In Sermon Illustrations: "Deck Chair"

This Past Week I Went Up To Visit Oscar Norris. ...

Contributed by Brian Matherlee on Oct 2, 2007

This past week I went up to visit Oscar Norris. Oscar, who is blind, has been keeping really busy. He lives with his niece who loves to quilt and weave. Everything is made truly by hand. She makes her own dyes from nature. She takes wool from sheep and spins her own yarn. In years past Oscar ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Heaven: Titanic

Contributed by Andy Grossman on Jan 29, 2009

HEAVEN: TITANIC Last Sunday, right after church, when I got home tired and emotionally spent, I plopped into my easy chair and turned the TV on. The last few minutes of "Titanic" was on. In the conclusion, Rose (played by Kate Winslet) is an old woman. She lost the love of her life in the sinking ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Holiness

Get On With It, You Old Goat

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 28, 2009

"GET ON WITH IT, YOU OLD GOAT." I heard the story about a college choir which was all set to present a concert in a large church which was to be carried live by a local radio station. When everything appeared to be ready, the announcer made his final introduction and waited for the choir director ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-24

Tags: Action

The Bridal Suite

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 27, 2011

THE BRIDAL SUITE Cynthia Thomas tells a story about her "brother and his new wife who were escorted to their bridal suite in an elegant hotel in the wee hours of the morning. They were tired from the many hours at their wedding reception and from mingling with their guests. They took a look around ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-10

Tags: Change

Go Get Your Mother!

Contributed by Joe Bertone on Aug 27, 2012

GO GET YOUR MOTHER! One of my favorite stories of a door is the story of the Amish boy and his father who went to the big city for the very first time. They were amazed by everything they saw. Having grown up and lived all their lives on a rural farm everything was completely new to them. The ...read more

Scripture: John 10:7-10

Tags: Door, Change, Transformation, Mystery, Elevator, Amish  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Pentecostal Dog

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 24, 2019

. A Baptist preacher and his wife decided they needed a dog. Ever mindful of their congregation, they knew the dog must also be Baptist. They visited an expensive kennel and explained their needs to the manager, who assured them he had just the dog for them. When the dog was produced, the manager ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13

Tags: Healing, Charismatic, Pentecostal

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Amazing Grace

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

Amazing Grace Paul wrote of a higher righteousness that comes from God himself and never depends on our doings. Whenever we know that righteousness of God firsthand, it always changes our lives. One man tells that one day he blundered into an affair with someone else’s wife. He was weak and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:1-16

Tags: Higher Righteousness, Amazing Grace

Denomination: Anglican

Near-Death Experiences And Feelings

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES AND FEELINGS Recently a television reporter followed up on the people who survived that air travel incident in which a huge section of the plane simply tore off, somewhere near Hawaii. You may remember that there was some kind of metal fatigue and a whole section of the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 17:7-8

Tags: Emotions

Still Preparing When The Party Is Over

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Mar 21, 2010

STILL PREPARING WHEN THE PARTY IS OVER My youngest grandson had his first birthday recently. My daughter wanted to make it special for him and she invited all her friends with young children to come. SHE SPENT WEEKS PLANNING THIS PARTY. We spent a good week just setting it up. We wanted it to be a ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Doesn't Give Up

Contributed by Paul Green on Oct 28, 2009

LOVE DOESN'T GIVE UP I came across an article in the paper this week that had the heading "A Mother's Love and Determination." And the subtitle "Refusing to give up, Cynthia Teare helped her son to walk again." I caught my attention because out theme today is "Love is... determined." It's the ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

An Arm Around Me  PRO

Contributed by Don Hawks on Nov 26, 2003

AN ARM AROUND ME This is a great story that I read in Prevention magazine last month. It is written by Dr. Ned Hallowell, a child and adult psychiatrist. “When I was in the first grade, I had trouble reading. Back then, if you had trouble reading, you could easily be dismissed as stupid, or you ...read more

Tags: Children

Denomination: Methodist

He's Just Like Jeff  PRO

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Mar 25, 2008

The phone rang. “It’s Jimmy. I’m really sick. I’ve got a fever. Can you help me?” Jimmy was one man that the Love In Action ministry helped. He was dying from AIDS. Jeff was angry. He had already put in sixty hours and didn’t want to hear about Jimmy. However, Jeff promised to go right over ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Several Years Ago Our International Mission Board ...

Contributed by Rick Crandall on May 9, 2007

Several years ago our International Mission Board reported the story of a former Muslim from South Asia who has suffered for the Lord. They changed his name to Lamak for security reasons. He was born into a wealthy and powerful Muslim family, but Lamak turned his life over to Jesus, while he was ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Lost And Found

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Mar 15, 2011

LOST AND FOUND Our tummies rumbled --it was time for lunch. "What do ya say we head-in," I asked, as the girls strapped in. We careened down the mountain and caught the chairlift. My baby and I rode on one chair, behind her two, older sisters in another. The view ahead would make a great shot, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:8-10

Tags: Parable Lost Coin

Denomination: Lutheran

Once Shaved  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 7, 2011

ONCE SHAVED A fellow got up one morning and decided he no longer was going to shave himself; he was instead going to the barber for his morning shave. The town barber also happened to be the local preacher in town. When the guy walked into the barber shop the barber/preacher was not there, he was ...read more

Tags: Calvinism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Could It Happen Every Day?

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jul 1, 2012

COULD IT HAPPEN EVERY DAY? Jeff Ingle tells the story of spending four days with 75 other pastors in a Pastor's Prayer Summit in Wisconsin. He writes, "In my time I've been to many camps, conferences and retreats but never have I been to anything like this. For four days, we met together with no ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Methodist

Kidnapped

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Aug 8, 2022

It was December 5 - and I was turning 50 years old. My wife and I went out for dinner with some close friends. During dinner I was informed that we were staying at a hotel by the airport tonight because we had to catch a flight in the morning. Surprise! Happy birthday! Fred, we are taking you on ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1, John 14:1-17, Philippians 4:6-7

Tags: Peace, Birthday

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Behold, I Cometh!

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Aug 21, 2023

Once a pastor was frustrated because his church seemed dead and unenthusiastic. He attended a pastor’s conference for encouragement. The keynote speaker suggests sitting down quietly and creating suspense. Speak on the second coming of Christ. Then stand to the pulpit and raise your hand and shout ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Tags: Preacher Joke, Fellowship, Meeting, Humor, Enthusiasm  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

What’s The Harm With A Little Treat?

Contributed by James Snyder on Sep 23, 2023

The last month has been crazy for me and The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Every month has its crazy element, but this past month beats them all. First, my main computer crashed, and I lost a lot of stuff. Second, we had a hurricane that came through; fortunately, it was only thunder, rain ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 28:13

Tags: Truth, Decisions

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

I Don’t Believe In Superstition…but

Contributed by James Snyder on Nov 4, 2023

I don’t believe in any of the superstitious nonsense that seems to be going around these days. Some people have a fear of numbers like 13 and 666. What in the world does a number have to do with anything? When I am around people who are superstitious like that, I’m afraid I lean toward the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:9

Tags: Secrets, Superstitious

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance