In Sermon Illustrations: "How To Get Stronger"

Prep Your Heart

Contributed by Chris Surber on Jan 29, 2009

PREP YOUR HEART My wife and I have had a painter in the house this week creating a very colorful and fun bedroom for our two youngest sons. The painter is a man who cares deeply about his craft. In conversation with him this week, I have learned a great deal more about the nature of painting than ...read more

Tags: Preparation

Denomination: Christian Church

I Recall One Sunny Afternoon When I Was 13 Years ...

Contributed by Chris Surber on Feb 5, 2009

I recall one sunny afternoon when I was 13 years old and had only recently moved to Butte, Montana where I lived for a couple of years during high school with my father and grandfather. One afternoon I was exploring a very old log cabin style garage on the back of the property where we lived. It ...read more

Tags: Purity

Denomination: Christian Church

Just In The Nick Of Time

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME A favorite literary device of authors, playwrights, and screen writers is that of the hero who shows up just in the nick of time. You’ve read books or seen movies like this. Just when everything seems lost and all hope is gone and disaster is imminent, the hero arrives to ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-39

Tags: God In The Hardships

Forgiveness On A Kid's First Job

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 9, 2009

FORGIVENESS ON A KID’S FIRST JOB Forgiveness was the most important lesson best-selling author Tony Hillerman learned as a kid on his first job. His story goes... "I was 14 when Mr. Ingram knocked on our farmhouse door in Sacred Heart, Oklahoma (pop. 38). The old sharecropper lived about a mile ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:27-36

Tags: Forgiveness For Others

Vesuvius: Check The Map

Contributed by Rob O'neal on Jul 7, 2009

VESUVIUS: CHECK THE MAP The people of the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum lived at the bottom of a mountain. They loved the mountain, because they believed it was a place where gods dwelt. The land was fertile, and the harbor was good, so the city prospered and grew. Then in 62 and 63 AD, ...read more

Tags: Security

Denomination: Congregational

Missionary Encounters ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 19, 2009

Missionary Encounters Ants Steven Cook tells of reading an account of a missionary from India: "The Lord must have desired to teach me something through the "ants" because He allowed me to come in contact with enough of them! The encyclopedia says there are more ants than any other insect. It seems ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 6:1-11

Tags: Missions

Ipod ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 14, 2009

iPod Religion This is right up there with what 10-year-old Joshua wrote to his pastor: “Dear Pastor, My father says I should learn the 10 Commandments. But I don’t think I want to because we have enough rules already in our house.” That’s not as bad as what 11-year-old Ralph wrote: “Dear Pastor, I ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Tags: Youth

Revenge Is ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 30, 2009

Revenge is Sweet They thought it was just kids playing pranks, but it turned out to be an angry 72 year old man, instead. From 2003-2005, a number of former teachers and school admins in NY reported a rash of vandalism at their homes. They would wake up to punctured car tires from roofing nails ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:17-21

Tags: Bitterness

The Blessing Of The Overcomers

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 28, 2010

The Blessing of the Overcomers What do the overcomers (the ones who defy gravity) of this world get according to Scripture? a. Revelation 2:7: i. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which ...read more

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Object Lesson: A Branch On A Tree Or A Stick In ...  PRO

Contributed by Alistair Wearring on Feb 27, 2010

OBJECT LESSON: A BRANCH ON A TREE OR A STICK IN THE MUD? ------------------------------------------- Theme: Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing Object: Two branches that has been broken from a tree -- one with leaves withering, the other without any leaves at all. Scripture: "I am the vine; you ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Deformed Foot Straightened By Long-Term Painful ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 26, 2010

Deformed Foot Straightened by Long-term Painful Pressure In Paul’s life he did face suffering for Christ - Colossians 1:24: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the Church." None of us ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Tags: God In The Hardships, Discipline

You Can Have My Room

Contributed by Jeffrey Dillinger on Dec 20, 2010

YOU CAN HAVE MY ROOM Wally was a 7th grade student who was bigger than any of the other students in his Sunday school class. His mother had been an alcoholic when he was born, and as a result, Wally just did not have all the mental capabilities that the rest of his classmates had. But somehow he ...read more

Tags: Birth Of Jesus

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Harvest Of Service

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 4, 2011

A HARVEST OF SERVICE Vehicles being thrown around like toys in the rushing waters and heartbreaking stories of lives lost have filled the news reports. The damage to bumper harvests was also devastating, probably in the billions of dollars, as the states of Queensland, NSW and Victoria in ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Influence Of Mothers

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2011

THE INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS Don DeWelt was one of my college professors at Ozark Christian College. Don preached a sermon entitled, "The only commandment the virgin Mary ever gave." What was that commandment? DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU. God bless all mothers who have said to her children, "Do whatever ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 6:20-24

Tags: Mother's Day

It Won't Happen To Us

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 21, 2011

IT WON'T HAPPEN TO US We began the week with the story of the Chicago nightclub fire in which 21 people were killed as they rushed to the exit. The club had already been cited for overcrowding and other safety violations--like not enough doors and windows. What happened was that a bouncer used ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 90:1-12

Tags: Death, Life, Priorities, Choice, Death Nearness  (view more)  (view less)

Visited By Angels

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

VISITED BY ANGELS Dr. Ralph Harlow tells the story getting away with his wife Marion for a few days to visit family and of walking with his wife through the woods of Ballarvale, MA as Spring was breaking forth. The path that he and Marion were on was spongy as they walked along a beautiful creek. ...read more

Tags: Angels

Denomination: Methodist

There Is Good In All

Contributed by Tim Smith on Feb 19, 2012

THERE IS GOOD IN ALL Norman Vincent Peale tells the story of one Christmas when he was 15 and his father, a physician turned minister, received a call from a brothel in the red light district. The madam had a girl who was dying and was calling for a minister. Quietly, his father explained to his ...read more

Tags: Christmas Eve

Denomination: Methodist

Nothing But The Blood  PRO

Contributed by Vernon Price on Apr 10, 2012

NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As ...read more

Tags: Revival

Denomination: Adventist

An Unusual Baptism On The Mission Field  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 5, 2012

AN UNUSUAL BAPTISM ON THE MISSION FIELD Some time back, a retired missionary dropped by our church. She had served faithfully in Africa, and one day, she happened upon a small baptismal service. A fellow missionary took three new converts to the center of a shallow river, and dug a hole in the ...read more

Scripture: Romans 6:3-5, John 16:12-15

Tags: Baptism

Moody And The Filling Of The Spirit  PRO

Contributed by Ken Pell on May 27, 2012

MOODY AND THE FILLING OF THE SPIRIT One of the great preachers in U.S. history is D. L. Moody. He pastored in Chicago and there is still a wonderful Bible College there that bears his name and values. Mr. Moody was a successful minister, but by his own admission, he lacked the power in his ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 33:1-22

Tags: Pentecost, Blessing, Esau, Isaac, Curse, Spoken Word  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Nazarene