In Sermon Illustrations: "Grow Up"

Go Find Something To Do For God

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

GO FIND SOMETHING TO DO FOR GOD Ruth Rettig tells the story of having gone through unsuccessful cancer surgery and following up with chemo in Houston, which meant 500-mile roundtrips from their home in central Texas. The trips were exhausting enough but the chemo made her feel sick to death. She ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Methodist

Kids Have A Lot Of Questions. The ...

Contributed by Mark Thometz on Aug 27, 2012

Kids have a lot of questions. The “why” questions I've found is most popular. Back in Boise I work for the YMCA as an after school child care worker. Needless to say, when it's you and 2 other adults with 35+ kids a lot of “why” questions come up. “Why can't we do that?...well why? Why!?” This last ...read more

Tags: Curiosity

Denomination: Christian Church

Making Christmas ...

Contributed by Sam Higgs on Dec 6, 2012

Making Christmas Special In the months leading up to the Christmas season, Dan lost his job. Well, in the city he lived in, most of the workers had to relocate with the company or face unemployment. Dan was one of the unlucky ones who had not been with the company long enough to be asked to ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

The Gold Wrapping Paper

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Dec 19, 2014

The Gold Wrapping Paper - An Inspirational Short Christmas Story Once upon a time, there was a man who worked very hard just to keep food on the table for his family. This particular year a few days before Christmas, he was upset with his little five-year-old daughter after learning that she had ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-19

Tags: Christmas Gift, Anger, Patience, Child Rearing

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Looking For Something

Contributed by Michael Parks on Mar 30, 2016

Looking for Something? Mat 6:33 When we need answers to life’s questions where do we look? There certainly isn’t any shortage of information on the internet these days. You can find almost any answer to any question or help with whatever you are struggling with. But, is it the right answer? This ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:33

Tags: Searching, Searching For Jesus, Easter Egg Hunt, Looking For Answers

Denomination: Baptist

Watch Out For Icebergs

Contributed by Steve Kinnard on Feb 10, 2019

: On April 14, 1912 there was another boat out on the water in Trouble. this ship was considered unsinkable, it had the latest Technology built in. The Captain of the ship said “ I can’t Imagine any condition that would cause this ship to flounder I cannot conceive of any vital disaster ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Tags: Disaster, Touble

Denomination: Pentecostal

Inspiration Of Scripture

Contributed by Kerry Haynes on Feb 23, 2020

Consider Bill, who was just a young man at the time. He had tried preaching, but didn’t always feel the power of God or see any results. One of his contemporaries, Charles Templeton, got into academia and started to believe scripture as flawed and outdated. Bill wondered about all of this. A ...read more

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:16-21, 2 Timothy 3:16

Tags: Word Of God, Inspired Word, Inspiration Of Scripture, Inspiration Of The Bible

Denomination: Baptist

Your Mother Is A Real Diva

Contributed by Wayne Solomon on May 8, 2021

Your mother is a real Diva. In the kitchen she is no Betty Crocker or Aunt Jemima But she is your mother And she’s a real Diva. Just remember Rachel Ray still can't make chitlins. And Emeril can't make collard greens. But your mother can, she's a real Diva. She can take you to the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-3, Proverbs 31:25

Tags: Mothers Are Amazing, Mothers Are A Blessing

Denomination: Church Of God

The Greatest Building Disaster In History

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 2, 2022

In 1174, the Italian architect Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: a separately standing eight-story bell tower in the city of Pisa. There was just one “little” problem: builders quickly discovered that the soil was much softer than they had anticipated, and the ...read more

Tags: Foundations, Eternity, Obedience, Rock, Sand, Word Of God, Parables  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Alex Navalny - Russian Dissident

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Feb 19, 2024

Russian opposition leader and outspoken Christian, Alexei Navalny. Navalny voluntarily returned to Russia - knowing he would be arrested and imprisoned. Navalny, 47, dies while serving a 19-year sentence in a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle. In Navalny’s closing statement during his 2021 ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:6

