In Sermon Illustrations: "Gandhi Makes A Difference"

Close, But...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 11, 2011

CLOSE, BUT... A high school senior was asking his father's advice on how to woo the girl of his dreams. And his dad said "Well son, when you take her out for pizza tonight and you're sitting across the table from her, take her hand in yours, gaze longingly into her eyes and softly say 'Wow, you ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 15:22-23

Tags: Men And Women

Victor, Not The Victim

Contributed by Bruce Ball on May 24, 2011

VICTOR, NOT THE VICTIM I used to work for the Post Office and when I became serious about the Lord, it must have really shown in my actions and words, because people all of a sudden began making fun of me and giving me snide comments. At times it was difficult, but I remained steadfast in my ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: *other

Gold In Heaven

Contributed by Derrick Tuper on Jun 16, 2011

GOLD IN HEAVEN There was a rich man who was distressed on hearing he could take none of his riches to heaven. He pleaded with God to make an exception. Finally, God said, "Okay, whatever you can fit into a garbage bag can be brought in." The man immediately thought of gold. He joyfully went and ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Six Kinds Of Toxic People

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

SIX KINDS OF TOXIC PEOPLE Life Coach Cheryl Robinson says there are six kinds of toxic people. There are the blamers who are always complaining about what is wrong in their life and blaming others. Then there are the drainers. They’re like vampires who will come and suck everything out of you ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Methodist

The Forbidden Fruit  PRO

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Jun 28, 2012

THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT And the first thing God told Adam and Eve was: "Don't." "Don't what?" Adam replied. "Don't eat the forbidden fruit," God said. "Forbidden fruit? We got forbidden fruit? Hey, Eve . . . we got Forbidden Fruit!" "No way!" "Yes WAY!" "Don't eat that fruit!" said ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Christian Church

The Spirit Of Poverty

Contributed by Charles Jones on Jun 30, 2012

THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY If: You justify your lack and make excuses. You are afraid to give under the direction of the Holy Spirit. You govern your finances with a lack of trust and don't believe God is your source. Your are suspicious that those around you may take your money. When things ...read more

Tags: Poverty

Denomination: Pentecostal

Just In Case

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

JUST IN CASE A Louisiana game warden had been tracking Boudreaux, the infamous Cajun poacher, Late one night he stumbled upon the criminal’s cabin. Climbing upon the roof, the game warden waited for the dawn, hoping to jump the poacher as he emerged. The game warden after a fitful night of trying ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:36-51

Tags: Second Coming

Someone The Shepherd Brought Home  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 22, 2013

Someone the Shepherd Brought Home Carl Ketcherside served with and was instrumental in a strict branch of the Restoration Movement. However, the Lord made a lot of changes in his life. In his later years he moved to St. Louis and ministered among the down and out. At this time, Ketcherside ...read more

Scripture: Ezekiel 34:1-31

Tags: Good Shepherd, False Shepherds, Great Shepherd

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Ayn Rand Vs. Christian Community

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2014

What we observe in that early community of Christians stands in stark contrast to the philosophy of Ayn Rand, who has been getting a lot of press lately. She is known for her belief in what she called Rational Egoism which translates Rational Self-Interest which she described as "The Virtue of ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-47

Tags: Selfishness, Atheism, Capitalism

Forgetting What Is Past And Straining Toward The Future

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Oct 8, 2017

Commentator Gordon Fee recalls the famous “miracle mile,” the first time two milers ran under four minutes in the same race. Roger Bannister and John Landy competed in Vancouver, B.C. in 1954. Landy had led all the way, but coming off the final turn toward the finish line he looked over his ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:13-14

Tags: Forgetting The Past, Heavenward Calling, Future Oriented

Denomination: Baptist

An Order Of Worship Spelling Mistake

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Apr 10, 2018

I was looking at the order of worship in a bulletin for another church recently when I noticed a spelling mistake. After the sermon, they had listed that they would have an “Alter Call.” That’s a mistake because the front of a church is referred to as an “altar.” Then I thought for a moment ...read more

Tags: Worship, Change, Transformation, Spelling

Denomination: Baptist

It’s Only A White Collar Crime?

Contributed by Jim Butcher on Oct 16, 2018

C.S. Lewis died in 1963, but a comment in one of his writings speaks directly to the current opioid crisis. Lewis wrote: “The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid ‘dens of crime’ that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: White Collar, Opioid, Sin, Excuses, Business  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Misusing The Good

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 23, 2019

The Gospel does not alter God's promises for Israel. It is not meant for that, just as a laser light has specific purposes but can be misused. Laser pointers are not toys. [https://phys.org/newsstory below:] Concern is growing over the safe use of small, battery powered, hand held lasers. For ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:1-20

Tags: Israel, The Gospel, Damage, Ignorance, Mischief, Charlatans, Expense Of Others, Wreckless  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Don't Go Back

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Feb 20, 2021

Several years ago, Karen and I was up in the Ruidoso area; and I decided to try a short cut that I thought I knew about. The problem was, the road turned into a very rough dirt road; and the further we went, the worse the road became. We came upon a farmer’s house and land; and there was a ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:8-9

Tags: Freedom, Forward

Denomination: Baptist

The Gossip Test

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 1, 2021

Another basic concept – sin creates spiritual blindness. Let me illustrate with my favorite sin to talk about… GOSSIP. I’ll stop right here and make sure you know how I define gossip. Before you tell someone a story about another person (even disguised as a prayer request), it needs to pass all ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:37-45

Tags: Sin, Gossip, Spiritual Blindness

Denomination: Methodist

What Is Your Struggle

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Aug 25, 2021

As a group of frogs was traveling through the woods, two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs crowded around the pit and saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that there was no hope left for them. However, the two frogs decided to ignore what the others were saying and they ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-20

Tags: Faith, Believe In Yourself

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Death And Vanity

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Aug 29, 2022

A middle-aged, wealthy woman has a heart attack. While on the operating table she has a near death experience. She sees the angel at the gates and asks if this is it. The angel says no, she has another 30-40 years to live. She recovers, and decides to stay in the hospital and have a face lift, ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 9:27, Proverbs 31:30, Mark 8:36, Matthew 16:26

Tags: Death, Beauty, Vanity

Denomination: Independent/Bible

C S Lewis - The Choice

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Sep 19, 2022

I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Jesus. “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15

Tags: Jesus, Jesus Divinity, Nature Of Jesus, Moral Teacher

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How We Stop God From Answering Our Prayers

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Dec 24, 2022

Recently, the Lord moved me from Arkansas to Louisiana. I was so happy to leave Arkansas and be released from it – it had felt like an overgrown prison to me. As I drove south on the interstate, I was thanking and praising God for a new start in a new place when He impressed upon me that I could ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 3:13, James 3:6

Tags: Unanswered Prayers, Preventing God, Words Stout Against Him, Tongue, Power Of Words  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

The Spotless Puppy

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 19, 2023

A minister said that once he had a small, white Highland terrier puppy which he kept spotlessly clean by frequent washing, brushing, and powdering. One night a winter storm dropped a fresh blanket of snow on the countryside, and the next morning the whole world seemed to glisten under the splendor ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:23

Tags: Roman Road, Sinners, Justification, Holiness, Adam, Conviction, Sinful Nature, Second Adam, Jesus, Sin, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational