In Sermon Illustrations: "Finding Common Ground"

Leo Tolstoy Born 1828 And Author Of "War And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 6, 2007

Leo Tolstoy born 1828 and author of “War and Peace.” He was a great influence on Gandhi & Martin Luther King, Jr. He influenced them in their non-resistant movements for equal rights. Tolstoy once wrote a story about a successful peasant farmer who was not satisfied with his lot. He wanted more ...read more

A Disciple Knows His Father  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Apr 19, 2008

A DISCIPLE KNOWS HIS FATHER A shepherd was looking after his sheep one day on the side of a deserted road, when suddenly a brand new Porsche screeches to a halt. The driver, a man dressed in an Armani suit, Timberland shoes, Versace designer sunglasses, A Rolex watch, and a Pierre Cardin tie, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Anglican

The Insurance Claim Letter

Contributed by Rick Pendleton on May 22, 2008

THE INSURANCE CLAIM LETTER Dear Sirs, I was recently moving 500 pounds of bricks from the top of a five-story building. It would take too long to carry them down, so I put them in a bucket and lowered them by a pulley which I fastened to the top of the building. After tying the rope securely at ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Baptist

How An Eskimo Kills A Wolf

Contributed by Jonathan Campbell on Oct 14, 2008

HOW AN ESKIMO KILLS A WOLF According to tradition, this is how an Eskimo kills a wolf. First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. He then adds layer after layer of blood until the blade is completely concealed by the frozen blood. Next, the hunter ...read more

Tags: Sin Wages Of

Know-It-All Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

KNOW-IT-ALL CHRISTIANS Chuck Yeager, the famed test pilot, was flying an F-86 Sabre over a lake in the Sierras when he decided to buzz a friend’s house near the edge of the lake. During a slow roll, he suddenly felt his aileron lock. Says Yeager, "It was a hairy moment, flying about 150 feet off ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Washing Dishes For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

WASHING DISHES FOR GOD Brother Lawrence, a 17th century lay brother and a good cook, spent most of his years in a monastery as a cook. He did not have the education necessary to become a cleric and his mundane duties included cooking meals, running errands and scrubbing pots, anything but changing ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

In "The Encourager," Charles Mylander Writes: ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In "The Encourager," Charles Mylander writes: "Sunrise was dawning when Los Angeles motorcycle police officer Bob Vernon saw a red pickup truck speed through a stop sign. This guy must be late to work, he thought to himself. He turned on his emergency lights and radioed that he was in pursuit. The ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:13

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think) Words & Music by Carl Sigman & Herb Magidson Recorded by Guy Lombardo, 1950 You work and work for years and years, you’re always on the go; You never take a minute off, too busy makin’ dough. Someday, you say, you’ll have your fun when you’re a ...read more

Tags: Giving General

Proverbs Is Not A Book Of Promises

Contributed by Garris Hudson 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

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

[336]. A Message From A Poem - What My Saviour’s Done (Version 1)

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Apr 17, 2026

[336]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM - WHAT MY SAVIOUR’S DONE (Version 1) This short poem is constructed on the first word in each line rhyming. Not only that but the end of each line has an AABB etc. rhyme. The title is simple. {{Mark 5:19-20 and He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home ...read more

Scripture: Mark 5:19-20

Tags: Jesus, Salvation, Great Things, Christian Poems

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Thermostat War

Contributed by Austin W. Duncan on Apr 17, 2026

I had a roommate, and we had this thing with the thermostat. I’d set it where I wanted it. He’d walk by and bump it up. I’d walk by and bump it back down. He’d change it again. This went on for weeks. Neither of us said a word about it. It was a completely silent war. And finally, I did what any ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-2

Tags: Conflict, Pride

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our God Is Still Able

Contributed by Bill Butsko on May 14, 2009

OUR GOD IS STILL ABLE An officer in the first World War gives this account of God’s willingness and ability to save men from shot and shell when they pray. A German machine gun crew had their gun trained on an angle of our trenches where troops frequently passed back and forth and the casualties ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered

Denomination: Christian Church

Terah And The Gods

Contributed by Johnny Wilson on Oct 26, 2009

TERAH AND THE GODS There is a Jewish midrash (not Scripture) that tells a funny story about Terah being a merchant who sold idols but had a son named Abram who wasn’t convinced about the validity of the gods because the real God had been speaking to him. Since it isn’t actually Scripture, I’m ...read more

Tags: Idolatry

Denomination: *other

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

Do You Have The Nerve Of A Squirrel?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 12, 2011

DO YOU HAVE THE NERVE OF A SQUIRREL? A young writer with a very uncertain income went into a quiet park to contemplate a serious problem. For four years he had been engaged, but felt he did not have enough money to get married. He wanted to live and write in Paris, Rome, Vienna, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Trust

What's Important In Life...?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2011

WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN LIFE...? When I was 13, my dad owned his own business--a tiny shack where he sold chicken, ribs, hamburgers, hot dogs, and fries. One day the oil that the chicken was fried in caught fire. In a few minutes the whole place exploded in flames. My dad bolted from the store before ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

Tags: Money

Washington Monument Setbacks

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 18, 2012

WASHINGTON MONUMENT SETBACKS In the pursuit of our dreams, there are often setbacks along the way. In 1836, the fledgling Washington National Monument Society announced that they had chosen Robert Mills' plans for the construction of a monument to our nation's first president. Mills had slaved ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-13

Tags: Endurance

The Heritage Tree  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 11, 2012

THE HERITAGE TREE The Heritage Tree, Cape Perpetua, Central Oregon coast. This giant spruce is called The Heritage Tree because it stands almost 200 feet tall and because it started to grow as a seedling about the same time Martin Luther was pounding his theses on the church door at Wittenberg. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-2

Tags: Discipleship

Your Attitude Toward Attitude

Contributed by Scott Sharpes on Jan 28, 2013

YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD ATTITUDE It was February 20, 1962, when a man by the name of John Glenn circled the earth in outer space three times; and we thought it was tremendous. We followed. We listened. We saw him on television. And if you listened carefully, you would have heard from a man in ...read more

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Nazarene