In Sermon Illustrations: "Good Shepherd"

The Large Cattle Ranches In Oklahoma And The ...

Contributed by Ken Pell on Sep 13, 2010

The large cattle ranches in Oklahoma and the southern plains use wooden fence posts instead of metal "T posts" because of the constant wind. After a while the constant pressure from the wind bends the metal posts. The wooden fence posts are able to endure the force and remain upright. Properly ...read more

Tags: Stress

Denomination: Nazarene

Object Lesson: Spirit-Filled Bottles

Contributed by Matt Stacy on Nov 18, 2010

OBJECT LESSON: SPIRIT-FILLED BOTTLES (Will need 2 water bottles, One empty and one full) We can be like these water bottles, here. One is full of "spirit" and one has none. (Crush empty bottle) This empty bottle with no integrity inside is easily crushed under the pressure I apply to the out ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

What Gets Your Attention?

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Feb 19, 2011

WHAT GETS YOUR ATTENTION? Two friends were sitting together in a café when a noisy car alarm interrupted their conversation. One friend said: "What good are car alarms when no one pays any attention to them?" The other friend said "Some are quite effective. Last summer, my teenager spent a lot ...read more

Tags: Miscellaneous

Denomination: Brethren

What Do Americans Love More Than Money?

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

WHAT DO AMERICANS LOVE MORE THAN MONEY? Most Americans love money, but we love something even more: security. According to a 2009 survey by the Pew Research Center, 59 percent of U.S. adults prefer a job that offers better security over one that offers higher pay but less stability (33 percent). ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Tags: Security

In God We Trust...?

Contributed by Christopher Glenn on Aug 22, 2011

IN GOD WE TRUST...? On the face of our money are the words: "In God We Trust." A few years ago, the use of those words on our currency was challenged in court. The case reached the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia where the court ruled that the words could remain on the façade ...read more

Tags: Law

Counterfeit Christmas

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Dec 12, 2011

COUNTERFEIT CHRISTMAS According to a British Paper (Romsey Advertiser): "Christmas shoppers looking for a bargain should be wary of counterfeit goods which flood the market in the run-up to the festive season," the UK Border Agency has warned. "Fake Ugg Boots, GHD hair straighteners, iPhones and ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Independent/Bible

So Hungry

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jan 16, 2012

SO HUNGRY The silence of the congregation partaking of the Lord’s Supper was suddenly broken by a loud exclamation. A 5-year-old girl was watching that passing out of the bread and juice and asked her mother is she could take some. Her mother said that she was not old enough to take some. With ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Accused

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Oct 29, 2012

ACCUSED A Louisiana man has been released from death row, becoming the 300th prisoner nationwide to be freed after DNA evidence showed he was innocent. Of those 300 prisoners, 18 had been on death row, according to lawyers from the New York-based Innocence Project. [source: Good News Network]. It ...read more

Tags: False Teaching

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Fail In Order To Succeed

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jul 15, 2017

An old axiom says that failure is the stepping stone to success. Are we afraid of failure? The road to success is paved with failures. Before the farmer in the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13) had a successful crop he failed in three areas. We fail in these same areas. We allow the devil to snatch ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 13:1-23

Tags: Sower, Success, Failure, Parable Of Sower, Quitting  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Vacation For Seniors!

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jul 22, 2019

A number of years ago I attended a pastors gathering in Toronto. A retired Pastor, now crippled by a stroke, sat along the wall on a chair, all alone. In his prime he was a highly esteemed professor, author and preacher. Now, he sat alone and unnoticed. I walked across the room and lamented this ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-20

Tags: Loneliness, Community, Aging

Denomination: Pentecostal

Why Doesn't God Answer?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 13, 2022

The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her preacher father always paused and bowed his head for a moment before starting his sermon. One day she asked him why. The Pastor was so proud that his daughter was so observant of his mesages. He smiled and answered, "Well, honey, ...read more

Tags: Jokes, Fathers, Sermons, Preachers, Children, Prayer, Pastors  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tweeners

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 23, 2023

"Too many Christians are “’tweeners”: they live between Egypt and Canaan, saved but never satisfied; they live between Good Friday and Easter, believing in the Cross but not entering into the power and glory of the Resurrection. It is clear, then, that the believer cannot deliberately be ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-21

Tags: World, Identification With Christ, Easter, Egypt, Victory, Lazarus, Canaan, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Count The Cost

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Jul 24, 2025

I want to tell yall a true story about counting the cost. This happened to a friend, who shall remain nameless to protect her dignity. My friend had been going through a lot and needed something therapeutic to do and so took up gardening. Growing your own food is always a good idea, right? The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:28, Luke 14:29, Luke 14:30

Tags: High, Count The Cost, Building, Cost, Adversity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Hypocrites Do Things For The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 4, 2009

Hypocrites Do Things for the Show During my childhood - as I was growing up - anything "modern" was considered good! Whatever the current fad was, it was something that I wanted to have - and, I was convinced, like everyone else, that the new item was better - even when it came to "modern food;" if ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:1-5

Tags: Hypocrisy

[057]. A Message From A Poem – Delusion Has Ascended On Mankind

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Mar 13, 2025

[057]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – DELUSION HAS ASCENDED ON MANKIND Delusion, often created through “inclusion”, is a serious subject today because there is so much of it around. All this has kicked off through the widespread media. “We don’t know who to believe,” is a common saying in our days. ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 5:20-21, Malachi 2:17, Colossians 2:4, James 1:22, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11, 2 Timothy 3:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Media, Climate Change, Liars, Delude, Deluded, Evil, Deception, Lies, Delusion, Deceive  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

G.w. Knight Captures So Well The Concept Of ...

Contributed by Noah Kaye on Apr 21, 2005

G.W. Knight captures so well the concept of grace when he said this: “When a person works an eight-hour day and receives a fair day’s pay for his time, that is a wage. When a person competes with an opponent and receives a trophy for his performance, that is a prize. When a person receives ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian, Faith General

Denomination: Mennonite

The Pressure For Perfection  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 2, 2005

THE PRESSURE FOR PERFECTION A British website had some interesting results from a survey of mothers. The survey showed that 91% of mothers constantly feel under the spotlight because of pressure to be the perfect mom. They blame that pressure on the media, the Government, schools and education ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 31:1-31, Genesis 13:1-20, Luke 10:29-37, Luke 10:29-37

Tags: Mother's Day, Parenting

Baseball Player Al Schacht Slid Into Second Base ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2005

Baseball player Al Schacht slid into second base and felt a low-thrown ball land under him. Under cover of the dust, Al quickly slipped the ball into his hip pocket. The opposing infielder vainly looked for the ball and finally figured it must have rolled into center field. As he and his teammates ...read more

Tags: Sin Exposed

Believers Lack Biblical Understanding: A Barna ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 10, 2006

Believers Lack Biblical Understanding: A Barna poll reveals that many born again Americans hold beliefs contrary to Scripture. Among the most disturbing is that 68% think the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves. Other alarming beliefs are; that the Holy Spirit does not exist ...read more

Tags: Bible Study

New Luxury In Marketing Circles Today The Luxury ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2006

New Luxury In marketing circles today the luxury market is all the rage. And no wonder, affluent consumers have incomes 2.5 times the national average and they spend twice as much on all kinds of consumer goods and services. But, as the luxury market has caught the imagination of marketers and ...read more

Tags: Finding Fulfillment