In Sermon Illustrations: "How To Turn Off"

Timer: In The Last 30 Minutes…

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Oct 17, 2007

Hands on illustration: Have a timer with on the pulpit – set it for 30 minutes in front of everyone. The lesson from the timer is what motivated Solomon to write the book of Ecclesiastes because time was running out for him and for many others. It made him think about eternity and where he was ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Mike The Headless Chicken

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Apr 2, 2008

Mike the Headless Chicken On September 10, 1945, Mike’s short life was about to take a turn for the worse. On this day, Mike received a death sentence. His owners, Lloyd and Clara Olsen, decided that it was time to slaughter a group of birds, some to sell and to prepare others for themselves. Out ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Mike The Headless Chicken

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Apr 2, 2008

Mike the Headless Chicken On September 10, 1945, Mike’s short life was about to take a turn for the worse. On this day, Mike received a death sentence. His owners, Lloyd and Clara Olsen, decided that it was time to slaughter a group of birds, some to sell and to prepare others for themselves. Out ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Mike The Headless Chicken  PRO

Contributed by Terry Blankenship on Apr 2, 2008

Mike the Headless Chicken On September 10, 1945, Mike’s short life was about to take a turn for the worse. On this day, Mike received a death sentence. His owners, Lloyd and Clara Olsen, decided that it was time to slaughter a group of birds, some to sell and to prepare others for themselves. Out ...read more

Tags: Hypocrite, Con, Thief

Denomination: Baptist

The Turtle Tale  PRO

Contributed by Scott Reeves on Aug 26, 2014

It was near the end of the school year in LA (Lower Alabama) and the weather had turned unseasonably hot for mid-May. As I was driving home from the county school I’d substituted for that day I noticed a box turtle working to make his way across the hot pavement of the county road. I steered my car ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11, Jeremiah 23:11

Tags: Grace, Saving

Denomination: Methodist

Patchwork World

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

PATCHWORK WORLD Studdert Kennedy tells of an explorer who brought back a chameleon which his household affectionately named Billy the Lizard. The explorer left Billy in charge of his butler who showed him to his many friends and associates. When the explorer returned, he asked how Billy was. ...read more

Tags: Becoming A Christian

Grace & Works Story/Joke

Contributed by Bruce Blythe on Oct 23, 2021

Made this one up for my sermon on the whole Book of Romans (Works, Grace & Living). Hope some people find it helpful. Blessings. Bruce A Jew, and an Islamic, and a Christian were drinking coffee. As they sat and talked the conversation turned toward God. The Islamic said, “Now, regular prayer ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-6, Romans 12:3-8, Romans 3:20, Romans 12:1-2

Tags: Grace, Christian Living, Works

Denomination: Baptist

Car Radio. (I Kings 19:9-13 ...  PRO

Contributed by Raymond Petzholt on Mar 25, 2004

Illustration: Car Radio. (I Kings 19:9-13 Elijah, still small voice). One of my Professors at Seminary shared about a time he was driving to a speaking engagement with his wife. There was a storm coming so he needed to listen to the radio to hear the weather report. But he also wanted to talk ...read more

Scripture: John 10:27

Tags: Prayer In The Spirit, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Baptist

A Couple Of Years Ago When The Kirby's Were Here ...

Contributed by Gordon Douglas on Mar 4, 2008

A couple of years ago when the Kirby’s were here from India I let Kallie drive up I-17. I could not have picked a worse time…. Rush hour traffic…. Most of you probably know just how it is on I-17 from about the 101 to Anthem Way… Bumper to bumper…. Big trucks… little trucks… Cars of all ...read more

Denomination: Charismatic

Stop Looking For Reasons, Rest On The Promises

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 31, 2008

STOP LOOKING FOR REASONS, REST ON THE PROMISES Pastor and author Warren Wiersbe draws our attention to the 51 references of the writer (psalmist) to himself – his interests, desires, feelings, questions and plans. Wiersbe advises that a healthy antidote to depression is to stop looking at self and ...read more

