In Sermon Illustrations: "Growing Up"

When Emails Got Mixed Up And A Widow Passed Out!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 12, 2024

A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 50 years earlier. Because of their hectic schedules, it was difficult for the couple to coordinate their travel plans. So, the husband ...read more

Tags: Hell, Marriage, Pastors, Widows, Surprises, Miscommunication, Emails, Confusion, Shock, Husbands, Sermons, Wives, Funerals  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sleepless Dads!

Contributed by Eduardo Quintana on Oct 4, 2015

You’ll probably not get six continuous hours of good sleep ever again. And if you do, you’ll never admit it because it will make your wife mad for the broken-up sleep she got when she got up and took care of the teething child. Dads, there is nothing more comforting to your little one than to have ...read more

Scripture: Malachi 4:6

Tags: Fatherhood, Sleeplessness

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Was A Little Town Called Flagstaff. The ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 6, 2003

There was a little town called Flagstaff. The town was to be flooded because of a dam that would make a large lake. As the battle over the dam and flooding proceeded the citizens were sure that they had lost their battle. All improvements and repairs in the whole town were stopped. What was the ...read more

Shattering The Untruths

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 29, 2011

SHATTERING THE UNTRUTHS There's a short story by Carmen Corde that tells of a young woman who gives birth to a blind son. "I do not want my child to know that he is blind!" she informs family and neighbors, forbidding anyone to use telltale words such as 'light,' 'color,' and 'sight.' The boy ...read more

Tags: Truth Of Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Dale Jarrett

Contributed by Paul Wallace on Sep 20, 2006

Dale Jarrett I grew up in a Christian home, my parents made sure that we were in church, but as I grew up I got side tracked and didn’t live my life as I should. But things changed when I started driving for Joe Gibbs, here was and is a man that is very strong in the Lord and his influence on me ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Too Big For God

Contributed by Scott Epperson on Jan 1, 2007

TO BIG FOR GOD Remember when you first came to God compelled by the Holy Ghost you were found in sin and conceived by grace and mercy. Remember your first breath of the life everything look so much brighter and you had hope and faith in nothing else but in Christ. I remember the feeling of the ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

On July 1, 1935, A Man Actually Wrote These Words ...

Contributed by Stephen Evoy on Jan 4, 2008

On July 1, 1935, a man actually wrote these words in his will: “Unto my two daughters, Francis Marie and Denise Victoria; by reason of their unfilial attitude toward a doting father…I leave the sum of $1 to each and a father’s curse. May their respective lives be fraught with misery, unhappiness ...read more

Denomination: Free Methodist

Children Of Divorce Often Blame Themselves For ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 20, 2007

Children Of Divorce often blame themselves for the breakup of their parent’s marriage, and many grow up alienated from church and God. A survey of adults whose parents divorced when they were young, found divorce had a major impact on their spiritual lives. They were much less likely to go to ...read more

Tags: Divorce

Look At Yourself As What You'll Be

Contributed by Rickey Bennett on Aug 19, 2009

LOOK AT YOURSELF AS WHAT YOU'LL BE The Puritan Richard Sibbes offers encouragement along those lines in his book The Bruised Reed. He said, "Let us not therefore be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace, but look on ourselves as elected to be 'holy and without blame' ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:30, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 1:4, Colossians 3:1-4

Tags: Gospel, Truth, Encouragement, Integrity

Denomination: *other

Ephesians 4:14-17. Have You Ever Had A Child That ...

Contributed by Tim Adams on Dec 1, 2009

Ephesians 4:14-17. Have you ever had a child that every instruction you gave them they said back to you “what for?” When I was growing up you might have had the luxury of asking one time if you were brave, never twice “what for.” We just didn’t question the wisdom and authority of our parents. ...read more

Tags: Fool

Denomination: Baptist

Titles

Contributed by Doug Lyon on Jun 2, 2008

TITLES I have been a pastor at Shiloh Bible Church for eleven years. But my association with the church began long before that. My in-laws, Harold and Dorothy Wills, retired to the Bloomsburg area back in the 1980's and they started coming to Shiloh. And so when our family would come up from ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Am Thankful...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 16, 2004

I AM THANKFUL... I am Thankful that we only elect presidents once every four years. I am Thankful that teenagers will grow up and that one day they will have children that will become teenagers of their own. I am Thankful that I am not a turkey this week. I am Thankful that the space available ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-8

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Everyone Enjoys Holding And Looking At A New ...

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on Dec 9, 2004

Everyone enjoys holding and looking at a new baby. Eventually the conversation will turn to something like this: “Oh she has her mommy’s eyes,” or “He looks like his dad.” As children grow up it’s amazing not only how much they may look like their parents, but even more so how much children act ...read more

Tags: Basics Of Christianity

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Obedience  PRO

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Aug 19, 2007

Obedience I used to have problems getting my son to clean his room. I would insist that he, “Do it now,” and he would always agree to do so, but then he wouldn’t follow through – at least, not right way. After high school, he joined the Marine Corps, which is where he is now. When he and I were ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Joseph M. Stowell Tells A Story About His ...

Contributed by Darrin Fish on Dec 10, 2007

Joseph M. Stowell tells a story about his childhood. • He says “Growing up in Hackensack, N.J., provided a variety of experiences for me. • One was going to school with some of the rough kids from the neighboring town of South Hackensack. • I recall one afternoon, playfully trading punches with ...read more

Denomination: Christian Church

A Mother Was Having A Hard Time Getting Her Son ...

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Apr 17, 2008

A mother was having a hard time getting her son to leave for school one morning. "Nobody likes me at school," said the son. "The teachers don't and the kids don't. The superintendent wants to transfer me, the bus drivers hate me, the school board wants me to drop out, and the custodians have it in ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Baptist

There Was A Man Who Used To Have Problems Getting ...

Contributed by Todd Brock on Nov 13, 2008

There was a man who used to have problems getting his son to clean his room. He would insist that his son, “Do it now,” and he would always agree to do so, but then he wouldn’t follow through – at least, not right way. After high school, the son joined the Marine Corps. When he and his dad were ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Baptist

Ardent Baseball Fans Will Remember Kirby Puckett, ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 1, 2010

Ardent baseball fans will remember Kirby Puckett, who died suddenly in 2006. He had led the Minnesota Twins to championship victories in 1987 and 1991. Even though he was offered larger contracts by other teams, he stayed with the Twins for his entire career. When Puckett was diagnosed with ...read more

Tags: Temptation Resisting

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Minnesota Crime ...

Contributed by Kerry O'neill on Mar 12, 2010

Minnesota Crime Commission… "Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish and self-centered. He wants what he wants when he wants it: his bottle, his mother's attention, his playmate's toys, his uncle's watch, or whatever. Deny him these and he seethes with rage and ...read more

Tags: Sin Fall Of Man

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Born Again Tree

Contributed by Erik Stadler on Jan 6, 2011

BORN AGAIN TREE Back when I was growing up we had a tree in our back yard. And is often the case after a storm the tree’s trunk cracked and blew down. There wasn’t anything we could do to save that tree. So my father borrowed a chain saw and cut down the tree right at the bottom so that all ...read more

Tags: Born Again

Denomination: Lutheran