In Sermon Illustrations: "Fail"

Where Fruit Begins

Contributed by Mark Eberly on May 19, 2009

WHERE FRUIT BEGINS I believe with everything that is in me that fruit begins with each one of us. It begins with a decision, “I want to bear fruit. I want to honor Jesus. I want to walk in his ways. And I will do it no matter what. No matter what life throws at me. No matter what struggles I face. ...read more

Tags: Fruit Of The Spirit

Denomination: Church Of God

Thank You, Daddy!  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

"THANK YOU, DADDY!" To illustrate how we often fail to give God the thanks he deserves, Chuck Swindoll told the following story of a man he visited in a dismal veterans hospital: The day I arrived to visit, I saw a touching scene. This man had a young son, and during his confinement in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:11-19

Tags: Gratitude

Life Eternal

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

LIFE ETERNAL Someone named, James Langdon Hill, once said, "Life Eternal! How shall I express my thought of it? It is not mere existence, however prolonged and free from annoyance. It is not the pleasures of the senses, however vivid. It is not peace. It is not happiness. It is not joy. But it is ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11

Tags: Immortality

His Last Word

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 2, 2009

"His Last Word" After Being Shipwrecked--Being Justified by Faith We Have Peace with God Through Our Lord Jesus Christ A young man working on the Limehouse Docks once heard a clergyman named Henderson preach from the text: “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1

Tags: Peace

I Was Reading A Book Called

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Dec 21, 2009

I was reading a book called "Scared" the other day by Ken Davis. It is the story about a journalist in Africa and his encounter with an orphan girl who is starving. Although it is a novel, as I sat in the loungeroom reading, I felt a deep sorrow for the tragedy of her situation, and I could not ...read more

Tags: Repentance

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Post-It Notes—success From Failure  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2010

Post-it® Notes--Success from Failure Everyone knows what Post-it® Notes are. They're those great little self-stick notepapers. Most people have Post-it® Notes. Most people use them. Most people love them. But Post-it® Notes were not a planned product. No one got the idea and then stayed up nights ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: Mistakes

Edison And Lincoln: Pictures Of Commitment

Contributed by Patrick Nix on Mar 23, 2011

EDISON AND LINCOLN: PICTURES OF COMMITMENT Look at the life of Thomas Edison. At 21, he patented his first major invention: the Electrical Vote Recorder (a device 100 years ahead of its time!). At 26, he invented the automatic telegraph and paraffin paper. At 30, the phonograph (earliest record ...read more

Tags: Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Baptist

We Know Our Future Includes A Promise. But We Do ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Lu on Nov 26, 2011

We know our future includes a promise. But we do not know how to transition into that promise. Maybe ’not knowing’ is just an excuse – we just straight out refuse to take that next step. That’s because while we are in the present, we often permit the past to occupy and govern our emotions. We drag ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:17-21, 2 Kings 5:1-14

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Baptist

If I Am The Only ...

Contributed by William Akehurst on Aug 18, 2012

Illustration: What would you do if you were the only Christian in your circle of influence? If you are the only Christian in the shop, the store, or the office where you work, a peculiar: responsibility rests upon you, a responsibility which no other one shares with you. You are Christ's only ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Witnessing, Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

He Will Never, Never, Never Leave Me!  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 7, 2014

HE WILL NEVER, NEVER, NEVER LEAVE ME! Written by Dr. Larry Petton Hebrews 13:5 is a rare verse. It has been simply translated by many as, "He will never leave you or forsake you." That is good English, but it is not good Greek in this instance. This verse contains an unusual triple negative. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:5

Tags: Fear, Trinity, Loneliness, Presence Of God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Little Gifts

Contributed by Gerald Manning on Dec 14, 2015

The man was quite obviously hard pressed by life .. his clothing was a bit tattered, he hadn’t shaved for several days, his face was gaunt, his eyes vacant. He was hungry, no doubt, and all I had in my pocket was a quarter. I knew that it wouldn’t buy much, but perhaps it was a start, and I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Offering, Giving, Small Gifts, Poor People

