In Sermon Illustrations: "Insurmountable Problems"

7 Ways To Build Self-Control

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Feb 27, 2023

To be self-controlled is to restrain ourselves by not giving in to our depraved desires. We can say “no” when everything in us is saying “yes” for all the wrong reasons. We deny worldly lusts when we withhold our consent from them and when we refuse the delight they suggest. God will give us the ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Temptation, Character, Fruit Of The Spirit, Discipline, Works Of The Flesh, Self Control, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

You Are My Dear, Dear Child: I'm Delighted With You.

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Apr 22, 2023

A famous movie-maker had a huge legal wrangle with his longtime mentor and guide. The younger man simply couldn't handle criticism and ended up rejecting the person who had helped him so much. When it was all over, a close friend summed up the real problem. "It was all about an ungenerous ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:9-13, Matthew 3:13-17

Tags: Loved By God, Jesus Baptism, God's Love, Loved

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Talking Dog For Sale!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Oct 13, 2024

A guy sees a sign in front of a house: "Talking Dog for Sale." He rings the bell and the owner tells him the dog is in the backyard. The guy goes into the backyard and sees an old black mutt just sitting there. "You talk?" he asks. "Yep," the mutt replies. "So, ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 12:22, Colossians 3:9, Exodus 20:16

Tags: Sermon Introductions, Truth, Lies, Deceit, Dogs  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Gossip Test

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Feb 11, 2025

Do I get excited when I hear, “Have you heard…?” Does my heart do a little dance when someone starts with, “You won’t believe what I just found out!” If so, you know the answer—it’s gossip. If you find yourself pulling up a chair and grabbing some popcorn, it’s time to rethink your choices. The ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:20

Tags: Prayer, Gossip, Power Of Words, Test

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Great Background On Psalm 37 - Having God's Peace In Horrible Times

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Sep 27, 2025

Background on Psalm 37 - How to Have God's Peace in Horrible Times Anyone who has read a good portion of God's Word knows that there are a lot of prayers provided for us in the Bible. The Dake Annotated Reference Bible lists 222 different prayers in the Bible: 176 prayers in the Old ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 37:1-11

Tags: Receive God's Righteousness, Cast Your Cares On The Lord, God's Righteousness, God's Rest, Hardships, Cares, God's Shelter, Horrible Times, Pain, Evil, Suffering, Trusting God, God's Peace, Rejoice In The Lord  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

A True Story Of How My Close Relative's Urgent ...

Contributed by Suresh Manoharan on Dec 8, 2011

A true story of how my close relative's urgent financial need was met by God's Providence! Dear friends, Jesus is same yesterday, today & forever (Hebrews 13:8). Oh how many personal experiences I have had and oh how many true accounts I have heard from God’s servants of the Almighty using ...read more

Tags: Opportunity

Denomination: *other

The New ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2012

THE NEW STUDENT Wendy has the typical dreams owned by the typical High School students. She wants to make friends, she wants to join some clubs, she wants to become a cheerleader, and ultimately wants to graduate and make a living for herself and her future family. There’s only one problem however. ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Tags: Lies

I Think It's Jesus In The Liimo

Contributed by Joe Tilton on Jun 4, 2013

I THINK IT'S JESUS IN THE LIMO The Oklahoma Conference Leader Bishop Hayes is returning home after a speaking engagement. When his plane arrives, there is a limousine there to transport him to his home in Oklahoma City. As he prepares to get into the limo, he stops and speaks to the driver. "You ...read more

Tags: Jesus Christ

Denomination: *other

Who's Flying The Plane?

Contributed by Roger Whipp on Dec 31, 2014

I guess many here including me have in the past and if honest still do sometimes ask this question “Why God?” or “How can there be a God with all this suffering” Sometimes life hands us some tricky situations. Former President Ronald Reagan likes to tell a story which he says is true about a ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:18-31

Tags: Hope, Suffering

Denomination: *other

Consecration To God--Making A Personal Stand For Jesus

Contributed by Richard Tow on Dec 14, 2017

I read the story of a young woman who out of curiosity entered a little Presbyterian church one evening. She heard the gospel for the first time and was converted. Later she heard God’s call on her life to go to China as a missionary. She was the only daughter of a multi-millionaire. She was ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:1-50

Tags: Sacrifice, Missions, Consecrated Life

Denomination: Charismatic

Soren Kierkegaard, The Great Danish Theologian Of ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 28, 2008

Soren Kierkegaard, the great Danish theologian of another century, tells the story of a prince who was running an errand for his father one day in the local village. As he did so, he passed through a very poor section of the town. Looking through the window of his carriage, he saw a beautiful young ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Prayer Changes ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS A lady was out hitting all the local garage sales when she came across an old needlepoint picture that read, "Prayer Changes Lives." She bought it, took it home and began to look for just the right place to hang the new picture. Finally, she decided that it went well in the ...read more

Tags: Change

Know-It-All Christians

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

KNOW-IT-ALL CHRISTIANS Chuck Yeager, the famed test pilot, was flying an F-86 Sabre over a lake in the Sierras when he decided to buzz a friend’s house near the edge of the lake. During a slow roll, he suddenly felt his aileron lock. Says Yeager, "It was a hairy moment, flying about 150 feet off ...read more

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Common-Ism In The Church  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

COMMON-ISM IN THE CHURCH Years ago I ran across this following definition of the various forms of government. They compared capitalism (the economic model we try to follow in our country) with communism and socialism, and they used a simple illustration to drive their point home. In a capitalist ...read more

Scripture: Acts 2:42-48

Tags: Church Body Of Christ

Bears, Caps And Bags

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

BEARS, CAPS AND BAGS Two hunters came across a bear so big that they dropped their rifles and ran for cover. One man climbed a tree while the other hid in a nearby cave. The bear was in no hurry to eat, so he sat down between the tree and the cave to reflect upon his good fortune. Suddenly, and ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:6-9

Tags: Hardship Of Life

No Talking Him Into ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

NO TALKING HIM INTO IT One lady said: Rushing to work, I was driving too fast and as a result was pulled over by the highway patrol. The state trooper noticed that my shirt had the name of a local high school on it. "I teach math there," I explained. The trooper smiled, and said, "Okay, here’s a ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Salvation

The Gossipping Preacher

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 5, 2021

Three preachers from the same small town in Texas were out fishing together, just getting away from the busy pace of a minister's schedule. All alone in a boat together, they began to open up and confess things in their lives. The first preacher said, "Well, I hate to admit it, but I ...read more

Tags: Gossip, Critical Spirit, Rumors, Preachers, Backbiting, Tale Bearing  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Spirit Of Fear

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

There was a lady who died in 1916 named Hetty Green. She has been called “America’s greatest miser.” When she died in 1916, her estate was valued at $100 million. But she was so miserly that she ate cold oatmeal in order to save the expense of heating the water. When her son had a severe leg ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

Tags: Fear, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Spirit Of Fear

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Authority Of The Believer  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 30, 2010

THE AUTHORITY OF THE BELIEVER In Santa Cruz there's a strip called Pacific Avenue, and there's a number of bars. And I remember walking down Pacific Avenue, and it was getting a little rowdy. And there was two or three very burly guys in kinda tight T-shirts that looked like they could kill you, ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14, Luke 4:31-38

Tags: Authority

Doing Your Duty With A Little Faith

Contributed by Richard L. Brown on Sep 16, 2023

Don Gullett was the greatest athlete eastern Kentucky has ever seen. He excelled in all sports. He was so good that he was recruited by the University of Kentucky in all three sports….Basketball, Football, and Baseball. In Basketball he averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds a game; I personally ...read more

Scripture: Luke 17:5-10, 2 Timothy 1:3-12

Tags: Faith, Trust

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed