In Sermon Illustrations: "Follow"

The Tragedy Of Steve Irwin

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 9, 2011

THE TRAGEDY OF STEVE IRWIN I loved to watch Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, but I knew he would die young. You simply do not play with wild animals without sooner or later getting in trouble. Steve survived countless snakebites; chased up a tree by a deadly komodo dragan; spat on by a red ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:23

Tags: Sin General

Denomination: Baptist

I Want To Go Home

Contributed by Johnny A. Palmer Jr. on Dec 11, 2011

I WANT TO GO HOME Fred Smith, an influential Christian businessman was seriously ill in the summer of 2004. He was hospitalized, semiconscious, and not expected to live. Periodically he would mutter, "I want to go home, I want to go home." After an emotional family conference, the family ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Baptist

Mother Teresa's Feet

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 10, 2012

MOTHER TERESA'S FEET Shane Claiborne, who spent a summer in the slums of Calcutta with Mother Teresa, wrote the following about one of his experiences: People often ask me what Mother Teresa was like. Did she glow in the dark or have a halo? She was short, wrinkled, and precious, maybe even a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:25-37

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: Baptist

Edison Couldn't Make Life

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Mar 15, 2012

EDISON COULDN'T MAKE LIFE Are you extremely proud of your lifetime accomplishments? It was on November 21 of 1877 that Thomas Edison announced to the world that he had invented the phonograph. Edison's accomplishments are often forgotten. In his Menlo Park, New Jersey fix-it shop he designed the ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 9:23-24

Tags: Pride

Denomination: Baptist

The Key Called Promise

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2012

THE KEY CALLED PROMISE In John Bunyan's great allegory, Pilgrim's Progress, the incident is related of how Christian decides to leave the Main Highway and follow another Path which seemed easier. But this Path leads him into the territory of Giant Despair who owns Doubting Castle. Eventually he ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 6:13-20

Tags: Promises Of God

Ornamentals

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on May 5, 2012

ORNAMENTALS Back in 1960, my family moved from Ohio to Arizona. The first time we went to the Phoenix Airport, I was impressed by the beautiful orange trees that lined the drive. It was the first time this Ohio boy had ever seen citrus trees. The oranges were big as grapefruits. They looked so ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Michael Jordan: Persevere

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 17, 2012

MICHAEL JORDAN: PERSEVERE In the fall of 1978, fifteen-year-old Michael Jordan tried out for the varsity basketball team at Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. The sophomore was 5 feet 11 inches and with his skills, the coach told him that he was not good enough, and Michael ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-12

Tags: Endurance

To Martin Luther's Shame

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Jun 21, 2012

TO MARTIN LUTHER'S SHAME One of the blots on the career of the great German Reformer, Martin Luther, was his acquiescence to the bigamous marriage of Philip of Hess. In 1530, at the height of the Reformation in Germany and where the Protestant cause was at its most vulnerable, Philip of Hesse ...read more

Tags: Betrayal

Denomination: Anglican

A Tragic Dream Fulfilled--The Case Of Robert ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 1, 2012

A TRAGIC DREAM FULFILLED--THE CASE OF ROBERT BURNS Robert Burns, the famous poet, occasionally had times of serious reflection of the state of his soul. He recorded one of those times when he compared himself to the review of his past life. He wrote that he was like a lonely man walking amidst the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 8:4-15

Tags: Parable Sower And Seed

Where Your Treasure Is...

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Aug 31, 2012

I once read about in one of Richard Wurmbrand’s books. “An elder of a local free Church in Communist Romania was brought before the judge for embezzlement - a crime he had not committed. His defence lawyer started his defence plea by telling the Court of a well known story about the man that was ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Anglican

The Red Baron And Temptation  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Feb 16, 2013

THE RED BARON AND TEMPTATION Manfred, Freiherr von Richthofen was a famous German First World War fighter pilot. He was better known as the Red Baron because he flew a distinctive a red Fokker aircraft. He shot down more combat planes than any one else on either side in the first World war ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:12-14, Daniel 1:5-16, Matthew 25:1-13, Matthew 4:1-11

Tags: Temptation General

Denomination: Anglican

Light Of The ...

Contributed by Gordon Weatherby on May 2, 2013

LIGHT OF THE WORLD Jesus stated that we are to be the "Light of the World", and that a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. In the Canadian province of New Brunswick there is a church building on Deer Island that for many years has served as a physical light house to the fishermen of that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-15

Tags: Witness, Light, Influence, Lighthouse, Christian Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Is There Anyone Up There?

Contributed by Darrin Fish on May 15, 2013

IS THERE ANYONE UP THERE? There once was a tourist who came too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon, lost his footing and plunged over the side, clawing and scratching to save himself. After he disappeared out of sight; and, just before he fell into open space, he stumbled upon a scrubby bush ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 4:1-13

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Christian Church

When I Was A Kid  PRO

Contributed by Paul Steen on Jul 12, 2014

When I was a kid, we rode our bikes down the sidewalks and in the streets. We played baseball and football in the street. Summers were especially great because we could play ball until you couldn’t see. We rode in cars with no seat belts or car seats. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:17

Tags: Protect, Helmet Of Salvation

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

If I Have Seen Everything....  PRO

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 23, 2016

IF I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING.... Evangelist Jack Taylor was alone in his hotel room in Houston, Texas after a Southern Baptist Convention meeting. He felt exhausted in ministry. He cried out to God in prayer, "Lord, if I have seen everything You have for me in my ministry.......then take my life ...read more

Scripture: John 15:1-5

Tags: Pastoral Ministry, Total Surrender, Burnt Out

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Gift Of Kindness - You Never Know

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Oct 20, 2018

A number of years ago, my husband and I went to Applebees on our Anniversary for a quiet dinner together. It was, indeed, very quiet, because my husband had just been ordered to undergo an MRI, and we knew that the results might change our future forever. Still, we did what old married couples ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:31, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:39-40

Tags: Do Unto Others, Love Your Neighbor, Loving Acts, Kind Acts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Fear Overtakes The Boat - Matthew 8:23-27

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Aug 19, 2022

FEAR OVERTAKES THE BOAT Matthew 8 v 23-27 “When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him Matt 8:24 and behold, there arose a great storm in the sea so that the boat was covered with the waves but He Himself was asleep, and they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord. We are ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:23-27

Tags: Fear, Security, Authority

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Power Of The Switch

Contributed by Imelda Mesa on Sep 27, 2022

THE POWER OF THE SWITCH – to some, the issue is not the light but our willingness/eagerness to turn the switch on! Example: Marie and Walter gifted us a 3-day tour in Canada - Kingston-Ottawa-Montreal-Old Quebec-1000 Islands The schedule is packed and the travel time between these places range ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12

Tags: Light, Darkness, Turn The Lights On

Denomination: Foursquare

Orders Remain Unchanged!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 10, 2023

There is a tomb of unknown soldiers in America which has a guard 24 hours a day. Every hour on the hour, 365 days a year, a new soldier reports for duty. When the new guard arrives, he receives his orders from the one who is leaving. The words are always the same: “Orders Remain Unchanged.” The ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8

Tags: Evangelism, Church, Holy Spirit, Missions, Revival, Witnessing, Great Commission  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Never Alone

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

I'm not sure if I am the only one that does this or not. Growing up, if I was ever walking down a dark country road by myself, I found myself whistling, or singing, or humming an old familiar gospel song. It seemed like it made everything safer. It made me feel protected as I drew myself ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:9-17

Tags: Alone, God's Presence

Denomination: Baptist