In Sermon Illustrations: "Funny Stories"

An Atheist's Perspective On Evangelism

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2014

Perhaps you've heard of Penn and Teller the comedy team who has worked Las Vegas for years. Penn Jillette is an atheist, but he recorded a video journal a few years ago telling the story about a man who waited to speak to him after one of their shows. Penn said the man was a successful businessman ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Atheist, Evangelism Urgency

Gossip: Opie's Newspaper

Contributed by Davon Huss on May 7, 2014

"Opie's Newspaper" is an episode on the Andy Griffith Show. Opie's friend, Howie, received a small printing press as a gift, and the boys decide to go into the newspaper business. They work hard and produce an initial issue of what they call the Mayberry Sun. The boys soon find that business is ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:31-32

Tags: Gossip, Slander, Sins Of Tongue, Control Tongue

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Let's Go Fishing

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Nov 3, 2016

Let’s Go Fishing Luke 5: 1-11 As you all know I am a fisherman. It is in my blood. My father taught me and my two brothers to fish when we were very young. I remember one time we were fishing from a dock in the Little Sandy River. Dad had just bought a new rod and reel and my brother Mike being ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Tags: Jesus, Christ's Sufficiency, Obeying Jesus

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Falling In Love With His Word

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

The reason God gave us the Bible is that he wants us to know who he is. If you want to know God, read his Book, read His words. Our words reveal who we are. Wayne Hudson tells the story of Ben who had left the East Coast 8 years earlier to head out West in hopes of making his fortune. It was 1898. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:16

Tags: Bible, Scripture, The Word, Bible Reading

Denomination: Methodist

That Holy Communion Moment At The Hospital

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 11, 2018

Note: this happened to me personally - you can reference Jim Butcher of Madison WV. Some of you have heard me share this story over the last few weeks, but I think it’s worth sharing again for those who haven’t had the chance to hear it. In early March, Patti Price asked me to bring communion to ...read more

Tags: Love, Communion, Marriage, Old Age

Denomination: Baptist

From Refuge To Valedictorian

Contributed by Matt Neace on Jun 19, 2018

2 Chronicles 15:7 God tells King Asa, "But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." It is like the following story from the Dallas Morning News: When Albana Gllareva met her high school counselor, the Dallas freshman said bluntly, “I want to be ...read more

Tags: Goals, Focus, Ambition, Determination, Tenacity, Overcoming, Perseverance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Good Pilots Do What It Takes To Get Their Passengers Home.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jul 9, 2018

A good pilot does what it takes to get his passengers home. A good example of this, is the story of a flight when the attendant told everyone to take their seats because of impending turbulence. It was a rowdy flight; the folks weren’t quick to respond; so she warned them again. “The flight is ...read more

Scripture: Acts 9:3-11

Tags: Listening To God, Hearing From God, Gods Voice

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Unforgettable Bombs - All We Can Do Is Pray?

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 30, 2019

Elmer Bendiner, a crewmember in a World War II B-17 bomber, the Tondalayo, was barraged by flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. That was not unusual, but on this particular occasion, the gas tanks were hit. Later Elmer reflected on the miracle of a 20 mm shell piercing the fuel tank without touching ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11, James 5:15, Psalm 34:15

Tags: Prayer, Power In Prayer, Intersession, Watchman Prayer

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Zordak - The Resurrection

Contributed by Samuel Young on Apr 7, 2021

I am Zordak, Jesus’ guardian angel. I want to tell you the story of Jesus. Jesus had died and laid in the grave. I was very sad. There were one hundred Roman soldiers and whole army of evil angels guarding the grave. But Sunday morning is coming… It was still dark. The dew was still on the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 27:62-66, Matthew 28:2, Luke 24:1-44

Tags: Easter, Resurrection

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Want To Walk On Water?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jun 30, 2021

MANY PEOPLE WANT TO WALK ON THE WATER, WITHOUT THE INVITATION ON GOD’S SON: COME… Matthew 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Pastor Chou of Korea wrote a book on prayer. He tells in his book “THE FOURTH DIMENSION” about 4 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 14:28-29, Matthew 14:30

Tags: Abuse, Walk On Water

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Power Of An Encouraging Word

