In Sermon Illustrations: "Good"

Tempered For Christ

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Apr 4, 2012

TEMPERED FOR CHRIST A blacksmith, about 8 years after his conversion to Christ, was asked by an unbeliever, "Why is it you have so much trouble? I have been watching you since you trusted Christ as your Savior and began to 'walk square' and seem to love everybody, and you seem to have twice as ...read more

Tags: Holiness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Ornamentals

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on May 5, 2012

ORNAMENTALS Back in 1960, my family moved from Ohio to Arizona. The first time we went to the Phoenix Airport, I was impressed by the beautiful orange trees that lined the drive. It was the first time this Ohio boy had ever seen citrus trees. The oranges were big as grapefruits. They looked so ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Toy Story: Friendship

Contributed by Ken Pell on Jun 23, 2012

TOY STORY: FRIENDSHIP "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17) Henry Ford said, "My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me." And what's true of a good church is true of a good friend; they love you and they help you aspire to grow and be whole. Have ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Nazarene

"You Done Quit Preachin' And Gone To Meddlin'!"

Contributed by Rick Pendleton on Oct 11, 2012

Two excited women who were sitting together in the front pew of church with a fiery preacher. They were in the spirit and loving the message. They were shouting out and waving their hankies. They would use their paper fan to wave for Jesus and then to cool themselves off fearing they might just ...read more

Tags: Preaching, Gossip

Denomination: Baptist

Last Lap Of The Race

Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jul 4, 2014

May 29, 2011 it looked like it was destiny, the day Dale Earnhardt Jr. was rounding the last lap of the Charlotte Motor Speedway. You could just imagine the script that was being set; it was memorial day, he was being sponsored by the national guard, and He was going to finally win for the first ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:7

Tags: Perseverance, Endurance, Finish The Race, Gas Tank

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jumping The Grand Canyon

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: No matter how good you are, you cannot make it to heaven through your own effort. Verse: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV). Illustration: Once, two men had ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Sin, Need For Christ, Need For Salvation

Denomination: Charismatic

Love

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 19, 2020

A young teenage boy and girl were setting in a swing on her parents front porch way up in the mountains of North Carolina. They spent a lot of time there away from everyone just them. They would talk about all kinds of things. Things about when they had grown up. What would they do: go to college ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:9-10

Tags: Love For God, Love Like God

Denomination: Independent/Bible

We Were Desperate Without Christ!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Steven Cole has a good discussion on salvation writing… As I’ve often said, salvation is a radical word. You don’t need saving if you’re in pretty good shape. All you need then is a little help. You need saving when you’re perishing and are helpless to save yourself. The Bible uses a number of ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:1

Tags: Evangelism, Grace, Mercy, Salvation, Gospel, Lost  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why Do So Few Christians Share Their Faith?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 4, 2022

What makes people hesitate to share their faith? Here are some of the fears that have been mentioned to me: "I am afraid I might do more harm than good." "I don't know what to say." "I may not be able to give snappy answers to tricky questions." "I may ...read more

Tags: Great Commission, Fear Of Man, Great Supper, Man Pleasing, Evangelism, Fear, Gospel, Parables, Excuses, Witnessing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Angel Of Music

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 14, 2023

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:4

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Armor Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gift That Goes From Zero To 200 In Six Seconds!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Oct 29, 2023

Here’s a funny story for a sermon introduction when you are preaching to your men about remembering special days for the wife and family. Bob forgot his wedding anniversary and his wife was really upset. She told him, “Tomorrow morning, I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from 0 to ...read more

Tags: Jews, Holy Days, Husbands, Wives, Israel, Humor, Passover  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Building Bridges

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jan 8, 2026

WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE, 1860 TO 1934. She wrote over 7,500 poems and 5,000 essays. Her works are recorded in 13 books. My Dad, Wade M. Hughes (1931) committed this poem to memory and would often use it when speaking to leaders. I love this poem. ***THE BRIDGE BUILDER AN OLD MAN, GOING DOWN A LONE ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:6-12, Philippians 4:11-13

Tags: Bridge, Build

Denomination: Assembly Of God

My Second Item Is From That Great Gospel Program, ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Dec 2, 2001

My second item is from that great gospel program, "Hee Haw." Doc Campbell is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. The doc replies, "Well then, stay out of them places!" He may have something there. We cannot regularly put ourselves in the face of temptation and not be ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting, Temptation, Call Of The Disciples, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Wesleyan

Rabbi Harold] Kushner's Book [when Bad Things ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Kuzma on Feb 19, 2002

[Rabbi Harold] Kushner’s book [When Bad Things Happen to Good People] was a best seller not only because it is so well written, but also because it caters to a narcissistic age. For us, any suffering, confusion or tragedy is patently unfair and undeserved because we stopped trusting a God whose ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Foursquare

Worship Cannot Be Confined To A Particular Place  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 1, 2002

Worship cannot be Confined to a Particular Place In the Muslim religion there are three cities which are considered sacred: Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The Muslims believe that to worship in the city of Jerusalem is as good as performing 1000 acts of worship anywhere else in the world. Mecca and ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, God The Father

Toys Never Satisfy  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Mar 8, 2002

Men are merely taller children. Honor, wealth, and splendor are the toys for which grown children pine; but which, however accumulated, leave them still disappointed and unhappy. God never designed that intelligent beings should be satisfied with these enjoyments. By His wisdom and goodness they ...read more

Tags: God's Provision, Fulfillment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Why They Serve Coffee  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Mar 10, 2002

WHY THEY SERVE COFFEE Some of the most humorous and enlightening moments in our lives center around eating and drinking. Take for instance the interaction between a pastor and young boy in a certain congregation. It seems this particular congregation loved good fellowship and always served ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:37

Tags: Preaching, Church Practices, Church

Denomination: Church Of God

One Afternoon, While Playing Golf At Bay Hill In ...  PRO

Contributed by Thomas Hensley on Aug 15, 2002

One afternoon, while playing golf at Bay Hill in Orlando, I was teamed up with the legendary football coach, Lou Holtz. As one of the men spoke of our team, he questioned Mr Holtz about his silence, afterall he was known as the "master motivator"! Lou looked at him and said, "It is hard to be a ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Believe Or Reject  PRO

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 27, 2002

Believe or Reject I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of ...read more

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Baptist

There Was A Little Boy Who Was Kneeling By His ...  PRO

Contributed by Bradford Robinson on Sep 23, 2002

There was a little boy who was kneeling by his bed with his mom to say his nighttime prayers. He began to shout to the top of his lungs, “Dear God, I’ve been real good this year so please let me get a new bicycle for my birthday.” His mom said, “Son, God’s not deaf; you ...read more

Tags: Prayer Supplication

Denomination: Methodist