In Sermon Illustrations: "Family"

Father Forgive Them

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 11, 2008

FATHER FORGIVE THEM There was once a man who was born in a little town back east. He grew up and took on the family business. The only earthly father he had ever known died sometime in his teen years and as the oldest son he took on the responsibility of caring for his mother. He had a good ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

What Have You Done For Me?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME? Nicholaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf was born into one of Europe's leading families in the year 1700, and he grew up in an atmosphere of prayer, Bible-reading, and hymn-singing. He excelled in school, and seemed to possess all the qualities for national leadership. After ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

He Didn't Know He Owned It

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

HE DIDN'T KNOW HE OWNED IT There was once a sheep ranch owned by a man named Mr. Yates. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the overheads and the interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

In The City Of Mashed, Pastor Soodman, A Muslim ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

In the city of Mashed, Pastor Soodman, a Muslim convert was hung for his faith in Christ. His assistant took over the leadership of the church. The assistant was arrested and released, but each week was interrogated by the authorities. The pressure was intense, and his wife feared he might break. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:1-39

Tags: Persecution

God Is A Jealous God

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 12, 2009

GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD A few years ago, I was working in Qatar installing a newsroom set for Al-Jazeera TV. I’d been there for nearly a month and was ready to go home. I can’t describe for you how badly I missed my family. We were nearly finished with the set, and the last thing to be done was to ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:5

Tags: Idolatry, Generation

The Evidence Of His ...

Contributed by Bill Butsko on Mar 13, 2009

“The Evidence of His Claim” There is a story told of a cottage in a little country village, in which lived a family of four: father, mother, and two small children. One evening something happened, what, no one knows – and the little cottage caught on fire. In a few seconds the thatched roof and ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Christian Church

Our Room Steward, Denny, Was So Nice And Seemed ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Mar 17, 2009

Our room steward, Denny, was so nice and seemed to genuinely show concern and respect to our family. It was amazing. So as I thought about this issue of respect, which we are going to talk about today, I also began to wonder if respect can be bought. How many of you have been on a cruise? This ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Church Of God

The Nobel Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

THE NOBEL STORY In 1866, Alfred Nobel invented dynamite and built up companies and laboratories in more than 20 countries all over the world. In the process, he amassed a considerable fortune. When Nobel’s brother died, the newspaper made a mistake and ran an obituary for Alfred Nobel. In the ...read more

Tags: Character

Silent Night Holy Night

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Dec 20, 2023

"Silent Night" is one of the most beloved Christmas carols, known for its serene and tranquil melody. The story behind the song begins in the small Austrian village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg in 1818. The lyrics were written by Joseph Mohr, a young priest, and the music was composed by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:4-20

Tags: Silent Night Holy Night, Stille Nacht, Christmas, Christmas Season, Carols, Birth Of Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When Emails Got Mixed Up And A Widow Passed Out!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 12, 2024

A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 50 years earlier. Because of their hectic schedules, it was difficult for the couple to coordinate their travel plans. So, the husband ...read more

Tags: Hell, Marriage, Pastors, Confusion, Shock, Husbands, Emails, Sermons, Wives, Funerals, Widows, Surprises, Miscommunication  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Metamorphosis

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Mar 1, 2025

I thought of a book I read years ago in German class. We were assigned the task of reading the Famous Novel by Franz Kafka entitled “The Metamorphosis”. It was about a young man who woke up one day and realized he had been transformed into, of all things, a large Roach. The story line of the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:1-9

Tags: Transfiguration, God's Presence

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Spirit Of Gradualism

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Oct 10, 2025

I lived in Lee County, Virginia and we would travel 68 from our house through Cumberland Gap, Tennessee to Middlesboro, Ky. We traveled through the national park. Linda and I would see a ground hog. The ground hog would stand on his hind legs to watch the traffic go by. We developed a love watching ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:3, Revelation 3:14-19

Tags: Gradual, Slow

Denomination: Assembly Of God

One Solitary Life

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 24, 2025

I’d like to read you a little piece written by an unknown author called One Solitary Life He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter’s shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: Son Of God, One Solitary Life, Jesus

Denomination: Anglican

To Say The Least, I Was At First Shocked To Read ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 26, 2001

To say the least, I was at first shocked to read the headline, Baby Ate Cocaine Dad Left Nearby. According to the Associated Press a father from Ravenna, Ohio was sentenced to one year in prison for endangering his daughter, who was six-months-old at the time of the incident. He evidently stashed ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 127:1

Tags: Children, Father's Day, Parenting

Giant Steps  PRO

Contributed by Rick Stacy on Mar 10, 2002

Giant steps Marathon the latest goal in a life of challenges. Katie Lynch, 26, practicing for Monday’s Boston Marathon with a special Walker. (Globe Staff Photo / JohnTlumacki) By John Vellante, Globe Staff, 4/14/01 WAYLAND Her life -- all 26-plus years of it -- has been one challenge after ...read more

Tags: Endurance, Human Body

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

16 Year Old] Nathan Johnson Dreamed Of Starting ...  PRO

Contributed by John Shearhart on Sep 10, 2006

“[16 year old] Nathan Johnson dreamed of starting a revolution for Christ. [He wrote in his diary, “God’s] will for me is to radically impact my school for Him." But before he could see the revolution become a reality, Johnson’s life was cut short by an automobile accident [after] striking a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-13, Colossians 3:1-7

Tags: All Things

Have You Seen The Movie Antwone Fisher? It's The ...

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Oct 9, 2006

Have you seen the movie Antwone Fisher? It’s the true story of a young man abandoned at birth by his mother and then raised in abusive orphanages, foster homes, and reform schools. Denzel Washington adapted the story into a movie that was released a few years ago. After his 18th birthday, Antwone ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: United Methodist

The Time Is Now! (07.07.05--Joy Every ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 5, 2005

The Time Is Now! (07.07.05--Joy Every Day--Ecclesiastes 7:13-14) I stood in front of the used book shelf for what seemed like the longest time holding two books. The one, an anthology in nearly new condition seemed too good to pass up. Even though it contained much of the same material that ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Tags: Poverty, Human Body

Denomination: Lutheran

Making The Workplace A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2010

Making the Workplace a Ministry Priscilla and Aquila are regular people, with regular jobs, but the impact that they have for Jesus Christ goes beyond many who were called to full time ministry in their day. I have a friend back home, Michael. Michael is without a doubt a man with a call from ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16

Tags: Honesty, Workplace Evangelism

A Shipwreck Motivates Success

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 21, 2011

A SHIPWRECK MOTIVATES SUCCESS In 1845 Royal Navy Rear Admiral Sir John Franklin and 138 specially chosen officers and men left England to find the Northwest Passage. They sailed in two three-masted ships with the daunting names the Erebus (the dark place, according to Greek mythology, through ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 19:21, Proverbs 4:1-25, Proverbs 4:1-27

Tags: Wisdom