In Sermon Illustrations: "Forgetting Others"

The World Hates Light  PRO

Contributed by Spencer Miller on Jun 16, 2013

I remember listening to a sermon illustration given by the powerful proclaimer, Rev. Dr. A. W. Mays of Austin, Texas. He told us of an incident that took place in his hometown of Austin concerning a streetlight. In Austin there was a high crime area, and the residents of the community petitioned ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16, Matthew 5:13-20

Tags: Light, Christian Life, Christian Duty, Light Of The World, Sermon On The Mount  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Become What You Are

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 18, 2014

Norman Jean Douglas- Germans have a saying, “Ware was du bist” (Become what you are). The meaning was difficult for me until a minister gave me the following analogy. When a reigning monarch has a child there appears to be no difference between that child and any other child. Both are fussy, ...read more

Scripture: John 1:12-13

Tags: Child Of God, Mentor, Training Disciples, Kingdom Character

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Being Self

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Feb 29, 2016

A little boy named Adam wanted to be like his friend Bobby. Adam loved the way Bobby walked and talked. Bobby, however, wanted to be like Charlie. Something about Charlie’s stride and accent intrigued him. Charlie, on the other hand, was impressed with Danny. Charlie wanted to look and sound like ...read more

Scripture: John 2:21

Tags: Acceptance

Denomination: Baptist

The Worst Boss Ever

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

What if you had a boss that demanded that you check in with him every ten minutes no matter what? What if he required that even if you were in the middle of other important work in your office? What if he demanded that whether you were at the office or at home? What if he required that even if ...read more

Tags: Technology, Busyness, Cell Phone

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

This statement is many times use as a stand alone statement without regards to the actual meaning. When the context has to be considered and an understanding of who God is and his teachings are most important. A famous Bible scholar John Gill puts it this way: For whatever is asked in faith, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:22

Tags: Faith, Prayer

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Funny Marriage Sermon-Starter

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 23, 2022

An 80 year-old woman was recently married to her 4th husband. A reporter questioned the occupation of her newly acquired husband. She replied that he owned a funeral home. Curious about the other husbands, the reporter also asked about their occupations. The woman paused for a while and stated ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-31

Tags: Death, Marriage, Humor, Husbands, Wives, Widows  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Of Money

Contributed by David Swanger on Jan 19, 2024

One day a certain old, rich man of a miserable disposition visited a rabbi, who took the rich man by the hand and lead him to a window. “Look out there,” he said. The rich man looked into the street. “What do you see?” asked the rabbi. “I see men, women and children,” answered the rich man. Again, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Money, Riches

A Man's Worth Is Not Based On His Wealth

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 28, 2024

The Jews had a practice of seating the most important people nearest the sacred scrolls in the synagogue. Other (less important) people would be seated in the back. This unhealthy practice was still carried on by some Christians in Jerusalem in the time of James, the half-brother of Jesus. Those ...read more

Tags: Prejudice, Synagogue, Judgmentalism, Possessions, Playing Favorites, People, Money, Soul, Favoritism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Keeping The 10 Commandments?

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 22, 2025

Bernie and Esther were not the most religious Jews and in fact they really only went to Temple once a year. As they were leaving the Temple, the Rabbi said, "Bernie, it sure would be nice to see you and Esther here more than once a year!" "I know," replied Bernie, "but at ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:28-34, Exodus 20:1-17

Tags: Law, Ten Commandments

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Grateful Allen, An ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 8, 2009

Grateful Allen, An Outsider We all know about the good Samaritan, but how many of us have heard of the grateful Samaritan? We are going to meet him today, but firstly I want to tell you about my friend Allen. Allen was quite different from most people. To have called him unconventional would have ...read more

Scripture: Luke 10:30-37

Tags: Parable Good Samaritan

Why Do I Have So Many Toes?

Contributed by James Snyder on Jun 19, 2021

I must confess that I'm not always obvious to everything that is before me. I admit I miss a lot of things set before me. I don’t do this intentionally. For example, sometimes, when I come home from the church office, I pass the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, and she is waving at me, but ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 4:25

Tags: Sight, Ignoring

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Practice Makes Perfect Tjbts

Contributed by Blake Henson on Jun 6, 2023

Practice makes perfect shows that without good practice you can't expect to succeed in sports, but the same is true in your Christian life also. You can't just half prepare and expect to be a successful Christian. URL: https://youtu.be/eI92sWLcDIo SUMMARY In this video we see two teams. ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 5:14

Tags: Christian Walk, How To Get Stronger

Don't Give Pain The Short Shrift!" Luke 13:10-17 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 9, 2005

“Don’t Give Pain the Short Shrift!” Luke 13:10-17 Key verse(s): 16:“‘Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’.” Many things in this life get short shrift. Perhaps its the lot of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:10-17, Luke 13:6-9

Tags: Forgiveness In Jesus, God's Creation

Denomination: Lutheran

Secret Of The Fifth Man!" Mark 2:1-5 Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Apr 12, 2005

“Secret of the Fifth Man!” Mark 2:1-5 Key verse(s) 3:“Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.” Five people passed the beggar but only one stopped to help. The will it seems to get somewhere on time, a preoccupation with self, easily thwarted a fragile affection that ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:1-5, Mark 2:1-12

Tags: Compassion, Romantic Love

Denomination: Lutheran

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall, Stop Laughing

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 19, 2022

As old as I am, and I expect to get as old as possible, I have noticed that I see things differently than I did a few years ago. I’m not sure if my vision has changed or my perspective. But one thing is certain; something has changed. A lot of things are very aggravating in my life. When I think I ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 5:21

Tags: Mirror, Perception

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Who Doesn’t Like Baloney?

Contributed by James Snyder on Feb 17, 2024

When I was young, my favorite sandwich was the baloney sandwich. Sometimes, with cheese and other things, but most importantly, baloney. I can’t imagine what my childhood would have been like without those bologna sandwiches. Until I went to school, I thought my mother had invented the baloney ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Pranks, Relationships, Nonsense

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Jason's Praying Pencils  PRO

Contributed by Scott Sharpes on Sep 7, 2006

Jason’s Praying Pencils How a student gave his teacher a special education by Hugh Chapman I was an hour-and-a-half into my new teaching career when I saw him at the other end of the hallway. He was the reason I almost didn’t take the job; before long, he became the reason I stayed. Though I had ...read more

Denomination: Nazarene

I First Began The Study Of God's White Stone In ...

Contributed by Gene Edwards on Jan 12, 2007

I FIRST BEGAN THE STUDY OF GOD’S WHITE STONE IN REV. 2 MANY YEARS AGO, AT MY FIRST PASTORATE, BECAUSE OF A GEOLOGIST IN THE CHURCH THAT ELUDED TO THE WHITE STONE VERSE,IN A BIBLE STUDY LESSON I HEARD HIM GIVE. I LATER WAS STUDYING THE REVELATIONS AT D.B.U., UNDER DR. BELL, WHO IS ONE OF THE ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

You Have The Time?

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jan 22, 2008

YOU HAVE THE TIME? Years ago, I was in the library at Seminary doing some research and this quite old and distinguished gentleman, obviously someone of great stature, he approaches me and asks, “Peter, can you tell me what time it is?” I was quite taken back. I had been at Seminary for less than a ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

D) How Does The Earth Compare In Size And Space ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Jan 22, 2008

d) How does the earth compare in size and space to our sun’s closest neighbor star Proxima Centauri? 1. Proxima Centauri is a red dwar star and part of the Alpha Centauri star system. This closest neighbor is 4.22 light years away or 270,000 times farther than the earth is from the sun. If the ...read more

Denomination: Assembly Of God