In Sermon Illustrations: "Facing Storms"

How Did You Become A Christian?  PRO

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 21, 2011

HOW DID YOU BECOME A CHRISTIAN? A couple of years ago a 22-year-old woman spent the night at our house before flying out of San Antonio to return to her country of China. She was a Chinese Christian who had come to America to translate some Christian literature into Chinese for the house churches ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

All By Myself?

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 27, 2011

ALL BY MYSELF? The story is told of an old lady who had moved to the United States from Europe when she was a child, but now she wanted to officially become a citizen of this country. After months of going through all the necessary red tape, she was finally ready to take the required ...read more

Tags: Confidence

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Loss Of Joy = Incomplete Obedience

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

LOSS OF JOY = INCOMPLETE OBEDIENCE F. B. Meyer: Sometimes a soul comes to its spiritual adviser, speaking thus: "I have no conscious joy, and have had but little for years." "Did you once have it?" "Yes, for some time after my conversion to God." "Are you conscious of having refused obedience to ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15

Tags: Obedience

Bumper Stickers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2014

BUMPER STICKER CONSCIENCE This is a true story. I have a pastor friend in Alabama named Bill who was driving to speak at a church in another county and he was running late. He was driving about 20 miles over the speed limit, when suddenly he remembered he had a Christian bumper sticker on his car. ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:1-7

Tags: Conscience, Obey Authorities

Romans 1:22

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Romans 1:22 Life is so much vanity. We live on the brink of insanity. This is so very, very odd For creation is in the image of God. We plod along in our sin Knowing that we cannot win. Our souls so easily we sell To that pawnbroker of Hell. Instead of singing, "How Great Thou ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:22

Tags: Sin, Vanity, Hypocrisy, Religion, Traditions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Don't Do Road Rage If You Have A Christian Bumper Sticker!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 29, 2022

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and ...read more

Tags: Stress, Satan, Obedience, Humor, Hypocrisy, Testimony, Police  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Death And Vanity

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 29, 2022

A middle-aged, wealthy woman has a heart attack. While on the operating table she has a near death experience. She sees the angel at the gates and asks if this is it. The angel says no, she has another 30-40 years to live. She recovers, and decides to stay in the hospital and have a face lift, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Proverbs 31:30, Mark 8:36, Matthew 16:26

Tags: Death, Beauty, Vanity

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Be A Christian But Don't Act Like One!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 28, 2022

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35

Tags: Satan, Discipleship, Kingdom Of God, Hypocrites

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

General Macarthur Said, I Will Return!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 6, 2024

General Douglas MacArthur, during World War II, famously declared to the people of the Philippine Islands, “I shall return.” This resolute statement was made after he was ordered to leave the Philippines, which were under Japanese invasion. His promise echoed the determination of our Lord Jesus ...read more

Tags: End Times, Prophecy, Second Coming, Last Days, Rapture, Signs, Return Of Christ, Promises  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It All Started With An Apple

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 24, 2025

In my backyard I have two apple trees. They grow low to the ground and in July the apples are plentiful but small and green. Harvest is not until late September here in Ontario. But the low hanging branches present an enticing temptation to pick the apples. One beautiful morning I noticed an ...read more

Scripture: Romans 7:7-25, Romans 6:1-4, Romans 3:21-31

Tags: Original Sin, The Fall, Sin, Obedience, Temptation, Adam  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Merely Mode!" Job 38:1-41 Key Verse(S): ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 15, 2005

“Merely Mode!” Job 38:1-41 Key verse(s): 1ff:“Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.” When tragedies happen, do you marvel at their randomness? Seven people are gunned down in a church on a Saturday evening. A young boy of 15 and an old man of 74. The newspaper headline called it ...read more

Scripture: Job 38:1-41

Tags: God's Provision, God's Forgiveness

Denomination: Lutheran

Relentless For Justice  PRO

Contributed by Bishop Johnathan Hester on Sep 22, 2009

Relentless for Justice IN the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, we meet an extraordinary woman who refuses to accept her fate. She voices opposition to injustice without relenting. As a result of her persistence, even the unjust judge is prompted to act. If even an unjust judge can be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8, Luke 18:7-8

Tags: Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Apostolic

A Movement To Jesus Within Islam

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 26, 2009

A MOVEMENT TO JESUS WITHIN ISLAM In an article entitled, "A Movement to Jesus Within Islam" this story is told: There was a Muslim holy man, a Sufi master, named Isaac. He lived in a remote region of a Muslim country, where he had a large following. Several thousand people looked to him for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Islam

Normally The Flight From Nassau To Miami Took ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Hensley on May 3, 2001

Normally the flight from Nassau to Miami took Walter Wyatt, Jr., only sixty-five minutes. But on December 5, 1986, he attempted it after thieves had looted the navigational equipment in his Beechcraft. With only a compass and a hand-held radio, Walter flew into skies blackened by storm clouds. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, Evangelism Fear Of, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

The Graduation Gift  PRO

Contributed by Joel Vicente on Oct 12, 2002

THE GRADUATION GIFT A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealers showroom, and knowing that his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 133:1

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Baptist

Have You Ever Seen The Walt Disney Movie, ...  PRO

Contributed by Curt Cizek on Feb 25, 2003

Have you ever seen the Walt Disney movie, Hercules? It’s a great movie. Zeus was the father of all the gods. That is god with a small “g.” Zeus had a son named Hercules. Hades who was the ruler of the underworld was angry with Zeus so he devised a plan to overthrow the gods and take over Mt. ...read more

Tags: Romantic Love

Denomination: Lutheran

A Stranger Came By The Other Day With An Offer ...  PRO

Contributed by Larry Brincefield on Aug 21, 2003

A stranger came by the other day with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway. I told him right off that he was crazy. He was a city type. You could tell by his clothes, his car, his hands, and the way he talked. He said he was driving by and saw ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment, God In The Hardships

Denomination: Nazarene

The Story Is Told Of A Family Living In The ...  PRO

Contributed by David Haun on Jan 8, 2004

The story is told of a family living in the northern United States. As happens in many families, the wife was an active church member. She would take the children to church services. Her husband didn’t feel it necessary or important to go. It just wasn’t his thing. One Christmas eve, his ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Behind Every Big Dream  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2004

BEHIND EVERY BIG DREAM Charles Swindoll shares this story in an issue of Leadership magazine: “On May 24, 1965, a thirteen-and-a half-foot boat quietly slipped out of the marina at Falmouth, Massachusetts for Falmouth, England. It would be the smallest craft ever to make the voyage. Its name? ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:1-31

Tags: Leadership General, Marriage Obligations

Knowledge In Ignorance!" Luke 2: 1-5 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 12, 2004

“Knowledge in Ignorance!” Luke 2: 1-5 Key verse(s): 2: “Some of the Pharisees asked, ‘Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?’” The story is told of a preacher who lived along a river in a northern clime. Sunday after Sunday throughout the year he would climb into his old Tin Lizzy ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-5

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Discipleship

Denomination: Lutheran