In Sermon Illustrations: "Failings"

I Didn't Recognize You

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2002

I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU At a reception honoring musician Sir Robert Mayer on his 100th birthday, elderly British socialite Lady Diana Cooper fell into conversation with a friendly woman who seemed to know her well. Lady Diana’s failing eyesight prevented her from recognizing her fellow guest until ...read more

Tags: Humanity Of Christ, Christmas

Seeing Only Self

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Aug 9, 2007

“Seeing Only Self” One day a certain old, miserly, rich man visited a rabbi, who took him by the hand and led him to a window. “Look out there,” he said. And the rich man looked out into the street. “What do you see?” asked the rabbi. “I see men, and women, and little children,’ answered the ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

General And President, George Washington, Went ...

Contributed by John Quigley on Dec 8, 2007

General and President, George Washington, went with his troops into battle. Spent the winter in Valley Forge with the troops not at home with his wife in their well heated home place. As a general he said: "We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die: Our won Country’s Honor, all call upon us ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

On Day 6 Of Ill-Fated Apollo 13 Mission The ...

Contributed by Ronald Thorington on Jan 1, 2008

On day 6 of ill-fated Apollo 13 mission the astronauts needed to make a critical course correction. If they failed they might never return to earth. To conserve power, the onboard computer that steered the craft had been shut down. yet the astronauts needed to conduct a 39 second burst of the main ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God

The Love Of Christ Alone

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 22, 2010

THE LOVE OF CHRIST ALONE When Hudson Taylor was director of the China Inland Mission, he often interviewed candidates for the mission field. On one occasion, he met with a group of applicants to determine their motivations for service. "And why do you wish to go as a foreign missionary?" he asked ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:14

Tags: Missions

Denomination: Brethren

The Need For Hope

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 23, 2010

THE NEED FOR HOPE Years ago an S-4 submarine was rammed by a ship off the coast of Massachusetts. It sank immediately. The entire crew was trapped in a prison house of death. Every effort was made to rescue the crew, but it ultimately failed. Near the end of the ordeal, a deep sea diver, who was ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Brethren

Foster: Five Percent Spirituality

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

FOSTER: FIVE PERCENT SPIRITUALITY Richard Foster writes this: Many of us live in a kind of inner apartheid. We segregate out a small corner of pious activities and then make no spiritual sense out of the rest of our lives. We become so accustomed to this way of living that we fail to see the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tags: Christian Disciplines

The Secret Of Seabiscuit

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 25, 2012

THE SECRET OF SEABISCUIT In 1938, a year of monumental turmoil, the number one newsmaker was not Franklin Roosevelt or Adolf Hitler, in fact it wasn't even a person. It was an undersized, crook-legged racehorse owned by a bicycle repairman turned automobile magnate and trained by a virtually mute ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Tags: Preparation

When Things Go Wrong  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 19, 2012

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG Several years ago, Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Bob Patterson described one of his pitches, which the Cincinnati Reds’ Barry Larkin hit for a game-winning home run: "It was a cross between a screwball and a change-up. It was a screw-up." (Wall Street Journal, 7/9/96; ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:23-24

Tags: Mistakes

Monkey On Your Back?

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

Get that monkey off your Back (Heb.12:1) Intro: Inter the area carrying a stuffed animal monkey on you shoulder act like it gets heavier every step GET THAT MONKEY OFF YOUR BACK The Monkey --little baby monkey--then chimp -the gorilla Christians are always struggling, one minute they are running on ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1

Tags: Sins, Weights

Denomination: Pentecostal

One Source Says, That Denying Ourselves "Means In ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Aug 12, 2008

One source says, that denying ourselves “means in every moment of life to say no to self and yes to God.” It is, he continues, “a life lived in the constant hourly awareness of the demands of God and the need of others.” Dr. Warren Wiersbe, pastor, author and theologian: “To deny self does not ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Salvation Army

Picked Last

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Oct 21, 2008

Picked Last It happened several times a week, almost without fail. Whether they lined up against the wall of the gymnasium, the local ice rink or the snow bank for the back-roads hockey, it was always the same. The leaders picked him last. Last for basketball because he was too clumsy; in hockey ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Roses That Do Not Bloom  PRO

Contributed by Doug Dayton on Feb 14, 2009

THE ROSES THAT DO NOT BLOOM In the most beautiful of gardens, even those tended by the most skillful of botanists, there is an occasional rose that buds, but never opens. In all respects the rose is like all the others, but something keeps it from blooming. It fades away - or disappears - ...read more

Tags: Funerals Christian

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Nero Blames Others

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 14, 2020

BLAME AS A GAME? Nero was the last of five emperors in Rome. Nero’s claim to fame is: FIDDLING WHILE ROME BURNED… Nero played the BLAME GAME… He could not understand the DECLINE and FALL of the Roman Empire. Nero blamed the Christians. His blame was so cruel he persecuted and killed ...read more

Scripture: Romans 2:1, Genesis 4:9

Tags: Blame, Decline

Denomination: Assembly Of God

He Gives More Grace

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

"He gives more grace when the burdens grow greater. He sends more strength when the labors increase, To added affliction He addeth His mercy, To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace. When we have exhausted our store of endurance, When our strength has failed 'ere the day is half ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5-6, Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Prayer, Suffering, Will Of God, God's Goodness, Love Of God, Pain, Grace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Gary Bettenhausen

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 13, 2021

We must decide what we mean by success. Gary Bettenhausen will help us to decide it. Some years ago, in an Indianapolis 500 race, veteran driver Al Unser lost control of his race car, which then skidded into the track wall and exploded into flames. Seconds later, another driver slammed his ...read more

Scripture: John 12:23-33, Mark 8:35

Tags: Success, Loser

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Last Summer, Katie Brule's Friend Called Her And ...  PRO

Contributed by Terry Cavanaugh on Feb 16, 2005

Last summer, Katie Brule’s friend called her and asked her to go to a party. Katie, 16, declined, but her friend wouldn’t take no for an answer and Katie caved in. At the party, she felt pressure from those around her to drink alcohol so she downed a couple of beers. Then the police showed up. ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:1-2

Tags: Stiffneck, Friendship New Friends, Leadership

Denomination: Methodist

Peter Parker, A.k.a., Spiderman Has Reached A ...

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Jun 25, 2005

Peter Parker, a.k.a., Spiderman has reached a crisis. It seems that his life is falling apart, nothing seems to be going right. He’s been fired from work, he’s failing at school and even struggling in his relationships. Worst of all, as Spiderman, he’s losing his powers. In an attempt to find ...read more

Tags: Doubt

Denomination: Christian Church

George Mueller Was A Great Man Of Faith Of The ...

Contributed by Pat Cook on Aug 27, 2005

George Mueller was a great man of faith of the 1800’s. He built many orphanages in England. He didn’t have a personal salary. He relied only on God to supply the money and food needed to support the hundreds of homeless children he considered himself responsible for because he was a Christian. He ...read more

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

When Jim Burke Became The Head Of A New Products ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2005

When Jim Burke became the head of a new products division at Johnson & Johnson, one of his first projects was the development of a children?s chest rub. The product failed miserably, and Burke expected that he would be fired. When he was called in to see the chairman of the board, however, he met a ...read more

Tags: Workplace