In Sermon Illustrations: "Friends"

Girls Growing Up Too Fast

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 14, 2009

GIRLS GROWING UP TOO FAST A study by Girlguiding reveals 3 leading potential "triggers" for serious mental health problems in girls: premature sexualization, commercialization and alcohol misuse. The report reveals a loss of childhood innocence and says girls today experience high levels of ...read more

Tags: Children

How The Words Of Psalm 23 Echoed In Their Hearts! ...

Contributed by Gregg Bitter on Sep 20, 2009

How the words of Psalm 23 echoed in their hearts! "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4 KJV). How dark that valley seemed as their tear-blurred eyes stared at the two caskets! It had been summer vacation. A family camping trip. The two girls laughing down ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Lutheran

Martin Luther's Depression And The Hymn

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

Martin Luther’s Depression and the Hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" The year 1527 was the most trying year of Martin Luther’s life. On April 22 he was preaching in Wittenberg when he became dizzy and fainted. Over the next several months he dealt with debilitating depression and sickness. It had ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Tags: Affliction

D.l. Moody And The Shoes  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

D.L. MOODY AND THE SHOES A large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s Northfield Bible Conferences in Massachusetts in the late 1800s. Following the European custom of the time, each guest put his shoes outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of course ...read more

Scripture: John 13:1-17

Tags: Servanthood

Never, Never Be Late  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

NEVER, NEVER BE LATE A local priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and to give a little speech at the dinner. However, he was delayed so the priest decided to say ...read more

Scripture: James 5:13-16

Tags: Confession Of Sin

God's Preparing You For Great Things  PRO

Contributed by Paul Barreca on Jun 11, 2011

GOD'S PREPARING YOU FOR GREAT THINGS SOME believe that they have been unfairly treated by circumstances in life. Consider my high school friend. At the age of 19, he found himself as the leader of a camping trip with a group of young teens. One of those teens drowned in a lake about an hour’s ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 3:10-12

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Are You Ready For A Missions Trip?

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 24, 2011

ARE YOU READY FOR A MISSIONS TRIP? Last Wednesday I received a text from a dear friend of mine in Phoenix. He said that his 15 year old daughter Katie was going in for some tests to determine the reasons for some health issues she was having. I went to bed without knowing the results. I woke up ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

The Ram And The Cowboy

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 4, 2012

THE RAM AND THE COWBOY A couple of years ago in the Rocky Mountains a bighorn ram approached the home of a man named Ed Bailey while he was watching football on television. The bighorn stopped suddenly, seeing its reflection in a plate glass window. Thinking it was another ram, the bighorn bowed ...read more

Tags: Self

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Consecrated To Do God's Will

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 25, 2017

Years ago a young girl entered a little Presbyterian Church out of curiosity. There she heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. She later heard God’s call on her life to go to China as a missionary. She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire. She was socially prominent and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:24

Tags: Sacrifice, Consecrated Life

Denomination: Charismatic

The Heizer Creek Baptism

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

Note: this story happened to me - Jim Butcher of Madison WV. One of my favorite baptism stories comes from a friend of mine who owns a house on Heizer Creek. He had a nice spot on his property to do baptisms and told the nearby country churches they were welcome to use it anytime, which a few of ...read more

Tags: Change, Transformation, Cursing, Baptism

Denomination: Baptist

The Little Word That Changes Everything

Contributed by David Dunn on Dec 26, 2025

Opening (attention hook) (Hold up a big card with the word IF written on it) “Does anyone know this word?” (Let them shout: IF!) “This is a tiny word… but it can change what happens next.” >> The Story There was a little girl named Lily, and Lily loved to ask questions. One morning her ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15, James 1:22

Tags: Obedience, Choice

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Even Our Foundational Beliefs In This Country ...  PRO

Contributed by Wayne Major on Apr 23, 2001

Even our foundational beliefs in this country see the “pursuit of happiness” as a basic right of all individuals. Yet with all our pursuit, happiness seems to elude many of us for much of our lives. Nathaniel Hawthorne said, “Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond ...read more

Tags: Joy, God Brings Hope, Finding Fulfillment

Denomination: Methodist

I Dreamed One Night That An Angel Was Talking To ...  PRO

Contributed by Robert Travis on Jun 27, 2001

I dreamed one night that an angel was talking to me. The angel spoke words of comfort all through the night. I awoke the next morning to find a lump under my pillow. It was a small stuffed "angel" bear that had fallen off the headboard of the bed. When you press its paw it says, "I’m your guardian ...read more

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Baptist

A Young Boy Was Sitting On The Front Row ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 6, 2001

A young boy was sitting on the front row watching a ventriloquist perform with his dummy on his lap. Interacting with the boy, the dummy proceeded to ask the boy questions and talk with him. Thinking that the boy had found a new friend, he approached the dummy after the show to ask him to come ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, Faith

Choosing A Road  PRO

Contributed by Brian Mavis on Jul 23, 2001

CHOOSING A ROAD After a Muslim in Africa was converted to Christ, his friends asked him why he became a Christian. He answered, "Well, it’s like this. Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go; and there at the fork ...read more

Tags: World Religions, Easter Resurrection, Apologetics Jesus

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John M. Moore, The Hymn Writer Captured This ...  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Oct 3, 2001

John M. Moore, the hymn writer captured this truth when he wrote… Why did they nail Him to Calvary’s tree? Why, tell me, why was He there? Jesus the Helper, the Healer, the Friend— Why, tell me, why was He there? Then the songwriter answers the rhetorical question by saying… All my iniquities on ...read more

Tags: Crucifixion, Lordship Of Christ

Denomination: Wesleyan

Dr. Garl Restored My Sight!  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Oct 17, 2001

“Dr. Garl Restored My Sight!” There was this soft-spoken man who was a commuter on the Long Island Railroad—on the five o’clock local. Every evening, after the train had left the subway, he would begin a journey through the car from front to back. At each seat he would stop and say, “Excuse me. ...read more

Tags: Great Commission, Sharing My Testimony

Denomination: Wesleyan

Chain Letter For Parents  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2002

CHAIN LETTER FOR PARENTS It reads: "Dear Friend: This chain letter is meant to bring relief and happiness to you. Unlike other chain letters, this one does not cost money. Simply send a copy of this letter to six other parents who are tired of their teenagers. Then bundle your teenager up and send ...read more

Tags: Children, Parenting

A Young Lady Came To Visit Her Preacher And ...  PRO

Contributed by David Swanger on Mar 15, 2003

A young lady came to visit her preacher and explained that her boy friend was pressuring her to have sex. She explained that both were Chrsitians and she was getting to the point that she did not know what to do. Her preacher offered the following advise: "The next time that you feel pressured, ...read more

Tags: Sexuality

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Video Illustration: Ghost – Toward The End Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Apr 9, 2003

Video Illustration: Ghost – Toward the end of the movie Sam the departed soul battles his friend who is trying to kill his wife. The man ends up killing himself in the battle and discovers he has made a wrong choice and he is hauled away into torment and darkness by demonic spirits. Sam tells his ...read more

Tags: Demons, Angels

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational