In Sermon Illustrations: "Illustration"

Let The Lower Lights Be Burning  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Jan 30, 2004

[Illustration] Jesus stressed the positive effect we can have on others when He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 RSV). But if sin dims our testimony so that our “light” is no longer visible, ...read more

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

From Step Mom  PRO

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Mar 11, 2004

Opening Illustration from Step Mom: Scene were the dad explains to the children what happened to his and their mothers love for one another. He misrepresents what Love really is. But this scene shows that the world does not know what true love is. Luke explains to his children why he and ...read more

Tags: Unconditional Love

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

An Old Scotsman Operated A Little Rowboat For ...  PRO

Contributed by Craig West on Dec 10, 2004

An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day one of the passengers noticed that the good old man had carved on one oar the word "Faith," and on the other oar "Works." Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this. The old man being a well-balanced Christian and glad ...read more

Scripture: James 2:17

Tags: Faith General

Denomination: Baptist

I Was Thinking The Other Day About A Humorous ...  PRO

Contributed by Richard Tow on Apr 9, 2006

I was thinking the other day about a humorous discussion on how to pray. It is a good illustration what we’re talking about here. The discussion went something like this: “The Proper way for men to Pray, Said Deacon Samuel Keys (At least the best for me, Is down upon the knees.) Oh, I should ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To

Denomination: Charismatic

James S. Hewett Tells This Story. "A Tyrannical ...  PRO

Contributed by R. David Reynolds on Jun 18, 2006

James S. Hewett tells this story. “A tyrannical husband demanded that his wife conform to rigid standards of his choosing. She was to do certain things for him as a wife, mother, and homemaker. In time she came to hate her husband as much as she hated his list of rules and regulations. Then, ...read more

Tags: Parenting

Denomination: Methodist

Of The Need To Be Deliberate And ...

Contributed by Michael De Rosa on Sep 9, 2006

Illustration of the need to be deliberate and diligent: The weeds overcome When we lived in KCMO, we rented a duplex on Walrond Avenue. We had our own fenced in back yard and along the entire fence line, we had a lot of shrubs and weeds. I did not like that and wanted to get those things out of ...read more

Denomination: Free Methodist

There Have Been Times When We Have Gone To A High ...  PRO

Contributed by Danny Rogers on Nov 29, 2006

There have been times when we have gone to a high school football/basketball game and the kids asked for some money to buy candy. I gave them $5 and they returned with some candy. I ask for a piece and their answer is “no.” Here is what they don’t realize. First – I could take the candy away and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

Denomination: Baptist

Upi News Item ...

Contributed by Troy Borst on Dec 8, 2006

ILLUSTRATION… UPI News Item (http://www.bible.org/illus.php?topic_id=509) The Metropolitan Insurance Company received some unusual explanations for accidents from its automobile policyholders. The following are just few: “An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car, and vanished.” “The ...read more

Tags: Emotions

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

A Bus Driver And A Minister Were Standing In ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A bus driver and a minister were standing in line to get into heaven. The bus driver approached the gate and St. Peter said, "Welcome, I understand you were a bus driver. Since I’m in charge of housing, I believe I have found the perfect place for you. See that mansion over the hilltop? It’s yours. ...read more

Tags: Heaven

Do You Know This Man? His Name Is Thomas ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Do you know this man? His name is Thomas Jonathan Jackson. In 1851 he resigned from the army to teach at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. In the ensuing years tension arose between the Union states and the Southern states over slavery. In November 1859, Jackson was one of ...read more

Tags: God's Omnipotence

Rebellion In China

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Illustration from Tai Ping Rebellion in China We don’t learn much world history anymore in school. Back in the 1860s, a man arose in China who claimed to be a Messiah. [11] His name was Hong Xiuquan. Hong was this disturbed young salesman who read a bunch of heretical Christian literature, ...read more

Tags: Second Coming

Poem: Safely Home  PRO

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Aug 11, 2007

Poem: Safely Home I am home in Heaven, dear ones; Oh, so happy and so bright! There is perfect joy and beauty In this everlasting light. All pain and grief is over, Every restless tossing passed; I am now at peace forever, Safely home in Heaven at last. Did you wonder I so calmly Trod the valley ...read more

Tags: Pastor

Denomination: Other

Healing — Doctors Have Faith In Faith

Contributed by Herman Abrahams on Aug 12, 2007

ILLUSTRATION Healing - Doctors Have Faith in Faith A survey conducted by the American Academy of Family Physicians shows that ninety-nine percent of doctors believe a relationship exists between faith and physical healing. Recently, more than one thousand health-care professionals met at Harvard ...read more

Denomination: Charismatic

A Sharp Knife For The Vine Branches

Contributed by Lonnie Erwin on Oct 12, 2007

A sharp knife for the vine branches. -- I. THE TEXT SUGGESTS SELF-EXAMINATION. It mentions -- 1. Two characters who are in some respects exceedingly alike; they are both branches, and are in the vine: and yet for all this, the end of the one shall be to be cast away, while the end of the other ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

There Is A Story Of An 8 Year Old Boy Who Was ...

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Dec 13, 2007

There is a story of an 8 year old boy who was learning in school how plants grow, he was intrigued how a tiny seed can germinate in the ground and later burst through the ground, that week he attended a funeral where the pastor talked about the final resurrection of our bodies. Several days ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

A Pastor Had Gathered A Selected Group Of Workers ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 2, 2008

A pastor had gathered a selected group of workers to train them to witness for Jesus. A young worker was complaining to a veteran caller about one of the people he had visited. "I’ tried to tell him about Jesus, I tried to tell him about the love Jesus had for Him. I tried to tell him that Jesus ...read more

Ten Commandments For Spouses  PRO

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Apr 10, 2008

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR SPOUSES I. Thou shalt not wrap thy husband’s sandwiches in magazine articles about a man’s responsibility to love his wife. II. Thou shalt not leave Scripture verses about submission taped to they wife’s hairdryer. III. If thou teachest Sunday School, thou shalt ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-26

Denomination: Pentecostal

...

Contributed by Eric Ferguson on Jun 4, 2008

Illustration: Gumball Show students an ordinary gumball, explaining that there’s an art to fitting into the world—especially a world with gum. We can chew gum, blow bubbles with it, even use it as a sticky adhesive if we’re desperate. But unwise people make a mess of gum, like the little girl ...read more

Tags: Wisdom

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

P ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

PROMISES A Wall Street clerk went for a tuna sandwich one snowy noon and returned to work and found $37.1 million in negotiable certificates of deposit in a pouch dropped by a courier. The clerk turned them over to his supervisor, who notified the securities company. The man received a $250 reward ...read more

Tags: Promises Of God

Don't Just Count Them, Look Them In The Eye

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

DON’T JUST COUNT THEM, LOOK THEM IN THE EYE An item in Leadership magazine illustrates the importance of giving attention to needs, not just to numbers. "During World War II, economist E.F. Schumacher, then a young statistician, worked on a farm. Each day he would count the 32 head of cattle, then ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