In Sermon Illustrations: "Examine Me"

Motley, Cross-Breed, Half-Baked Sheep  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2010

MOTLEY, CROSS-BREED, HALF-BAKED SHEEP Before I went off to train for ministry, I used to live in an old house in Oamaru with an acre and a half of land. I had the usual garden and lawn, but I also had about an acre and a quarter of pretty rough hillside that was planted in a variety of trees and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:3, Numbers 6:22-27

Tags: Parable Lost Sheep

Denomination: Salvation Army

Only The Original Builder Can Restore It

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 30, 2010

ONLY THE ORIGINAL BUILDER CAN RESTORE IT In a remote Swiss village stands a beautiful church - Mountain Valley Cathedral. It has high pillars and magnificent stained glass windows, but what makes it special is the most beautiful pipe organ in the whole region. People would come from far off lands ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-5

Tags: Atonement

The Angel And Anthony Burger

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 22, 2011

THE ANGEL AND ANTHONY BURGER Anthony Burger died at age 44. Many feel that he is the finest gospel pianist that ever lived. He spent the last ten years playing for the Gaither Vocal Band. He last played on a cruise ship. Fifteen hundred people were on the cruise, vacationing during the day, and ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Use What Is There  PRO

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Mar 22, 2011

USE WHAT IS THERE My son Omri is large, extremely smart and very active. He has not met a tree or roof that he has not at least mentally pondered climbing. Omri's teacher runs up to me the other day and says, "Your son almost made me lose my mind, my religion and my job." This is not unusual, so I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 8:8

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: United Methodist

The Meaning Of The Cross

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 25, 2011

THE MEANING OF THE CROSS In the 19th century, Armenian Christians, under a Turkish Muslim government, experienced a tremendous amount of persecution. The government lifted the ban on Muslims converting to Christianity in 1856. Then just eight years later, they began arresting these Muslim converts ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Tags: Persecution

They Get An "A," You Get An "A," What's Wrong ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Oct 20, 2011

THEY GET AN "A," YOU GET AN "A," WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? On the first day of class the professor says, "I have this very complicated Math problem, the solution of which shall constitute your grade for the entire semester. I'm giving you the problem now so you can start working immediately if you ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Moody And The Filling Of The Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on May 27, 2012

MOODY AND THE FILLING OF THE SPIRIT One of the great preachers in U.S. history is D. L. Moody. He pastored in Chicago and there is still a wonderful Bible College there that bears his name and values. Mr. Moody was a successful minister, but by his own admission, he lacked the power in his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:1-22

Tags: Pentecost, Blessing, Esau, Isaac, Curse, Spoken Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene

When To Pray For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 13, 2012

WHEN TO PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT I think about the pastor of the church that I went to couple of years in California, Pastor Chuck. A man came to him and said he wanted to make a large donation - one million dollar donation. The pastor said to that, “Wow – that is a lot of money. Let me go first and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Money

Sacrifice

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

I will never forget being at church one Sunday playing "king of the hill" with my buddies, before church started. But our play stopped when a car pulled up to the sidewalk and, with help, out came a soldier, who had returned from Vietnam a few weeks earlier. But he came on crutches and he ...read more

Scripture: John 15:13-18

Tags: Sacrifices, Wounded, Soldier Of The Cross

Denomination: Christian Church

What Does "All" Mean?

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 14, 2013

WHAT DOES "ALL" MEAN? I know people who are carrying around a load of guilt over the past and they're loaded down with this extra weight God doesn't want them to have. I remember a lady in my church in Wiesbaden I'll call Jill. Jill had rebelled against her parents, had been on drugs, had had ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Golfers Have A Change Of Heart

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2013

GOLFERS HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART When you willingly give Jesus all that you are and all that you have, you receive so much more in return. I heard a story once about a group of guys who were returning from playing golf in rural Georgia. As they drove down a two-lane road they came up on a ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:16-20, 1 Timothy 6:6-19

Tags: Compassion

Perfection Achieved  PRO

Contributed by Larry Turner on Dec 4, 2014

Then Jesus concluded with this commandment. “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Wow, now that is a tough one. Be perfect. I am not like Noah, a righteous man. Wait a minute. He was a drunk. Okay like Abraham. He was a liar. How about Moses, short ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:48

Tags: Holiness, Perfection, Finished Work, Christian Maturity

Denomination: Foursquare

Mr Jackson Learns To Love

Contributed by John Gullick on Oct 22, 2015

Let me tell you a story. Mr Jackson, everyday, looked angrily towards his neighbours. Fushia and Watt. What kind of names were they? It made him angry. Tattoos, and, she had a nose piercing, and, their dog chased his cat. Mr Jackson sighed. Parties sometimes, well barbeques, cars parked on his ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-22

Tags: Murder In The Heart

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Leadership Principles Of Jesus

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 11, 2020

The Leadership Principles of Jesus. • Jesus was willing to invest in people others would have dismissed. (Consider the disciples. They were not the “religious” elite, yet Jesus used them to start His church). • Jesus released responsibility and ownership in a ministry. (Jesus sent the disciples ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 9:23

Tags: Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry Of Jesus, Business Management

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Rough Road Revival

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Dec 17, 2020

Psalms 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Things going badly or the road is rough? Need revived? David had that relationship with God that in the midst of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 138:7

Tags: Revival, Trouble

Denomination: Baptist

Commitment Or Surrender What's The Difference

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jun 26, 2023

Adrian Rogers tells the story of his meeting with Josef T’son who had suffered greatly under communism. Adrian said: “Josef, tell me about American Christianity.” Josef responded: “Adrian, I had rather not.” “No, I want to know.” “Well, Adrian, since you have asked me, I’ll tell you. The key ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:9

Tags: Commitment, Surrender, Serving Christ

Denomination: Baptist

What Have They Done For You Lately

Contributed by Brian Harvison on Oct 4, 2023

I heard an illustration from Pastor Tony Evans that I altered some to fit us here in Arkansas • We love our Razorbacks, we make time for our Razorbacks • Especially Razorback football • Me and my wife love football • But, have you ever thought about how much time we devote to football? • The ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11

Tags: Razorbacks, Ask, Seek, Knock

Denomination: Baptist

God Moved Christian Across Pond To Save Him From Drowning

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 25, 2025

God Moved Christian across Pond to Save Him from Drowning One of my favorite miracle stories is from Jan Ramsey. My wife Mary used to work at Lakeshore School with Jan. She was a member of First Baptist in Swartz. Jan gave this prayer testimony about her dad, James, and I think he was 81 at the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Tags: Nathan The Prophet, Solomon's Temple, Mother's Womb, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, King David, Fearfully Made, Wonderfully Made, Creation, Light, Darkness, Presence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Cinnamon Rolls And Skunks

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 10, 2025

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches.” — Proverbs 22:1 When I was in ninth grade, I went to a boarding school way out in the hills of Tennessee called Laurelbrook Academy. It wasn’t like most schools. Along with classes, every student had a job to do — some worked in the kitchen, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:1, Luke 16:10, Ephesians 4:28, Galatians 6:7, Psalm 34:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Honesty, Consequences, Temptation, Character, Integrity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Passing It On

Contributed by David Dunn on Mar 30, 2026

I visited a friend for Thanksgiving. Nothing formal. Just one of those homes where you walk in and immediately feel like you belong. The kitchen was already alive—warm, a little crowded, full of movement. You could hear things happening before you even saw them. Pots shifting. Laughter from the ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:6-7, 1 Corinthians 11:1

Tags: Tradition, Influence, Formation

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist