James Mcdonald on Sep 18, 2007

This past Tuesday, Stacy and I went up to Freeport to encourage a local homeschooling support group. The group had advertised the event in their area, seeking to increase attendance a bit. I received an email from a friend of mine, Bob, who attends a Reformed church in Southern Wisconsin. Bob was ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Ernest Hemmingway Was Once Asked To Write A Story ...  PRO

Contributed by W F on Jul 8, 2008

Ernest Hemmingway was once asked to write a story in just six words. He wrote a sad one ... "For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn." The world's shortest story inspired writer Larry Smith who wondered what memoirs people might be able to concoct in just six words. So he began a website which, to date, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:13-18, Psalm 39:5

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: *other

Living And Waiting To Live

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

LIVING AND WAITING TO LIVE Most of us tend to think that happiness is just around the corner. JOY will come one of these days--when things get better...when we finally get out of school...or get a better job...or get married...or get our kids raised and out of the house...or after we get that ...read more

Tags: Joy

Volcanic Rock And Coal

Contributed by Owen Bourgaize on Feb 3, 2009

VOLCANIC ROCK AND COAL When I went to Italy on holiday, one of the tours was to visit Mount Vesuvius. I climbed to the summit, and there was a huge crater with smoke coming out of it because, although the volcano is dormant just now, deep down in the earth there's molten rock. When the pressure ...read more

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: Baptist

When Dr. Stephen Olford Was Pastor Of The ...

Contributed by Tony Klinedinst on Mar 16, 2009

ILLUS: When Dr. Stephen Olford was pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church in New York City he had the opportunity of leading his brother who had been an agnostic most of his life to the Lord, as he lay in the hospital desperately ill. One day Dr. Olford was called to come to the hospital quickly and ...read more

Tags: Sin Hurtful To God

Denomination: Baptist

What Have We Learned?

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Mar 6, 2023

What Have We Learned? They shouted with praises, reaching the sky, Pushing and shoving to see Jesus pass by. Crying, “Hosanna, glory to the King!’ He comes to us today, great joy He doth bring." They threw down palm leaves, covering the way, Making a clear path for Him to travel that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Tags: The Passover, Ressurrection, Easter, Palm Sunday, Poetry, Holiday  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

I Need A Push

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 25, 2025

A man and his wife are awakened at 3 a.m. by a loud pounding on their door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger in the pouring rain is asking for a push. “Not a chance,” says the husband- “It’s three o’clock in the morning!” He slams the door and returns to bed. “Who ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, Luke 6:31

Tags: Service, Compassion

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Stewardship Billfold Story - Humor

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Dec 3, 2025

When I think of stewardship it brings to mind a story about a minister who was baptizing his new converts in a farm pond not far from the church. One of the gentlemen that was being baptized was a prosperous farmer known in his community for his tight grip on the dollar. When his name was called ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:8-12, Hebrews 7:1, Matthew 25:18, Matthew 6:21, Proverbs 3:9  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Baptism, Money, Steward, Stewardship

Denomination: Anglican