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 4, 2023

Mark Eklund was a student in Sister Helen’s nineth grade math class at St. Mary’s School in Morris, Minnesota. He was much less talkative than he had been years earlier in her third-grade class. One Friday Sister Helen sensed the class’s frustration with trying to learn “ne math.” So, she asked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:7, Ephesians 4:32, Luke 10:25-37, Micah 6:8, Matthew 9:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Hope, Encouragement, Friendship, Kindness, Esteem, Love, Mercy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Commitment Or Surrender What's The Difference

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Jun 26, 2023

Adrian Rogers tells the story of his meeting with Josef T’son who had suffered greatly under communism. Adrian said: “Josef, tell me about American Christianity.” Josef responded: “Adrian, I had rather not.” “No, I want to know.” “Well, Adrian, since you have asked me, I’ll tell you. The key ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 8:9

Tags: Commitment, Surrender, Serving Christ

Denomination: Baptist

The Bullet Proof George Washington

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Aug 19, 2023

On July 9th, 1755, during the French and Indian War, after a difficult battle, George Washington gathered his troops and went to Fort Cumberland in western Maryland, arriving there on July 17, 1755. The next day, Washington wrote a letter to his family explaining that after the battle was over, he ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28

Tags: United States Of America, Protection, Angels, Miracles, God's Will, Providence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Twas The Night Before Jesus Came

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Nov 30, 2023

‘Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house Not a creature was praying, not one in the house. Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care In hopes that Jesus would not come there. The children were dressing to crawl into bed, Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head. And Mom in ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-12, Philippians 2:1-11, John 1:1-12

Tags: Christmas, Birth Of Christ, Book Of Life, Return Of Christ, Preachers, Poems, Jesus, Church, Children, Advent, Second Coming, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Solomon's Insightful Judgment: Looking For The Reaction Of Hearts

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 16, 2024

King Solomon, known for his God-given wisdom, faced a challenging situation recorded in 1 Kings 3:16-28. Two women, both claiming to be the mother of the same baby, brought their case before him. Solomon's response was both shocking and insightful. He suggested dividing the baby in two, giving ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 3:16-28

Tags: Discernment, Prolife, Biblical Wisdom, True Motherhood, Love, Morality, Wisdom  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

God Moved Christian Across Pond To Save Him From Drowning

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 25, 2025

God Moved Christian across Pond to Save Him from Drowning One of my favorite miracle stories is from Jan Ramsey. My wife Mary used to work at Lakeshore School with Jan. She was a member of First Baptist in Swartz. Jan gave this prayer testimony about her dad, James, and I think he was 81 at the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Tags: Nathan The Prophet, Solomon's Temple, Mother's Womb, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, King David, Fearfully Made, Wonderfully Made, Creation, Light, Darkness, Presence  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Mercy In The Middle Of War

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on May 2, 2026

Illustration: Mercy in the Middle of War There’s a remarkable true story from World War II that my late pastor loved to use when preaching about God’s mercy. It involves two men: Franz Stigler and Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown was flying a B-17 bomber over Germany when his plane was badly ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 3:8

Tags: Mercy, Longsuffering, Wwii

Denomination: Pentecostal

You Probably Have Heard The Name Levi Strauss, ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Kolk on Jan 27, 2001

You probably have heard the name Levi Strauss, but do you know the name of Jacob Davis? You know of Levi Strauss because of Levi's blue jeans. Levi made the most of an opportunity given him by a man named Jacob Davis. I got the following story from the Levi's website. Levi Strauss was a dry ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Tags: Leadership General, Workplace

Denomination: Baptist

In An Article In Campus Life A Young Nurse Writes ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Feb 9, 2001

In an article in Campus Life a young nurse writes of her pilgrimage in learning to see in a patient the image of God beneath a very “distressing disguise.” Eileen was one of her first patients, a person who was totally helpless. “A cerebral aneurysm (broken blood vessels in the brain) had left her ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Christian Disciplines, Compassion

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Once Upon A Time, The Animals Decided They Should ...  PRO

Contributed by Marcus Naugler on Nov 21, 2001

Once upon a time, the animals decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world. So they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the ...read more

Tags: Gifts General, Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