In Sermon Illustrations: "Day Off"

Girolamo Savonarola

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

At the very start of his ministry there, Savonarola noticed an elderly woman who used to come and pray regularily before that statue of the Virgin Mary. One day, he took an elderly priest aside who had been serving in the cathedral for many years and said, "Look how devoted this woman is. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Tags: Girolamo Savonarola, Faith

Denomination: Anglican

[112]. A Message From A Poem – Has Warmth Of Nearness Changed To Coolness?

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jun 18, 2025

[112]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – HAS WARMTH OF NEARNESS CHANGED TO COOLNESS? INTRODUCING THE POEM: Our walk with the Lord is not always one on a smooth, sinless road. There is joy; there are times of peace, times of praise, times of contentment, but there are also times of hardship, times of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:1-4, Psalm 42:5-8, Psalm 42:9-11

Tags: Cast Down, Christian Poetry, Christian Poems, Waning, Faith, Failure, Forgotten, Despair, Cold, Backsliding  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Michael Elliot, Writing For Time, Was Not ...

Contributed by Don Hawks on Apr 14, 2002

Michael Elliot, writing for Time, was not exaggerating when he wrote, "For Americans, September 11, 2001, will go down in history as a day the ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Methodist

Wal-Mart Sees More Than 90 Million Customers A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 16, 2006

Wal-Mart sees more than 90 million customers a week. MacDonald’s sees 45 million a day. ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment

66% Of Americans Plan To Buy Their Mother Or ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 18, 2006

66% of Americans plan to buy their mother or step-mother a Mothers Day gift; 42.6% of men will also shop for their wives. ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Dvd Sales Of Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2006

DVD sales of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ hit 4.1 million in the first day of sales, 8/31. (Foster ...read more

Tags: Television And Movies

Time Always Seems Long To The Child Who Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"Time always seems long to the child who is waitingfor Christmas, for next summer, for becoming a grownup; long also when he surrenders ...read more

Tags: Children

George Herbert: The God Of Power

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 28, 2002

“The God of power, as he did ride In his majestic robes of glorie Resolv’d to light; and so one day He did descend, ...read more

Tags: Humanity Of Christ, Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

The National Child Abuse And Neglect Data System ...

Contributed by Tim Richards on Sep 23, 2004

The National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System reported an estimated 1,300 child fatalities in 2001. That means an average ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Baptist

Max Lucado Writes: "Why Didn't He Come Down From ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jan 15, 2005

Max Lucado writes: "Why didn’t He come down from the cross? After all, nails don’t hold gods to trees... but ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony

Denomination: Christian Church

Malcolm Britton (One Of Our Readers) Has A ...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jul 5, 2008

Malcolm Britton (one of our Readers) has a wonderful definition of sheep. He says: “From the day they are born, assuming they are born alive they are looking for ingenious ways ...read more

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Anglican

Every Man Is Enthusiastic At Times. One Man Has ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"Every man is enthusiastic at times. One man has enthusiasm for thirty minutes another man has it for thirty days, but it is the man who has ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

I Once Thought Of Becoming A Political ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

I once thought of becoming a political cartoonist because they only have to come up with one idea a day. Then I thought Id be a ...read more

Tags: Entertainment

Comeback Kid!" Romans 4:19-25 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 28, 2005

“Comeback Kid!” Romans 4:19-25 Key verse(s) 25:“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Combacks are the things of movies and dreams! Few things cause more instant satisfaction than a comeback. People who overpower a disability or disease–teams ...read more

Scripture: Romans 4:19-25, Revelation 20:6

Tags: Easter Resurrection, Faith

Denomination: Lutheran

Pursuing Butterflies!" Luke 22:24-30 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 1, 2005

“Pursuing Butterflies!” Luke 22:24-30 Key verse(s) 24:“Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.” We live to benefit ourselves and not others. Are you offended by this statement? It certainly isn’t what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches us to put others ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:24-30

Tags: Forgiveness General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

No Bulldozers Here!" Hebrews 3:1-6 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 26, 2005

“No Bulldozers Here!” Hebrews 3:1-6 Key verse(s) 6:“But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” I grew up watching john wayne movies; courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. I remember watching ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 3:1-6

Tags: Faith General, Doubt, Unbelief

Denomination: Lutheran

Where God's Finger Points!" Psalm 9: 17-18 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 13, 2004

“Where God’s Finger Points!” Psalm 9: 17-18 Key verse(s): 18: “But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.” With all the poverty in the world it is sometimes difficult to understand why God allows such suffering. It has been estimated that over 35% of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 9:17-18

Tags: Poverty, Hope, Hopelessness

Denomination: Lutheran

Erwin Mcmanus And His "John The Baptist"

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 28, 2011

ERWIN MCMANUS AND HIS "JOHN THE BAPTIST" As we begin today I would like to read a true account of an experience that pastor, speaker, and author, Erwin McManus had in the early years of his ministry. Listen to what he says... "I got a message through the urban grapevine that I was dead. It might ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:14-17

Tags: Evangelism How To

Getting Old Is Not For Sissies

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 9, 2019

I will not admit to being old, but I am older than I was 10 years ago. Those 10 years have been filled with all kinds of things helping me to get older. I saw an article that said that 60 is the new 40. I have no idea what that means, but I think out in our culture there is an obsession about age. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 145:7

Tags: Memories, Growing Old

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Bump, Bump, Bump, Where’s The Scratch?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 26, 2021

Life can get crazy because there are so many crazy people in the world. I know, I’m one. Through the years, I have come to appreciate crazy people. They make life interesting and make me look less crazy than I really am. The interesting thing is that a crazy person shows up in your life when you ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:38

Tags: Accident, Crazy, Temptation

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance