In Sermon Illustrations: "Diaper Changes"

Hope Is Certain, Not Uncertain

Contributed by John Boquist on Jul 25, 2008

HOPE IS CERTAIN, NOT UNCERTAIN Our use of the word "hope" is usually based on uncertainty. Suppose an engaged couple says, "We have an outdoor wedding planned for Saturday; we hope it doesn't rain." In saying this, they are saying that the possibility of rain is there, but their preference is for ...read more

Tags: Doctrine

Denomination: Baptist

I Was Performing A Wedding For A Young Couple. ...

Contributed by Rick Bezanson on Jul 31, 2008

I was performing a wedding for a young couple. Before the wedding, the groom came to me and said, “Pastor, I will give you $100 if you change the wedding vows. When you get to the part to ask me to honor, love and obey, just leave that part out for me. Then, he handed me $100. During the wedding, ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Lutheran

A Couple Found A Beautiful Log House In Color...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 6, 2008

A couple found a beautiful log house in Colorado that was high in the mountains. It had a beautiful view, and they had their heart set on buying it. They prayed about the house, but one thing after another went wrong. The timing was not right, their financing didn’t go through. They had prayed ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Chameleon Commitment  PRO

Contributed by Neal Gracey on Dec 13, 2008

CHAMELEON COMMITMENT Studdert Kennedy tells of an explorer who brought back a chameleon which his household affectionately named Billy the Lizard. The explorer left Billy in the charge of his butler, who showed him to his many friends and associates. When the explorer returned, he asked how Billy ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Baptist

A ...

Contributed by Stephen Funderburk on Jan 16, 2009

Absence A strange silence I have never heard As I walk a path alone, An unfamiliar moment When I realize you are gone. As I look around to notice That the roads have all been changed For there’s one that now is fading At a place I called your name. So I must go on without you With the memories ...read more

Scripture: James 4:14

Tags: Time

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Absence

Contributed by Stephen Funderburk on Jan 18, 2009

Absence A strange silence I have never heard As I walk a path alone, An unfamiliar moment When I realize you are gone. As I look around to notice That the roads have all been changed For there's one that now is fading At a place I called your name. So I must go on without you With the memories ...read more

Scripture: James 4:14

Tags: Death

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Men As Role-Models For Children

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

MEN AS ROLE-MODELS FOR CHILDREN I am still struck by a report I heard months ago by an educator studying the needs of the District’s school system. He had found, in studying the children, that up to about the third grade they were bright, ambitious, eager to learn; but that somewhere after that, ...read more

Tags: Children

Use Money Visually During This Illustration. The ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 17, 2009

Use money visually during this illustration. The Barna Research Group asked Americans about the importance of religion. The results say something significant about where people find security. Here is how many people of various income brackets answered “yes” to the question, “Is religion very ...read more

Tags: Security

Denomination: Baptist

In A Reader's Digest Survey Of 2,624 Readers In ...

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 20, 2009

In a Reader’s Digest survey of 2,624 readers in January 2004 we read about the percentage of those who said they had: 1. Switched price tags to get a lower price: 12% 2. Cheated on their tax return: 17%; 3. Misstated facts on a resume/job application: 18%; 4. Lied to their spouse about their ...read more

Tags: Lies

Denomination: Baptist

Florence Nightingale

Contributed by Simon Taylor on May 29, 2009

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE Born 12 May 1820, died 13 August 1910. On 7 February 1837 – not long before her 17th birthday – something happened that would change her life: "God spoke to me," she wrote, "and called me to His service." Nobody really cares what knowledge Florence Nightingale had about the ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Zacchaeus And The Dragon's Den  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Aug 21, 2009

ZACCHAEUS AND THE DRAGON'S DEN Imagine Zacchaeus before The Dragons Den, (TV show where businessmen invest their millions). Imagine the corrupt entrepreneur Zack making his pitch. Duncan Bannatyne and the other dragons are not going to invest there millions into such a dubious character (rip him ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Baptist

D.l. Moody Illustrates How To Grow ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 12, 2009

D.L. Moody Illustrates How to Grow Spiritually In one of his meetings, D.L. Moody was explaining to his audience the truth that we cannot bring about spiritual changes in our lives by our own strength. He demonstrated the principal like this: “Tell me,” he said to his audience, “how can I get the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26

Tags: Growth In Christ

From A Cave To A Castle  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

FROM A CAVE TO A CASTLE Flat broke and homeless, brothers Geza and Zslot Peladi literally lived in a cave near Budapest for years. They left their dank home only to scrape together whatever money they could through selling scrap metal and candy. Theirs was a hopeless situation. But then ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Tags: Blessing, Hope, Inheritance

Running From Sin

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

RUNNING FROM SIN The story is told of a young girl who accepted Christ as her Savior and applied for membership in a local church. "Were you a sinner before you received the Lord Jesus into your life?" inquired an old deacon. "Yes, sir," she replied. "Well, are you still a sinner?" "To tell ...read more

Scripture: John 16:8-11

Tags: Sin General

Hope Is A Source Of Life

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 5, 2011

HOPE IS A SOURCE OF LIFE Hope prays for God’s "will to be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10) and then seeks to be God’s agent of change! One writer says: "Biblical and Christian hope does not mean living in the clouds, dreaming of a better life. It is not merely a projection of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Nazarene

Jack Nicklaus And Repentance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

JACK NICKLAUS AND REPENTANCE Jack Nicklaus is considered by most as the greatest golfer who has ever played the game. Once, when he was at the top of his game, he quit playing for 30 days to correct something with his game. He couldn’t correct it. He tried but to no success. Then he went back to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Repentance

Come To Jesus "Messy"

Contributed by Brad Henry on Aug 30, 2011

COME TO JESUS "MESSY" My autistic son Chase has this ritual where he has to look at every clock in the house at :50 on the hour. It starts at 6:50, 7:50 till 8:50 at night. I once got tired at night when Julie was at a bible study and tried to get Chase to bed early. I changed the upstairs clock ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

The Cost Of Christmas

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Dec 4, 2011

THE COST OF CHRISTMAS One person observed that the message of Christmas was not one of convenience but "cost": * It cost Mary and Joseph the comforts of home to take a long journey to Bethlehem while she was "very" pregnant with her new child. * It cost the shepherds their comfort by the campfire ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Overcoming Fear

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Christmas Letter To God  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 14, 2012

A CHRISTMAS LETTER TO GOD A small boy was writing a letter to God about the Christmas presents he wanted. "I've been good for six months now," he wrote. After a moment's reflection, he crossed out "six months" and wrote "three." After a pause he changed that to "two weeks." There was another pause ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-8

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

Infidels Read The Bible

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Mar 10, 2012

INFIDELS READ THE BIBLE When Benjamin Franklin was the US Ambassador to France, in Paris he would often converse with members of the 'Infidels' Club', a group of philosophers who spurned the Bible. These intellectuals spent much of their time searching for and discussing masterpieces of ...read more

Tags: Bible Influence

Denomination: Anglican