In Sermon Illustrations: "Hard To Keep A Job"

Don't Give Up—the Case Of Mrs. Ruth Ertel

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 8, 2012

DON’T GIVE UP--THE CASE OF MRS. RUTH ERTEL In 1965 a divorced mother of two, found a classified ad offering a restaurant for sale. She mortgaged her house to purchase the restaurant, the original Chris’s steakhouse. In 1976 a fire forced her to relocate. Under the original purchase agreement, the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: Endurance

William Booth Our First General Was A Remarkable Man.

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Nov 12, 2012

William Booth our first General was a remarkable man; I have recently been reading a book that was published last year on his visions, with strangely enough the name “William Booth’s Amazing Visions”. In it the editor David Ravenhill mentions that “For far too long the Body of Christ [for the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:31-46

Tags: Judgement, Grace, Sin, Heaven

Denomination: Salvation Army

God's Protection

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 18, 2016

Nadin Khoury was thirteen years old, five foot two, and weighed, soaking wet, probably a hundred pounds. His attackers were teenagers, larger than Nadin, and outnumbered him seven to one. For thirty minutes they hit, kicked, and beat him. He never stood a chance. Khoury’s mom had recently moved the ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 17:1-15

Tags: Protection, Divine Protection, Daily Protection

Denomination: Baptist

Helping Open A Package

Contributed by Jonathan Spurlock on Jan 9, 2020

Some years back I noticed a male co-worker, trying to open a package of a certain candy product for his significant other. Now, we all understand the need for security in packaging and other things, but this package was sealed above and beyond the call of duty! Most of the time, each package would ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:10

Tags: Help, Kindness, Assisting Others

Denomination: Baptist

Reprove An Erring Brother, Do Not Reproach Him

Contributed by James Dina on Oct 7, 2020

REPROVE AN ERRING BROTHER, DO NOT REPROACH HIM Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning." (Proverbs 9:8-9) We should have respect ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 9:8

Tags: Reprove, Correct In Love

Denomination: Pentecostal

Why Does God Allow Hardship?  PRO

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Jul 16, 2008

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW HARDSHIP? We live in a mixed-up, messed-up world. Sometimes terrible things happen that don't make any sense at all, and we wonder why? 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 ...read more

Tags: Difficulties, Trial, Hardship Of Life, Father, Family, Hardship, Missions, Fatherhood  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Stewarship As ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

STEWARSHIP AS CHARACTER Enter stage right: Ed McMahon and Evander Holyfield. Ed said, "When you spend more than you make, you know what happens." Yes, and a 85-year-old man should know better! He said it was "poor planning." NO, I THINK IT WAS HIGH LIVING! He was living high in a multi-million ...read more

Tags: Money

A Blessed Moment

Contributed by Ferdinand Funk on Sep 26, 2008

A Blessed Moment I want to share a personal story with you that meant the world to me. I have seldom felt so loved and appreciated by my father as on our last trip visit our parents in Paraguay just a few months ago. I share this story because I want families. And, you might say that it is even a ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Mennonite

Living The Full Christian Life

Contributed by Chris Surber on Oct 24, 2008

Living the Full Christian Life As believers, we have received a great inheritance and legacy. In Acts 17:11, Luke writes, "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Denomination: Christian Church

Christmas Hope

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Feb 13, 2023

The hope of Christmas. When you think about it, that is what we have. HOPE. Listen to what the Apostle wrote in his letter while he was imprisoned in Rome. Romans 3:24-25 - 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look ...read more

Scripture: Romans 3:24-25

Tags: Hope, Christmas Hope

Denomination: Baptist

What’s So Peasy About Easy?

Contributed by James Snyder on Mar 6, 2021

I am nowhere to be found when it comes to crafts, remodeling, and just plain fixer-uppers. My carpentry skills are nowhere to be found even though I've looked for a long time. If I try to fix something, I make it worse than it was. Fixing is not my strong suit. On the other side of the ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 2:18

Tags: Eve, Labor

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

It’s My Tongue I’ll Wag It If I Want To

Contributed by James Snyder on May 29, 2021

Like everybody else, I have my share of trouble. It’s not that I want to get into trouble, but trouble always seems to be somewhere near where I am at the time. I regret that time when I was first introduced to trouble. Some trouble I can't prevent. It just happens, and no matter what I do, ...read more

Scripture: James 3:5

Tags: Tongue, Trouble

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Don't Judge A Person By Their Cover-Up

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 31, 2021

Have you ever had one of those Déjà vu moments? The other week I was in the shopping mall to pick up some items for the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. She shops so much that I have to help her on occasion. On this occasion, I was walking down the mall and stopped dead in my tracks. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3

Tags: Judgement, Humor, Encouragement, Judging

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

As If I Really Could

Contributed by James Snyder on Jul 24, 2023

Have you ever had the feeling that you've been hoodwinked? You can't point out the specifics, but something deep inside suggests you have been. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I had a wonderful vacation at St. Augustine, one of our favorite places to go. Something happened ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:17

Tags: Fixing, Hoodwink

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

Trouble In The Church  PRO

Contributed by Douglas Duvall on Dec 3, 2006

Trouble in the Church ACTS 15:1-12 I. Decision 15:1-4 A. Men 15:1 B. Method 15:2 C. Messages 15:3-4 II. Demand 15:5-6 A. Demands 15:5 B. Deliberations 15:6 III. Declaration 15:7-12 A. Choice 15:7 B. Comparison 15:8-9 C. Conversion 15:10-12 Introduction Peter had ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:24-27

Denomination: Baptist

Hymns Of The Laodicean Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 4, 2001

Hymns Of The Laodicean Church (God’s Frozen People) The Laodicean Church announces publication of "Church Songs," whose title, according to the editor, was chosen because "We didn’t want to turn anybody off with threatening words that no one understands anymore like ’worship’ or ’hymn.’ People in ...read more

Tags: Second Coming, Book Of Revelation, Church Practices

The Music Pastor At Ben Franklin Middle School  PRO

Contributed by Jim Kane on Dec 13, 2001

THE MUSIC PASTOR AT BEN FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL Jack Martens is a fifty-six year old teacher who has spent 33 years teaching music at Ben Franklin Middle School in San Francisco. “Over 50 percent of Martens’ students are from broken homes. The same number are on welfare. Nearly that many come ...read more

Tags: Christian Love, Compassion, Giving General

Denomination: Church Of God

A Story From Sports Illustrated. Oklahoma State ...  PRO

Contributed by Andrew Chan on Apr 23, 2002

A story from Sports Illustrated. Oklahoma State Football Coach Bob Simmons, a Coach of the year, who brought a team that was mired in defeat back from the brink, to the place of respectability. But at age 49, his kidneys were failing. By the fall of 1997, his health took a turn for the worst, he ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-6

Tags: Marriage Commitment

Denomination: Evangelical Free

In 1858, A Man Named John Gray Was Buried In Old ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2002

In 1858, a man named John Gray was buried in old Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh, Scotland. His grave levelled by the hand of time, and unmarked by any stone, became scarcely discernible; but, although no human interest seemed to attach to it. The sacred spot was not wholly disregarded and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:35

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Endurance

Zig Ziglar On Politicians  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 2, 2002

Zig Ziglar On Politicians A "politician" has been described as a genius who can open the door of your car with one hand, help you in with the other, and still have one hand left to pat you on the back and ask for your vote. Yes, as the saying goes, at one time in America we told political jokes ...read more

Tags: Political Freedom