Tags: Righteousness, Sermon On The Mount, Sacrifice, Integrity

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Down's Syndrome Boy Teaches His Class About Easter

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 25, 2024

Little Philip, born with Down's syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences, according to an article in Leadership Magazine. But because of a creative ...read more

Tags: Children, Easter, Resurrection, Empty Tomb, Special Needs Children, Jesus, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Donkey On The Way To Moriah

Contributed by David Dunn on Oct 24, 2025

My name? Oh, I’m Steady—because that’s what Abraham always called me. I’m not fast, I’m not fancy—but I can walk a long way without complaining. I’ve carried all kinds of things for my master: water, wood, even tents through the desert wind. But one morning, he packed something different—firewood ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:17-19, Philippians 4:19, Psalm 37:5

Tags: Faith, Trust, Obedience, Journey, Provision  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

A Saint

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 27, 2025

Story: In a small country village in Sicily, there were two brothers, renown members of the local Mafia. They were mean, bad and very rich. No one had a good word to say about them. Indeed, everyone seemed to have a story about how they had either been cheated or maligned by the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-14, Hebrews 12:18-24

Tags: Saint, Mafia

Denomination: Anglican

If The Ant Believes

Contributed by David Dunn on Jan 20, 2026

(Say it rhythmically, not singing yet) “Do you know this story?” The ant and the rubber tree, The ant and the rubber tree, The ant and the rubber tree, And the ant… went marching on… (Pause) “Do you remember what happens next?” (Let them say it together: ‘And the ant… went marching ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15

Tags: Obedience, Choice

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Light Is Powerful (And Sometimes Annoying)

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 20, 2026

I had a teacher in high school who used to do an experiment with a light bulb. He had a static electricity machine and when you put a light bulb near the source of static electricity, the bulb would burn. The only problem was that he was also holding on to the electrical cord attached to the light ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16, Isaiah 49:6

Tags: All Nations, Mission, Sent, Evangelism, Light  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Something For Stevie  PRO

Contributed by Alan Braun on Mar 22, 2002

Titled: Something for Stevie I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn’t sure I wanted one. I wasn’t sure how my customers would react ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General, Name, Joy

Denomination: Baptist

Max Lucado Says That One Of The Most Difficult ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Nov 21, 2000

Max Lucado says that one of the most difficult truths he has had to come to grips with is that God’s grace is big enough to extend to someone like Jeffery Dahmer. If you recall, Dahmer was the young murderer in Milwaukee a few years ago who cut up the bodies of his victims. While in prison, Dahmer ...read more

Tags: Faith Vs. Works, God's Forgiveness, Grace

Denomination: Baptist

President Franklin D. Roosevelt Got Tired Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Beaird on Nov 2, 2000

President Franklin D. Roosevelt got tired of smiling that big smile and saying the usual things at all those White House receptions. So, one evening he decided to find out whether anybody was paying attention to what he was saying. As each person came up to him with extended hand, he flashed that ...read more

Tags: Disciplines Meditation

Denomination: Pentecostal

A Few Years Ago, I Was Watching David Letterman, ...  PRO

Contributed by Frank Gallagher on Feb 20, 2001

A few years ago, I was watching David Letterman, and he was broadcasting his show from Las Vegas. He was doing his opening monologue and he told this joke. He said that he was standing in front of one of the casinos, and a man came up to him looking desperate. "Please!" the man begged ...read more

Tags: Giving General, Money, Bitterness, Addiction

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Dr. Glenn Olds, Former President Of Kent State ...  PRO

Contributed by Ted Sutherland on Mar 26, 2001

Dr. Glenn Olds, former President of Kent State University, recalled the sight of Mt. Rushmore as he hitch-hiked cross-country in 1941 during his junior year. From 10 miles back, he recognized Washington and Lincoln. But in the middle was a figure that looked like Adolf Hitler. Once close, instead ...read more

Tags: Endurance, God In The Hardships, Peace

Denomination: Baptist