In Sermon Illustrations: "Excited About Preaching"

When I Was A Small Boy, I Attended Church Every ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

When I was a small boy, I attended church every Sunday at a big Gothic Presbyterian bastion in Chicago. The preaching was powerful and the music was great. But for me, the most awesome moment in the morning service was the offertory, when twelve solemn, frock-coated ushers marched in lock-step down ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:15-24

Tags: God's Provision

My Life Is In His Hands

Contributed by Guy Mcgraw on Dec 12, 2011

MY LIFE IS IN HIS HANDS Chuck Colson tells about going to Salem, OR. & preaching to prisoners there. Kathy Trocoli went with him, sang the song, "My Life is in His Hands." After the service was over, one of the inmates came up to Kathy and said, "I really want to thank you for singing that song. ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Stand By Me

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 13, 2024

STAND BY ME I played the video of the song, "Stand By Me" by Home Free in a recent worship service right before I came up to preach. Our people wondered: "Pastor Larry, why play a secular song for a Sunday morning service??" Maybe I need to share what I discovered about the ...read more

Tags: God's Promises, Hymns, Friends, Songs, Black Spirituals, Gospel Songs, Marriage, Support, Loyalty  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Several Years Ago C.s. Lewis Wrote A Book ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Several years ago C.S. Lewis wrote a book entitled “The Screwtape Letters. Screwtape was a Master Demon who wrote a series of letters to his nephew Wormwood, who was a Demon in training. I came something this week that someone who had obviously read Lewis’ book had written. It is another letter. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Gettin' Up A Load Right Now!" Psalm 39: 5-13 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Dec 26, 2004

“Gettin’ Up a Load Right Now!” Psalm 39: 5-13 Key verse(s): 5: “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.” It was the end of the church year and Pastor Smith was really into his preaching. He loved “end times” because ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:5-13

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Lutheran

Treating The Disease, Not The Symptoms  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jan 31, 2011

TREATING THE DISEASE, NOT THE SYMPTOMS I know a man who has diabetes. It has gone unchecked and he has some serious problems with his feet. He is always hindered by his foot problems and he's afraid he will lose one to amputation so he has the tendency to treat the foot concerns. The problem is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-17

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Nazarene

Veteran Baseball Player Gets Frustrated When ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 28, 2010

Veteran Baseball Player Gets Frustrated When Manager Lets a Rookie Play His Position A story is told of a baseball manager who was in charge of a great baseball team that he felt sure was headed for the World Series. The Manager was excited about his team’s progress but desired to see more ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-10

Tags: Sports

Please Come Back  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 6, 2011

"PLEASE COME BACK" Max Lucado tells us about a girl named Christina. She lives in a small dusty village in Brazil. She’s bored. She feels like her strict parents have cheated her out of the joys of life. She longs for the excitement of the big city of Rio. One morning her mother Maria finds ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32, Mark 4:1-9

Tags: Parable Prodigal Son, Parable Sower And Seed

Trust The Prayer

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 2, 2021

A TRUSTING PRAYER Did you hear about the young preacher that graduated Bible School? He accepted a small country church to be the pastor. It was the only church that would have him. He was the only candidate that would go to the small church. So they were matched up pretty well. His first ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 17:7, Isaiah 40:28-31

Tags: Trust, Prayer

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Box Is Empty

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2008

THE BOX IS EMPTY God offers us more than this world does, but most of us never take the time to see it. There was a 15-year old boy named Joey, whose mother died at birth. She was a severe alcoholic, and that had affected his pre-natal development. The result was that he was slightly retarded. ...read more

Tags: Worldliness

De-Evangelizing The Neighborhood

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2022

A few years ago I heard a story of a church that looked as though they were really thriving. They had about 500 people attending, had many outreach ministries reaching their community, and many people were coming to Christ and to church through their ministry. The problem was that the church was ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25

Tags: Fellowship, Community, Small Groups

Consider Again Christmas  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2002

CONSIDER AGAIN CHRISTMAS When Pope Julius I authorized December 25 to be celebrated as the birthday of Jesus in A.D. 353, who would have ever thought that it would become what it is today. When Professor Charles Follen lit candles on the first Christmas tree in America in 1832, who would have ...read more

Tags: Christmas, Birth Of Jesus

Who Has Ever Heard Of Harriet Tubman Before? Her ...  PRO

Contributed by Curt Cizek on Feb 25, 2003

Who has ever heard of Harriet Tubman before? Her story is an exciting one. She was a runaway slave who was able to get to the north with the help of some sympathetic people both white and black. She was so thankful for the help that she had received that she decided to risk her own life to ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Underground Railroad

Denomination: Lutheran

Have You Heard Of The Man Who Claims And Boasts ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jul 19, 2004

Have you heard of the man who claims and boasts of being the #1 NBA fan, and makes pro basketball his top priority? Listen to what he wrote in a national sports magazine recently. “April & May are not only my favorite months because of the NBA play-offs but they are my credit card company’s ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Christian Church

Sarah Was An Active Three-Year Old- Underscore ...

Contributed by Terry Cavanaugh on Nov 12, 2005

Sarah was an active three-year old- underscore active! She was always busy and always in a hurry because at three years of age, she already realized that there are so many exciting things to do and see and experience in this incredible world God has given us. Sarah interrupted her playtime just ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Methodist

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Contributed by Troy Borst on Feb 25, 2006

ILLUSTRATION... http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/5058592/detail.html I think that Israel’s issue was the same as olympian Lindsey Jacobellis. First-time Olympian Lindsey Jacobellis of the U.S. distinguished herself as the top women’s rider in snowboard cross over the past two seasons. And she ...read more

Tags: Sin Deceptive

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The United States Women's Softball Team Won The ...

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 10, 2004

The United States Women's Softball team won the gold medal in Atlanta's 1996 Olympic games. They lost only one game. In the fifth inning against Australia, Danielle Tyler hit a home run over the center-field fence. When she was greeted by a swarm of well-wishing teammates at home plate she let the ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

One Of The Great Benefits Of The Worship-Filled ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Mar 25, 2008

One of the great benefits of the worship-filled life is you see God working in your home and family life. I have seen God do some amazing things in Kendra’s life and in the life of my kids. Sometimes they are things that could easily be missed. For example, Micaela has the cutest little smile and ...read more

Denomination: Church Of God

Two Wives Were Doing Their Washing In A Laundry ...

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Sep 5, 2008

Two wives were doing their washing in a laundry mat. They were both sitting mend their husband’s pants. As they were sowing, the one lady said, "My husband is so discouraged, he is so cold. We can’t find anything good on TV. Nothing seems to go right for him. Every one at work picks on him and we ...read more

Tags: Prayer Persistence

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Vision Changes Everything  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

A VISION CHANGES EVERYTHING Donald S. Whitney in his book, "Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life" has said: "Discipline without direction is drudgery." He gives an example of a six-year-old boy named Kevin sitting one afternoon at guitar lessons. Outside are the other boys laughing and ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General