In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Quotes"

Many Clearly Biblical, Crucial Beliefs Are Under ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 3, 2011

Many clearly Biblical, crucial beliefs are under assault these days. One of those beliefs is our conviction that Christ died as our substitute, that he took our sins upon himself when he died on the cross, and that he paid the penalty for our sins and offered himself as a sacrifice to the Father, ...read more

Tags: Atonement

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Being Crucified With Christ

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Aug 11, 2016

As I was typing up the many pages of notes I would use for my weekly podcast sermon, I needed to replace some letters in a name in part of my document with "M-E," so it would read correctly as I recorded. I was trying to use the ’Find & Replace’ command, but it looked a little ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Sin, Flesh, Self, Crucified With Christ, Crucify Flesh, Crucified  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Come Anyway (No Excuse Sunday)

Contributed by Roberta Karchner on Nov 7, 2020

To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday": • We will provide pillows to nap for those who need the extra sleep on Sunday morning. • We will have extra cushions for those who feel that our pews are too hard. ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 24:18

Tags: Commitment, Faithfulness, Attendance, Sunday Morning

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Who Is Praying For Me?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

Pastor Jim Cymbala's daughter had been running from God for a long time. Chrissy had rebelled against her family, had left home, and was living as far from God as she could. But one night, this teenager awoke with the distinct feeling that someone was praying for her. And someone was. The ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, James 4:1-2

Tags: Petition, Intercessory Prayer, Interceding For Sinners, Prayer

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ten Rules For Improving The Church

Contributed by David Parks on Jun 3, 2022

TEN RULES FOR IMPROVING THE CHURCH 1. Tell yourself over and over that since you are not perfect you would not fit into a perfect congregation, if one existed. 2. Instead of picking out the worldly members to point to, pick out the sincere, dedicated, spiritual members and thank God for them. You ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2, 1 Peter 4:8, Matthew 7:1-5

Tags: Church, Encouragement, Judgementalism

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Praying For Enemies

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

I once invited a guest lecturer to speak to a counseling class I was teaching and asked him to specifically discuss the topic of forgiveness. He told a powerful story from his own life that day to illustrate his point that we should forgive. His brother had many struggles, and one day there was a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-45

Tags: Death, Forgiveness

Meekness When Inconvenienced

Contributed by Richard Tow on Mar 20, 2023

Charles Spurgeon tells the story of an archbishop who lived in a small house in Scotland. He had only one employee, but the employee tended to be forgetful. One day the employee got up before the bishop and decided to go fishing. As he headed out, he locked his Archbishop Leighton in the house with ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:5, Matthew 11:28-29, 1 Timothy 6:11

Tags: Gentle, Humility, Meekness, Contentment, Meek, Gentleness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

Dirty Windows

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 12, 2023

"A friend of mine, Bud Wood, founded Shepherds Home in Wisconsin for boys and girls with developmental disabilities. The original ministry opened its doors in 1964 to 36 children, providing them a loving residential environment and a school that would focus on their unique needs, helping them ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Philippians 3:20, 1 John 3:1-3

Tags: Return Of Christ, Disabled Children, Revelation, Children, Heaven, Second Coming, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Bloopers In The Bulletin

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 11, 2023

The following are actual church bulletin board bloopers found in churches across the United States. The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church. The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 5:1-7

Tags: Church, Humor, Secretaries, Failure, Pastors, Unconditional Love, Love For Others, Bloopers, Bulletin  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Worst Dad Joke Ever

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jul 17, 2023

I usually begin every one of my Sunday sermons with a funny story to get our congregation comfortable before I begin to dive in deeply to the Word of God. If you like dad jokes or puns (old name) and you want to make your congregation groan a little bit.........check this dad joke out! CHESS ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22, Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Medicine, Dad Jokes, Happiness, Joy, Humor, Laughter  (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

Power To Be The Light

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Jun 3, 2024

Smartphones are amazing pieces of technology. Everything my generation went to RadioShack to purchase is now all together in the palm of our hand, including our flashlights. My grandfather loved flashlights. It was okay to get him a new one each year for Christmas or his birthday. He would take a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 1:8, John 15:5

Tags: Light, Holy Spirit, Power

Denomination: Pentecostal

Contact With Another World

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2024

A group of scientists are directing their thoughts and needs into the heavens, but not to the God of the Bible. They have calculated that as many as fifty million civilizations may exist somewhere in space, and they believe that some of them may have found methods to improve our lives and control ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 33:3, Mark 11:24

Tags: Prayer, Intercession, Believing, Asking, Scientists, Faith  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Miraculous Story Of Forgiveness

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2024

Scottish soldiers, forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad, had degenerated to barbarous behavior, but one afternoon something miraculous happened. A shovel was missing. The officer in charge became enraged. He demanded that the missing shovel be produced, or else. When ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:28-32

Tags: Atonement, Sacrifice, Forgiveness, Cross, Unconditional Love, Death Of Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is He Welcome

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Feb 21, 2025

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Sadly, there are many buildings with church on the sign that Jesus is knocking on the door to get in. Some He has never been in and others He had been in but they turned Him by denying the Scriptures. Many people in those buildings ...read more

Scripture: John 1:11

Tags: Service, Wash, Salvation, Confession, Presence, Apostasy  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Cork And The Whale

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Jul 6, 2025

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 offers a portrait of spiritual buoyancy. Paul, in other places, invites us to follow him as he follows Christ (1 Cor 11:1). His spiritual practices caused him to float above the difficulties that he faced over and over again in his life and ministry. One of the greatest things ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Tags: Poem, Buoyancy

Denomination: Pentecostal

Luther: Asleep In Christ

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 1, 2025

(Martin Luther quotes about death.) “What is our death but a night’s sleep? For as through sleep all weariness and faintness pass away… so at the Last Day we shall rise again as if we had only slept a night.” Source: It’s widely reproduced in quotation databases such as AZ Quotes and Luther’s ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, John 11:25

Tags: Resurrection, Hope

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Was Jesus Involved In Politics?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 4, 2024

WAS JESUS INVOLVED IN POLITICS? I hear that all the time as the excuse for Christians not voting. Is that biblically true? I spent hours searching through the Gospels for the truth and found these key teachings that describe Jesus' attitude and involvement toward the issue of government and ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 21:1, John 10:10, Isaiah 9:6

Tags: Jesus, Evil, America, Corruption, Elections, Rulers, Presidents, Politics, Second Coming, Government, Return Of Christ, Voting, Kings  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Be An Encourager, Fathers Day - My Relationship With My Son

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 25, 2025

God the Father ... Loves His Children ... and He is also quick to .... encourage His children. (Long Pause) And ... I learned that ... the hard way. As a father ... you want the best for your children ... you want them to succeed. To succeed ... at everything they do. Kristin ... our first ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 1:9, Ephesians 4:29, Romans 8:38-39, Romans 5:8

Tags: Prayer, Encouragement, Friend, Encourage, Father, Children, Son  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

3 Buddies Were Discussing Death And One Asked The ...  PRO

Contributed by Darrin Hunt on Oct 8, 2001

3 Buddies were discussing death and one asked the group: What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?  "He was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community."  "He was a great husband and ...read more

Scripture: 2 Kings 2:11-25, 2 Kings 2:11-17, 2 Kings 5:1-17

Tags: Death, Easter Resurrection

Denomination: Baptist