In Sermon Illustrations: "Holiness Walk"

Cross Is The Attraction

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Sep 8, 2016

The famous first national Salvationist here in Sri Lanka, Arnolis Weerasooriya whose picture we all walk past every day said something about the cross. Can you remember reading it, it is on his picture. That’s right he said, “Cross is the attraction.” He died from cholera some years later on the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28

Tags: Suffering, Enduring Suffering, Proclaiming

Denomination: Salvation Army

Starting Over

Contributed by Paul Steen on Dec 11, 2017

The term “Sunk costs” is an accounting term. It refers to historical costs that no longer have relevance to decisions being made today. Ali Saam (Garcia) and his stock market losses. He had over $140,000 in stocks. Then, two weeks later his portfolio was down to $77,000. He felt he couldn’t sell ...read more

Tags: Starting Over, Born Again

Denomination: Calvary Chapel

Jumping The Grand Canyon

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

Main Idea: No matter how good you are, you cannot make it to heaven through your own effort. Verse: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV). Illustration: Once, two men had ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Sin, Need For Christ, Need For Salvation

Denomination: Charismatic

Christmas Humor

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 21, 2020

A Sunday School was putting on a Christmas pageant which included the story of Mary and Joseph coming to the inn. One boy wanted so very much to be Joseph, but when the parts were handed out, a boy he didn’t like was given that part, and he was assigned to be the inn-keeper instead. He was pretty ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-12

Tags: Coming Of Christ, Christmas, Christ, Manger, Birth Of Christ, Mary And Joseph  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Hard Do You Prepare For Sermons?

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 4, 2021

Howard Hendricks shares this insight about the value of preparing and study for sermons... " When I was a college student—I worked in the college dining hall, and on my way to work at 5:30 am. every morning I walked past the home of one of my professors. Through a window I could see the ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 2:15

Tags: Sermons, Shepherding, Feeding The Flock, Sermon Preparation, Studying The Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Witness Barber

Contributed by John Bright on Jan 17, 2021

There was a barber that thought that he should share his faith with his customers more than he had been doing lately. So the next morning when the sun came up and the barber got up out of bed he said, "Today I am going to witness to the first man that walks through my door." Soon after ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15

Tags: Evangelism, Witness

Denomination: Methodist

Don't Come Home?

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 26, 2021

We have hope. We walk in blessed assurance that Jesus died for us. The 7 years coming on this world will be THE GREAT TRIBULATION. Current, prayed up and ready Christians have nothing to fear. God is in control. We have hope. As the world goes into a paradigm or pattern change the dead in Christ ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:21-22

Tags: Second Coming, Be Ready

Denomination: Assembly Of God

I Got You

Contributed by Glynda Lomax on Oct 2, 2021

I like to take my dogs places with me. They have their own seats in the back seat of my pickup. I have a small elderly dog named Bambi who has always had anxiety, I think from having to survive on her own when she lived in the streets as a tiny little thing with no one to feed or care for her. A ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 54:4, 1 Peter 5:7

Tags: Adversity, Assurance, Anxious

Denomination: Charismatic

Bring A Bigger Basket!

Contributed by Joshua Blackmon on Mar 12, 2022

"A missionary in Africa had a farm some miles from the mission station. The season had been very favorable, and he had a large crop of corn on the mission farm. When the crop was ready to harvest, he made a public appeal to the Africans, asking them to help him carry his corn from the farm to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:38

Tags: Harvest, Giving, Basket, Receiving

Denomination: Pentecostal

If We Could Only See From God's Perspective

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Nov 7, 2022

A man was walking along a railroad track on a very dark night when he came to a bridge.  He had gotten halfway across when he heard a train whistle up ahead.  He quickened his pace, but soon could see the light of the oncoming locomotive approaching.   With nowhere ...read more

Tags: Faith, Fear, Jesus, Obedience, Peter, Miracles, Sovereignty Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Hilarious Christmas Story!!!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Dec 19, 2022