Denomination: Nazarene

Ancient Christian Fable - There Is No Other Plan

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 13, 2023

There is an ancient Christian fable ... that tells of Jesus encounter ...as he reentered ...Heaven. As the angels spoke with him, ...Gabriel, noticed ...that Jesus bore the marks of the cross, ...and being inquisitive, ...said to Jesus: Master, ...you must have suffered terribly for those people ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19, Romans 10:14, Acts 8:4-7, Acts 1:8

Tags: Plan, Salvation, You, Fisher Of Men

Denomination: Anglican

Patience With Others

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 22, 2024

"Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read". Einstein became one of the greatest physicists who ever lived. "Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school." Newton, like Einstein was one of the smartest people of his day as a scientist. "A ...read more

Tags: Patience, Kindness, Time, Maturing, Waiting On The Lord, Teaching, Endurance, Discipleship, Leadership, Suffering  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gossip Test

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Do I get excited when I hear, “Have you heard…?” Does my heart do a little dance when someone starts with, “You won’t believe what I just found out!” If so, you know the answer—it’s gossip. If you find yourself pulling up a chair and grabbing some popcorn, it’s time to rethink your choices. The ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Prayer, Gossip, Power Of Words, Test

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Stoy Of Apostle John - His Hobby

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Feb 25, 2026

There are times ... when our lives move... so fast, ... that we need to slow down ... and let our souls catch up ... with our bodies. According to Early Church tradition ... when the Apostle John was Bishop at Ephesus, ... he had a hobby ... of raising pigeons. On one occasion... we are ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10, Matthew 11:28, Psalm 37:7, Exodus 34:21, Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 4:9-10  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Mind, Still, Hobby, Rest

Denomination: Anglican

Unsung Heroines-The Widow Of Zarephath

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on May 4, 2022

Introduction: this widow woman probably wasn’t even an Israelite but she believed the words of Elijah, the prophet of the LORD, God of Israel. She received much more than she gave Elijah! Text: 1 Kings 17:8-16, KJV: 8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:8-16

Tags: Elijah, Widow Of Zarephath, Unsung Heroines

Denomination: Baptist

Go Back And Tell Them Again  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

GO BACK AND TELL THEM AGAIN Jesus said "Follow me and I will make you Fishers of Men." In a book entitled "Jungle Harvest," written by a missionary named Ruby Scott, she describes some of her experiences in reaching a people group known as the Tila Indians who lived in a remote village in the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 4:19

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Together Communication And Attitude Have ...

Contributed by Ricki Lee Brooks on May 5, 2010

Together communication and attitude have potential... either for good or for evil. Here’s what we mean… It was attitude that took out yet another marriage. They were in their twenties. They were the parents of two beautiful children. He, however, had a miserable problem. She endured it. The ...read more

Tags: Attitude General

Jack Benny Was Rather Shy When He Was Young. One ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Feb 21, 2001

Jack Benny was rather shy when he was young. One day at work he saw a young lady that greatly attracted his attention. But he was too shy to speak to her. So he went to the florist & ordered one red rose to be sent to her without any card enclosed. And every day he repeated that order. Well, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:5-13, Genesis 2:18-27, Ephesians 5:25-33

Tags: Power, Marriage Commitment, Marriage Obligations, Romantic Love

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Uss Astoria (C-34) Was The First U.s. Cruiser ...  PRO

Contributed by Terry Dashner on Dec 22, 2001

The USS Astoria (C-34) was the first U.S. cruiser to engage the Japanese during the Battle of Savo Island, a night action fought 8-9 August 1942. Although she scored two hits on the Imperial flagship Chokai, the Astoria was badly damaged and sank shortly after noon, 9 August. About 0200 hours a ...read more

Tags: Workplace Integrity, Leadership General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational