In Sermon Illustrations: "Encourage Others"

Its Like This Story Of A Man Racing Through The ...

Contributed by Guy De Swardt on Apr 1, 2010

Its like this story of a man racing through the airport to catch his flight. He passed through security in record time and reached the gate with only moments to spare. Hurrying aboard the aircraft, he found his seat, opened his laptop computer and tried to work. ...read more

Tags: Direction, Sermon On The Mount

Denomination: Baptist

As A Young Boy, Theologian Alister Mcgrath ...

Contributed by Bobby Mcdaniel on Apr 17, 2010

As a young boy, theologian Alister McGrath enjoyed experimenting with chemicals in his school's laboratory. He liked to drop a tarnished coin into a beaker of diluted nitric acid. He often used an old British penny bearing the image of Queen Victoria. Because of the accumulated grime, Her Majesty's ...read more

Tags: Change

Dave Mcpherson Told This ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on May 6, 2010

Dave McPherson told this story: A U.S. Air Force transport plane with its captain and 5 crew members was flying over Alaska in the mid-50s when they entered an unusually fierce snowstorm. The navigator contacted an air base only to be told that he had veered several hundred miles off course. ...read more

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Pentecostal

Adams, Coolidge And Roosevelt On The Bible  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 12, 2010

ADAMS, COOLIDGE AND ROOSEVELT ON THE BIBLE The late great 6th President of the United States of America, John Quincy Adams (1767 - 1848), once said, "The [Holy] Bible is the Book of all others to be read at all ages and in all conditions of human life...I speak as a man of the world to men [and, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Tags: Bible Influence

Wellington ...

Contributed by Jeremy Poling on Jul 30, 2010

Wellington defeated! -- The Battle of Waterloo, fought on 18 June 1815, was Napoleon Bonaparte's last battle. His defeat put a final end to his rule as Emperor of the French. After Napoleon returned from exile and was restored to power, many states which had previously resisted his rule formed the ...read more

Tags: Zeal

Denomination: Pentecostal

My Daddy Is Here!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2010

MY DADDY IS HERE! David Elkind, a psychologist, tells the story of visiting his middle son's nursery school class, at the request of his teacher. She wanted him to observe a "problem child" in the class. While he was there, he caught a conversation between his son and some other boys. There ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-4

Tags: Father's Day

The Pursuit Of Joy

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Dec 31, 2010

THE PURSUIT OF JOY Men have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found: Not in Unbelief — Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: “I wish I had never been ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: *other

Be Found Doing Your Duty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2011

BE FOUND DOING YOUR DUTY The time was the 19th of May, 1780. The place was Hartford, Connecticut. The day has gone down in New England history as a terrible foretaste of Judgment Day. For at noon the skies turned from blue to gray and by mid-afternoon had blackened over so densely that, in that ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11

Tags: Judgment

The Counsel Of The Wicked

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 28, 2011

THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED I remember talking with a young man in jail. He was telling me that his family had hired a lawyer to get him out (whom I always heard was a good attorney) but he wasn't sure he wanted to trust the lawyer. I asked him why. He responded that the other guys in his jail ...read more

Tags: Fool

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Boy Got His First Job. As He Was Boasting About ...  PRO

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Apr 2, 2011

A boy got his first job. As he was boasting about the amount of work he did, he said, "I get up at 5 a.m. and have my breakfast." He was asked, "Does anyone else get up too?" He replied, "Oh yes, mother gets up and fixes my breakfast and then fixes dad’s breakfast." "And what about your dinner?" ...read more

Scripture: Jude 1:1-25

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Salvation Army

Surprise Gift

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 15, 2011

SURPRISE GIFT When Gabriel Hurles turned six a couple of years ago (January 2009), he was so focused on eating his birthday cake, that he hardly noticed the giant package in the corner of the room. When another child pointed out the large gift, Gabriel ran over and began to tear off the wrapping. ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14

Tags: Christmas

I Tithe—he'll Find Me.  PRO

Contributed by Denn Guptill on May 1, 2011

"I TITHE--HE'LL FIND ME." Two men have ended up marooned on an island in the South Pacific. You can fill in the blanks as to how they got there. So they are on the clichéic deserted island, one palm tree, nothing to see but the ocean. One guy is in a complete panic, pacing back and forth, ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:5-21, Matthew 23:23

Tags: Offering, Tithe, Tithes

Denomination: Wesleyan

River Of God

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Jun 5, 2011

RIVER OF GOD Ever since moving to the valley, my eyes have been drawn to the mountains and the river. There’s days in the summer months when I ride my bike to the river, and gaze at the its powerful flow. It’s fascinating for me to watch the river at different stages. Sometimes it looks ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Lutheran

The Signet Ring

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Sep 4, 2011

THE SIGNET RING "...I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the LORD Almighty" (Haggai 2:23). We don't often hear about signet rings anymore; but in Bible times, they were very significant. f In other words, you knew something was from the king because it was marked ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Baptist

Knowing The Sound Of His Voice  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Oct 8, 2011

KNOWING THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE Brian Brown tells the story of being at the community pool with his family. Kids were screaming, playing, and splashing in the pool, music was playing, the lifeguard whistles were blowing and in the midst of the conversation, his wife shooshes him. He said, "What are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, John 10:4

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Methodist

The Imaginary Ball

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Feb 6, 2012

THE IMAGINARY BALL A golfer who had been playing badly went to a psychiatrist who told him to relax by playing a round of golf without a ball. "Do everything you would normally do, but use an imaginary ball." The golfer tried it the next day. He stepped up on the first tee, imagined he got a ...read more

Tags: Confidence

Spiritual Acne

Contributed by Antonio Silveira on Feb 29, 2012

SPIRITUAL ACNE Have you seen ads for Clearsil, Proactiv, or other acne treatments? They usually exaggerate things and show the face before and aft the application of the "miraculous" product that makes you look good and perfect. They also make sure you get hooked to the remedy so they can bank on ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-27

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Baptist

Invitation To Drink Poison

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 17, 2012

INVITATION TO DRINK POISON David Timms said: "Skeptics, atheists, cynics, and unbelievers often cast Christianity as a legalistic burden, a lifestyle of bondage or a crutch for the weak to lean on. Well, perhaps it's time for those same voices to look around and see the fruit of recklessness. ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Making The Wrong Right

Contributed by Bret Toman on Oct 31, 2012

MAKING THE WRONG RIGHT Many years ago, Christian professor Stuart Blackie of the University of Edinburgh was listening to his students as they presented oral readings. When one young man rose to begin his recitation, he held his book in the wrong hand. The professor thundered, "Take your book in ...read more

Tags: Humility

Denomination: Baptist

Martyrdom Of John ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2013

MARTYRDOM OF JOHN DENLEY One day, on the way to visit some friends, John Denley was stopped and searched by the authorities, who found his written confession of faith. Denley believed the Church was built upon the apostles and prophets, with Christ as its head, and that the present state church, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:10-12

Tags: Faith, Persecution, Martyr