In Sermon Illustrations: "Final Four"

Head Of Household  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Feb 6, 2009

HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD The story begins in heaven after the final judgment. God appeared and said, "I want the men to make two lines. One line for the men who were true heads of their household and the other line for the men who were dominated by their women. I want all the women to report to St. ...read more

Tags: Men And Women

Denomination: Church Of God

I Am One Of Them

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

I AM ONE OF THEM As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: "It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy, which is a thousand times ...read more

Tags: Christian Witness

Gold In Heaven

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jun 16, 2011

GOLD IN HEAVEN There was a rich man who was distressed on hearing he could take none of his riches to heaven. He pleaded with God to make an exception. Finally, God said, "Okay, whatever you can fit into a garbage bag can be brought in." The man immediately thought of gold. He joyfully went and ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Safe Rooms

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

SAFE ROOMS Lynne and I and the family were moving to Tulsa from Missouri and were looking at potential homes. One thing we came across was a house with a 'safe room' or actually only a 'safe closet'. A closet, which served as a coat closet near the front door, was built with steel walls and a ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-21

Tags: Unbelief

All By Myself?

Contributed by Perry Greene on Dec 27, 2011

ALL BY MYSELF? The story is told of an old lady who had moved to the United States from Europe when she was a child, but now she wanted to officially become a citizen of this country. After months of going through all the necessary red tape, she was finally ready to take the required ...read more

Tags: Confidence

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Connected Life

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Apr 10, 2012

THE CONNECTED LIFE In his novel, Edge of Eternity, Randy Alcorn has the main character, Nick, reflect upon how different things are now that He has encountered the risen, reigning Lord Jesus Christ. "I remembered now why I'd stopped looking at the stars. They made me feel so lonely, so ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

A Personal Surgery

Contributed by Ken Henson on Aug 21, 2012

A PERSONAL SURGERY Dr. Evan Kane was the head of Summit hospital in New York, in the 1920s. At that time when they operated they used general anesthesia. Dr. Kane felt, local anesthesia would do and would help patient do better, and recovery would be quicker. His theory seemed true, but no one ...read more

Tags: Heart

Denomination: *other

Worship In The Thrill And The Agony

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Sep 25, 2012

WORSHIP IN THE THRILL AND THE AGONY The 2012 Olympics gave a great illustration of how Christians can trust God in the thrill of victory AND the agony of defeat. If you watched the Olympics, you probably saw Gabby Douglas's big smile. When she won the Individual Gold in gymnastics. She said, "I ...read more

Tags: Worship General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Who Churchill Wants To Be  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Jan 7, 2013

WHO CHURCHILL WANTS TO BE Winston Churchill once attended a formal banquet in London, where the dignitaries were asked the question, "If you could not be who you are, who would you like to be?" Naturally everyone was curious as to what Churchill, who was seated next to his beloved Clemmie, would ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:1-3

Tags: Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Baptist

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2014

M51 Whirlpool Galaxy -- Source: www.hubblesite.org The Hubble Telescope has been orbiting the earth since 1990 taking pictures into deep space. On June 8, 1992 it took a picture of the center of the M51 Whirlpool Galaxy which is 23 million light years from our galaxy. The picture of the core ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:27-56

Tags: Cross, Galaxy, Astronomy

Baptistry

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 13, 2014

Bob Russell wrote of a church who, years ago, bickered over the use of a piano. Some wanted to use a piano during Sunday worship, others did not. The disagreement grew sharp, and the church divided into two sides over the issue. One Sunday, when members arrived for church, they discovered a new ...read more

Scripture: John 17:20-23

Tags: Disagreeable, Church Unity, Church Conflict

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Once There Was A Man

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 25, 2016

ONCE THERE WAS A MAN... Once there was a man who dared God to speak. Burn the bush like you did for Moses, God. And I will follow. Collapse the walls like you did for Joshua, God. And I will fight. Still the waves like you did on Galilee, God. And I will listen. And so the man sat by a bush, near ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-28

Tags: Waiting On God, Hearing God's Voice

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

It’s Only A White Collar Crime?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Oct 16, 2018

C.S. Lewis died in 1963, but a comment in one of his writings speaks directly to the current opioid crisis. Lewis wrote: “The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid ‘dens of crime’ that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: White Collar, Opioid, Sin, Excuses, Business  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

What Is Your Struggle

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Aug 25, 2021

As a group of frogs was traveling through the woods, two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs crowded around the pit and saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that there was no hope left for them. However, the two frogs decided to ignore what the others were saying and they ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Tags: Faith, Believe In Yourself

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Want To Close By Reading The Benediction From ...

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 17, 2009

I want to close by reading the benediction from Charles Spurgeon’s message on this passage, which serves as an invitation and an encouragement. Will you be there…? Will you behold His final triumph over sin, death and hell? Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Is he your confidence and trust? ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: *other

From The Balcony

Contributed by Ken Kersten on Jan 15, 2010

FROM THE BALCONY A man lay sprawled across three entire seats in the movie theater. When the usher came by and noticed this, he whispered to the man, "Sorry, sir, but you're only allowed one seat." The man mumbled but didn't budge. The usher became impatient. "Sir, if you don't get up from there ...read more

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Olympian Ben Johnson Stripped Of Gold Medal For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 8, 2010

Olympian Ben Johnson Stripped of Gold Medal for Cheating In the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Ben Johnson of Canada won the one-hundred-meter dash, setting a new Olympic record and a new world record. Our American contender, Carl Lewis, came in second, and most were shocked that he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

Tags: Lies

The Charter Flight

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2010

THE CHARTER FLIGHT With his request approved, the CNN News cameraman quickly used his cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight. He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport. Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger. He ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Created To Be Used  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 23, 2010

CREATED TO BE USED In his book The Pursuit of Excellence, Ted Engstrom wrote these words: "I was cleaning out a desk drawer when I found a flashlight I hadn't used in over a year. I flipped the switch, but wasn't surprised when it gave no light. I unscrewed it and shoot it to get the batteries ...read more

Tags: Talent, Wise, Action

Denomination: Pentecostal

Endorsement From The Master

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Apr 26, 2010

ENDORSEMENT FROM THE MASTER I remember a story about a young violinist. He spent years crafting his musical talent. His teacher was a master violinist. On one of his performances at a great concert hall, the young protege performed his best ever instrumental. His sound was sharp, the tone crisp. ...read more

Tags: Fulfillment

Denomination: Salvation Army