In Sermon Illustrations: "I Am Statements"

I Missed It All!  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Apr 14, 2003

I MISSED IT ALL! A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch. The little boy was curious and asked, "Why do you have that palm branch, dad?" "You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm ...read more

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday, Palm Sunday, Visit, Visitation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Work For Him

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Jun 11, 2003

John Kenneth Gailbraith, in his autobiography, A Life In Our Times, illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family's housekeeper. It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. Lyndon Johnson was ...read more

Tags: Discipleship

Denomination: Wesleyan

I'm Free  PRO

Contributed by Troy Borst on Sep 16, 2003

“I’m Free” by Unknown Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free, I’m following the path God has laid you see. I took His hand when I heard him call, I turned my back and left it all. I could not stay another day, To laugh, to love, to work, to play. Tasks left undone must stay that way, I found that ...read more

Tags: Death

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I'm Standing By  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Howell on Apr 17, 2004

I'm Standing By An ocean liner left a British port during WWII and headed for a harbor in the U.S. Enemy ships were everywhere. The captain was given secret directions charting the route. Added were these instructions: KKeep straight on this course. Turn aside for nothing. If you need help, ...read more

Tags: God's Provision

Denomination: Wesleyan

I Must Forgive  PRO

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jun 10, 2004

I MUST FORGIVE Sister Helen Prejean, in her book Dead Man Walking, tells the story of Lloyd LeBlanc, a Roman Catholic layman, whose son was murdered. When he arrived in the field with the sheriff’s deputies to identify his son, LeBlanc immediately knelt by his boy’s body and prayed the Lord’s ...read more

Tags: Forgiveness For Others, Forgiveness General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

I Saw Jesus  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Apr 24, 2001

I SAW JESUS. ~~Author Unknown~~ I saw Jesus last week. He was wearing blue jeans and an old shirt. He was up at the church building; He was alone and working hard. For just a minute he looked a little like one of our members. But it was Jesus,I could tell by his smile. I saw Jesus last Sunday. He ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines, Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

If I Were The Devil  PRO

Contributed by Jonathan Lucas on Jun 13, 2001

If I Were the Devil If I were the prince of darkness, I’d want to engulf the world in darkness, and I’d have a third of its real estate, and I’d have four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree. THEE. So I’d set about however necessary to ...read more

Tags: Devil, Satan, Sin, Sin Exposed, Sin Fall Of Man  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

I Must Not Hate  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Oct 26, 2001

I MUST NOT HATE In October of 2001, on the ABC network morning show, Diane Sawyer interviewed the sister-in-law of Osamma Bin Laden. She has been estranged from one of Bin Laden’s 23 brothers, Yeslam, and is seeking a divorce. For 27 years she put up with abuse – and she wants out! Diane ...read more

Tags: Compassion

Denomination: United Methodist

Everything I Need  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Jan 21, 2002

EVERYTHING I NEED “I have everything I need for joy!” Robert Reed said. His hands are twisted and his feet are useless. He can’t bathe himself. He can’t feed himself. He can’t brush his teeth, comb his hair, or put on his underwear. Strips of Velcro hold his shirts together. His speech drags ...read more

Tags: Joy, God Brings Hope

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Was Working In A Hospital In The ...

Contributed by Randall Mitchell, Sr. on Jun 1, 2007

ILLUSTRATION: I was working in a hospital in the Facility Safety Department as the night supervisor. I received a call from the E.R. nurse that they needed someone to watch a patient in one of the rooms. The man wanted to leave because, as he said, "I just have a scratch." The man couldn’t see ...read more

Denomination: Pentecostal

I'm Free

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I’M FREE Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free. I’m following the path God laid for me. I could not stay another day, To laugh, to love, or to play. I know my parting has left a void, You must fill it with joy. A laugh, or perhaps a kiss. Ah yes, these things I too will miss. Be not burdened ...read more

Tags: Death

I Remember Forgetting

Contributed by Richard Goble on Nov 12, 2007

I Remember Forgetting Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, was reminded one day of a vicious deed that someone had done to her years before. But she acted as if she had never even heard of the incident. “Don’t you remember it?” her friend asked. “No,” came Barton’s reply, “I ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Yesterday When I Was On The ...

Contributed by C Jordan on Jan 20, 2008

ILLUSTRATION: Yesterday when I was on the snowhill sledding with my kids, they were playing a game called ‘war’ where they would try to knock each other off of their sleds before they reached the bottom of the hill. My youngest daughter Hannah wanted me to ride on the sled with her because if I ...read more

Denomination: *other

I Love You ...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on May 9, 2008

ILLUSTRATION: I LOVE YOU ANYWAY Overcoming the odds is like the man who finally decided to ask his boss for a raise in salary. It was Friday. He told his wife that morning what he was about to do, All day the man felt nervous and apprehensive. Late in the afternoon he summoned the courage to ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Want It All

Contributed by John Boquist on Jul 19, 2008

I WANT IT ALL Some time ago, our daughter had just turned 15½ and received her learner’s permit. Once she did that, I actually handed her the keys to my car and let her in the driver’s seat. Suppose she had said something like, “Now that I have the keys, I’m going to drive the way I want to. ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Baptist

I Know Your ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

“I Know Your Face” Quite recently a very dear friend suffered the heartbreaking miscarriage of a child. She was devastated by this loss of life and it got me thinking about my own miscarriage some 23 years ago of our first child and how distraught I was. My husband, Terry, and I were not ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:16

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

I Can Swim!

Contributed by Dale Pilgrim on Aug 12, 2008

I CAN SWIM! Some of the richest times of my childhood are memories of my parents' interaction with us. Dad could kick a soccer ball in the air straight as an arrow, and my youthful mind remembered it becoming so small that it disappeared from view. Or the time he rode a bicycle and seem much too ...read more

Tags: Call Of The Disciples

Denomination: Salvation Army

I'm No Moses!

Contributed by Anne Benefield on Sep 4, 2008

"I'm No Moses!" When I received my call to go into ministry, I was praying. Immediately, I rejected the call, telling God that I was a business person, not really minister material. I knew how to speak about marketing. I knew a bit about managing people. I could talk about that. On and on I ...read more

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

I Missed The Comeback

Contributed by Gerald Albers on Oct 1, 2008

I Missed the Comeback On New Year's Day 1963, USC played Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl. The Wisconsin quarterback, Ron VanderKelen, was one of the all-time great college quarterbacks. I was fourteen years old at the time, and our family was gathered for New Year's Day celebrations. Pete Beathard of ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Independent/Bible

6588 I Thank ...

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Oct 14, 2008

6588 I Thank Thee O Thou whose bounty fills my cup, With every blessing meet! I give Thee thanks for every drop— The bitter and the sweet. I praise Thee for the desert road, And for the riverside; For all Thy goodness hath bestowed, And all Thy grace denied. I thank Thee for both smile and ...read more

Tags: Thanksgiving Holiday

Denomination: Other