In Sermon Illustrations: "Father"

Not "Why?" But "What?"

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 22, 2009

NOT "WHY?" BUT "WHAT?" I remember a particular counseling session years ago where three of us were trying to encourage a change of personality and a change of behavior in a spouse. Dr. Jay Adams, in his book on direct, biblical counseling, said the purpose is not to find out why a person sinned, ...read more

Tags: Confession Of Sin

Denomination: Pentecostal

Elisha Hoffman: A Burden Too Big To Bear  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 28, 2009

ELISHA HOFFMAN: A BURDEN TOO BIG TO BEAR Many New Testament promises have corresponding verses in the Old Testament that reinforce their power. When Peter, for example, said, ". . . casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7), he was but restating David’s words in Psalm ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Fear And Worry

I Had Been A Christian Only A Few Months When I ...

Contributed by James Wallace on Nov 12, 2009

I had been a Christian only a few months when I felt compelled to witness to my father. In the midst of the discussion, I remember a question which he blurted out in frustration. He said, “Well, if God exists, why doesn’t He just blow a big hole in the ground or something?” In other words, why ...read more

Tags: Apologetics, Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Bible Church

Chief Justice Of Supreme Court Humble Enough To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 17, 2009

Chief Justice of Supreme Court Humble Enough to Stand Next to a Chinese Laundryman As Christians, we are to trust God the Holy Spirit by being completely humble. Let me share a story which gives us a picture of humility; maybe you will see yourself in this story: When Charles Evans Hughes was ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6

Tags: Humility

D.l. Moody's Thoughts Before His Death Illustrate ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2009

D.L. Moody’s Thoughts Before His Death Illustrate an Important Habit--Begin with the End in Mind Steven Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People, states that one of those habits is to “Begin with the end in mind”; for the final days and hours of a man are often some of the most ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 7:1-2

Tags: Death Nearness

Grace Is God Drawing Sinners Closer And Closer To ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Jul 7, 2010

Grace is God drawing sinners closer and closer to him. How does God in grace prosecute this purpose? Not by shielding us from assault by the world, the flesh, and the devil, nor by protecting us from burdensome and frustrating circumstance, not yet by shielding us from troubles created by our own ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Baptist

Responsible For What We Overhear

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 9, 2011

RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT WE OVERHEAR Matt Proctor in a recent Christian Standard said, "My wife, Katie, and I have 6 children- ages 16, 14, 11, 9, 7, and 3. We're not a family; were a small town! As sheriff of this community, I (with my deputy, Katie) enforce certain rules, one of which we call ...read more

Tags: Law

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Carey: God's Sovereign Will  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

CAREY: GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, began his missionary career to India in 1793. He served the Lord in that country for 40 years, never once returning to his home in England. And throughout those years he translated portions of the Bible into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Gods Will, Still God, God's Sovereign Will, I Can Do All Things

God's Rich Grace

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jul 10, 2011

GOD'S RICH GRACE NPR Radio reported this week (July 5, 2011) that a well known Hindu temple in southern India has revealed vast treasures and hidden secrets. The temple itself was well known and previously unguarded. It had been there for hundreds of years (since 1566) and open to the public. ...read more

Tags: God's Love

Denomination: Nazarene

The Love Of A Sister

Contributed by Rev.james Kelly on Aug 15, 2011

THE LOVE OF A SISTER What is love? This story was found while watching Crime Investigation Channel in our home here in the Philippines: Kip Kinkel was a troubled young men and at the time of this story I am about to tell you happened when Kep was seventeen. Kip lived with his parents, Faith and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:13-17

Tags: Christian Love

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

We Have The Key

Contributed by Matthew Olanrewaju on Sep 17, 2011

WE HAVE THE KEY Father William Bausch told a story of a boy who one morning had arrived very early at school and waited patiently at the door. Next to arrive was a lady who was surprised that this youngster had arrived so early. "It’s locked" the pupil said as the teacher tried the door. She began ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Methodist

A True Story Of How My Close Relative's Urgent ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 8, 2011

A true story of how my close relative's urgent financial need was met by God's Providence! Dear friends, Jesus is same yesterday, today & forever (Hebrews 13:8). Oh how many personal experiences I have had and oh how many true accounts I have heard from God’s servants of the Almighty using ...read more

Tags: Opportunity

Denomination: *other

We're On The Same Team  PRO

Contributed by Gaylon Clark on Dec 9, 2013

Richie Incognito and Jonathan Martin had every reason as teammates to be friends, but they were not. Incognito harassed and bullied Martin. He called him a racial slur in a voicemail played by every media outlet in the country. He threatened to kill him and his family. Incognito claimed all of this ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6, John 17:20-23, Colossians 3:12-17, Psalm 133:1-3

Tags: Teamwork, Christian Unity, Church Unity, Christian Friendship

Denomination: Baptist

No One Is A Lost Cause

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

Ron Smith was in law enforcement for 20 years. After he retired, he was asked to join a prison ministry of his church. He scoffed at the idea, knowing he had put a lot of those guys in prison and he, above all, knew what types of peoplethey were. But eventually he broke down and joined and God ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-43

Tags: Forgiveness, Compassion, Hope, Reconciliation

Denomination: Methodist

Mtv Gave Us Our First Ever "Reality Show", A ...

Contributed by Jay Winters on May 30, 2015

MTV gave us our first ever "reality show", a thing called "The Real World" that came out in 1992. The first "Real World" cast sought to show us what happens when you put seven strangers in a house together, and quote, "people stop being polite, and start being real". And the world sat there, glued ...read more

Tags: Reality, Pop Culture

Denomination: Lutheran

Amazing Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A policeman recounted an incident when he and other officers shot an eighteen-year-old boy and burned the body. Eight years later the policeman returned to the same house and seized the boy's father. The wife was forced to watch as policemen bound her husband on a woodpile, poured gasoline over ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 65:3

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

Proverbs Is Not A Book Of Promises

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 26, 2023

A broken parent came to me and said, "Pastor Larry, I raised my kids in church. I raised my kids to follow Christ, know His Word and put Him first in their lives. They all made decisions for Christ in our church and were baptized. But, now that they have all graduated from high school, not ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:1-10

Tags: Proverbs, Children, Parenting, Failure, Prodigal Son, Promises  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Spit It Out!

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Mar 5, 2024

Use part one to open the sermon. Part one: Spit it Out! One Sunday morning after church as I was shaking hands with a young dad, suddenly he said, “Pastor, excuse me, please.” He had noticed his little 4-year-old with something in her mouth. Fearing what she may have in her mouth, he demanded her ...read more

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17, 1 Peter 3:15, Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Soul Winning, Winessing, Salvation, Testimony, The Gospel, Ashamed, Sharing The Gospel  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

If Jesus Was Born Today...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jan 12, 2026

If Jesus was born today based on Steve Turner’s poem If Jesus was born today, it would be in a bed and breakfast A traffic warden, working late, would be the first on the scene. Later a TV network would arrive with their good wishes. The whole Occasion would be filmed as part of *Is this the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: 21st Century, Jesus, Birth

Denomination: Anglican

When Your Back Is Against The Wall, Pat Riley, ...  PRO

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Feb 19, 2005

WHEN YOUR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL, PAT RILEY, NBA COACH The Los Angeles Lakers were dominating the Boston Celtics in the final round of the 1984 National Basketball Association championship. The Lakers beat Boston on their home floor in Game 1. They beat them by 33 points in Game 3. They were ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance

Denomination: Pentecostal