In Sermon Illustrations: "Crying"

Together We Entered The Terrifying Building ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2005

Together we entered the terrifying building [Ravensbruck prison camp]. At a table were women who took away all our possessions. Everyone had to undress completely and then go to a room where her hair was checked. I asked a woman who was busy checking the possessions of the new arrivals if I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:7

Tags: Trust God, Unknown

Six -Year-Old Brandon Decided One Saturday ...  PRO

Contributed by Dennis Jones on Jul 15, 2005

Six -year-old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Pentecostal

Irwin Mcmanus In His Awesome Book ‘the Barbarian ...  PRO

Contributed by Butch Vernon on Nov 6, 2005

Irwin McManus in his awesome book ‘The Barbarian Way’ speaks of rhinos and their limitations. ‘But my favorite of all is the group designation for rhinos. You see, rhinos can run thirty miles an hour, which is pretty fast when you consider how much weight they’re pulling. They’re actually faster ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

I Read An Email Story This Week About A Group Of ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Feb 18, 2007

I read an email story this week about a group of salesmen who attended a convention out-of-town some years back. As they rushed through the terminal to get to their departing flight, one of them accidentally knocked over a table that held a display of apples. They continued running for their ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

One Of My Favourites Is One Jesus Himself Often ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

One of my favourites is one Jesus himself often used; he said God’s kingdom is like a party, a banquet, and a feast. Today God is calling people to leave behind the binge drinking and drugs and join the real party. Leave behind the rat race and workaholism and join his party, leave behind divisive ...read more

Tags: Heaven

I Would Become The Corn ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

"I WOULD BECOME THE CORN MYSELF." The story is told of two men who were traveling in the country of England a number of years ago. They had stopped at an inn for the night and had gotten settled in for the night when the village came alive with the shouts of alarm. A fire had broken out in a row ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Spiritual Problem—spiritual Cure

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 2, 2008

Spiritual Problem--Spiritual Cure I picked up a recent book which I received from the AACC Convention called "Caring for People God's Way." The book is written by three people Tim Clinton, Archibald Hart and George Ohlschlager. The book is considered a new guide for Christian Counseling and is ...read more

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mercy Me: Hold Fast

Contributed by Davon Huss on Feb 7, 2011

MERCY ME: HOLD FAST Mercy Me is a Christian band (I Can Only Imagine) and recently they sang a song called, "Hold Fast." Bart Millard tells the story of the inspiration for "Hold Fast": "I was standing in the back of the bus going to our next concert. We were in a traffic jam and we passed a ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Seeing You For Real

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2011

SEEING YOU FOR REAL Just a few years ago, Leadership Journal did an interview with Saul Cruz, who along with his wife founded Armonia (Harmony) Ministries in Mexico City. They minister to hundreds of poor people all over Mexico today, but they began their ministry by planting a church on the edge ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:17-19

Tags: Servanthood

God Stands By His Promises

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jul 28, 2011

GOD STANDS BY HIS PROMISES Oswald Chambers once wrote, "Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust that never dreams that He will not stand by us." Missionaries Dick and Margaret Hillis found themselves caught in China during the Japanese invasion. The couple lived with their two children in an ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

To Be Needed

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

TO BE NEEDED Stu Weber, in his book Tender Warrior, includes an article written by a woman. She writes: One day the doorbell rang and there stood my beloved brother. It was a delightful surprise. His work as an executive of an international petroleum company keeps him out of the country most of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17

Tags: Friendship General

Steven Curtis Chapman: Still Blessing His Name

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 19, 2011

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN: STILL BLESSING HIS NAME On May 17, 2008, Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his family suffered a devastating loss. Their five-year-old adopted daughter, Maria Sue, was struck and killed when Chapman's seventeen-year-old son was backing his SUV out of the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:10-11

Tags: God In The Hardships

World Of Words

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2009

WORLD OF WORDS We live in a world of words. Words are all about us, words on TV, words on the radio, spoken words by family and friends, words printed in newspapers, books, on computers, and words on the Internet. The world of words have turned us into a people who have been overwhelmed, ...read more

Tags: Communication General

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness In Rwanda

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

Love Your Enemies: Forgiveness in Rwanda Bishop John Rucyahana, a Tutsi Rwandan, found Christ while growing up as an exile from his native Rwanda. I like the way he describes His conversion: "I did not accept Jesus. Jesus graciously met me and accepted me." This is a man who understands how we ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

A Premature Baby Thought To Be Stillborn Was ...

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Apr 22, 2012

A premature baby thought to be stillborn was found by her mother, alive, after 12 hours in a morgue in northern Argentina. Analia Bouter was only six months pregnant when she went into labor and gave birth to a baby girl she'd planned to name Liliana Abigail or Luciana Abigail. The baby was to be ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-37

Tags: Mothers

Denomination: Baptist

You Have To Stop Trying To Save Yourself

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 13, 2014

You Have to Stop Trying to Save Yourself Watchman Nee relates a story from one of his experiences as a Christian leader in China. A group of young Christian brothers were gathered together to take a swim in one of the many creeks that run throughout the countryside there. Since most were not good ...read more

Tags: Self-Sufficient, Rock Bottom

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

: "Scarred Hands” (James S. ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Aug 21, 2001

Illus.: “Scarred Hands” (James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, pp. 119-120) A small orphaned boy lived with his grandmother. One night their house caught fire. The grandmother, trying to rescue the little boy asleep upstairs, perished in the smoke and flames. A crowd gathered around the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:6-8

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

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Preacher Recalls One Such Instance During ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 11, 2001

ILL. A preacher recalls one such instance during the Sunday evening service. When he finished speaking, he asked, "Is there anyone else who would like to say something?" At that, a rather dignified visitor stood up & said, "Yes, sir, I’d like to say something. This is the first time I’ve been ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Repentance, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

One Of My Favorite Christmas Stories Is ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Nov 6, 2001

ILL. One of my favorite Christmas stories is about the old shoe cobbler who dreamed one Christmas Eve that Jesus would come to visit him the next day. The dream was so real that he was convinced it would come true. So the next morning he got up & went out & cut green boughs & decorated his ...read more

Tags: Christmas Advent, Christian Disciplines, Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Robert Fulghum In It Was On Fire When I Lay Down ...  PRO

Contributed by Scott Sharpes on Dec 18, 2001

Robert Fulghum in It Was On Fire When I Lay Down On It, tells a story involving his daughter, Molly. One day, as Fulghum was ready to leave for work, Molly handed him two brown paper sacks. In one was his lunch. What was in the other was a mystery. When Fulghum asked Molly what was in the mystery ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:1-7

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Nazarene