In Sermon Illustrations: "How To Turn Off"

If Someone Ran Through The Door Of Our Church ...

Contributed by David Moore on Jul 11, 2008

If someone ran through the door of our church tonight and cried out, “There is an exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance resulting in rapid, persistent chemical change which is releasing heat and light, accompanied by flame.” We might wonder what the problem is. But if they just should ...read more

Tags: Salvation

Denomination: Baptist

The Power Of Love

Contributed by Sermon Central on Sep 2, 2008

THE POWER OF LOVE An old fable tells how different instruments tried to master a piece of iron. The blows of the ax fell heavily, but its edge became more and more blunt. The saw’s relentless teeth worked until they were worn down or broken The hammer’s head flew off at the first stroke. Despite ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:9-11

Tags: Church General

A Busload Of Politicians Were Driving Down A ...  PRO

Contributed by Byron Sherman on Aug 16, 2001

A busload of politicians were driving down a country road when, all of a sudden, the bus ran off the road & crashed into a tree in an old farmer’s field. The old farmer, after seeing what happened, went over to investigate. He then proceeded to dig a hole & bury the politicians. A few days later, ...read more

Tags: Government

Denomination: Baptist

Trespasses And Debts  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 31, 2011

TRESPASSES AND DEBTS The story is told of two congregations that were located only a few blocks from each other in a small community. They thought it might be better if they would merge and become one united, larger, and more effective body rather than two struggling churches. Good idea ... but ...read more

Scripture: Romans 15:1-7

Tags: Divisions

Anxiety And Relationships

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Dec 27, 2020

Anxiety can be the ruin or the salvation of our relationships. It is an alarm mechanism. It alerts us to potential danger. But sometimes it goes off too often or quickly. Sometimes we do not seem able to regulate it. Shocked, we lash out, hold our ground, or retreat. However, anxiety can be our ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

Tags: Anxiety, Relationships

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Christians Die Better

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 13, 2009

CHRISTIANS DIE BETTER On May 28, 1914 a ship called the Express of Ireland hit another ship and began to sink quickly. As the ship began to sink in the cold Atlantic Ocean it was discovered that there were not enough life belts on board for all the passengers. On that ship were 130 Salvation Army ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Tags: God Brings Hope

You Don't Have To See To Believe

Contributed by Charles Wilkerson on Mar 10, 2009

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE TO BELIEVE Mt. Diablo is only about 3,500 feet, but it is very noticeable as it sits all alone in the Concord, California valley. Before I called them "God sightings" I found myself caught up in an "aha" moment as I looked at the cloud covered Mt. Diablo. I couldn’t help but ...read more

Tags: Faith

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Is This The Life I Want?  PRO

Contributed by Dean Kennedy on Sep 1, 2002

IS THIS THE LIFE I WANT? "I look in on my children as they sleep at night, [and] I think of the kind of father I want to be. I want to create moments of magic, I want them to remember laughing until the tears flow ... I want to have slow, sweet talks with them as they’re getting ready to close ...read more

Tags: Parenting, Disappointment

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Answered Prayer—with Cattle  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Feb 4, 2002

“Answered Prayer—With Cattle” Shortly after Dallas Theological Seminary was founded in 1924, it almost came to the point of bankruptcy. All the creditors were going to foreclose at noon on a particular day. That morning they met in the president’s office for prayer that God would provide. In ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 50:10

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer Answered

Denomination: Wesleyan

Have You Ever Watched A 2000-Pound Horse Pull ...  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Armbrester on Mar 24, 2003

Have you ever watched a 2000-pound horse pull logs? A few years ago, a friend called to tell me that a man who lived over the hill from us was having some trees cut out of his yard and they were using a Belgium horse to drag the logs. Lisa, Adam, Aaron, and I loaded up and went to watch. Like most ...read more

Tags: Faith, Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Methodist

I Was Watching The Abc Special "The Path To ...

Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Sep 17, 2006

I was watching the ABC special “The Path to 9/11” the other evening as it showed two Arab men talking in a restaurant in the U.S. They were planning the plot on the World Trade Center. One of the terrorists was telling the other that he had been in Germany and began talking about spiritual ...read more

Denomination: Methodist

Which House Would You Rather Live In?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 5, 2011

WHICH HOUSE WOULD YOU RATHER LIVE IN? On October 19, 2010, a test was conducted at the Institute for Business and Home Safety in Richburg, South Carolina. Researchers constructed two 1,300-square-foot houses inside a $40 million laboratory and then observed how a simulated hurricane would impact ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27

The Story Is Told Of A Young Man Who Had Just ...  PRO

Contributed by John Visser on Feb 20, 2006

The story is told of a young man who had just started his new job in the produce department of a grocery store, when a woman came up to him asking to buy a half head of lettuce. As politely as he could, the young man said that “In this store, we don’t sell half heads of lettuce, we sell whole ...read more

Tags: Dealing With Conflicts

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Whenever Our Family Moved To A New Town Or City, ...

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Apr 21, 2007

Whenever our family moved to a new town or city, the first few evenings were used to drive around and explore our new surroundings. We didn’t use a map or give much attention to where we were going. We had no particular destination in mind so a map held no value. We would come to an intersection ...read more

Denomination: Salvation Army

J. R. Packard Wrote A Short Story Entitled, "The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

J. R. Packard wrote a short story entitled, "The Trouble Is." In that story there is one very moving scene. A riot is in progress with blacks & whites fighting each other. The mother of the little black boy who is telling this story has been hurt. Her family has just gone down & picked her up off ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness General

Imagine That We Are Putting Together A 1,000 ...  PRO

Contributed by D. Greg Ebie on May 30, 2002

Imagine that we are putting together a 1,000 piece puzzle. In turn we each put pieces into place; slowly the beauty of the picture begins to take shape. As we continue putting the puzzle together we talk about what it would be like to be a part of the scene before us. As the final pieces are ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Assembly Of God

A Parishioner Called His Vicar Up, Very Angry On ...  PRO

Contributed by Revd. Martin Dale on May 10, 2008

A parishioner called his vicar up, very angry on a Monday morning. "Rector," He said "I tried to get you on Friday, but you weren't in." "It was my day off," the vicar replied. "Day off?" the parishioner stormed. "The Devil never has a day off." "Well, if I didn't have a day off," the vicar ...read more

Scripture: Luke 6:1-11

Tags: Sabbath

Denomination: Anglican

It's Likely That If Jesus Were Still Living Among ...  PRO

Contributed by Kevin Higgins on Mar 9, 2003

It’s likely that if Jesus were still living among us today, He would be considered a criminal. Everyone would be mad at Him… · The FDA for turning water into wine without a license · The EPA for killing fig trees · The American Medical Association for practicing medicine without a license · The ...read more

Tags: Jesus Life

Denomination: Baptist

Chronic Tardiness

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Jan 13, 2004

CHRONIC TARDINESS by Mary Sullivan I marked upon my calendar with smug efficiency, the time to go and see the doc so he could study me. I knew I’d be expected at Two-Thirty on the dot. Precisely at Two-Thirty-Three I wheeled into the lot. I flew out of the car and made a beeline for ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself

Denomination: Independent/Bible

United States Runner Marla Runyon Has Been ...

Contributed by R. Darrel Davis on Sep 17, 2004

United States runner Marla Runyon has been legally blind for 22 years. Even so, she competed in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. In fact she qualified for the finals in the 1500 meter race. (Marla finished eighth, three seconds behind the medal winners.) How does she do it? ...read more

Tags: Human Body, Hardship Of Life

Denomination: Baptist