• A Sunday School was putting on a Christmas pageant which included the story of Mary and Joseph coming to the inn. One boy wanted so very much to be Joseph, but when the parts were handed out, a boy he didn’t like was given that part, and he was assigned to be the inn-keeper instead. He was ...read more

Tags: Mary, Nativity, Christmas, Bethlehem, Children, Joseph, Pageants  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Dirty Windows

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 12, 2023

"A friend of mine, Bud Wood, founded Shepherds Home in Wisconsin for boys and girls with developmental disabilities. The original ministry opened its doors in 1964 to 36 children, providing them a loving residential environment and a school that would focus on their unique needs, helping them ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, Philippians 3:20, 1 John 3:1-3

Tags: Return Of Christ, Disabled Children, Revelation, Children, Heaven, Second Coming, Rapture  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Angel Of Music

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 14, 2023

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:4

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Armor Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

In God's Time

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Sep 20, 2023

The little boy walked home from Sunday School and the family were sitting around the old pot-bellied stove talking. The boy told his dad and Pa about the lesson. The boy was so excited. He told them he had gone to the altar and accepted Jesus as his personal Savior. The boy said he was going to ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Tags: Time, Serve

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Big Hands

Contributed by David Dunn on Nov 13, 2025

A boy and his mother walked into the corner drug store to buy a few things. And right there on the counter was a big glass candy jar—one of those old-fashioned ones, filled to the brim with all the colors a child’s imagination could want. The boy froze. You know how kids get—locked in, mesmerized, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20, Psalm 81:10

Tags: Trust, Provision

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Was God A God Of Love In The Old Testament?

Contributed by Coz Von on Aug 27, 2017

The Davinci code will tell you that Jesus was married Mary. is it so? NO, NO, AND - mil times NO – NOT! But I want to show you that God did get married. Blasphemy, you say, NOT SO, It’s irreverent, sacrilegious – and not true But He really did! Hear me out. Long, long ago in a land far far away ...read more

Tags: Love, Hosea, Love Story, Long Suffering, Peace, Hope, Care, Hate, Kindness, Gomer  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Not A Guest, But Family

Contributed by Tim Smith on Dec 10, 2008

NOT A GUEST, BUT FAMILY Ellen Porter tells the story of Mitsuyo, a Japanese exchange student coming to live with her family. Her father had written and warned Ellen that Mitsuyo was a willful child, but she saw no signs of that at all. She dressed the same each day, was silent while eating at the ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Methodist

[183]. A Poem Message – Millennial Reign Of Christ Described - Isaiah 11

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on Sep 5, 2025

[183]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST DESCRIBED - ISAIAH 11 I know there are some who don’t believe in the literalness of scripture and therefore reject the biblical concept of a Millennium. This poem is not an exegesis on any of that, but the content of a biblical passage I ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 11:14, Isaiah 11:1-16, Revelation 20:4, Isaiah 11:9

Tags: Knowledge, 1000 Years, The Millennium, The Millennial Reign Of Christ, Messiah Reigns, Peace  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Voice Mail  PRO

Contributed by Dru Ashwell on Dec 20, 2001

VOICE MAIL While we have a direct access to our Heavenly Father, imagine if He had one of those computer-answering devices. It might be something like this: As we begin to pray we hear... Thank you for calling your Heavenly Father’s house. Your call may be monitored for quality assurance. Please ...read more

Tags: Ever, God's Omniscience, Illustration, Prayer Adoration, Prayer General  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

He Chose The Nails  PRO

Contributed by Sean Smuts on Jan 15, 2003

HE CHOSE THE NAILS Max Lucado writes: ...God’s list contains the name of every person who ever lived. For this is the scope of his love. And this is the reason for the cross. He loves the world. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16 NLT) As boldly as the center ...read more

Tags: Cross Agony, Jesus Christ

Denomination: Mennonite