In Sermon Illustrations: "Hear"

Kory Wilcoxon- Gary, Who Was In His 50s, Was ...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Apr 25, 2016

Kory Wilcoxon- Gary, who was in his 50s, was mentally disabled, and had the mental capacity of a six- or seven-year-old. He also had one of the worst singing voices I’ve ever heard. His singing was slurred and never close to the right key. And he didn’t have the social development to recognize his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-2

Tags: Make A Joyful Noise, Singing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Illustration Of Giving

Contributed by John Oscar on Jan 15, 2017

A family came home from church one Sunday and after they had lunch they sent their 6-year-old son off to play. After awhile, his mother realized that they hadn’t heard much from him, which any parent knows is a recipe for disaster. The mother got up from her recliner and walked to the child's ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Malachi 3:6-12

Tags: Faith, Offering, Giving, Tithe Or Give, Tithes And Offering  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Preaching Fluff Versus Quality

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on Jun 8, 2017

I once lived in a town where there were two preachers who were polar opposites. The one was very charismatic and enthusiastic. But, he did not preach the Bible. I asked him one day why he didn't preach the Bible. His answer was that the people could read their Bibles at home. He preached ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Tags: Great Commission, Preach Christ, Teach Jesus

Denomination: Baptist

Do Not Make An Excuse For Sin

Contributed by Daniel King, D. Min. on Jul 25, 2018

Main Idea: When a person is caught sinning, he or she often tries to make an excuse, but the reality is that no excuse can justify a person’s sin. Verse: “Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12 NKJV). One day my wife Jessica ...read more

Tags: Sin, Salvation, Excuses

Denomination: Charismatic

Wiretap Into Your Home

Contributed by Davon Huss on Aug 22, 2020

The church is the bride of Christ. If we love the groom (Jesus), we will look for positive things to say about the bride (the church). Bob Russell tells a story about how years ago, when there were multiple party telephone lines, a preacher picked up the telephone to make a call but couldn’t get ...read more

Scripture: John 13:35, 2 Corinthians 11:28-29

Tags: Evangelism, Love For The Church, Speak Positively

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hyperbole

Contributed by Roy Fowler on Sep 13, 2020

I had to have a tooth removed last Thursday. It took me FOREVER to get an appointment. Once I got there and got back in the room where they were going to extract my tooth I felt like I was in an operating room not a dentist office. I remember back in the ‘80’s when I got two eye teeth removed they ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-33, 1 John 4:7-9

Tags: Hyperbole, Stretching Truth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

How Can You Tell When A Church Is Dying?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

FUNNY STORY!!! Calvin Coolidge, our thirtieth president, was an extremely quiet and reserved man with very little personality. When questioned, he rarely answered in more than two or three words—a tendency which earned him the nickname, “Silent Cal.” The public saw him as a stiff and emotionless ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Renewal, Church Growth, Acts, Death Of A Vision, Church, Revival  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

President Mckinley Had A Mother Who Taught Him Well

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 31, 2022

As a lawyer, as a congressman, as Governor of Ohio, and as President of the United States, William McKinley had a close relationship with his mother. He either visited her or sent a message to her every day. When she became seriously ill, he arranged to have a special train standing by, ready to ...read more

Tags: Teach Your Children, Godly Mothers, Will Of God, Hymns

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Praying The Alphabet!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 12, 2022

A father walked by his daughter’s bedroom door which was cracked just enough so that he could see that she was kneeling beside her bed in prayer. Interested to find out what subjects a child would bring before God, he paused and listened. He was puzzled though to hear her reciting the alphabet: ...read more

Tags: Prayer, Humor, Lord's Prayer, Jokes, Needs, Children  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Not What Was Expected

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Mar 16, 2022

Integrity is when something is the same all the way through. Pure gold is gold and only gold, all the way through. 14kt gold is less than pure, but other metals give it a hardness that allows more uses such as making beautiful jewelry from it. The bible calls the condition of being one thing ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 8:21, James 3:11, James 3:12, James 3:13, Matthew 23:27, Matthew 23:28  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Integrity, Hypocrisy, Tongue

Denomination: Charismatic

There's Room At The Cross For You

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 4, 2022

I grew up hearing this great old hymn being sung during many times of invitation. I was reminded of this great song while preparing my sermon on the Parable of the Great Supper from Luke 14 where Jesus told His disciples to go into the "highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that My ...read more

Tags: Great Supper, Evangelism, Gospel, Parables, Witnessing, Great Commission  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Monkey Around With Eternity!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on May 31, 2022

I once heard about how animal catchers used to catch wild monkeys for zoos. I was told that they would set an empty glass pop bottle in an open field with a peanut dropped into it. Then they'd hide in the bushes and wait. After a while, a monkey would sneak up to the pop bottle, squeeze its paw ...read more

Tags: Eternity, Commitment, Satan, Discipleship, Temptation, Possessions  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Stop Pushing Your Car And Step On The Gas!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 6, 2022

The Argentine evangelist, Santiago Garaballe, once gave an illustration of a man who bought a new car. He had never owned a car in his life. The car came with a powerful engine under the hood. What if the man then spent the rest of his life pushing it around! Come on family let's go for a ride! ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 2:20

Tags: Holy Spirit, Resurrection, Victory, Flesh, Defeat, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Greedy Little Monkey

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 28, 2022

I once heard about how animal catchers used to catch wild monkeys for zoos. I was told that they would set an empty glass pop bottle in an open field with a peanut dropped into it. Then they'd hide in the bushes and wait. After a while, a monkey would sneak up to the pop bottle, squeeze its paw ...read more

Scripture: Luke 14:25-35, 1 Timothy 6:10

Tags: Money, Greed, Discipleship, Riches, Kingdom, Parables  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Church: A Place Where Nations And Cultures Are Brought Together.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 28, 2023

Edgington Young, the first missionary to the native community of Saskatchewan had gone there with the message of the love of God the Father, and they received it like a new revelation. When he told his message an old chief said, “When you spoke of the great Spirit just now, did I hear you say, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 5:18, John 10:14-16, Matthew 16:13-21

Tags: Adoption, Good Shepherd, All People, Mission, Racial Barriers, Evangelism, Church  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Redemtion - The Bank Ledgers

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Mar 3, 2023

Hear Gods Word: BIBLE God made him who had no sin ....to be sin for us ... so that in him ... we might become ... the righteousness ... of God. END (2 Corinthians 5:21) Years ago ...... when I was a young banker in Ohio, ... we used large leather-bound ledgers ......where all accounts... were ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Blood, Salvation, Redemption, Ledgers

Denomination: Anglican

Protect The Purity Of Your Marriage

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 21, 2023

I admire Queen Vashti. In the midst of an unsavory "scene she was brave enough to say no to that which was blatantly wrong, and in resisting this insulting act of indignity, she took a stand against the greatest power in her universe. Good for her! Submission does not mean that a wife is a ...read more

Tags: Submission, Character, Purity, Husbands, Wives, Vashti, Beauty, Esther, Marriage  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

George And Edith Are Getting Married In Their 90's

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Apr 6, 2024

KEEP LOOKING UP and always have a positive attitude, because Jesus is coming back one of these days and that is the blessed hope of the believer. Here is a funny example of looking ahead! George, age 92 and Edith, age 90, are all excited about their decision to get married even though they were ...read more

Tags: Hope, Humor, Second Coming, Rapture, Bride Of Christ, Blessed Hope, Return Of Christ, Looking Ahead, Positive Attitude  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Reason To Give Thanks

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Nov 24, 2024

Do you remember Erma Bombeck, the homemaker who spun humorous anecdotes about suburban family life into a column syndicated to about 700 newspapers, television commentary, speeches across the country and books with titles such as “The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank,” “Just Wait Till ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Tags: Thankfulness, Assurance, Erma Bombeck

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

When Christina And I Were Recently In Florida We ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Feb 24, 2009

When Christina and I were recently in Florida we visited Disney World for a few days. It was a great time though we did have a few interesting experiences. On the first day at Disney we awoke early to dine with several of the characters. After breakfast with Goofy we headed to Hollywood Studios ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Christian Church