In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus Death"

In An Effort To Attract The Unchurched, Some ...

Contributed by John Dobbs on Jan 9, 2010

In an effort to attract the unchurched, some churches have considered translating their unfamiliar terminology into familiar football phrases: *Blocking: Talking endlessly to the preacher at the church door and keeping everyone else from exiting. *Extra Point: What you receive when you tell the ...read more

Tags: Sports

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In The Last 5,500 Years Our World Has Only Seen ...

Contributed by Patrick Nix on Jul 9, 2010

In the last 5,500 years our world has only seen 292 years of peace. Over 14,000 wars have caused nearly 4 billion deaths. According to recent reports, stress-related claims rose 700% since the 80′s; in fact, 3 out of 5 doctor visits are stress-related. All kinds of factors today contribute ...read more

Tags: Peace

Denomination: Baptist

The Battle Is Really Over

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Nov 24, 2010

THE BATTLE IS REALLY OVER Theologians tell a story to illustrate how Christ’s triumph presently benefits our lives: Imagine a city under siege. The enemy that surrounds they city will not let anyone or anything leave. Supplies are running low, and the citizens are fearful. But in the dark of the ...read more

Tags: Fear And Worry

Denomination: Brethren

Bless You, Prison

Contributed by Gordon Curley on Jan 16, 2011

BLESS YOU, PRISON Alexander Solzhenitsyn was a Russian and Soviet novelist, dramatist, and historian. His writings helped to make the world aware of the Gulag, the Soviet Union's forced labour camp system. One night while he was in prison in Siberia, his cell mate Boris Kornfeld, a Jewish doctor, ...read more

Tags: Persecution

Denomination: Brethren

Abolishing Slavery: Wilberforce And Moses

Contributed by Ken Pell on Mar 21, 2011

ABOLISHING SLAVERY: WILBERFORCE AND MOSES I found myself reading William Wilberforce’s speeches to the British Parliament the other day, particularly his speeches to abolish the slave trade. I was struck by the tenacity, patience, and confidence that he showed. He was convinced that this evil ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Nazarene

The Hunger Games: Laying Down Your Life

Contributed by Jeff Morrison on Mar 30, 2012

THE HUNGER GAMES: LAYING DOWN YOUR LIFE In the movie, "The Hunger Games," 16 year old Katness is faced with a dramatic choice when her 12 year old sister is chosen by lottery to fight for their district. She knows her sister is small and frail, and that she would not last in the life or death ...read more

Tags: Giving Yourself

Denomination: Baptist

Marriage Takes Hard Work

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Aug 28, 2012

MARRIAGE TAKES HARD WORK Good marriages are designed in heaven, but they are made on earth. And it takes hard work. It reminds me of the pastor of a big city church who ran an ad for a caretaker/housekeeper. The next day, a well-dressed young man appeared at the pastor's door. But before he ...read more

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

If I Could Rescue Just One Person...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Jun 23, 2014

In 1879, Charlie Peace, a well-known criminal in London, faced execution by hanging. When he was marched to the gallows, a minister walked behind him. In keeping with custom, the minister read aloud this passage from a prayer book, "Those who die without Christ experience hell, which is the pain ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20

Tags: Evangelism, Rescue, Evangelism Urgency, Hell Is Real

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

In The Ice Age Movies A Squirrel Is On A Neve...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Sep 5, 2015

In the Ice Age movies a squirrel is on a never ending quest for the acorn. He tries and he tries to get that acorn, and meets with a variety of misadventures along the way. He never succeeds in getting the acorn. In one of these movies, the squirrel has a "near death" experience, and finds himself ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:13-16

Tags: Heaven, Alien, Better Life, Better Home, Temporary Home  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

During The Great Depression A Good Man Lost H...

Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 9, 2015

During the Great Depression a good man lost his job, exhausted his savings, and forfeited his home. His grief was multiplied by the sudden death of his young wife. The only thing he had left was his faith. One day as he combed the neighborhood looking for work he stopped to watch as men did ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Tags: Faith, Suffering, Pruning, Works Tested By Fire

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hero Vs Hero Maker

Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 28, 2018

What does it mean to be a hero maker? A hero maker is a leader who shifts from being the hero to making others the hero in God's unfolding story. Real hero makers first die to any vision of personal glory. The dying involves a very real transition, one of grief and loss of ever becoming that ...read more

Scripture: John 14:12, Matthew 6:33

Tags: Leadership, Disciple Making, Leadership Training

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Lazarus Churches That Are Dead And Stinketh!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Jan 31, 2022

Vance Havner once commented that ministries often begin with a man who has a vision. That vision is captured by others and becomes a movement. As the movement gains followers and momentum, it becomes a machine. After a while, people forget all about the vision and what was once a movement ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Tags: Book Of Acts, Backsliding, Dying Churches, Church, Holy Spirit, Revival, Repentance  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

A Great Story For Mother's Day

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Apr 19, 2022

Years ago, a young mother was making her way across the hills of South Wales, carrying her tiny baby in her arms, when she was overtaken by a blinding blizzard. She never reached her destination and when the blizzard had subsided her body was found by searchers beneath a mound of snow. But they ...read more

Tags: Children, Women, Mothers, Mother's Day, Leaders, Love  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Christmas Suicide Myth

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Feb 3, 2024

It is a myth that suicide rates increase during the holidays. It is true that deaths rise around Christmas and New Year’s Day. Authorities are not sure why, but some suspect it is because people delay addressing health concerns until after the holidays and/or because hospitals, nursing homes, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:1-20

Tags: Christmas, Suicide, Christmas Myth

Denomination: Independent/Bible

8 Types Of Suffering In The Bible

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 25, 2024

Walter Kaiser’s article on “where Job’s friends went wrong about suffering” is very interesting. In the article, Kaiser identifies eight types of suffering mentioned in the Bible. 1. retributive suffering (caused by sin and disobedience to God) 2. educational or disciplinary suffering (as in ...read more

Tags: Glory Of God, Trials, Faith, Doubt, Prayer, Suffering, Testimony, Tribulation, Hurt, Pain  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

History Of Father's Day - Sonora Smart Dodd

Contributed by J Jeffrey Smead on Nov 25, 2025

Indeed ... It is Father's Day, ... and the very first national celebration ... of this day .... was on June 19, 1924, ... via a proclamation ... of President Calvin Coolidge. But it all came about ... due to the efforts of a woman named ... "Sonora" Smart Dodd. Sonora was sitting ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 4:19, Romans 8:38-39, Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 12:10-11, Ephesians 6:1-3, Colossians 3:21  (view more)  (view less)

Tags: Fathers, Remembrence, Love, Father's Day, Celebrate  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Anglican

Too Soon To Quit

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Feb 3, 2009

TOO SOON TO QUIT Mark 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. I heard a story of a weak, sickly man. The weak man decided to withdraw from society and die. The man owned a cabin far from any other people. There was a boulder by the edge of the porch, a huge boulder. He ...read more

Tags: Endurance

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Opening Illustration: Song And Clip From

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Feb 12, 2010

Opening Illustration: Song and clip from "Jesus take the wheel." This little clip we just heard reveals how prayer is only a breath away. It’s really more natural to pray than not to pray. Thesis: We need to understand the importance of prayer and the impact of prayer in our lives. The song you ...read more

Tags: Prayer General

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sleeping In The Cemetery  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 22, 2005

SLEEPING IN THE CEMETERY According to a March, 2005 news report, a tramp in Holland has been found using the cemetery as his sleeping quarters. The man was charged by police after they caught him a second time sleeping in the graveyard at Nijmegen. The 43-year old had dug out the earth from ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-15

Tags: Easter Resurrection

I Came Across An Interesting Story About A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

I came across an interesting story about a legendary lawyer by the name of Sir Lionel Luckhoo. He was the flamboyant Guyanese barrister who died at the age of 83 and was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s most successful advocate with 245 consecutive successful defenses in murder ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:1-2

Tags: Advocate, Cross Agony