In Sermon Illustrations: "Dark Days"

Radical Faith  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jan 24, 2011

RADICAL FAITH I want to read to you the opening story from David Platt's book "The Radical Question" (Multnomah Press). Imagine a scene that took place in Asia not so long ago: A room in an ordinary house, dimly lit, all the blinds on the windows closed. Twenty leaders from churches in the ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 12:10-17

Tags: Persecution, Better Together

Denomination: Nazarene

All The Land You Can Cover

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Mar 12, 2011

ALL THE LAND YOU CAN COVER Leo Tolstoy tells this story: A young Russian inherits his father’s small farm. He immediately starts dreaming of how to expand his property when one morning a well-dressed stranger visits him and makes him an offer that is too good to be true. He could have free of ...read more

Tags: Greed

Denomination: Anglican

The Preacher And The Farmer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

THE PREACHER AND THE FARMER Years ago, a young man had just gotten out of Bible College where he’d spent several years learning all the theological terminology that he thought would make him a successful preacher. He’d just been hired at a country church and he was determined to begin bringing new ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Tags: Evangelism How To

God Made Himself Understandable  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

GOD MADE HIMSELF UNDERSTANDABLE I read of a story from the famous Danish philosopher from the mid 1800s, a Christian theologian named Soren Kierkegaard. It is a familiar story, a story rewritten by many over the ages in many different forms, yet it is still relevant today. Here’s what he wrote: A ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14, Habakkuk 1:1-5

Tags: Christmas, Understandable

The Bill Always Comes Due

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 12, 2011

THE BILL ALWAYS COMES DUE Bob Harris, weatherman for NY TV station WPIX-TV and the nationally syndicated independent Network news, had to weather a public storm of his own making in 1979. Though he had studied math, physics and geology at three colleges, he left school without a degree but with a ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:5

Tags: Lies

I Wish I Could Live Life Over Again

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Jun 14, 2011

I WISH I COULD LIVE LIFE OVER AGAIN I remember when I was an assistant pastor in TN visiting a man who had lived his whole life in sin and selfishness. He finally came to the Lord in his sixties. When he was diagnosed with cancer, I went to visit him at his home shortly before his death. The day ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Denomination: Baptist

Navy Seals

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 9, 2011

NAVY SEALS I don’t know much about the army but here is something I read recently about those Navy Seals who shot Osama Bin Laden. It’s good to be a Navy SEAL right now. The elite sailors are being showered with praise for their successful operation in Pakistan that resulted in the killing of ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:3

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Special Delivery: Miracle Mandy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

SPECIAL DELIVERY: MIRACLE MANDY The doctor told Marsha Mark and her husband they needed to accept the fact they would never have biological children. Amid the discouragement, Marsha clung to a friend's words: "Somehow, Marsha, God is going to use your struggle with infertility for his glory." ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 113:9

Tags: Prayer Answered

Amazing Forgiveness

Contributed by Bret Toman on Nov 26, 2011

AMAZING FORGIVENESS Philip Yancey in Rumours of Another World shares a story of the remarkable. The story of an atrocity that happened during the days of apartheid in South Africa and the reconciliation that followed in a court room many years later. A policeman named Van de Broek recounted an ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Baptist

William Borden: No Reserves, Retreats, Regrets

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Jan 23, 2012

WILLIAM BORDEN: NO RESERVES, RETREATS, REGRETS In 1903, a young, bright man named William Borden graduated from high school – a millionaire. He was the heir to the Borden Dairy fortune. Following graduation, William traveled around the world. Everywhere he went he was touched by the needs of ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The 40 Martyrs  PRO

Contributed by David Tack on Feb 25, 2012

THE 40 MARTYRS "History knows them as the forty martyrs of Sebaste. They were soldiers in the famed Twelfth Legion of Rome’s imperial army, around A.D. 320. One day the captain informed his troops that Emperor Licinius had sent down an edict commanding all soldiers to offer a sacrifice to his ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10, Luke 12:4

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Baptist

How To Send An Ultra Top Secret ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 24, 2012

HOW TO SEND AN ULTRA TOP SECRET MESSAGE There is a distinguished British gentleman by the name of Sir Oliver Franks. He had been a professor of philosophy at Oxford, and president of a couple of different colleges during the turbulent years of the 1960s and following. He had also been the chairmen ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Tags: Preaching

Susie The Savior  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Mar 30, 2013

SUSIE THE SAVIOR The story is told of a certain 9-year-old who is sitting at his desk in school when all of a sudden there is a puddle between his feet, and the front of his pants are wet. He thinks his heart is going to stop, because he knows when the boys find out, he'll never hear the end of ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-5

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: Nazarene

Dr Cephas Mashiyach

Contributed by Dr. David Hallum on Sep 28, 2016

Dr Cephas Mashiyach Suppose I were to tell you about a fabulous preacher that I encountered by the name of Dr Cephas Mashiyach? The power of his preaching and his dynamic sermons is unsurpassed. People come from miles around everywhere he goes. Then I told you that Dr Mashiyach was available to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:1-26

Tags: Rejection, Rejection Of Jesus, Acceptence

Denomination: Baptist

The Ugliest Suit Ever

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

Note: this story is told from my perspective - Jim Butcher of Madison WV. When I was at Southern Seminary in Louisville, there were a few days in the spring when they offered official photos. It was a professional photographer with a nice backdrop and the prices were reasonable. The seminary ...read more

Tags: Change, Transformation, Appearances

Denomination: Baptist

Sins Will Find You ( Billy Bob)

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 18, 2019

Billy Bob –South Pittsburg My friend Billy Bob Johnson lived in South Pittsburg, Tennessee when he was a young whipper snapper. By our standards South Pittsburg Would be considered out in the sticks at that time, but they had a soda shop at the local drug store. That is where all the young ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-7

Tags: Punishment, Sins

Denomination: Pentecostal

Where's The Bagel?

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 6, 2019

On one occasion during my college days in Peterborough I was invited to the Dean of Students residence for a social gathering. Hoping to find food aplenty I was disappointed to see the large dining room table containing a lonely plate of bagels. I quickly grabbed one, but my first bite was more of ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22

Tags: Faith, Mistakes

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

At A Billy Graham School Of Evangelism, Dr. ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 2, 2007

At a Billy Graham School of Evangelism, Dr. George Hunter, professor of evangelism at Asbury Theological Seminary, gave the following explanation of secularism and meaning for the church today. Throughout the Middle Ages the church exercised control or heavy influence over all of Western culture. ...read more

Tags: Sanctify, Sanctification

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Love The 23rd Psalms Where It Says "Surely ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles Hines on Jun 12, 2007

I love the 23rd Psalms where it says "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. all the days of my life." I imagine two angels, one named goodness and one named mercy, and everywhere I go they follow me, and protect me. I had the chance to experience this first hand. I was travelling to ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-8

Denomination: Church Of God

A Friend Of Mine Told Me About A Time He Was A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A friend of mine told me about a time he was a youth counselor at church camp. During the week they had various types of activities. They had bible classes, and prayer groups, and hiking, and worship services, and of course some type of sporting competition every day. All the kids were having a ...read more

Tags: Ot Characters