In Sermon Illustrations: "Hard To Keep A Job"

Steinbeck And His Hell-Sermon Experience

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 31, 2008

STEINBECK AND HIS HELL-SERMON EXPERIENCE In a fascinating story of his journey across the United States, John Steinbeck tells of a Church service he attended during his travels in the State of Vermont. Tongue-in-cheek, he says, "The preacher spoke of Hell as an expert. Not the mush-mush Hell of ...read more

Tags: Guilt

Pilot's Directions

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Aug 26, 2008

Pilot's Directions Henry Gardner was flying me to Asheville, North Carolina, in his Cessna 180. We'd taken off from Victoria, Texas, and stopped in Jackson, Mississippi, to fix a malfunctioning radio. Now we were nearing Asheville only to find that the fog was so thick that the controller wouldn't ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

I Grew Up In The Protestant Community In Northern ...

Contributed by David Moore on Aug 27, 2008

I grew up in the Protestant community in Northern Ireland, but my first ministry was among the Roman Catholic community in the Republic of Ireland. One evening after preaching in Belfast, I was traveling south when my car broke down on the motorway. It was late at night, the road was dark and it ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Baptist

Fight For Joy

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 22, 2008

Fight for Joy John Piper offers 15 Biblical things we must do to fight for joy. (I can only list them today, and commend to you his book, "When I Don’t Desire God.") This list reminds me that faith does not produce inactivity, but God-centered activity: 1) Realize that authentic joy in God is a ...read more

Tags: Joy

When 53-Year-Old Danny Anderson Was Feeding His ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

When 53-year-old Danny Anderson was feeding his horses Monday night, a 5-foot rattler slithered onto his central Washington property. Anderson and his 27-year-old son, Benjamin, pinned the snake with an irrigation pipe and cut off its head with a shovel. A few more strikes to the head left it ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Head Of A Dead Snake

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

HEAD OF A DEAD SNAKE When 53-year-old Danny Anderson was feeding his horses Monday night, a 5-foot rattlesnake slithered onto his central Washington property. Anderson and his 27-year-old son, Benjamin, pinned the snake with an irrigation pipe and cut off its head with a shovel. A few more ...read more

Tags: Hardship Of Life

Would Your Child Write ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 26, 2009

WOULD YOUR CHILD WRITE THIS? Bub Roussel was only 17 on Sunday morning in 1941, when Pearl Harbor was bombed. A few weeks later, he was drafted and ended up in the Army Air Corps, assigned as a radio operator on a B-29 bomber. The youngest in his crew, Bub and many like him had to grow up fast ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Moses Wrote,

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Apr 16, 2009

Moses wrote, “…The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” (Genesis 2:25) A Biblical marriage destroys thoughts of self-consciousness, they defeat shame, there is no fear of ridicule, no hang-ups, they can choose to avoid embarrassments and with Christ leading the marriage ...read more

Tags: Marriage Commitment, Marriage Intimacy

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Cross: Solution To Alignment Problems  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 18, 2009

THE CROSS: SOLUTION TO ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS I remember when my first car, a beautiful 92 Chevy Cavalier, developed and alignment problem. I would be driving down the freeway, and it pulled to the right pretty hard. In fact, you really had to work against the car to make it get in the left lane. On ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 19:25-26

Tags: Cross

What We Watch Affects Our Behavior

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 26, 2011

WHAT WE WATCH AFFECTS OUR BEHAVIOR Studies are even showing how we are affected by what we watch on television, hear on our radios, or read in books and the paper. A study recorded in American Psychologist reported that “Psychologists have studied the effect of violent media on aggression for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:22-23

Tags: Television And Movies

Do You Have The Nerve Of A Squirrel?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 12, 2011

DO YOU HAVE THE NERVE OF A SQUIRREL? A young writer with a very uncertain income went into a quiet park to contemplate a serious problem. For four years he had been engaged, but felt he did not have enough money to get married. He wanted to live and write in Paris, Rome, Vienna, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6

Tags: Trust

Carey: God's Sovereign Will  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 14, 2011

CAREY: GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions, began his missionary career to India in 1793. He served the Lord in that country for 40 years, never once returning to his home in England. And throughout those years he translated portions of the Bible into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 46:10

Tags: Gods Will, Still God, God's Sovereign Will, I Can Do All Things

If I Am The Only ...

Contributed by William Akehurst on Aug 18, 2012

Illustration: What would you do if you were the only Christian in your circle of influence? If you are the only Christian in the shop, the store, or the office where you work, a peculiar: responsibility rests upon you, a responsibility which no other one shares with you. You are Christ's only ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Witnessing, Examples Of Faith

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Little Gifts

Contributed by Gerald Manning on Dec 14, 2015

The man was quite obviously hard pressed by life .. his clothing was a bit tattered, he hadn’t shaved for several days, his face was gaunt, his eyes vacant. He was hungry, no doubt, and all I had in my pocket was a quarter. I knew that it wouldn’t buy much, but perhaps it was a start, and I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Tags: Offering, Giving, Small Gifts, Poor People

Denomination: Nazarene

Buying The Stereo

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 11, 2017

BUYING THE STEREO Philippians 4:11 I had an interesting experience buying a stereo as a teenager. I dreamed of getting one for Christmas when I was 19. I knew it would make me happy. I could hear the music playing and see myself swaying. I really needed it. But, Christmas came and went and I ...read more

Tags: Happiness, Being Content

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Astray

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Sep 23, 2019

Astray They sing, Farther along we'll understand. Oh, how I wish I'd been a holy man, But I wandered so far astray Now all I can see is Judgment Day. I fell on my knees and begged for Your grace, Then turned around and spat in Your face. I walked along in my foolish will, Now I fear ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 14:14

Tags: Sin, Repentance, Backsliding

Denomination: Baptist

Why Bad Things Happen

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Jun 19, 2020

So, what should we say then when bad things happen? Some may say God is still all powerful and all knowing so it seems like it’s still God’s plan that this bad thing happened isn’t it? Kinda, sort of or maybe. There is a difference between what God allows and what God wants. I know that sounds ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:4-5

Tags: Dont Ignore Gods Instructions, Follow Gods Instructions

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Two Types Of Lives!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 29, 2022

Genesis 4:6-26 Cain had an unrighteous heart and sinned against God in many ways including taking the life of his brother; but what can we learn from God as He related to Cain, from the following verses: v6-7: God gave instructions how and why to repent. v9: God was specific in confronting in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 4:6-26

Tags: People, Pride, Godly, Creativity, Ungodly, Provisions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Incredible Value Of One Child

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 12, 2023

An elderly preacher was rebuked by one of his deacons one Sunday morning before the service. "Pastor," said the man, "something must be wrong with your preaching and your work. There's been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he's just a boy." The ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Evangelism, Children, Holy Spirit, Faithfulness, Success, Spiritual Fruit, Flesh, Fruit Of The Spirit, Souls  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Patience With Others

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 22, 2024

"Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read". Einstein became one of the greatest physicists who ever lived. "Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school." Newton, like Einstein was one of the smartest people of his day as a scientist. "A ...read more

Tags: Patience, Kindness, Time, Maturing, Waiting On The Lord, Teaching, Endurance, Discipleship, Leadership, Suffering  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational