In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Awakening"

In 1903, W.c. Handy Was Waiting For A Train In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

In 1903, W.C. Handy was waiting for a train in the town of Tutwiler, Mississippi. The train was late and so he fell asleep on the hard wooden bench of the station. He was awakened by an old raggedy man scratching the strings of an old guitar. He was singing about “goin’ to where the Southern cross ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 2:1-24, Joshua 2:1-21

Tags: Rahab, Jehoshaphat, King, Ahab, Ot Characters  (view more)  (view less)

Redemption - Doctor Story

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

This story is reported as true ... though true or a parable ... it speaks to the importance ... of the One ... of one who can save. It was almost 1:00 in the morning... when the phone rang. Dr. Leo Winters, ...a highly acclaimed surgeon... was abruptly awakened ...from his nights sleep. There ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:21, Ephesians 1:7, John 8:36, Matthew 26:28, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 43:25  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Redemption, Lamb, Redeemed, Sin, Blood, Salvation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

The Secrets Of Life

Contributed by Bruce Lee on Jun 6, 2024

“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life itself.” ~L. Wolfe Gilbert I have a dog named Bella. She is a Blue Heeler. I must confess that at the time Bella came into my life a dog was not on my wish list. My stepson is the “original owner.” ...read more

Scripture: John 1:3

Tags: Beauty, Nature, Mystery, Canvas

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ouch And Thanks A Lot!" 1 Samuel 5:6-10 Key ...

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Mar 3, 2005

“Ouch and Thanks A Lot!” 1 Samuel 5:6-10 Key verse(s): 6:“The Lord’s hand was heavy upon the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation upon them and afflicted them with tumors.” What good is pain anyway! Couldn’t God accomplish a whole lot more in our lives if we were tuned into ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 5:6-10

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Lutheran

Critical Thinking With Being Critical!" Matthew ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 12, 2004

“Critical Thinking With Being Critical!” Matthew 7: 1-5 Key verse(s): 1-2 “‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’” Chuck Swindoll tells a humorous but rather sobering tale of the other side of the coin, the flip side that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Lutheran

This Baby Is For You

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 17, 2011

THIS BABY IS FOR YOU Pastor and author Richard Foster writes about genuine, joyous giving. "Giving with a glad and generous heart has a way of rooting out the tough old miser within us. Just the very act of letting go of money or some other treasure does something great within us."1 Such genuine, ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:2-7

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

The Minister Is To Be A Live Man, A Real Man, A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 12, 2007

"The minister is to be a live man, a real man, a simple man, great in his love, great in his life, great in his work, great ...read more

Tags: Church Practices

Mother Teresa Is A Woman Whose Name Has Become ...  PRO

Contributed by Kreigh Hurst on May 5, 2001

Mother Teresa is a woman whose name has become synonymous with greatness. This correlation may have resulted from her philosophy of greatness. She simply believes, "We can do no great things; only small things with great love." Such words are reminiscent of our Lord’s immortal words on greatness in ...read more

Tags: Servanthood, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Holiness

A Lot Better Job

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Feb 6, 2011

A LOT BETTER JOB A little girl crawled up into her great grandmother's lap one day. And looking up into her great grandmother's face she saw all those lines and wrinkles. Then she felt her own smooth skin. She said to her great grandmother, "Did God make you?" Her great grandmother said, ...read more

Tags: Aging

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Only A Donkey  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 20, 2002

ONLY A DONKEY The donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. "I’ll show myself to them," he thought. But they didn’t notice ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

What Really Matters?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Nov 19, 2014

A young woman woke up early one day, she was so excited. She said: THIS WILL BE A WONDERFUL DAY. She looked in the mirror to discover she ONLY HAD THREE HAIRS ON HER HEAD. She thought for a while and decided she would BRAID her hair. She thought her BRAID WITH THE Three HAIRS was so pretty. SHE ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:1-2

Tags: Vanity, Attitude

Denomination: Assembly Of God

God Summons Us To Seek Our Best Creative Selves. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

"God summons us to seek our best creative selves. He calls us to become artists of life, seers of truth, creators of new possibilities, and innovative problem solvers. Perhaps by looking at Jesus' life and seeing His creative spirit at work, we can begin to awaken to the creative possibilities of ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

A Praying Mother

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on May 12, 2025

Has your life been impacted by a sacrificial mother who would never give up? Never underestimate the power of a praying mother. Born in 1669, Susanna Wesley raised up two of Christianity’s most gifted leaders, John and Charles Wesley. Daily, as a mother, Susanna prayed, “Dear God, guide me. Make ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28, 1 Samuel 1:10-16

Tags: Prayer, Mother, Susanna Wesley

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

We May Change But God Never ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Jul 18, 2009

We may change but God never changes. He is not the great I was, or the great I am going ...read more

Tags: Truth, Truth Of Christ

You Must Remember That A Writer Is A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 11, 2007

"You must remember that a writer is a simple-minded person to begin with and go on that basis. Hes not a great mind, hes not a great thinker, ...read more

Tags: Books And Literature

Penguins And Eagles! (09.02.05--Sickness!--Psalm ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Aug 31, 2005

Penguins and Eagles! (09.02.05--Sickness!--Psalm 4:3) Soaring like eagles may sound good, but flopping around like a penguin can be a whole lot easier. Keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground may not always be the most glamorous of occupations, but it sure is safer and more accommodating ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 4:3

Tags: Growth In Christ

Denomination: Lutheran

Sifted Like Wheat

Contributed by Sam Mccormick on Dec 15, 2016

A rooster’s crow announced the dawn. This dawn was not the sunrise, still hours away, but the dawn of Peter’s realization of what he had done. Like the first rays of the sun slicing through the night’s darkness, Peter awakened to his sin and its gravity. It cut him to the core of his being, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31-32

Tags: Peter, Betrayal Of Christ, Sifted, Rehabilitation

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Mother Teresa, When Asked How She Had ...  PRO

Contributed by Mary Lewis on May 10, 2001

Mother Teresa, when asked how she had accomplished such great things in her life said this, "None of us can do anything great on our own, ...read more

Tags: Leadership General, Christian Love

Denomination: Baptist

If Something Terrible Happens To My Grandparents ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

If something terrible happens to my grandparents would it affect me? If God told my great, great, great, great, great, great, (x2000 {just a random number}) grandparents NOT to get in the car and go down a certain road because the bridge was out – and they did it anyway – and died. Would it affect ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

In 1993 Gerald Sittser, A Professor At Whitworth ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 4, 2001

In 1993 Gerald Sittser, a professor at Whitworth College was driving home from a family outing. In the car was his mother, wife of 20 years and four children. A drunk driver swerved across the center line and hit them head on. In an instant he lost his wife, his two year old daughter and his ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23