Tags: God Brings Hope

Depression Antidote

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 16, 2008

DEPRESSION ANTIDOTE Pastor and author Warren Wiersbe draws our attention to the 51 references of the writer (psalmist) to himself, his interests, desires, feelings, questions and plans. Wiersbe advises that a healthy antidote to depression is to stop looking at self and look at God; second, to ...read more

Tags: Encouragement

The Definition Of A Bbq

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jul 8, 2009

THE DEFINITION OF A BBQ It’s the only type of cooking a "real man" will do. When a man volunteers to do the ’BBQ’ the following chain of events is put into motion: 1) The woman goes to the store. 2) The woman fixes the salad, vegetables, and dessert. 3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, ...read more

Tags: Father's Day

Thank You, Mom, For Being Strong For Me

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on May 4, 2020

It almost brings tears to my eyes when I watch the commercials where the child is growing up and is leaving home for college, or to get married and live in another city. I think about how difficult it must have been for my mom to watch me drive off to college in another city. And then later to ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:41-50

Tags: Mothers Day, Mothers Strength

Denomination: Baptist

Maybe You Heard About The Guy Who Fell In Love ...  PRO

Contributed by Joel Pankow on May 10, 2001

Maybe you heard about the guy who fell in love with an opera singer. He hardly knew her, since his only view of the singer was through binoculars - from the third balcony. He was convinced he could live “happily ever after” married to a voice like that. He scarcely noticed that she was ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:9

Tags: Romantic Love, Marriage Commitment, Christian Love

Denomination: Lutheran

Only In Obedience Are We Free

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Feb 19, 2012

ONLY IN OBEDIENCE ARE WE FREE In his book "Run with the Horses," Eugene Peterson tells how he saw a family of birds teaching their young to fly. Three young swallows were perched on a dead branch that stretched out over a lake. One adult swallow got alongside the chicks and started shoving them ...read more

Tags: Obedience

Denomination: Brethren

Many Years Ago There Was An Emperor Who Was So ...  PRO

Contributed by Steve Malone on Jul 9, 2001

Many years ago there was an emperor who was so fond of new clothes that he spent all of his money on them. He did not give himself any concern about his army; he cared nothing about the theater or for driving about in the woods, except for the sake of showing himself off in his new clothes. he ...read more

Tags: Truth, Temptation Pride, Humility

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Public Opinion

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2008

PUBLIC OPINION Some of you may have seen the joke that circulated this week on e-mail that tries to explain why Moses and the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. The punch line of the e-mail read, "Even then, men would not stop for directions." While this may not really explain ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Credit And Savings ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

CREDIT AND SAVINGS CRISIS A man decides he’s going to pay off his credit card. He owes $7,500 and believes God does not want him to be in debt, so he decides he’ll cut up the card and pay off the $7,500 by making the minimum monthly payment until it’s gone. Your question -- how long do you think ...read more

Scripture: Habakkuk 2:7

Tags: Money, Love Of God Or Money

Seeking God

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Aug 6, 2023

“Seeking God” Isaiah 55: 1-9 08/06/23 When my grandson Isaiah was three years old, he had a problem of wandering off and hiding. One day my daughter Maeghan and my wife Becky were shopping at a local mall and of course, he slipped off. All of a sudden, they realized he was missing. They ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9, Luke 11:9, Jeremiah 29:13, Deuteronomy 4:29-31

Tags: Seeking God, Obeying God

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

I Was A Guest At A Wedding A Couple Of Weeks Ago ...

Contributed by Peter Loughman on Oct 28, 2006

I was a guest at a wedding a couple of weeks ago at the Botanical Gardens here in town. It was a little buggy, but a very sweet and well done ceremony. At the close of the service, the pastor prayed a very touching prayer for the couple and ended his prayer saying. “we ask all of this in the name ...read more

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational