In Sermon Illustrations: "Great Shepherd"

Nothing Grows Under A Banyan Tree." This South ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Mcnair on Oct 27, 2004

"Nothing grows under a banyan tree." This South Indian proverb speaks of leadership styles. The banyan is a great tree. It spreads its branches, drops air-roots, develops secondary trunks and covers the land. A full grown banyan may cover more than an acre of land. Birds, animals, and humans find ...read more

Tags: Leadership General

Denomination: Baptist

Antonio Was An Italian Boy Who Loved Music, But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 15, 2005

Antonio was an Italian boy who loved music, but whenever he tried to sing the music that was in his heart, it came out so badly that all his friends laughed at him. Next to singing, the boy loved to hear the violin. He had a pocketknife he always carried with him and he would whittle all sorts of ...read more

Tags: Endurance

The Concert Impresario, Sol Hurok, Liked To Say ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

The concert impresario, Sol Hurok, liked to say that Marian Anderson hadn’t simply grown great, she’d grown great simply. He says: "A few years ago a reporter interviewed Marian and asked her to name the greatest moment in her life. I was in her dressing room at the time and was curious to hear the ...read more

Tags: Christian Values

Antonio Was An Italian Boy Who Loved Music, But ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2006

Antonio was an Italian boy who loved music, but whenever he tried to sing the music that was in his heart, it came out so badly that all his friends laughed at him. Next to singing, the boy loved to hear the violin. He had a pocketknife he always carried with him and he would whittle all sorts of ...read more

Tags: Evangelism How To

Are You A Good Showcase?  PRO

Contributed by Ellis Wedel on Jan 4, 2007

Are You a Good Showcase? Gutav Dore, the famous artist, once lost his passport while traveling in Europe. When he came to the boundary post between two countries and was asked for his passport, he fumbled about and finally announced, "I have lost it, but it is all right. I’m Dore, the artist. ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Arguably, No Landmark In On The West Coast Is ...

Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Mar 13, 2007

Arguably, no landmark in on the west coast is more famous or readily recognizable than the Golden Gate Bridge. It is an amazing wonder of architectural work. Most would not know that the south pier rests on the San Andreas Fault line. What a contrast between flexibility and strength. In his ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

There Is A Story Of A Frontier Settlement In The ...  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Jul 5, 2007

There is a story of a frontier settlement in the West whose people were engaged in the lumbering business. The town wanted a church, so they built one and called a minister. The preacher was well received until one day he happened to see some of his parishioners clawing onto the bank some logs that ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

It Was A Cold, Winter Day. A Carcass, On An Ice ...  PRO

Contributed by Gene Gregory on Jul 23, 2007

It was a cold, winter day. A carcass, on an ice floe, floated slowly down the Niagra River. An Eagle, flying overhead, spied the easy prey below, and descended upon it. He began to eat. As he did, the water of the river began slowly pushing the flow toward the falls. But could not the eagle, ...read more

Tags: Sin, Temptation, Hard Heart, Flesh And Spirit

Denomination: Baptist

The Carpet

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jul 28, 2007

The Carpet True story, hard to believe, but true. We had friends at seminary who got a house sitting job back home in Ontario, Canada. It was a great gig, free housing for a whole summer. It was just like any other house sitting job except for one detail – the carpeting. They were instructed that, ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Richard Daly Was Mayor Of Chicago For 21 Years. ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 4, 2007

Richard Daly was mayor of Chicago for 21 years. Mayor Daly was known as a rather difficult man to work for. One of Mayor Daly’s speech writers came in and demanded a raise. Mayor Daly responded, “I’m not going to give you a raise. You are getting paid more than enough already. It should be ...read more

The Joy Of Salvation

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 7, 2009

THE JOY OF SALVATION The late great English Congregationalist clergyman and church leader, Robert William Dale (1829-1895), once wrote: "We do not please God more by eating bitter aloes than by eating honey. A cloudy, foggy, rainy day is not more heavenly than a day of sunshine. A funeral march ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16-17

Tags: Joy

Maclaren On Facing Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2011

MACLAREN ON FACING DEATH The great 1800s Scottish preacher Alexander MacLaren said: "Many of us cling to life with a desperate clutch, like some poor wretch pushed over a precipice and trying to dig his nails into the rock as he falls. Some of us cling to it because we dread what is beyond, and ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:20-23

Tags: Death Nearness

A Close Encounter

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 15, 2019

A Close Encounter As the great hunter stalks his prey thru the sultry jungle of Africa, the prey is running for his life; but to no avail because nothing escapes the skills of the great white hunter. The prey is trembling with fear as the hunter closes in. Can you see the evil leer in the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 4:1-13

Tags: Grace, Mercy

Denomination: Pentecostal

He Just Held The Ball

Contributed by West Garner on Jun 29, 2009

HE JUST HELD THE BALL In the summers, we always played basketball at the YMCA. One game playing Ebenezer BC. 2 minutes left in last quarter. Score tied. They go down make basket. We come back and make basket. They call a timeout with 30 seconds to go. Out of time out EBC runs play and scores. ...read more

Tags: Action

Denomination: Baptist

Sunday School Student And Far Side On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 10, 2009

Sunday School Student and Far Side on Jonah The story is told of a Sunday School teacher who was proud of her lesson for the day. She thought that she had presented the material quite nicely. Summing up, she asked her class, "And what do we learn from the story of Jonah and the great fish?" An ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-5

Tags: Jonah

An Ethics Professor At Princeton Seminary Asked ...

Contributed by Joanna Beveridge on May 18, 2007

An ethics professor at Princeton Seminary asked for volunteers for an extra assignment. Fifteen students showed up. He divided the group of fifteen into three groups of five each. He instructed the first group of five to proceed immediately across the campus to a certain spot; if they didn’t get ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Unintended Hero

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 11, 2025

A rich millionaire decides to throw a massive party for his 50th birthday, so during this party he grabs the microphone and he announces to his guests that down in the garden of his mansion he has a swimming pool with two great white sharks in it. 'I will give anything they desire of mine, to ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:16, Judges 4:8, Judges 6:11-39, 1 Samuel 10:22, Exodus 4:13  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Unlikely, Heroes, Cowards, Hesitancy, Fear, Weakness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

He Made Free Use Of The Christian Vocabulary. ...

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Jun 1, 2003

He made free use of the Christian vocabulary. He talked about the blessings of the Almighty and the Christian confessions which would become the pillars of the new government. He handed out pious stories to the press, especially to the church papers. He showed them his tattered Bible and ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Baptist

T.w. Hunt Said In His Book "The Doctrine Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Simms on Jul 11, 2004

T.W. Hunt said in his book “The Doctrine of Prayer” “Selfishness brings into our experience a danger so great that God knows He cannot coddle us with answers hostile to the very thing He is working to achieve in us. I would not give a murderer a knife to pamper one of his whims. God will not ...read more

Tags: Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Baptist

The Original Prophecy Of Daniel Was Fulfilled By ...  PRO

Contributed by John Gerald on Sep 20, 2004

The original prophecy of Daniel was fulfilled by Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) who betrayed the Jews by taking over the temple and offering a pig upon its altar. He forbade Jews to sacrifice and to keep the Sabbath day and other Jewish traditions. He even forbid any Jews from having copies of their ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Denomination: Methodist