In Sermon Illustrations: "Going Home"

Margaret: The Hard Soil

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Jan 13, 2011

MARGARET: THE HARD SOIL Each week I give a devotion in each of the 8 dining areas of the Shalom Centre and Margaret (not her real name) is there, with ears which will not hear. Her heart is a fortress, cold, hard, defensive. The gates are huge, old and impenetrable, bolted with fear and pride that ...read more

Tags: Unbelief

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Don't Want To Be A Fireman

Contributed by Chuck Sligh on Apr 20, 2011

I DON'T WANT TO BE A FIREMAN I recall a conversation I once had with a precocious little boy we once had in the church I pastored for 10 years in Wiesbaden. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. "Well," he replied, "I don't want to be a fireman." I'd never had a kid tell me what ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

A Little Girl's Trust

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 9, 2011

A LITTLE GIRL'S TRUST It's a lesson we need to learn, as well. Our true security comes from God and God alone, so we must learn to trust Him. Don't trust in a lie. Don't trust in an idol. Trust in the Lord. Then and only then will you be truly secure. Five-year-old Jessica became a bit ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 30:1-24

Tags: Trust

The Seven Stages Of A Cold—for Married Couples

Contributed by Christopher Gregas on May 16, 2011

THE SEVEN STAGES OF A COLD--FOR MARRIED COUPLES Though marriages are meant to last a lifetime, they can deteriorate rather quickly. I like what someone calls the seven stages of a cold for a married couple. The First year of marriage, the husband says, "Honey, I’m worried about my little girl. ...read more

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Pizarro's Critical Moment

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on May 19, 2011

PIZARRO'S CRITICAL MOMENT All great undertakings begin with a critical moment--a moment when a decision is made and someone launches himself into a never-to-be forgotten enterprise. FRANCISCO PIZARRO, the noted Spanish explorer, faced such a moment. He languished with his men on a small island ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

Non-Christians Can Be Happy  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 23, 2011

NON-CHRISTIANS CAN BE HAPPY I didn't say that non-Christians can't be happy or that they can't be content. Sure they can be happy...as long as life goes the way they want it to go. As long as our health is good, we enjoy our job, people love us and the sky is blue, anybody can be fairly content ...read more

Tags: Happiness

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Invalids' Prayers Bring Revival  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

INVALIDS' PRAYERS BRING REVIVAL Max Lucado told of a church in Scotland back in the 1940s that was struggling to keep the doors open. A couple of its members were two older ladies who were invalids and couldn’t get out for worship any longer. But these ladies refused to allow their infirmities to ...read more

Scripture: James 5:13-20

Tags: Prayer Persistence, Serving

How Far Was Jonah Running Away?

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 14, 2011

HOW FAR WAS JONAH RUNNING AWAY? Let me give you a little perspective on how far Jonah was running away. Joppa was on the far eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. Tarshish was on the western side of the coast of Spain bordering the Atlantic Ocean. That is approximately 2,200 miles away. That ...read more

Tags: Doing God's Will

Once Shaved  PRO

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 7, 2011

ONCE SHAVED A fellow got up one morning and decided he no longer was going to shave himself; he was instead going to the barber for his morning shave. The town barber also happened to be the local preacher in town. When the guy walked into the barber shop the barber/preacher was not there, he was ...read more

Tags: Calvinism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Changing Our Lives Due To The Harshness Of This ...

Contributed by Michael Hahn on Apr 14, 2012

Changing our lives due to the harshness of this world - Coming or going: leaving or staying? Which one will we be happy doing? The psalmist wrote: "Happy is the man who does not go in the company of sinners, or take his place in the way of evil-doers, or in the seat of those who do not give honour ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 1:1-4

Tags: Self

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Remove The Hate — Be Pure  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on Mar 30, 2013

REMOVE THE HATE -- BE PURE "And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood (Hebrews 13:2)." Three years ago, Chris Simpson led a white pride march. Two years ago, he abandoned the white supremacist movement. This past April (2012), he was ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 13:2

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Nazarene

Looking For Something You Can't Find  PRO

Contributed by Perry Greene on May 21, 2013

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING YOU CAN'T FIND I heard about a man who was drafted into the army. While in the army he developed a very strange habit. As he walked along each day he kept picking up pieces of paper, saying to himself aloud, "That's not it!" He would pick up one piece of paper after ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Position Versus Discipleship

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 7, 2013

POSITION VERSUS DISCIPLESHIP C. Gene Wilkes, in his book Jesus on Leadership, says, "Confusion arises when you equate higher 'positions' with leadership . . . As long as 'position' is honored above discipleship -- being a follower -- church leaders will honor the ambitious over the obedient." We ...read more

Scripture: James 2:14-26

Tags: Faith Vs. Works

Joy And Peace From A Child

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Dr. Bryant Kirkland, pastor of 5th Ave. Pres. Church in NY was traveling to do a series of sermons on the west coast. He needed time on that 3 hour flight to study and prepare, so he buckled down and let everyone near me feel the tension. His body language said, "Don't bother me, I'm a busy man ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:1-9

Tags: Peace, Joy, Christ Child

Denomination: Methodist

Inspired To Share Your Faith

Contributed by Tim Smith on Aug 13, 2017

Tom Mercer writes, “Years ago, I heard an incredible story about a guy who, while walking through an intersection in a large city, noticed a police officer directing traffic in the middle of the street. As he walked by, the man sensed the Holy Spirit prompting him to go up to the officer and tell ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:4

Tags: Witnessing, Sharing Your Faith, Evangelism

Denomination: Methodist

Managing Time

Contributed by David Simpson on Jan 30, 2018

No matter what changes, no matter how much changes, TIME remains the same. And even though we know that, we never seem to have enough time. Consider the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon. Calvin says to Hobbes, "God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind I ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 39:4-6

Tags: Investing Your Life, Spending Time Wisely, Time Management

Denomination: Christian Church

Seperated But In The Presence Of The Lord

Contributed by David Goering on Sep 13, 2018

Going to a zoo is educational, for people of all ages, and when you are there you might be in the presence of a lion, tiger or a bear, but at the same time you are separated from these ferocious animals. The scripture teaches us that in the world to come unconverted men will be separated from the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, Revelation 14:10-11, Isaiah 66:23-24

Tags: Separation, Lake Of Fire, Judgment, Unrepentant, Damnation, Torments, Hell  (view more)  (view less)

Mercy In A World War 2 Battle

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 1, 2020

Here is a unique, moving story about "MERCY" from the Second World War: The American pilot glanced outside his cockpit and froze. He blinked hard and looked again, hoping it was just a mirage. But his co-pilot stared at the same horrible vision. “Dear God, this is a nightmare,” the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Tags: Hate, Ww2, Mercy, Beatitudes, War  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Where Can I Find Joy In Life?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

People have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found: • Not in Unbelief — Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: “I wish I had never been born… (and at his ...read more

Tags: Joy, Trusting God

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stop Pushing Your Car And Step On The Gas!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

The Argentine evangelist, Santiago Garaballe, once gave an illustration of a man who bought a new car. He had never owned a car in his life. The car came with a powerful engine under the hood. What if the man then spent the rest of his life pushing it around! Come on family let's go for a ride! ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Resurrection, Victory, Flesh, Defeat, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational