In Sermon Illustrations: "Effort"

True Lifesavers

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jun 30, 2010

Nantucket, Massachusetts is located next to important shipping lanes running along the East Coast. Toward the end of the 1800s sailing ships were in their heyday. Nantucket Island saw hundreds of vessels passing by each day—all navigating without the advantages of modern technology. Treacherous ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Baptist

The Most Watched Rescue Mission In ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 27, 2012

THE MOST WATCHED RESCUE MISSION IN HISTORY "Estamos bien en el refugio, los 33. " ("We are well IN THE SHELTER, the 33.") That seven-word message set off a wave of euphoria in Chile and around the world. It had been written in red letters on a scrap of paper and taped to a drill bit that penetrated ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:10

Tags: Salvation

A Few Weeks Ago I Spent A Lot Of Time Watching ...

Contributed by Jason Duncan on Oct 30, 2007

A few weeks ago I spent a lot of time watching Ken Burn’s documentary called The War on PBS. The documentary ran for 7 nights and was about 14 ½ hours long. It chronicled the history of WWII not through the eyes of historians or professors but through the eyes of the men who served in Germany and ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Servant

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Mar 27, 2018

Nantucket, Massachusetts is located next to important shipping lanes running along the East Coast. Toward the end of the 1800s, sailing ships were in their heyday. Nantucket Island saw hundreds of vessels passing by each day—all navigating without the advantages of modern technology. Treacherous ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

Tags: Evangelism, Servant Attitude

Denomination: Baptist

Becoming Rich Requires Hard Work

Contributed by Saumiman Saud on Feb 20, 2025

BECOMING RICH REQUIRES HARD WORK My Father in Heaven, forgive me, for sometimes I feel that You are unfair. Why is it that despite my efforts, I never seem to have as much wealth as others? I often feel disappointed and even angry, but I am thankful that to this day, I remain in Your care and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Tags: Rich, Hard Work

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

: "The Human Fly” (Pp.18,19, A ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jun 19, 2001

Illus.: “The Human Fly” (pp.18,19, A Treasury of Inspirational Illustrations, Earl C. Willer) Some years ago, a so-called “human fly” went to Los Angeles. It was announced that on a certain day he would climb up the face of one of the large department store buildings. Thousands gathered to ...read more

Tags: Knowing God's Will, God's Provision, Oil

Denomination: Wesleyan

How About My Son Joshua's Hero. Chicago Bear, # ...  PRO

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 18, 2002

How about my son Joshua’s hero. Chicago Bear, # 34, Walter (Jerry) Payton. As a whole Walter Payton played with a loosing record. The Bears were not very successful. Walter was told he was too little and came from a little place, Columbia, Miss. Many people told Walter what he could not do. ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Assembly Of God

65279;i Recall A Story About How The Wind And ...  PRO

Contributed by Joanna Loucky-Ramsey on Mar 3, 2003

I recall a story about how the wind and the sun were arguing about which of them was strongest. “Look,” said the Wind, “I’ll prove to you that I am more powerful. See that man down on the earth? Let’s each exercise our power, and whoever can make the man shed his coat fastest will be ...read more

Tags: Joy, Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

In 1912, 39 Year Old, Rev. John Harper A Scottish ...  PRO

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Apr 7, 2003

In 1912, 39 year old, Rev. John Harper a Scottish preacher was making a transatlantic trip to preach at the Moody Church in Chicago. As fate would have it the vessel he choice was the Titanic. We all know the story about the disaster but do you know the story of John Harper? Harper like many ...read more

Tags: Twice Saved, Evangelism Urgency

Denomination: Wesleyan

Dec 1, ...

Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Dec 1, 2004

Dec 1, 2004 By Erin Curry NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--VIACOM AGREES TO PAY FCC FINES -- Viacom, which owns CBS and MTV, has agreed to pay a record fine of $3.5 million to settle numerous federal investigations into alleged indecency on TV and the radio dating back to 2001, according to the Associated ...read more

Tags: Television And Movies

Denomination: Baptist

The Great Philanthropist Stanley S. Kresge Was ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 26, 2007

The great philanthropist Stanley S. Kresge was often in the company of college presidents or other fund-raisers asking for endowment or financial aid. During the course of discussion, Mr. Kresge would always ask one question, "Do you think the world is better today than it was 2,000 years ago?" I’d ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

William Tanner, Former President Of The North ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

William Tanner, former president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, tells the story from his boyhood in a small town in Texas. There, he would sneak off every week to see a display which an insurance salesman would put in his store window. This was during World ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Now, During My Sermon Preparation Time, I Came ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Now, during my sermon preparation time, I came across a humorous story entitled, “Helping Hand”: a. According to the story, a pastor is walking down the street one day when he notices a very small boy … trying to press a doorbell on a house across the street. b. However, the boy is very small ...read more

Tags: Cross

Did You Know That The Idea For Mothers Day Was ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Did you know that the idea for Mothers Day was born in a small Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia? It was 1876 and the nation still mourned the Civil War dead. While teaching a Memorial Day lesson, Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis thought of mothers who had lost their sons. She prayed that one day ...read more

Tags: Parenting

In The Spring Of 1982 Kenneth Nordvall Was The ...

Contributed by Keith Broyles on Oct 4, 2007

In the spring of 1982 Kenneth Nordvall was the speaker at a Morning Prayer group that meets in a town near Springfield Illinois. Before he spoke, a neighboring pastor shared about a recent mission trip to Mexico. While his group was returning, their van developed mechanical problems. After ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Don't Expect The Kingdom Of This World To Respect ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 11, 2007

Don’t expect the Kingdom of this World to respect the Kingdom of God. Far from it, citizens of God’s Kingdom have always been --- and will always be criticized and misunderstood and (as we see in this case) even DEMONIZED. I think of a man like Jerry Falwell --- who died recently. He was most ...read more

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Provision: The Holy Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 7, 2009

GOD'S PROVISION: THE HOLY SPIRIT Without the Holy Spirit the church could not exist. It is He who inspired the writers of Scripture, and He who dwells in every Christian, giving us life in Christ. All our efforts are dust and ashes apart from Him. A young man asked an old rich man how he made his ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-25

Tags: God's Provision

Pull Up The Roots Of Bad Habits Early  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2010

PULL UP THE ROOTS OF BAD HABITS EARLY A wise old tutor was once taking a stroll through a forest with a curious youth. The tutor suddenly stopped and pointed to four plants close by. The first was a tiny sprout, just coming out of the earth. The second had rooted itself quite firmly in the fertile ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:7-20

Tags: Character

Disciplines: The Decathlon

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 12, 2010

DISCIPLINES: THE DECATHLON The Olympic decathlon is internationally recognized as the most demanding test of individual athletic ability there is. It is the event that determines the world's greatest all-around athlete. Originating in a contest held at the 708 B.C. Olympiad to single out Greece's ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: *other

We Need More Wilberforces

Contributed by Merv Budd on May 2, 2011

WE NEED MORE WILBERFORCES In the middle of the eighteenth century, Christians became increasingly concerned about the slave trade. They amassed information on the inhumane treatment of the slaves and believed that eventually they could generate sufficient public support to overcome the slave trade ...read more

Tags: Heroism

Denomination: Baptist