In Sermon Illustrations: "House Of The Lord"

Odd Disciplines & Behaviors

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on May 28, 2009

ODD DISCIPLINES & BEHAVIORS What idiosyncrasies might you need to sometimes sacrifice? What rules have you made up that you will not break for anything? In ministry, you often do what needs to be done--period! Alexandre Dumas, the elder, ate an apple at 7 a.m. each morning under the Arc de ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Leeches In Burma Fall Off Traveler In Herbal ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 23, 2009

Leeches in Burma Fall Off Traveler in Herbal Bath William Arnot wrote this: "A traveler in Burma, after fording a certain river, found his body covered all over by a swarm of small leeches, busily sucking his blood. His first impulse was to tear them from his flesh: but his servant warned him that ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Tags: Forgiveness, Forgiveness In Jesus

A Woman From The Slums Of London Sees The Ocean ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 30, 2009

A Woman from the Slums of London Sees the Ocean for the First Time Long ago, a poor woman from the slums of London was invited to go with a group of people for a holiday at the ocean. She had never seen the ocean before, and when she saw it, she burst into tears. Those around her thought it was ...read more

Scripture: Micah 7:19

Tags: Mercy

In 1986 We Moved From Kalamazoo To Grand Rapids. ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Dec 24, 2009

In 1986 we moved from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids. Sometime later we wanted those slides and began to look for them. They were nowhere to be found. We looked in every box and closet in our house; we went back to Kalamazoo and looked in every closet in the parsonage and the church; we ran ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Alex Haley, In His Book Roots, Shared The Story ...

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Sep 28, 2010

Alex Haley, in his book, Roots, shared the story of an old slave who one day drove his master to a great ball at an adjoining plantation. As the slave sat quietly in the buggy waiting for his master to return, he became aware not only of the sounds coming from the big house, but of strange music ...read more

Tags: Baptism

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Middle C

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 22, 2010

MIDDLE C When Lloyd C. Douglas, author of The Robe and other novels, was a university student, he lived in a boarding house. Downstairs on the first floor was an elderly, retired music teacher who was infirm and unable to leave the apartment. Douglas said that every morning they had a ritual they ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Denomination: Brethren

Rest In Peace  PRO

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Apr 2, 2011

REST IN PEACE Six-year-old and his four-year-old sister presented their mom with a Mother’s Day present: a small, spindly house plant. While it wasn’t the finest looking specimen, they had bought it with their own money and Mom was thrilled. She hugged and kissed her children and told them ...read more

Tags: Mother's Day

Denomination: Salvation Army

Safe Rooms

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 22, 2011

SAFE ROOMS Lynne and I and the family were moving to Tulsa from Missouri and were looking at potential homes. One thing we came across was a house with a 'safe room' or actually only a 'safe closet'. A closet, which served as a coat closet near the front door, was built with steel walls and a ...read more

Scripture: John 3:1-21

Tags: Unbelief

The Three-Legged Chicken

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Sep 4, 2012

THE THREE-LEGGED CHICKEN One day a traveller was driving down a back country road when he noticed that there was a three-legged chicken running alongside his car. He stepped on the gas but at 50 miles per hour, the chicken was still keeping up. After about a mile of running, the chicken ran up a ...read more

Tags: Divisions

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Kyle Idleman On Dying To Self

Contributed by Kevin Karhoff on Mar 18, 2013

What’s it look like to die every day? Well, dying to yourself today may mean spending your lunch hour serving food to the homeless at the shelter down the street from your office. It may mean the next time you talk to your neighbor, instead of playing it safe and keeping comfortable you bring ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:23

Tags: Surrender, Jesus Christ, Dying To Self, Commitment To Christ

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Telemarketer

Contributed by Davon Huss on Mar 6, 2017

Here’s a story from a telemarketer: “The other day I called a house and a real nice lady answered the phone, she was really helpful and friendly, she was the type of lady that helps a telemarketer get through a long day. After some pleasantries I asked if Mr. Smith was in, “I’m sorry”, she ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Matthew 5:4

Tags: Grief, Grave, Cemetery, Marketing

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Through The Eyes Of A 3-Year-Old

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 18, 2017

Rena was 3 years old when she went to her first baptismal service. It was new for her and a bit mystifying. As events transpired, she looked up at her father with surprise in her eyes, “Daddy, he pushed that guy under the water? Why did he do that?” The father tried to quietly answer her question ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Baptism, Good Works, Water Baptism, New Start

Denomination: Charismatic

The Snake With A Flat Head

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

Main Idea: Jesus defeated the devil and all the devil’s power is gone. Verse: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19 NKJV). Illustration: A snake came into my living room. ...read more

Tags: Power And Authority, Power Over Satan, Satan Defeated

Denomination: Charismatic

Don't Go Back

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Feb 20, 2021

Several years ago, Karen and I was up in the Ruidoso area; and I decided to try a short cut that I thought I knew about. The problem was, the road turned into a very rough dirt road; and the further we went, the worse the road became. We came upon a farmer’s house and land; and there was a ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 4:8-9

Tags: Freedom, Forward

Denomination: Baptist

A Self-Control Inventory

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2023

Are you struggling with self-control in any of these areas that are addressed in the Book of Proverbs? • Uncontrolled lust. Proverbs 6:26: “For the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.” • Uncontrolled spending. Proverbs 21:20: “In the house ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Proverbs, Money, Lust, Alcohol, Anger, Fruit Of The Spirit, Discipline, Self Control  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Strong Foundation

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 2, 2025

The foundation of your house is important to making sure it continues to stand. The foundation of a skyscraper is even more important. Years ago, I read that the challenge for making buildings taller and taller was not adding floors on top – the challenge is adding to the base. Three ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27

Tags: Bible, Foundation

Denomination: Methodist

Are We Hypocrites?

Contributed by John Bright on Feb 13, 2025

I once saw a video of a pastor who had figures, covered with sheets, up in the front of the church. As he started to preach, they were uncovered and you could see monsters and scary characters related to Halloween. The preacher kept asking, “Should these be in the House of God?” The congregation ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:11-12

Tags: Holiness, Halloween, Hypocrite

Denomination: Methodist

Henry Ward Beecher Was One Of The Great ...  PRO

Contributed by Dan Erickson on Nov 20, 2000

Henry Ward Beecher was one of the great preachers of the 19th Century. He was ill one Sunday, so a substitute pastor walked up to the pulpit as the worship service began. Seeing that Dr. Beecher would not be speaking that day, a number of people got up and headed for the door. The substitute ...read more

Tags: Church Practices, Messenger, Idolatry, Spiritual Warfare, Story, Preaching, Pride, Warfare  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Peter Marshall, Before The U.s. Senate Said It ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Hensley on Oct 18, 2000

Peter Marshall, before the U.S. Senate said it ever so well in a prayer many years ago. "Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious ...read more

Tags: Independence Day, Holidays Civic, Truth

Denomination: Baptist

I Heard About An African-American Who Tried To ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 1, 2001

I heard about an African-American who tried to attend a church. Sadly, the church wouldn’t even let him attend a service. The pastor said, "You just need to pray about it." About three weeks later the pastor saw him and asked, "Did you talk to the Lord about it?" The man said, ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings, Parable General, Racism