In Sermon Illustrations: "Friend Sunday"

The Lost Ladle

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

THE LOST LADLE Helen was a wonderful Christian woman, She was a single mother raising her only son Tom as best she could to love God. But Helen was very worried when Tom told her he was moving to the Big city. A year went by and all seemed well, when Tom called his mother one day and told her his ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Choosing Life

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2009

CHOOSING LIFE Two paraplegics were in the news recently. One was Kenneth Wright, a high school football star and later an avid wrestler, boxer, hunter and skin diver. A broken neck sustained in a wrestling match in 1979 left him paralyzed from the chest down. He underwent therapy, and his doctors ...read more

Tags: Disappointment

Peace In The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

PEACE IN THE FRAY Columnist Deborah Mathis wrote about the time when she was at Union Station in Washington D.C. on a particularly busy day. The first thing she remembers about that experience was the noisy hubbub of sounds. The public address announcer calling out arrivals and departures. Scores ...read more

Tags: Peace

A Nail Among The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 11, 2009

A NAIL AMONG THE COINS Emil Mettler was a restaurateur in London who was a close friend of Albert Schweitzer. Mettler would not allow a Christian worker to pay for a meal. He once opened his register in the presence of a Secretary of the London Missionary Society. The Secretary was astonished to ...read more

Tags: Stewardship

Giving: George Muller

Contributed by Paul Carlson on Feb 11, 2009

GIVING: GEORGE MULLER George Muller pastored his first church at the age of 25 (1830) and was paid $275.00 a year. He learned through the next five years to trust God for His provision. George Muller began a ministry in 1835 for orphaned children based entirely upon God for support. April, 1836 ...read more

Tags: Prayer Of Faith

Denomination: Baptist

Crisis: Danger + Opportunity

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

CRISIS: DANGER + OPPORTUNITY Once an eagle reaches maturity, it molts each year. It’s beak keeps growing, so even if damaged soon it is as good as new. I was reading that you cannot tell the age of an eagle once it has reached an adult stage. It seems their strength does not diminish. Their color ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:31-33

Tags: Hardship Of Life

I'm Only A General, But He's A Son!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 30, 2022

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. grew up under the shadow of a large man. His father was the hero of San Juan Hill and the President of the United States. The pressure to excel often caused him problems, but Teddy, Jr. went on to be a highly decorated Brigadier General during World War II, receiving the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:26-29

Tags: Children Of God, Authority, Sons, Mothers

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

C.s. Lewis And The Conversation Between Two Devils

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 2, 2023

One young devil asked an older devil: “How did you manage to bring so many souls to hell?” The old devil answered: “I instilled fear in them!” Answers the youngster: “Great job!" "And what were they afraid of? Wars? Hunger?” Answers the man: “No, they were afraid of the disease!” The ...read more

Scripture: James 4:7

Tags: Hell, Community, Devil, Relationships, Demons, Excuses  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

7 Ways To Build Self-Control

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

To be self-controlled is to restrain ourselves by not giving in to our depraved desires. We can say “no” when everything in us is saying “yes” for all the wrong reasons. We deny worldly lusts when we withhold our consent from them and when we refuse the delight they suggest. God will give us the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Temptation, Character, Fruit Of The Spirit, Discipline, Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Strike While The Iron Is Hot - Salesman

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

Now ... Salespeople especially understand what it means to ... Strike while the iron is Hot I was reading an article written by Pat Zaby, .... a nationally known Real Estate speaker. He stated, ... One weekend, I told a friend that I was thinking of buying a convertible.... So, ... the first ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-9, Mark 2:1-12, Mark 10:46-52

Tags: Moment, Strike, Awake, Act, Opportunity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

You Are My Dear, Dear Child: I'm Delighted With You.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 22, 2023

A famous movie-maker had a huge legal wrangle with his longtime mentor and guide. The younger man simply couldn't handle criticism and ended up rejecting the person who had helped him so much. When it was all over, a close friend summed up the real problem. "It was all about an ungenerous ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:9-13, Matthew 3:13-17

Tags: Loved By God, Jesus Baptism, God's Love, Loved

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Thief On The Cross Didn't Go To Church!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 3, 2024

A pastor saw one of his sheep in the grocery store and got around to asking where they had been lately. Was it something I said? Is it another church?" The man laughed and said, "Oh, no, we love you and the people of our church." The pastor was left to his own curiosity. He then ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Church, Salvation, Work, Excuses, Tithing, Thief On The Cross, Faith, Grace, Service, Baptism  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Singing When I Am Hurt?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 16, 2024

WHEN I AM HURT? GO FIGURE? I LOVE BIRDS. I LOVE TO WATCH BIRDS. EACH FAMILY OF BIRDS HAVE THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS. In my limited study of birds I ran across WHAT IS CALLED ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONG BIRDS. This SINGING BIRD is unique in many ways. This special little bird is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 137:1-3

Tags: Hope, Sing, Song In The Night

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Putting Up Faith Or Fight When It’s Most Important

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on May 14, 2025

Over the decades of my life, I have learned there are some things in life worth fighting for and some not. We have to choose our battles and then fight with all our might those battles that really matter. Years ago, I attended the wedding of my niece, a beautiful blonde cowgirl. She married her ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-12, 2 Corinthians 10:4

Tags: Standing In Faith, Battles Worth Winning

Denomination: Charismatic

[281]. A Message From A Poem – The Lord Is

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Jan 31, 2026

[281]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – THE LORD IS This poem is the second shortest one I think I have written. I use lots of metaphors here – a metaphor is when you say something is another thing. A simile is saying something is like another thing. There is no rhyme scheme in the poem but there is ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 27:1, Psalm 18:2

Tags: Metaphor, Christian Poems, The Lord Is

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

From Chicago To Memphis  PRO

Contributed by Ray Pritchard on Aug 28, 2003

From Chicago to Memphis That’s always how it is in the life of faith. Many times you will be called to step out for God and you will be precisely where Abraham was—believing God but not knowing what the future holds. When I think of that principle, my mind goes back to a conversation I had ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-40

Tags: Examples Of Faith, Faith General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Have A Religion!" 1 Samuel 18:1-12 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jan 27, 2005

“I Have a Religion!” 1 Samuel 18:1-12 Key verse(s): 11-12:“. . . and he hurled it, saying to himself, ‘I’ll pin David to the wall.’ But David eluded him twice. Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had left Saul.” In a world where we seek only peace and kindness there is, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 18:1-12

Tags: Forgiveness General, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

Praying For The Lost

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Mar 15, 2010

PRAYING FOR THE LOST Lee Thomas is a great teacher on praying for the lost. Here’s part of a testimony from his book: When we begin to pray for someone’s salvation, God seems to draw a circle around that individual and then gets in the circle with him. That is what happened to Ricky Gresham when ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Baptist

We Lost The Farm

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

"WE LOST THE FARM" Richard Culp worked in the hot California sun as foreman of a large ranching operation. He and his wife, Geneva, also owned their own farm, consisting of 200 acres of almond trees. Then years of bad weather and skimpy harvests forced Richard to take on additional work, but even ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: God In The Hardships

Deepika And Discipline  PRO

Contributed by Bala Samson on Aug 27, 2013

DEEPIKA AND DISCIPLINE James 4:8 "Come near to God and He will come near to you..." She is just a doll! Fair, pretty with a smile that could steal anyone's heart; her name is Deepika, four year old daughter of a couple who pick up garbage from residential quarters. She was untamed, dirty, ...read more

Scripture: James 4:8

Tags: Intimacy With God, Drawing Near To God

Denomination: Pentecostal