In Sermon Illustrations: "Enough"

In 2009 Picher Oklahoma Closed It’s ...

Contributed by David Rumley on Aug 19, 2010

In 2009 Picher Oklahoma closed it’s doors… the entire city closed, evacuated, and shut down. Once it was a town of 20,000 people… in the first quarter of 1900’s it was a boomtown and had abundant lead and zinc. The Picher area became the most productive lead-zinc mining field in the Tri-State ...read more

Tags: Sin Wages Of

Denomination: Pentecostal

This Doesn't Mean That We Do Not Feel The Brunt ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 6, 2010

This doesn't mean that we do not feel the brunt of bad news, trials, or miseries. It means he helps us gain our composure. Judy Ackerman Link wrote: After my doctor announced that I had cancer, I tried to listen to what he said, but I couldn’t. I went home, pulled a blanket over my head, and fell ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Hearing The Crickets

Contributed by Chris Kelly on Sep 29, 2010

HEARING THE CRICKETS An American Indian left the reservation to visit downtown New York. Walking down a busy street with his friend, he suddenly stopped and said, "I hear a cricket". His friend said, "You're crazy! There's no way you could hear a cricket in all this noise!" The Indian ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Denomination: Wesleyan

Olonga's Persecution

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Mar 10, 2011

OLONGA'S PERSECUTION Henry Olonga tells of when he was first selected for the Zimbabwean cricket B-Team. They were touring South Africa and staying in a luxurious Johannesburg Hotel. At that time they had to share a hotel room with a teammate and he was sharing with a more famous, white, senior ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Anglican

Self-Centered Christianity  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2011

SELF-CENTERED CHRISTIANITY John Koessler pastored for years before becoming a professor in the pastoral studies department at Moody Bible Institute. In 2007 he wrote, A Stranger In The House of God, chronicling his experience in various churches. "Most of the Christians I know are disappointed ...read more

Scripture: Titus 1:1-9

Tags: Church Practices

I Don't Want To Be A Fireman

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 20, 2011

I DON'T WANT TO BE A FIREMAN I recall a conversation I once had with a precocious little boy we once had in the church I pastored for 10 years in Wiesbaden. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. "Well," he replied, "I don't want to be a fireman." I'd never had a kid tell me what ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

The Unknown Treasure

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 4, 2011

THE UNKNOWN TREASURE A rock hound named Rob Cutshaw owns a little roadside shop outside Andrews, North Carolina. Like many in the trade, he hunts for rocks, then sells them to collectors or jewelry makers. He knows enough about rocks to decide which to pick up and sell, but he's no expert. He ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:44

Tags: Parable Treasure

Harry And The Mountain

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Jun 22, 2011

HARRY AND THE MOUNTAIN On March 17th of 1980, a radical thing took place in the state of Washington, something that hadn’t happened in at least 123 years. It started when an earthquake registering 4.1 on the Richter scale was reported near Mt. St. Helens in S.W Washington. Forest rangers were ...read more

Tags: Revelation

Invalids' Prayers Bring Revival  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

INVALIDS' PRAYERS BRING REVIVAL Max Lucado told of a church in Scotland back in the 1940s that was struggling to keep the doors open. A couple of its members were two older ladies who were invalids and couldn’t get out for worship any longer. But these ladies refused to allow their infirmities to ...read more

Scripture: James 5:13-20

Tags: Prayer Persistence, Serving

Prayer For Thieves  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

PRAYER FOR THIEVES About 12 years ago, three men broke into our church building here. They didn't steal much, and they didn't really damage all that much (they broke a couple of doors, and stole a few small items) but we called the police and reported the incident. After the police left, our youth ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6

Tags: Prayer Answered

The Maker

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2011

THE MAKER An old Model T Ford was pulled off to the side of the road with its hood up, and a young man was trying desperately to get it running. He had been working at it for a long time without any success when a beautiful, chauffeur-driven limousine stopped behind him, and a well-dressed man got ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Knowing God's Will

Machine Gun Preacher

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Sep 27, 2011

MACHINE GUN PREACHER Video Clip Illustration: From wingclips.com (From Machine Gun Preacher clip) SYNOPSIS: Machine Gun Preacher is the inspirational true story of Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing criminal who undergoes an astonishing transformation and finds an unexpected calling as the ...read more

Tags: Sacrifices

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Craving Milk

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Oct 26, 2011

CRAVING MILK I remember our grandkids had ravenous appetites towards mother's milk and they all grew fat as over-stuffed ticks. All 4 of them were roly-poly by 3 months of age. There was an obvious direct corollary between milk ingested and weight gain. Likewise, spiritual infants who crave ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Love Your Neighbor

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Apr 16, 2012

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR I stepped outside my hotel room yesterday and saw a thin elderly woman taking small steps in a circle. She seemed to be mumbling. Our eyes connected. She said, "They left me here and I don't know where they have gone. I don't know what room I am in." I held out my hand. She ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 23:4-5

Tags: Neighbor

Denomination: Baptist

Joanne Shetler Spent Years In The Philippines ...

Contributed by Tim Spear on Dec 3, 2012

Joanne Shetler spent years in the Philippines with the Balangao people, translating the Bible into their language and trying to tell them the good news of the Savior. But it was slow going. One day Ama, a man who had “adopted” her as his Balangao daughter, picked up an English New Testament from ...read more

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Baptist

There Was A Little Canadian Bird Who Decided Not ...

Contributed by Sylvester Fergusson on Jan 26, 2013

There was a little Canadian bird who decided not to fly south for the winter. "If other animals can stay," he reasoned, "why can't I?" Against the better advice of his elders, the little bird stubbornly decided to stay. Very soon, however, he realized his mistake. The ...read more

Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:8

Tags: Preparation, Procrastination, Temptation Pride, Presumptiousness

Denomination: Adventist

Position Versus Discipleship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

POSITION VERSUS DISCIPLESHIP C. Gene Wilkes, in his book Jesus on Leadership, says, "Confusion arises when you equate higher 'positions' with leadership . . . As long as 'position' is honored above discipleship -- being a follower -- church leaders will honor the ambitious over the obedient." We ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Kory Wilcoxon- Gary, Who Was In His 50s, Was ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 25, 2016

Kory Wilcoxon- Gary, who was in his 50s, was mentally disabled, and had the mental capacity of a six- or seven-year-old. He also had one of the worst singing voices I’ve ever heard. His singing was slurred and never close to the right key. And he didn’t have the social development to recognize his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-2

Tags: Make A Joyful Noise, Singing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Bruce Wilkinson Shares This Thought In His Book ...

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on May 9, 2007

Bruce Wilkinson shares this thought in his book The Dream Giver: i. What keeps people from embracing and pursuing their God-given Dreams? I’ve noticed five common but deadly misconceptions: 1. “I don’t have a Dream.” 2. “I have to invent my Dream.” 3. “I have a Dream, but it’s not that ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

H. You Have Probably Heard The Old Story About ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

H. YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THE OLD STORY ABOUT THE LATE, GREAT DR. A. J. GORDON, A FAMOUS PREACHER FROM ENGLAND WHO CAME TO A VERY DEAD, DULL, FORMAL, CHURCH IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON, MASS. I. HE WAS A FIERY PREACHER, WHO REFUSED TO WEAR A ROBE, WHICH WAS MANDATORY IN THAT CHURCH AND HE PREACHED ...read more

Scripture: Amos 6:1-8

Tags: Justice, Church Body Of Christ