In Sermon Illustrations: "Happiness"

Imagine That You Have A Big House And Lots Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Ed Sasnett on Jun 21, 2005

Imagine that you have a big house and lots of land. Imagine further that a refugee shows up at the door asking if he might camp out in your backyard for a while. You are moved with compassion and grant him permission. A little later he asks if some relatives, who are also homeless, might also ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Urgency, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

Erwin Mcmanus Says, "Truth Exists Because God Is ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Jan 22, 2006

Erwin McManus says, “Truth exists because God is trustworthy. The biblical understanding of truth is that all truth comes from God. Our experience of an objective reality is the result of the very character and nature of God. The integrity of the cosmos is an extension of the personhood of its ...read more

Tags: Truth Absolute

Denomination: Methodist

A.j. Gordon Was The Great Baptist Pastor Of The ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Fritz on Dec 3, 2006

A.J. Gordon was the great Baptist pastor of the Clarendon Church in Boston, Massachusetts. One day he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Introduction: Robert Kirkpatrick Had Some Good ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

Introduction: Robert Kirkpatrick had some good news and some bad news. The good news: he had been extended a written invitation to a dinner with President Bush in Washington, DC. The invite and letter were signed by Vice President Cheney himself. It is not every day you receive an invitation like ...read more

A Preacher Recalls One Such Instance During ...  PRO

Contributed by Melvin Newland on Oct 11, 2001

ILL. A preacher recalls one such instance during the Sunday evening service. When he finished speaking, he asked, "Is there anyone else who would like to say something?" At that, a rather dignified visitor stood up & said, "Yes, sir, I’d like to say something. This is the first time I’ve been ...read more

Scripture: John 8:1-11

Tags: Repentance, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Making History—communion Meditation  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 1, 2002

MAKING HISTORY--COMMUNION MEDITATION The author Circian writes: “Nathan Hale was a young man who had every prospect for a happy and fulfilling life. He was very well educated for his day—a Yale graduate in an era when very few went to college. Although there are many contemporary accounts ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony, Lordship Of Christ, Lord's Supper

Joy Hard Won, Citation: Joni Eareckson Tada, ...  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Oct 30, 2003

[Joy Hard Won, Citation: Joni Eareckson Tada, "Joy Hard Won," Decision (March 2000), p.12, used by permission] In Decision, Joni Eareckson Tada writes: Honesty is always the best policy, but especially when you’re surrounded by a crowd of women in a restroom during a break at a Christian women’s ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 18:1-30

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When I Was 10 Yrs. Old My School Class Had A Gift ...  PRO

Contributed by Mike Shreve on Dec 23, 2003

When I was 10 yrs. old my school class had a gift exchange. We each came with a gift to give that cost no more than five dollars. I brought a good size gift to exchange and thought someone would be happy to receive my gift. When I entered the classroom my eyes were fixed on this huge candy cane and ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Baptist

True Peace With God Comes To Us When God Says To ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on Jun 3, 2004

True peace with God comes to us when God says to us, “you are one ugly person. I can’t stand to look at you. Your breath stinks, you’re out of shape, and you aren’t worthy of me. Here, take this outfit of righteousness - put it on. Keep it on. Take these works of my Son. Take this holiness ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Lutheran

A One Way Street With No Turns!" Luke 9: 49-50 ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Nov 8, 2004

“A One Way Street With No Turns!” Luke 9: 49-50 Key verse(s): 49: “‘Master,’ said John, ‘we say a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because his is not one of us.’” “For many years Sir Walter Scott was the leading literary figure in the British Empire. No one ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:49-50, Acts 16:12-19

Tags: Envy, Emotions

Denomination: Lutheran

God: Frank, You Know All About Gardens And ...  PRO

Contributed by Steven Simala Grant on May 8, 2007

GOD: Frank, you know all about gardens and nature, what in the world is going on down there in the U.S.? What in the world happened to the dandelions, violets, thistles and the stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

The Story Of The Flowers - Graveside Committal ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

THE STORY OF THE FLOWERS - Graveside Committal Service Earl Wheatley of Meridian, Mississippi, shared a funeral observance that has proved quite effective. Before the funeral he tells the funeral director that he needs three flowers: a red one, a white one and a yellow one. These three flowers ...read more

Tags: Easter Resurrection

When Things In Your Life Seem Almost Too Much To ...

Contributed by Fran Van Hoven on Jun 30, 2007

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the wine...:A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:15-17

Tags: Busy, 24 Hours, Time, Not Enough Time

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Friend I Grew Up With, Has Always Been A Person ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Jun 30, 2007

A friend I grew up with, has always been a person who is very – upfront. She has never let an obstacle get in the way of where she was going. Growing up, I was always getting embarrassed by how brash she was. For example, there was a large movie theater in the area that was super popular. It was ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

When I Was At The Ktis Pastor's Appreciation ...  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 22, 2007

When I was at the KTIS pastor’s appreciation dinner last week – Dr. Gary Smalley shared how he was a recovering Hedon. He defined that hedonism is the old playboy philosophy of life. When I typed in the word Hedonism on a google search to attain its definition a website came up called “Hedonistic ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On Trial For Sharing The Gospel  PRO

Contributed by Roger Nelmes on Jan 30, 2008

On Trial for Sharing the Gospel 17 and 18 years old, Pakistan, 1997 (p27-28) Anila met Perveen at school. As their friendship grew, Anila gave Perveen a Bible and taught her Christian songs. Perveen quickly learned Christian songs and began to teach them to her younger sister when her parents ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

E ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 8, 2008

ENOUGH Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you and I wish you enough." The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more ...read more

Tags: Mothers

Questions On ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

QUESTIONS ON SUFFERING Steven Curtis Chapman is one of the best known singer-songwriters of contemporary Christian music. Over the last 15 or 20 years, his songs have blessed millions of people. Recently tragedy struck the Chapman home, and Michelle Malkin wrote about it: “Steven Curtis Chapman’s ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Margaret Waage Wrote Of An Especially Important ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 26, 2009

"Margaret Waage wrote of an especially important Christmas eve in her life. She got off her job at noon and stood dejectedly in the crowd waiting for the subway train. She had worked by herself all morning since her fellow workers had been given the day off. Now many people around her were talking ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Baptism Of Paul ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2010

Baptism of Paul Harvey Paul Harvey wrote about his own baptism. He said that even though he had received almost every reward for his broadcasting ability that he still felt empty inside. One summer, however, he and his wife were vacationing in a place called Cave Creek, AZ. Sunday morning came and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 3:21-22

Tags: Baptism