In Sermon Illustrations: "Hope"

Maggie's Poem

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 24, 2009

Dads: I want you to listen to a poem from a teenager in Chicago who expresses how important you are as fathers and fatherly figures: Maggie’s Poem Do you know, do you understand, that you represent Jesus to me? Do you know, do you understand, that when you treat me with gentleness It raises the ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

John F. Kennedy Questioned By Coal Miner About ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

John F. Kennedy Questioned by Coal Miner About His History of Work In 1960, John Kennedy was running for the presidency, and was campaigning near a coal mine in West Virginia. One of the miners put a series of questions to Kennedy: "Is it true that your father is one of the wealthiest men in the ...read more

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Tags: Workplace, Work Ethic

God's Grace Is Like Lightning And Transforms ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 19, 2009

God’s Grace Is Like Lightning and Transforms Whoever it Strikes Martin Luther found that out. Walking through the forest one day, praying and working through spiritual torment, literally, the lightning did strike close by. And he felt that as the summons of God. Luther came closer, and when God ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 18:20-39

Tags: Grace, God's Grace

Fritz Kreisler, World Famous Violinist, Discovers ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 24, 2009

Fritz Kreisler, World Famous Violinist, Discovers an Exquisite Violin Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962) was a world-famous violinist who earned a fortune with his concerts and compositions. He generously gave most of it away. So, when he discovered an exquisite violin on one of his trips, he wasn’t able ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:1-14

Tags: Evangelism, Christian Witness

The Blood Of Lambs

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2009

THE BLOOD OF LAMBS I just finished a very moving book called, "The Blood of Lambs" by Kamal Saleem (Howard Books, 2009). He describes his life as a terrorist and how he hated Israel and America. He also couldn't stand Christians--that is, until God brought some Christian men into his life after he ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Tags: Islam

Is He Like Bill?  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Oct 1, 2010

"IS HE LIKE BILL?" Bill was a drunk, converted at a city mission. Before his conversion he had gained a reputation as a tramp and alcoholic for whom there was no hope. But when he was converted everything changed. He became the most caring person at the mission. He spent all his days there doing ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:16, Romans 8:9

Tags: Evangelism, Witness, Prayer, Christlikeness, Christian Witness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Sundowning  PRO

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Oct 6, 2010

SUNDOWNING As I walked into the room I had visited only that morning I noticed that some people, had an increased CONFUSION, RESTLESSNESS AND INSECURITY. I met the Asian woman with such beautiful eyes who HALLUCINATES and HEARS VOICES each afternoon. I had a quiet conversation with a woman who, ...read more

Tags: Demons

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Memorizing Vs. Applying Scripture

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 23, 2010

MEMORIZING VS. APPLYING SCRIPTURE Dave Veerman, Campus Life, Wheaton, IL, related this story: A while ago our family began to memorize Scripture, one verse a week. Because my daughters were ages ten and six, I thought this was about the right speed. We keep the verses on cards in the middle of ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 119:11, James 1:22

Tags: Bible Influence

Gladstone: Risk For The Greater Victory  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2010

GLADSTONE: RISK FOR THE GREATER VICTORY WILLIAM GLADSTONE, a prime minister of England in the nineteenth century, one night was working late on an important speech he was to give to the House of Commons the next day. At about two o'clock in the morning a woman knocked on his door, asking the ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-5

Tags: Christian Love

The Stages Of Loss

Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 20, 2010

THE STAGES OF LOSS Several years ago a profound and dramatic research project began in Chicago's Billings Hospital. It was a seminar on death, in which psychiatists, chaplains, nurses, and medical doctors studied the ultimate human crisis of facing death. Basic findings is that the very ill ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: *other

Sing A New Song

Contributed by Jason Bonnicksen on Mar 21, 2011

SING A NEW SONG Boom! Boom! The two-fold pounding of the avalanche cannon awoke me from my slumber. No, we didn't get snow last night, I mused. But sure enough, God dumped nine inches of fresh snow onto the mountains above. Now, I love winter; it's great skiing on fresh powder. However, I ...read more

Tags: Joy

Denomination: Lutheran

Learned Helplessness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 5, 2011

LEARNED HELPLESSNESS Learned Helplessness is a term I came across in my reading this week. It is a technical term originally used in reference to animal psychology but is also appropriately applied to human behavior as well. Learned helplessness describes an animal or a person who has learned to ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14

Tags: Attitude General

The Reality Of Palm Sunday  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on Apr 19, 2011

THE REALITY OF PALM SUNDAY Pope Benedict himself in his homily last Sunday in St Peter’s Square said this about Palm Sunday: "But what are we really doing when we join this procession as part of the throng which went up with Jesus to Jerusalem and hailed him as King of Israel? Is this anything ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Denomination: Anglican

I'll Give You My First Paycheck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

I'LL GIVE YOU MY FIRST PAYCHECK Craig C. had been an alcoholic for more than a dozen years. He'd lost everything he had, including his wife and son, due to his selfishness and addiction. Things began to change after he gave his life to Christ, but he still fell regularly into his old habits. It ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Trust

The Believer's Gps

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

THE BELIEVER'S GPS Last week we introduced a device known as a GPS or Global Positioning Systems. This device allows the user to know where they are and where they want to go. It works through a process known as triangulation. There are 24 Dept. of Defense satellites constantly circling our earth ...read more

Scripture: Colossians 1:27

Tags: Jesus Christ

Greater Treasure

Contributed by Brent Long on Sep 11, 2011

GREATER TREASURE In the first week of July, 2011 reports of a discovery in poverty-filled South India crossed the news wire. The vaults of the Padmanabhaswamy temple were opened after 130 years. Temple records mention the treasure, and its existence was known to locals. However, no one knew its ...read more

Tags: Blessing

Denomination: Apostolic

Yogi Berra: Determination And Direction

Contributed by Perry Greene on Sep 20, 2011

YOGI BERRA: DETERMINATION AND DIRECTION My favorite sports quotations, though, come from Yogi Berra: "Nobody goes to that restaurant any more -- it's too crowded." "If people don't want to come out to the ball park, nobody's going to stop them." Someone asked Yogi what time it was; he said, ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God Knows

Contributed by Brad Henry on Oct 7, 2011

GOD KNOWS The receiving line at the memorial was very long as Jim and Steph had many family members that came from Texas and Georgia. Halfway through the line, I was introduced to Jim's sister, brother and nephew. They said "Are you the Brad Henry that wrote the devotional about my brother?" I ...read more

Tags: Miracles General

A Parable On Tithing  PRO

Contributed by Scott Bradford on Apr 25, 2012

A PARABLE ON TITHING Over the last two years I was scanning in old files so that I didn’t have three file drawers full of sermons and documents. I had some old files of my dad and in them I discovered some great old stories. One was a parable on tithing. I found it humorous, I can only hope that ...read more

Scripture: Acts 10:44-48

Tags: Tithes

Denomination: United Methodist

Athanasius Contends For The Deity Of Christ  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 1, 2012

ATHANASIUS CONTENDS FOR THE DEITY OF CHRIST If Jesus is something less than God, he has no right and no power to forgive our sins. If Jesus can’t forgive our sins, we have no hope. Yes, the doctrine of the deity of Christ is worth contending for. And there is nobody God used more to contend for ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 1:6-9

Tags: Doctrine