In Sermon Illustrations: "Hear"

Who Shot The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 3, 2013

WHO SHOT THE DEER? A lawyer, a doctor, and a preacher went deer hunting together when along came a big buck. The three of them all shot at the same time, and immediately the buck dropped to the ground. They all rushed up to examine the deer, but couldn't determine whose shot had actually killed ...read more

Scripture: John 8:42-47

Tags: Preaching

Baseball In Heaven  PRO

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 6, 2014

BASEBALL IN HEAVEN Bob and Stan were good buddies and baseball friends. One day at a ballgame, they made a vow to each other that, whichever friend died first, that friend would send a message back to earth to let the other friend know if there was baseball in Heaven. Sure enough, one day Bob ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6

Tags: Death, Eternity, Heaven, Baseball

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Orphans

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 24, 2014

Rubel Shelly tells of his friends Rich and Patty White, who traveled to a 3rd world country to adopt a little girl named Olona. After 2 years of effort and paperwork, the Whites stood before a judge who read words from an official document: “Inasmuch as Olona Morgan is orphaned and unwanted by ...read more

Scripture: John 14:18

Tags: Chosen By God, Orphan, Unwanted

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Father, Forgive Them

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 11, 2015

The word ‘forgive’ in this passage is in the imperfect tense. We tend to think it is in the present tense and that Jesus prayed this prayer once and then moved on. The imperfect tense in Greek means that the prayer is not said once but continuously, through the scourging and the crucifixion as he ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:33-38

Tags: Forgive, Forgiveness For Others

Denomination: Methodist

Leadership

Contributed by Don Berry-Graham on Mar 1, 2016

I remember hearing a story about a famous film producer. As a child, he had a fight with another boy and lost. While his mother was bathing his black eye, he told her how it was entirely the fault of the other boy. It was the other boy who had started the fight, he claimed. His mother said ...read more

Scripture: John 13:2-17

Tags: God Is Love, Giving In Love, Jesus Leadership

Denomination: Baptist

If People Are Coming.....the Product Must Be Good!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 1, 2016

In his awesome book, Selling Jesus, by Douglas D. Webster, the author gives an incredible quote about the lack of spiritual discernment in American church growth and marketing today: "American Christianity is increasingly tolerant of any and all methods, as long as they bring NUMERICAL results. ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-17

Tags: Discernment, Truth, Church Growth, Marketing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Happiness Is Not Found In More Things....

Contributed by Garris Hudson on May 19, 2016

HAPPINESS IS NOT FOUND IN MORE THINGS... If having more would make us happy, we would never need the Tenth Commandment - "You shall not COVET.’ It is written especially for unhappy people who think that happiness is found in more things. Have you heard the story about the king who fell into a ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:1-17

Tags: Happiness, Materialism, Ten Commandments, Coveting

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Let Our Faith Be In God And Not In The Things Of This World.

Contributed by Greg Burcham on Sep 2, 2016

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 NKJV What a beautiful verse! Jesus declares His desire to be your Savior and friend. This verse comes at the end of Christ’s rebuke of ...read more

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Tags: Laodicea, Open Door, God Cares For You

Denomination: Baptist

When George Washington Prayed For America

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Dec 2, 2020

When George Washington was inaugurated in New York City in front of the Federal Hall, he walked to the St. Paul Church and prayed for our country in front of the church. He declared, "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14, Jeremiah 33:3

Tags: America, Prayer, Revival, Judgment, Repentance, George Washington  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Our Professor Has No Brain!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 13, 2022

A college student was in a philosophy class, which had a discussion about God's existence. The professor presented the following logic: "Has anyone in this class heard God?" Nobody spoke. "Has anyone in this class touched God?" Again, nobody spoke. "Has anyone in ...read more

Tags: Evolution, Apologetics, Science, God, Atheists, Bible, Genesis  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Unconditional Love In Marriage-Tertullian

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Sep 15, 2024

If the marriage is healthy, unconditional love moves the spouses to forgive each other and help one another overcome ingrained habits and difficult behavioural patterns. Church Father Tertullian wrote of this sort of marriage, “How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:38, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Tags: Love, Marriage, One Flesh, Unconditional Love

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Lazy Man Search

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Jun 25, 2025

Humor: The Laziest Man Search - Roll Me Over One hot June day, when the foreman didn’t hear or see any activity, he found his workers in the breakroom soaking up the A/C. He said, “This is the laziest bunch of workers I’ve ever seen. I just don’t know which one of you is the laziest.” He reaches ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 3:23, Ephesians 4:28, John 6:27, Psalm 90:17, 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Matthew 9:35-38, Colossians 3:23-24, John 4:35-38  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Humor, Labor, Lazy, Laughter, Zealous, Preacher Jokes, Work Humor  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Who Really Is Jesus?

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Oct 27, 2025

Story: A Jew called Sholem Ash wrote this Jesus Christ is the outstanding personality of all time... No other teacher -Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Mohammedan - is still a teacher whose teachings is such a guidepost for the world we live in. Other teachers may have something basic for an ...read more

Scripture: John 5:24-27

Tags: Jesus, Napoleon, Eddie Snipes, Ash, Sholem  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

[295]. A Message From A Poem – Love/Serve One Another As I Have Loved You

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Feb 23, 2026

[295]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – LOVE/SERVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU I wrote half this poem waiting in the waiting rooms of the hearing/ hearing aid place then finished it at home. When I wrote this poem a couple of days ago I began with the idea of the appearance of peace as what we see ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 6:2, Galatians 5:13, Galatians 6:7-8

Tags: Hurting People, Serve, One Another, Inner Turmoil, Christian Poems, Hurting Inside, Hurt, Comfort, Gossip, Blame  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Have Nose, Will Snore

Contributed by James Snyder on Oct 8, 2022

Dr. James L. Snyder Having been married as long as The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and myself, there are very few things we disagree. I run by the idea, “Do you want to be happy, or do you want to be right?” That has guided me through many a storm these past years. Almost every day, I ...read more

Scripture: Amos 3:3

Tags: Unity, Agree

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

The Train And The Boy  PRO

Contributed by Brent Williams on Jun 7, 2001

The Train and the Boy I would like to tell you a story about a man named John Griffith. John was the father of an 8-year-old boy during the 20’s and 30’s. John was very fortunate during those times, because he had job. John loved his son very much. He was the apple of his eye. John’s son was a ...read more

Tags: Sacrifice, Atonement, Christian Disciplines, Forgiveness In Jesus, Workplace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

A New Heart, A New Life  PRO

Contributed by Guy Caley on Jan 19, 2003

A NEW HEART, A NEW LIFE It was March 18. Leanne tried not to think about the fact that Melvin would have been 39 today. The face of the man driving the van flashed in her mind. She tried not to feel the anger. Once more the scream of brakes, the crash and then the silence replayed itself in her ...read more

Tags: Salvation, Repentance

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Missionary In Abidjan, Ivory ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 26, 2007

Illustration: A missionary in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, reports that recently an African pastor passed through on his way home to Chad, where civil war was raging. "What would you like to take to complete your forty-four pounds of baggage allowance?" asked the missionary. "Sugar? Powdered milk? ...read more

I Recently Read A Peculiar Story About A Family ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Jun 21, 2008

I recently read a peculiar story about a family in Lander, Wyoming that had gone to their local refuse dump to dispose of some unwanted family items that were either busted or greatly abused. As they were emptying there junk into a large dumpster, the man of the home saw something that caught his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 51:1-17, Psalm 81:16

Tags: Blessing, Wrong Value

Denomination: *other

What Does God's Voice Sound Like?  PRO

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Feb 4, 2009

WHAT DOES GOD'S VOICE SOUND LIKE? Erwin McManus, a pastor in Los Angeles, tells a great story about recognizing God's voice. My son, Aaron, was five or six when he began asking me, "What does God's voice sound like?" I didn't know how to answer. A few years later, Aaron went off to his first ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 3:1-21

Tags: Hard Heart, Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed