In Sermon Illustrations: "Encourage Others"

A Second Chance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 8, 2011

A SECOND CHANCE Some years ago, two teenagers with a long history of crime and misbehavior robbed a YMCA on the lowest East Side of New York City. On the way out they saw a young man at the telephone switchboard. They were frightened and assumed that the man must be calling the police. They held ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 32:1-2

Tags: Love, Hope, Change, Care, Forgiveness For Others  (view more)  (view less)

Adam & Eve's Old House

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 16, 2014

ADAM AND EVE’S OLD HOUSE One day Adam was out hunting with his two boys and came up to the Garden of Eden where he and Eve had been kicked out for for eating the forbidden fruit. Adam was staring at the Garden and one of his boys said, “Daddy, what is wrong with you? Why are you ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:1-10

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Adam And Eve, Blaming Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of Forgiveness  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 20, 2014

THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS An African woman gave her heart to Christ. Her husband was the chief of a Zulu tribe. When she told him what she had done, the chief beat her brutally. As she was lying in the floor bleeding, the man mocked her and said, “Now, what can your Jesus do for ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:31-32, Luke 23:34

Tags: Forgiveness, Enemy, New Birth, Forgiving Others

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Forgiveness Is Not...

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 27, 2014

I think there are many today who are confused about forgiveness. Let’s talk about what forgiveness IS NOT. FORGIVENESS IS NOT EASY. It is the most difficult you will ever do to forgive someone who has stolen from you, lied about, hurt you or broken a vow to you. FORGIVENESS IS NOT NATURAL. The ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:15-20

Tags: Forgiveness, Cross, Forgiving Others, Joseph In Egypt

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ronald Reagan Forgave

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 27, 2014

RONALD REAGAN FORGAVE President Ronald Reagan has always been one of my heroes in life. His forgiveness of his enemies was one of the many things that made him great. Ronald Reagan's attitude after the 1982 assassination attempt on his life made an impression on his daughter, Patti Davis. As she ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:15-20

Tags: Enemy, Leadership, Forgiving Others, Ronald Reagan

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

World Trade Center Hero

Contributed by Tim Smith on Sep 25, 2016

Matt Chandler tells the story of Dave Karnes. When the World Trade Center tumbled to the ground on that dreadfully dark day, more than 3000 people lost their lives. But a few who were buried beneath the rubble miraculously survived. Two of these were Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin, a pair of Port ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:1-10

Tags: Evangelism, 911, Incarnation Of Jesus, Saving Others

Denomination: Methodist

Loaded Gun

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

LOADED GUN Let's start out with a story; there's a young man standing with his eyes glazing over with shock. His eyes slowly shift in utter disbelief from the still smoking gun in his hand to his best friend laying in the floor with an ever-growing red spot on his chest. His eyes fill with ...read more

Tags: Our Sins Hurt Others, Price For Sin

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Ice Storm Train (1917)

Contributed by Dr. Bradford Reaves on Dec 4, 2025

In December 1917, a massive ice storm paralyzed New England. A passenger train froze on the tracks outside Hartford, leaving hundreds stranded in subzero temperatures. The passengers had no food, no heat, and no way home on Christmas Eve. Then something remarkable happened. Families living along ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:33-40

Tags: Christmas, Helping Others, Incarnation, Humanity, Trains  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Brethren

Clever But Mean

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 22, 2025

A Welshman, Scot and Englishman are walking when they come across a lantern and a genie pops out and grants them one wish each. The Scot says: “I am a sheep herder, like my dad before me. I want my country to be full of lovely sheep farms.”  Whoosh, and so it was. The Englishman was amazed and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:1-5

Tags: Prejudice, Superiority, Getting Even, Loving Others, Vengence, Shrewdness, Ethnicity, Hating Others, Ethnic Hatred  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The V-Formation (Geese)

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 31, 2020

V-SHAPED FORMATION… GEESE ARE STRONG AS A SKEIN. The V-formation is called a skein. Do we understand how wonderful God’s creation is? Study has revealed that GEESE fly in a V-shaped formation when they are migrating. This serves several purposes. The V-formation improves the ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3, 1 Samuel 30:8

Tags: Unity, Geese

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Late One Summer Evening In Broken Bow, Nebraska, ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeeva Sam on Mar 20, 2001

Late one summer evening in Broken Bow, Nebraska, a weary truck driver pulled his rig into an all-night truck stop. The waitress had just served him when three tough looking, leather jacketed motorcyclists - of the Hell’s Angels type - decided to give him a hard time. Not only did they verbally ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 19:1-16, Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Anger, Christian Love, Praise, Love, Judging Others, Giving, Reaping And Sowing, Thankfulness, Worship  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Loving Teddy  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2002

LOVING TEDDY Miss Thompson taught Teddy Stallard in the fourth grade. He was a slow, unkempt student, a loner shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, and what little motivation for school he may have once had was now gone. Miss Thompson didn’t particularly care for Teddy ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

Tags: Compassion, Christian Love, Encouragement, Longsuffering, Love Of The Disciples, Patience, Perseverance  (view more)  (view less)

The Amazing Accuracy Of Scripture

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 28, 2020

Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmon College, Peter Stoner, has calculated the probability of one man fulfilling the major prophecies made concerning the Messiah. The estimates were worked out by twelve different classes of 600 college students. The students carefully weighed all the factors, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3

Tags: Word Of God, Inerrancy, Prophecies Fulfilled, Inspiration Of The Bible, Bible, Messiah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

At A Convention With Their Wives, Two Businessmen ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

At a convention with their wives, two businessmen who had been roommates in college crossed paths. They sat in the lobby all night talking. They knew they would be in trouble with their wives. The next day they happened to see each other. "What did your wife think?" "I walked in the door ...read more

Tags: Marriage General, Leadership, Forgiveness General, Forgiveness For Others

How Do You Feel About People? A Pastor Arranged ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Feb 2, 2001

How do you feel about people? A pastor arranged for a gathering of the women’s auxiliary. It was to be a garden party on the church lawn, under the old oak. At the last moment, the morning of the party, Mrs. Preacher discovered she left Sister Hissyfit off the invitation list. The parson ...read more

Scripture: John 3:14-21

Tags: Forgiveness General, Forgiveness For Others, Prayer Answered, Grace

Denomination: United Methodist

Julia Had Been Singing "Softly And Tenderly" By ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeeva Sam on Apr 5, 2001

Julia had been singing "softly and Tenderly" by her father’s bedside. As the last word hummed in her throat, her father reached toward her. "I want that one," he said. His eyes rose to Julia in an urgent glare. "At the funeral?" she asked. He blinked slowly. "I’ll tell Reverend Walton," she said. ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Forgiveness For Others, Parable Prodigal Son

Denomination: Methodist

Kay Arthur Writes: If Only… If Only He Had ...  PRO

Contributed by Greg Nance on May 3, 2001

Kay Arthur writes: If only… if only he had known… If only I had known! He had been summoned. What could he do? There was no higher authority to appeal to, no one to mediate. He had been bidden to come – and go he must. Most people looked on him with contempt because of his physical ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Lodebar, Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Forgive Us Our Debts...  PRO

Contributed by Rick Mccarley on Apr 30, 2002

FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS... A pastor friend recently told the true story of one of his church members, an attorney, who after meditating on several scriptures, decided to cancel the debts of all his clients that had owed him money for more than 6 months. He drafted a letter explaining his decision and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:12

Tags: Sin, Mercy, Debt, Atonement, Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

A Father's Forgiveness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 9, 2002

A FATHER'S FORGIVENESS In his book, What’s So Amazing About Grace , Phillip Yancey tells the story of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway grew up in a very devout evangelical family, and yet there he never experienced the grace of Christ. He lived a libertine life that most of us would call "dissolute"… ...read more

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son, Forgiveness For Others, Father's Day

Forgiving My Enemy  PRO

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Apr 18, 2003

FORGIVING MY ENEMY Ronald Reagan’s attitude after the 1982 attempt on his life made an impression on his daughter, Patti Davis: “The following day my father said he knew his physical healing was directly dependent on his ability to forgive John Hinckley. By showing me that forgiveness is the key ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness, Forgive, Forgiveness General, Christlikeness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal