In Sermon Illustrations: "Including"

Crime And ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 11, 2008

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT At the foot of the gallows, the condemned man recited Psalm 51 and added a word of personal repentance. A shroud was placed over his head, and he climbed the ladder, which the executioner then pulled away, leaving him to “dance upon nothing,” as the vernacular put it. ...read more

Tags: Sin Punishment Of

Some Of You Remember That Once Upon A Time I Was ...

Contributed by Dean O'bryan on Aug 25, 2008

Some of you remember that once upon a time I was -- sort of a hippie. It was during college -- Patty and I both attended K-State. My second Summer in college I left conservative K-State and went to a Navigator summer program in Boulder, CO. If you’ve been to Boulder you’ve seen the remnants of ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples

Denomination: Baptist

70 Funerals In One Day

Contributed by Gregg Bitter on Nov 24, 2010

70 FUNERALS IN ONE DAY During a forty-year ministry, I would guess that many pastors do seventy or more burials. But this wasn't over the full span of his ministry. In fact, it wasn't even a full year. In one day, Pastor Rinkart did burial rites for up to seventy people and did the same the next ...read more

Tags: Suffering Joy In

Denomination: Lutheran

Six Thousand Years

Contributed by John Putty on Apr 14, 2011

SIX THOUSAND YEARS Early Christian writers held that at the end of 6,000 years of history, Christ would return and reign for 1,000 years (referred to as the Millennium). These included Barnabas (c. A.D. 100), Justin Martyr and Irenaeus (c. A.D. 150), Lactantius (c. A.D. 325), and Methodius, Bishop ...read more

Tags: Rapture

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Beholden To Money

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 13, 2011

BEHOLDEN TO MONEY In his book How Much Is Enough? Hungering For God In An Affluent Culture author and Founder of Bread for the World: Arthur Simon writes about Bryce and Ellen, "a couple in their mid-thirties. They have two sons and a daughter, and on Sundays the family attends church more often ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-34

Tags: Money

The Stranger

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 19, 2011

THE STRANGER Some time ago, a small east coast community was struggling financially, so they called an open town meeting to discuss the problem. A couple dozen people were there, including a stranger that no one seemed to know. Most assumed he was a tourist who had just dropped in on the meeting. ...read more

Scripture: Acts 13:26-43

Tags: Ignorance

I'll Give You My First Paycheck

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 4, 2011

I'LL GIVE YOU MY FIRST PAYCHECK Craig C. had been an alcoholic for more than a dozen years. He'd lost everything he had, including his wife and son, due to his selfishness and addiction. Things began to change after he gave his life to Christ, but he still fell regularly into his old habits. It ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Tags: Trust

Joseph Smith: If Someone Had Shared Grace...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Sep 19, 2011

JOSEPH SMITH: IF SOMEONE HAD SHARED GRACE... Jesus was gracious to the woman taken in adultery. Sometimes, that is what reaches people. Sometimes, Christians are like the scribes and Pharisees, choosing to be judgmental instead of gracious. In the 1820's, a young woman named Emma gave birth to ...read more

Scripture: John 8:3-11

Tags: Evangelism, Grace, Witnessing, Evangelism How To

Denomination: Baptist

Who Will Speak Out?

Contributed by David Parks on Feb 21, 2012

WHO WILL SPEAK OUT? Martin Niemoller was a decorated U-boat captain in the First World War but subsequently became a minister of religion and a relatively high profile opponent of the Nazis as they increasingly gained firm hold of the reins to power in Germany. Niemoeller was active as a leader ...read more

Tags: Character

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Our Room Steward, Denny, Was So Nice And Seemed ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Mar 17, 2009

Our room steward, Denny, was so nice and seemed to genuinely show concern and respect to our family. It was amazing. So as I thought about this issue of respect, which we are going to talk about today, I also began to wonder if respect can be bought. How many of you have been on a cruise? This ...read more

Tags: Servanthood

Denomination: Church Of God

The Nobel Story

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009

THE NOBEL STORY In 1866, Alfred Nobel invented dynamite and built up companies and laboratories in more than 20 countries all over the world. In the process, he amassed a considerable fortune. When Nobel’s brother died, the newspaper made a mistake and ran an obituary for Alfred Nobel. In the ...read more

Tags: Character

The Church: We Need One Another

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Apr 6, 2009

THE CHURCH: WE NEED ONE ANOTHER A pastor received a call from a chronic alcoholic. He just couldn't seem to stay sober. He had tried several other churches, but they didn't seem to have anything to help him. Finally he called this pastor whose church had a reputation for not giving up on people. ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Denomination: Church Of God

Chargers Vs. Broncos

Contributed by Sean Harder on Jun 16, 2009

I was looking for modern day example of Paul’s heart, and I found it to some degree in an NFL football player. In a game between the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos on December 10, 2006, Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (known as L.T.) took his position the same way he had done ...read more

Tags: Humility, Sports

The Master And The Child  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on May 17, 2012

THE MASTER AND THE CHILD The folklore surrounding Poland's famous concert pianist and prime minister, Ignace Paderewski, includes a story, which though fictional, provides a true picture of what God can do with us: A mother, wishing to encourage her young son's progress at the piano, bought ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Tags: God In The Hardships

False Messiah—rev. Sun Myung Moon

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 10, 2012

FALSE MESSIAH—REV. SUN MYUNG MOON It amazes me how many religions are in stark opposition to Christianity; and they do not even have God as their leader. In fact, they are just empty philosophies being advanced by empty followers. While members of Congress looked on, Rev. Sun Myung Moon declared ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:18-29

Tags: Antichrist

Is Heaven Real?

Contributed by Tim Smith on May 11, 2014

The Bible uses the word heaven 532 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word for "heaven" is shamayim and is plural meaning "heights," "elevations." It is found in the first verse of the Bible. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" and in Gen 2:1 "Thus the heavens and the earth were ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-7

Tags: Heaven

Denomination: Methodist

God Can Destroy Everything On Earth!

Contributed by Paul Clemente on Nov 12, 2022

Genesis 7:17-24 See Hebrews 11:7 – What can we learn from this? - faith includes God's instructions and obedience God gave Noah a huge task (almost an impossibility to load up all sorts of animals and necessities in 7 days!) We do not note God indicating to Noah that God was going to help, ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 7:17-24

Tags: Judgement, Grace, God, Flood, Noah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Willie Stargell And The Pittsburgh Pirates' Family

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 2, 2023

Teammates of the late Willie Stargell called him "Pops" because of his leadership both on and off the baseball field. In 1979, when Stargell led the Pittsburgh Pirates to their second World Series title, the team was nicknamed "The Family" because of their close relationship and ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-11, Philippians 2:1-11

Tags: Prejudice, Diversity, Body Of Christ, Baseball, Family Of God, Love, Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Team, Unity  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Silent Night Holy Night

Contributed by Jm Raja Lawrence on Dec 20, 2023

"Silent Night" is one of the most beloved Christmas carols, known for its serene and tranquil melody. The story behind the song begins in the small Austrian village of Oberndorf bei Salzburg in 1818. The lyrics were written by Joseph Mohr, a young priest, and the music was composed by ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:16-25, Matthew 2:1-12, Luke 2:4-20

Tags: Silent Night Holy Night, Stille Nacht, Christmas, Christmas Season, Carols, Birth Of Jesus Christ  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Praying Mother

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on May 12, 2025

Has your life been impacted by a sacrificial mother who would never give up? Never underestimate the power of a praying mother. Born in 1669, Susanna Wesley raised up two of Christianity’s most gifted leaders, John and Charles Wesley. Daily, as a mother, Susanna prayed, “Dear God, guide me. Make ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 20:20-28, 1 Samuel 1:10-16

Tags: Prayer, Mother, Susanna Wesley

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