In Sermon Illustrations: "Helpful"

The Cussing ...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 9, 2008

ILLUSTRATION: THE CUSSING DEACON A Preacher was made aware that he had a Deacon in his church who was from time to time known to cuss. In his attempt to help the Deacon overcome this terrible habit, the Preacher decided he should spend some personal time with the Deacon so they could have a long ...read more

Tags: Tongue

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Young People Routinely Grow Up To Love Their ...

Contributed by Timothy Darling on Jul 9, 2008

Young people routinely grow up to love their childhood coaches. These leaders routinely criticize and push the envelopes of the same young people who claim later to love them like a parent. Why? Because they did not just love them enough to encourage them. They cared enough to tell them the truth ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Mennonite

Romans 8:28 We Know That In All Things God Works ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 18, 2008

Romans 8:28 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him... Sometimes we just want things to turn out well – especially in a bad situation. Before Tom left for deployment to Iraq – he prayed that God will guide him in doing good in a land full of violence. Recently, his ...read more

Tags: Christian Love

Years Ago, I Was Driving On I-68 In Southwest ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

Years ago, I was driving on I-68 in southwest Virginia when a lady passed my VW just flying. She had a brand new fancy Ford Thunderbird. She had her foot in the carburetor and she passed me like I was sitting still. On up the road I came around a curve, and this beautiful new Thunderbird was ...read more

Scripture: Judges 7:9-14

Tags: God In The Hardships

As I Was Praying Recently At A Nearby Beach, A ...  PRO

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Oct 24, 2008

As I was praying recently at a nearby beach, a man walked by with a big smile on his face and said to me "Good Morning!" I noticed he had one artificial leg and he had been walking by the beach. I noticed on the sand behind him one footprint and a track where the man had been dragging his one ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:15-16

Tags: Attitude General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Heard About A Young Single Preacher Who Took ...

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Nov 24, 2008

I heard about a young single preacher who took his first part-time church while he was still in seminary. He preached a message one Sunday called, “10 Facts on How to Have the Perfect Marriage and raise Perfect Children.” A few years later he got married. He pulled out the old sermon to preach ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Evangelism: I Heard A Story About A Guy Who ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 12, 2008

Evangelism: I heard a story about a guy who applied for a job as an usher at a theater in the mall. As a part of the interview process, the manager asked him, "What would you do in case a fire breaks out?" The young guy answered, "Don’t worry about me. I can get out fine." That’s exactly how many ...read more

Tags: Evangelism Fear Of

Life Is Not Like A Vcr

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

LIFE IS NOT LIKE A VCR Tim Brown, professor of preaching at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan tells a story about one of his former students who was also named Tim. The former student was a successful young man who called one day to tell the professor that he was sick and in the ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Walking With God Can Be A Great Source Of ...

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 19, 2009

Walking with God can be a great source of Eustress (positive stress)… example: Some of you this week found time in your crazy schedule to listen to or read your Bible. How did you feel afterward? It’s Wednesday night, and you help with AWANA. It’s been a busy day and you’re tired. But you ...read more

Tags: Stress

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Pa Won't Like It  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

"PA WON’T LIKE IT" A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn in the road. The farmer who lived nearby came to investigate. "Hey, Willis," he called out, "forget your troubles for a spell and come on in and have dinner with us. Then I’ll help you get the wagon up." "That’s mighty ...read more

Tags: Authority

Take Up Your Cross

Contributed by John Tung on Feb 12, 2009

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS Christiana Tsai was a Christian woman who developed an eye disease that made it impossible for her to see light directly and was virtually blind. She had to wear very dark glasses. Yet, she did not withdraw into her own room and say how tough she has it. No, she used her ...read more

Tags: Cross

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Houses Of Refuge

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

HOUSES OF REFUGE There was no alternative to manslaughter. If you wanted to live, the only option was to flee to one of these cities of refuge. [HOUSE OF REFUGE, HUTCHINSON IS., FL] House of Refuge- The House of Refuge is the last remaining shipwreck life-saving station on Florida’s Atlantic ...read more

Scripture: Numbers 35:6-34

Tags: God In The Hardships

Some Don't Pray Much At All. A Fisherman Who Was ...

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Feb 25, 2009

Some don’t pray much at all. A fisherman who was out of fellowship with the Lord was at sea with his godless companions when a storm came up and threatened to sink their ship. His friends begged him to pray; but he demurred, saying, "It’s been a long time since I’ve done that or even entered a ...read more

Tags: Prayer Hardship

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Was Hungry And You Formed A Humanities Club And ...

Contributed by Kyle Rye on Apr 29, 2009

I was hungry and you formed a humanities club and you discussed my hunger. Thank you. I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel in the cellar to pray for my release. I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Where Else Could I Go?

Contributed by Bill Butsko on May 9, 2009

WHERE ELSE COULD I GO? "My little boy gave me a great awakening," said an intelligent and spiritually-minded mother. "Jimmy is getting to an age when he often wants to try his own way instead of mine. Then he generally meets with a difficulty that hurts his feelings, and he comes at once to me ...read more

Tags: God In The Hardships

Denomination: Christian Church

Cry With Them

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

CRY WITH THEM I read about a young boy. Who was sent by his mom to the corner store to buy a loaf of bread. He was gone much longer than it should have taken him. When he finally returned, his mother asked, "Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick about you." "Well," he answered, "there was ...read more

Scripture: John 11:35

Tags: God In The Hardships

Get Off Your Horse, ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 13, 2009

GET OFF YOUR HORSE, CORPORAL A rider on horseback, many years ago, came upon a squad of soldiers who were trying to move a heavy piece of timber. A corporal stood by, giving lordly orders to "heave." But the piece of timber was a trifle too heavy for the squad. "Why don’t you help them?" asked ...read more

Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-23

Tags: Leadership General, Servant Leadership

You Can't Justify ...

Contributed by Larry Moyer on Aug 5, 2009

YOU CAN’T JUSTIFY WORRYING So often we try to justify worrying. I know a man who said, "Don’t tell me worrying doesn’t do any good. Everything I worry about doesn’t happen." One man defended his worrying by saying, "I find it helps to worry. The people who worry never get ulcers." And one ...read more

Tags: Worry

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If You Feel Down, Just Praise The ...

Contributed by Tony Abram on Aug 20, 2009

If you feel down, Just praise the Lord! If you feel down, And all alone If your world is all but gone Just look up to the sky above And know you have a friend If you feel down and feel betrayed And your friends have left you cold Just pray to ...read more

Tags: Worship God, Christian Values

It Could Be Done

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 14, 2009

IT COULD BE DONE "Why are you bothering yourselves with a knitting machine?" asked Ari Davis of Boston, a manufacturer of instruments. "Why don’t you make a sewing machine?" That particular question was overheard by a young man of twenty - Elias Howe. No one took that question seriously, except ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

Denomination: Pentecostal