In Sermon Illustrations: "Free To Serve"

Memories Of A Magnificent Man

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Jun 12, 2017

My father was born in 1911. His older brother, his only sibling, had already died. His father died two years later. In that era no government programs existed to provide for them, so his mother, an Irish immigrant, moved in with his paternal grandparents. His grandfather was a blacksmith, and his ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:3

Tags: Parenting, Legacy, Fatherhood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pres. Teddy Roosevelt Once Told Of A Very ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 11, 2001

Pres. Teddy Roosevelt once told of a very interesting incident in his own life. He wrote, "On the beautiful little island of Islamorada, there are several hundred homes that belong to people who come to stay for the summer. I fell in love with that island & spent 4 summers up there." "I had ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, Growth In Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

John Hildebrand Who Has Lived In The Artesian ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2001

John Hildebrand who has lived in the Artesian Valley, near Fowler, Kansas, since he was two years old, remembers why the valley has the name it does. "There were hundreds of natural springs in this valley. If you drilled a well for your house, the natural water pressure was enough to go through ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Faith

A Small Congregation In The Foothills Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Crow on Sep 2, 2003

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:21

Tags: Prayer Adoration, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Baptist

Donald Miller Tells This Story In Blue Like Jazz: ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Jul 26, 2005

Donald Miller tells this story in Blue like Jazz: Don had gone to hear a folk singer who ended up telling the story of a friend of his who was a Navy SEAL The folksinger said his friend was performing a covert operation, freeing hostages from a building in some dark part of the world. His ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To, Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: *other

Irwin Mcmanus In His Awesome Book ‘the Barbarian ...  PRO

Contributed by Butch Vernon on Nov 6, 2005

Irwin McManus in his awesome book ‘The Barbarian Way’ speaks of rhinos and their limitations. ‘But my favorite of all is the group designation for rhinos. You see, rhinos can run thirty miles an hour, which is pretty fast when you consider how much weight they’re pulling. They’re actually faster ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

Sending A Teacher To A Dying Boy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

SENDING A TEACHER TO A DYING BOY There was a school system in a large city that had a program that helped children in the hospital keep up with their homework. One day a teacher who was assigned to that program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular. She took the child’s name and ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Easter: Freed By Grace

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Easter: Freed By Grace A life connected to the "Ever-Flowing Life of Easter" is a meaningful life and it is a life "Freed by Grace." Romans 11:6 says, "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." Ephesians 2:8-10 says, "For it is by grace you have ...read more

Scripture: Romans 11:6

Tags: Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Know

Contributed by Dennis Selfridge on Sep 5, 2008

I Know I know He is the beginning, so why do I worry about the end. I know He is the creator, so why do I wonder who will destroy. I know He has forgiven me, so why can't I forgive myself. I know He is a healer, so why do I speak of sickness. I know He can do all things, so why do I say I ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Arrest

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

THE ARREST A young man was sitting at a stop light in downtown New Orleans one evening, when the lady in front of him was distracted as she was going thru some papers on her front seat. The red light changed to green and the young woman did not move. The young man was a bit put off by this and ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

James Montgomery Boice On Eternal ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 30, 2010

James Montgomery Boice on Eternal Security James Montgomery Boice has a wonderful picture to show how Jesus preserves believers for all eternity: I have sometimes thought that what Jesus did in uttering these words was like something a carpenter often does. Sometimes in rough carpentry a workman ...read more

Scripture: John 10:27-29

Tags: Security

Australia Is In The Middle Of Grand Final Fever ...

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Oct 1, 2010

Australia is in the middle of GRAND FINAL FEVER with the NRL - THE DRAGONS VS THE ROOSTERS. What are the characteristics needed for those chosen to be the warriors of this battle? What is it that will win the game and bring victory? What will provide the competitive edge that guarantees success in ...read more

Tags: Restoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Treating The Disease, Not The Symptoms  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jan 31, 2011

TREATING THE DISEASE, NOT THE SYMPTOMS I know a man who has diabetes. It has gone unchecked and he has some serious problems with his feet. He is always hindered by his foot problems and he's afraid he will lose one to amputation so he has the tendency to treat the foot concerns. The problem is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:8-17

Tags: Holy Spirit In Believers

Denomination: Nazarene

A Confident Faith  PRO

Contributed by David Parks on Apr 2, 2013

A CONFIDENT FAITH Jesus indicted the Pharisees saying: "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:2-3

Tags: Bible Truth

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Testimony Of Astronaut Charles Duke

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 21, 2013

TESTIMONY OF ASTRONAUT CHARLES DUKE Through the years, I’ve heard people say, "I wasn’t looking for God when He found me." Let me give you a modern example of this process. Astronaut Charles Duke is one of only twelve men who have left footprints on the moon. He was the lunar module pilot for ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-6

Tags: Becoming A Christian

O In Peter Schaeffer's Play ...

Contributed by David Rumley on Oct 28, 2009

o In Peter Schaeffer’s Play Amadeus o Story of Salieri  Makes a prayer before God…  I would offer up secretly the proudest prayer a boy could think of. “Lord, make me a great composer! Let me celebrate your glory through music – and be celebrated myself! Make me famous through the ...read more

Tags: Salvation, Assurance Of Salvation

Denomination: Pentecostal

Pow's Freed In Philippines During World War Ii, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

POW’s Freed in Philippines During World War II, as told by Hampton Sides in his book “Ghost Soldiers.” In his book Ghost Soldiers, Hampton Sides tells of a dramatic mission during World War II. On January 28, 1945, hand-selected Army Rangers and Filipino resistance slipped 30 miles behind enemy ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:1

Tags: War, Freedom From Bondage

I Was In High School, Either A Junior Or Senior, ...

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Dec 15, 2009

I was in high school, either a junior or senior, I can’t remember which. My dad and step-mom were out of town, leaving my older step-brothers and me to have the house to ourselves. As was our custom, we partied. Lots of people, lots of alcohol, and even some pot. While I was drunk one of those ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Wesleyan

A Small Congregation In The Foothills Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Mar 25, 2010

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:1-10

Tags: Faith, Mountain Moving

Denomination: Wesleyan

Strength Through Humility

Contributed by Gordon Mcculloch on Jul 7, 2014

And I must say here, this does not come automatically, we have to work at it and develop it, and many times we grit our teeth as we think we fail every now and again, but I will end with this analogy, it is the best I can up with, it is crude … but think of yourself when you give your offering, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 11:16-30

Tags: Humility, Strength

Denomination: Episcopal