In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Sermons"

Mother Switches Daughter's Musical Instrument To ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 16, 2009

Mother Switches Daughter’s Musical Instrument to Keep Her from Singing I read the true story about a woman who bought her daughter a really nice Baby Grand Piano for her birthday. A few weeks later, one of her friends asked her how her daughter was doing. “Oh,” she said, “I persuaded her to switch ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:19

Tags: Music

William Temple's Definition Of ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 30, 2009

William Temple’s Definition of Worship In summing up how all this comes together in giving worship, William Temple said: The world can be saved by one thing and that is worship. For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Worship Definition

Who Shapes Who?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2009

WHO SHAPES WHO? Written by Irenaeus from the 2nd Century. From God’s Hands: "It is not you who shape God; it is God that shapes you. If then you are the work of God, await the hand of the Artist who does all things in due season. Offer the Potter your heart, soft and tractable, and keep the form ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:21

Tags: God's Sovereign Will

Heaven's Enough For A Martyr

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2009

HEAVEN'S ENOUGH FOR A MARTYR John Bradford (1510-1555), wrote the following words less than five months before he was burned at the stake for preaching the gospel: "I am assured that though I want here, I have riches there; though I hunger here, I shall have fullness there; though I faint here, I ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Tags: Heaven

Don't Just Hang On...hang In

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

DON'T JUST HANG ON...HANG IN Decades ago, Oswald Chambers wrote about spiritual perseverance, defining it as... not to hang on and do nothing, but to work deliberately, knowing with certainty that God will never be defeated. The Bible is full of examples of men and women who didn't "just-hang-on" ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2

Tags: Endurance

John Adams On Commitment

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 1, 2010

JOHN ADAMS ON COMMITMENT It is easy to stand on the sidelines and say what is wrong with people, our nation, our laws. It is much more difficult to speak up about what is necessary to turn things around. On July 4th, 1776, Adams said in an address before the Continental Congress: "Live or die; ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-13

Tags: America

Christmas Preaches A Faith

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 30, 2010

CHRISTMAS PREACHES A FAITH A 2001 newspaper article explained that the president celebrated many faiths during the holidays – not only Christmas, but also presiding over a Jewish Hanukkah celebration and commemorating the end of Ramadan in a Washington mosque. Ari Fleischer, presidential ...read more

Scripture: John 14:6

Tags: Christmas

Two Tombstones

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2010

TWO TOMBSTONES A tombstone in a small English village reads, "Here lies a miser who lived for himself, And cared for nothing but gathering wealth. Now where he is or how he fares, Nobody knows and nobody cares." In contrast, a plain tombstone in the courtyard at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Tags: Christian Love

Trials, Troubles, And Polished Gems

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2011

TRIALS, TROUBLES, AND POLISHED GEMS There is a Chinese proverb, "A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a man made better without trials." Sure it doesn't feel good to go through abrasive moments of trials and problems. Sometimes they are recurring. Remember this, my Christian friend; life ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Whyte In Prayer

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 13, 2011

WHYTE IN PRAYER Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so gloomy that one church member thought, "The preacher certainly won’t think of anything for which to thank ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

Crabs In A Basket

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 11, 2011

CRABS IN A BASKET Charles L. Allen wrote about a fisherman friend of his who told him that one never needs a top for his crab basket. If one of the crabs starts to climb up the sides of the basket, the other crabs will reach up and pull it back down. ("The Miracle of Love") Allen then observed ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 4:4

Tags: Envy

Jesus Had A Rose

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

JESUS HAD A ROSE Judy Packard of Lake Leelanau, Michigan, talks about the time her neighbor, visiting the Holy Land, sent a letter describing the beautiful gardens. Her 6-year-old mused, "I wonder if he saw the rose." "What rose?" Judy asked. "You know," said her child, "like the Bible women ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-7

Tags: Easter Resurrection

The Holy War By John ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 27, 2012

THE HOLY WAR BY JOHN BUNYAN John Bunyan wrote another classic besides Pilgrim’s Progress. It was a book called The Holy War. The focus of the story was the capture of a city called Mansoul. In it Diabolus (the devil) has taken it and the battle rages as the Prince Emmanuel works to recapture it. ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

Tags: Satan

I Don't Want To Be One!

Contributed by Christopher Gregas on Sep 8, 2012

I DON'T WANT TO BE ONE! There was a pastor that was giving a "children’s sermon" to all the young children. And as they sate before him, a bright-eyed three-year-old girl listened intently as he explained that God wanted them all to get along and love each other. "God wants us all to be one," he ...read more

Tags: Unity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Disciples In Clay

Contributed by Perry Greene on Apr 9, 2013

DISCIPLES IN CLAY Peter Marshall, in a sermon entitled, "Disciples in Clay," pictured the apostles before an examining board which was appointed to choose Jesus' close associates. Peter stood there smelling of fish -- uncouth, uncultured, impetuous, uncultured, and impulsive. Andrew, James, and ...read more

Tags: Disciples

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Just The House He Was Looking For

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 14, 2014

Alan Carr tells a story about a man who was tired of his friends owning nicer homes than his, so he went to see a realtor to put his home on the market and began to search for a new one. One day as he was reading the paper, he came across a listing for a home that seemed to be just what he was ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:17

Tags: Covetousness, Contentment, Satisfaction, Pride, Lifestyle, Materialism, Discontentment, Ten Commandments  (view more)  (view less)

A Prerequisite To Forgiveness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 31, 2022

A pastor finished his message early one Sunday and he wanted to check his congregation’s understanding. So he asked, “Can anyone tell me what you must do before you can obtain forgiveness of sin?” There was a short pause and then, from the back of the room, a small boy spoke up, “You have to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:32-35

Tags: Grace, Forgiveness

I Heard Bro. J. T. Pugh Tell A Story Of One Of ...

Contributed by Philip Harrelson on Feb 8, 2006

I heard Bro. J. T. Pugh tell a story of one of the four men who made such a dramatic impact on his life. He mentioned that this man was an evangelist back in the 1940’s. The nation was still in the midst of great financial throes from the Great Depression and from the Second World War. He said ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Pentecostal

We Are Fearfully And Wonderfully Made!

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 25, 2025

First in vs. 13, "LORD, You formed me." Or as David said: "You have formed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb." *LORD, YOU formed me. James Merritt explained that David knew we are a physical miracle created by the power of God. . . David was saying, ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-24

Tags: Fearfully Made, God's Omnipotence, Wonderfully Made, Nathan The Prophet, Solomon's Temple, Mother's Womb, Light, Darkness, Omniscience, Omnipresence, God's Presence, King David, Creation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Sometimes We’re Like The Couple Who ...  PRO

Contributed by Rich Young on Jan 17, 2001

(IL) Sometimes we’re like the couple who were with some friends and the subject of marriage counseling came up. Mary said, “Oh, Tom and I will never need counseling. We have a great relationship. He was a ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts, Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed