In Sermon Illustrations: "Go"

Jack Nicklaus And Repentance  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

JACK NICKLAUS AND REPENTANCE Jack Nicklaus is considered by most as the greatest golfer who has ever played the game. Once, when he was at the top of his game, he quit playing for 30 days to correct something with his game. He couldn’t correct it. He tried but to no success. Then he went back to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Repentance

Pavarotti's Grandmother

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 8, 2011

PAVAROTTI'S GRANDMOTHER Luciano Pavarotti, the famous opera star, almost missed his calling. As a young man, he taught elementary school and sang only occasionally. But several people made the difference for him. One was his grandmother who, when he was a boy, would hold him in her lap and say, ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

Tags: Encouragement

I Don't Want To Be A Saint...  PRO

Contributed by Scott Bayles on Dec 1, 2011

"I DON'T WANT TO BE A SAINT..." So the Bible clearly teaches that everyone who has been sanctified and set apart by God is a saint. I read a story earlier this week about a Wisconsin mom who was trying to teach her kids how God sees them. She told them that when they receive Jesus as Savior that ...read more

Scripture: Acts 20:32

Tags: Sanctification

Denomination: Christian Church

Garlands Of Heaven

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 29, 2011

GARLANDS OF HEAVEN In India, whenever I preached I would get a garland made of carnations or roses or some other kind of flower. (This was done as a gesture of honor.) They smelled nice at first, but they were bulky and awkward (most of them would hang down almost to your knees), and after your ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Christmas Letter To God  PRO

Contributed by Josh Hunt on Feb 14, 2012

A CHRISTMAS LETTER TO GOD A small boy was writing a letter to God about the Christmas presents he wanted. "I've been good for six months now," he wrote. After a moment's reflection, he crossed out "six months" and wrote "three." After a pause he changed that to "two weeks." There was another pause ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:1-8

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Baptist

He Knows About Me

Contributed by Tim White on Apr 2, 2012

HE KNOWS ABOUT ME When I was talking with another counselor once, he asked if he could take me through an exercise that he uses to help people struggling with assurance or attaining victory, and/or were stalled in Christian growth. He had me close my eyes and imagine that Jesus Christ walks into ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Denomination: Baptist

Home, Sweet Home

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 14, 2012

HOME, SWEET HOME There was a time during the American Civil War, when the rival armies were encamped on the opposite banks of the Potomac River, the Union's band played one of its patriotic tunes, and the Confederate musicians quickly struck up a melody dear to any Southerner's heart. Then one of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22

Tags: War

I Work For Christ.

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Sep 6, 2012

"I WORK FOR CHRIST." Howard Hendricks, sat in a plane that was delayed for takeoff. After a long wait, the passengers became more and more irritated. Hendricks noticed how gracious one of the flight attendants was as she spoke with them. After the plane finally took off, he told the flight ...read more

Tags: Workplace

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Critics

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 18, 2013

If there is one glaring fault in my ministry, it has been to allow others to blur my vision and that of the church. To take away any enthusiasm and joy. No matter what you do in life, you are going to have critics. The only people who don’t hear criticism are the ones not doing anything. Paul ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29

Tags: Discouragement, Complaining

Denomination: Christian Church

Angel At Fredericksburg

Contributed by Perry Greene on Mar 25, 2013

ANGEL AT FREDERICKSBURG No longer able to withstand the wrenching moans of the suffering wounded and dying Union soldiers, 19 year old Confederate Sergeant Richard Kirkland of the 2nd South Carolina approached Brigadier General Joseph Kershaw, CSA, to seek permission to go to their aid. Initially ...read more

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Receiving The Blessing

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 26, 2013

RECEIVING THE BLESSING On a Sunday school picnic in the heat of summer, I was going around the children with a 4 gallon can of cool drink and ladling out portions to the thirsty. I came to a small boy who had a busy morning. He was red in the face, sweating profusely, obviously quite hot. He ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Five People Who Secretly Control Your Life  PRO

Contributed by Tim Smith on Jun 16, 2013

Dave Navarro has written an article entitled, "The 5 People Who Secretly Control Your Life." In it, he says, what you may not realize is just how many people influence your life, feeding you ideas about what is "right," "wrong," "good," "bad," and practically every other subjective decision-making ...read more

Tags: Control

Denomination: Methodist

Riches Are A Mess  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 8, 2013

RICHES ARE A MESS John Alexander-- "Consider this paraphrase: You think it’s good to be rich? Well, you’re wrong. Riches are a mess. It’s you poor who are fortunate. You think it’s good to be well fed now? You’re wrong. You’d be better off hungry. You think you should pursue laughter? ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:20-26, James 5:1-6

Tags: Hungry, Poor, Popularity, Mourner

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Chapter 11

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 4, 2014

Two old friends met one day after many years. One graduated from a prestigious college and was very successful. The other had not attended college and was very poor. The poor friend said, "How has everything been going with you?" The successful friend said, "Well, one day I opened the Bible at ...read more

Scripture: James 4:1-11

Tags: Wealth, Riches, Success

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Bible And Good Leaders

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 24, 2014

Gene Getz was leading some Bible studies on the qualifications of church leaders. Two men were there who were new Christians and had little knowledge of the Bible. After a few sessions these two men said, "You know this is the first time we've heard this list of qualifications from the Bible. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:4-12

Tags: Household, Godly Husbands, True Leader

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Sacrificial Love

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 13, 2014

Watchman Nee, a Chinese evangelist, tells of a Christian he once knew in China. He was a rice farmer, and his fields lay high on a mountain. Every day he pumped water into the paddies of new rice. And every morning he returned to find that an unbelieving neighbor who lived down the hill had ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:21

Tags: Evil, Overcome, Good, Unbeliever

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Body Of Christ Is Not Divided  PRO

Contributed by Silas Eke on Feb 26, 2015

A Baptist Pastor had a dream and found himself fully dressed with a Bible in hand at the gate of heaven. As he was about to enter, he heard so many people crying and wailing in hell. He went to the gate and met the gate-keeper. He asked the gate-keeper “Who are those crying? Is there a Baptist ...read more

Tags: Denominationalism, Unity In Christ

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

During The Great Depression A Good Man Lost H...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 9, 2015

During the Great Depression a good man lost his job, exhausted his savings, and forfeited his home. His grief was multiplied by the sudden death of his young wife. The only thing he had left was his faith. One day as he combed the neighborhood looking for work he stopped to watch as men did ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Tags: Faith, Suffering, Pruning, Works Tested By Fire

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Tithe And Offiering

Contributed by Rev. Vinod Rasaily on Oct 19, 2016

"I also learned that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them, and that all the Levites and musicians responsible for the service had gone back to their own fields." Nehemiah 3:10 The Pastors and Worship team of Jerusalem Church were no where to be found. The reason? They ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 3:10-13

Tags: Tithes And Offering, Giving In Love, Support Mission, Financial Support

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Letters To The Pastor From Kids

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 18, 2017

LETTERS TO THE PASTOR FROM KIDS: Dear Pastor, I would like to go to heaven someday because I know my brother won’t be there. Stephen. Age 8 Dear Pastor, I know God loves everybody but He never met my sister. Yours sincerely, Arnold. Age 7 Dear Pastor, I think a lot more ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4

Tags: Kids, Pastors, Funny Questions

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational