In Sermon Illustrations: "Fathers Day Gift"

Substitute Soldiers

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 15, 2013

Here in the South, there are memorials in most towns to the bloodiest war fought on American soil – the Civil War. Over 600,000 died in that conflict. What is often not known is that both the North and the South allowed “substitute soldiers.” A man drafted for military service could literally ...read more

Tags: Memorial Day, Sacrifices, Substitute

Denomination: Christian Church

Thank You, Mom, For Being Strong For Me

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on May 4, 2020

It almost brings tears to my eyes when I watch the commercials where the child is growing up and is leaving home for college, or to get married and live in another city. I think about how difficult it must have been for my mom to watch me drive off to college in another city. And then later to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-50

Tags: Mothers Day, Mothers Strength

Denomination: Baptist

Chillin Ain’t What I Thought It Was

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 3, 2020

Last week the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage came up with a brilliant idea. At least, at the time, it seemed brilliant. “Why don’t we,” she began, “take Monday off and just chill?” Since it's been a long time since I did any chillin, I had to ask her, "What do we chill ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Humor, Vacation, Day Off

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Mothers And May

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on May 9, 2023

Mothers and May There are many things I love about the magic month of May-- the beautiful budding flowers, the gorgeous life-giving weather, the celebration of Mother’s Day! There are many things I love about our having Mother’s Day-- a day of recognition, a time to offer commendation, to one ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Psalm 127:1-3, Proverbs 23:25, Luke 8:21, Genesis 3:20, Romans 13:7  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Honor, Mother's Day, Poetry

Denomination: Baptist

Mom's And Miracles

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on May 13, 2023

“We mothers must take care of the possible and trust God for the impossible. We are to love, affirm, encourage, teach, listen and care for the physical needs of the family. We cannot convict of sin, create hunger and thirst after God, or convert. These are miracles - and miracles are not our ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6, Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Tags: Family, Mothers Day, Parenting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hannah And Samuel: A Mother's Love

Contributed by Genesis Press on May 12, 2026

The touching story of Hannah and Samuel, her love for her son. Hannah was unable to have children, and wept bitterly. She made a vow to the Lord that she would give her son to God for his service. After Hannah gave birth to Samuel, she and her husband Elkanah journeyed every year to Shiloh to give ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:19, 1 Samuel 2:19-26, 1 Samuel 2:1-18, 1 Samuel 2:19-20, 1 Samuel 2:19-20  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Samuel, Mother's Day, Hannah

Did You See The Move Shallow Hal? It Is A Movie ...  PRO

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Oct 19, 2003

Did you see the move Shallow Hal? It is a movie about an unattractive, really shallow middle-aged man named Hal Larsen who judges women on how “hot” they are. But then one day, Hal gets stuck on a stalled elevator with a motivational guru who helps him overcome his shallowness by hypnotizing him ...read more

Tags: Salvation, Promises Of God, God The Father

Denomination: Methodist

What Does That Mean?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 30, 2003

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Victor, a man in Jeanette Hoessel’s English-as-a-second language course, came from El Salvador. He asked her one day, "What does C-section mean?" Since Jeanette’s three children had been delivered by Caesarian section, she felt confident with her explanation, but Victor’s face ...read more

Tags: Discipleship, Apologetics General, God The Father

Four Men Used To Meet Together Each Week In ...  PRO

Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Oct 13, 2004

Four men used to meet together each week in Memphis. One man was a service station owner, one man was a salesman for a wholesale appliance company, one man was assistant treasurer of a large corporation, and one man was a teacher. These men shared with each other their longings, desires, and ...read more

Tags: Critical, Hypocrisy, Judgemental, God The Father

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Parental Sayings

Contributed by Troy Borst on Dec 19, 2022

God’s Parental Sayings The point of today’s message revolves around Jesus being the Son of God and what that means for us. That got me thinking about sayings we have all heard from our parents and things we never thought we would say. I wondered, what might God have said to Jesus… Him being His ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1

Tags: Jesus, God The Father, Parental Sayings

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Thankfulness Or Forgetfulness  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2002

THANKFULNESS OR FORGETFULNESS "History knows no disasters," said the Literary Digest (Sept. 1923), "which parallels the earthquake and fire that visited Japan this month and laid waste the capital city and the chief seaport." The New York Tribune called this earthquake “undoubtedly the greatest ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday, Joy, God The Father

My Friend Norm Is A United Methodist Pastor. A ...  PRO

Contributed by David Phaneuf on Jul 28, 2003

My friend Norm is a United Methodist pastor. A while back Norm was telling me about one of his parishioners -- Bill. Bill was gravely ill in the hospital, and Norm was visiting with him when the doctor came in, and point-blank told the patient: “Bill... you’re dead! There’s no hope. You’d better ...read more

Tags: Gifts Healing, God's Forgiveness, God's Provision

Denomination: United Methodist

You’d Have To Be Living Under A Rock Not To ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Sep 27, 2002

You’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard of Star Wars, but if you are not “into” the Star Wars saga you may not know that the two-foot tall, 800+year old character you just saw is Yoda. Now, it’s true, Yoda can’t speak a straight forward English sentence. “Totally backward his ...read more

Tags: Television And Movies, God The Father, Descriptions Of God

Denomination: Christian Church

The Story Is Told Of A Boy Whose Dad Took Him To ...  PRO

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 22, 2004

The story is told of a boy whose Dad took him to a play one Saturday night and spent a lot for the tickets. Afterwards the Dad talked about how good the play was an how it was worth every penny. The next morning coming home from Church the mother asked the Father what he thought of church. And the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:10-15

Tags: Mothers, Giving Yourself, Gifts Giving, Time, Wait  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian Church

Tim (The Rock) Raines Returns To The Montreal ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on May 23, 2001

Tim (The Rock) Raines returns to the Montreal Expos at age 41 Apr. 13, 2001 writes the TheStar.Com. MONTREAL (CP) - Tim Raines wasn’t prepared for the deafening cheers from the usually quiet crowd when he stepped to the plate in his first game back in Montreal. For Raines, it was like being in the ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection, God In The Hardships, Gifts Healing

Denomination: Evangelical Free

Sheila-Ism?" Matthew 25:14-30 Key Verse(S) ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 6, 2005

“Sheila-ism?” Matthew 25:14-30 Key verse(s) 24:“Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.’” Taking the safest route is something that my father always ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30

Tags: Faith, Faith General, Gift, Money, Obedience  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Lutheran

A Short Distance From The Pentagon, Inscribed ...  PRO

Contributed by Daniel Becker on Sep 15, 2001

A short distance from the Pentagon, inscribed with an iron stylus on blocks of granite, the walls of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington proclaim the words of our third President, “And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure, when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, God's Judgment, Independence Day

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Healing Fool  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Feb 14, 2002

A HEALING FOOL The Gospels depict Jesus as having spent a surprising amount of time healing people… It is significant also that the Greek verb "sozo" was used in Jesus’ day to mean both to save and to heal, and "soter" could signify either savior or physician. Ever since the time of Jesus, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:29-39

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, Prayer Answered, Gifts Healing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why We Celebrate The 4th  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 24, 2009

WHY WE CELEBRATE THE 4TH But there is a reason why we celebrate on the 4th and we can’t forget that! It was the day the day the colonies declared their independence from England. Freedom was declared in some famous words of the Declaration of Independence, which starts: We hold these truths to be ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-40

Tags: 4th Of July, Independence Day

Impersonating A Christian

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jan 16, 2015

In her recently published book “Dance with the Devil” Barbara Bentley shares her experience with former husband, John Perry, a mysterious man, whose father was supposedly portrayed by John Wayne in a World War II movie. She fell in love with him when He dazzled her and her friends with his heroic ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23

Tags: Hypocrisy, Day Of Judgment, False Believer, Imposter

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational