In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus Is The Life"

When I Was In The Navy, Sailors Told Each Other ...

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Oct 28, 2007

When I was in the Navy, Sailors told each other all sorts of stories about what happened on various deployments or on liberty. They were called sea stories, and were often far from being true. In fact we used say that the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story was that a fairy tale begins ...read more

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

I Read A Story Of A Woman On Vacation That Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Kl Burrus on Nov 19, 2007

I read a story of a woman on vacation that was shopping in the finest stores. One day she saw the most beautiful cup she had ever seen. She went in bought the cup and everyday she would take the cup out and admire it. She would even talk to the cup and say, ’’I’m glad that I found you. You’re one ...read more

Tags: Son, Comfort, Dirt, Floor

Denomination: Baptist

The Fire Has Finally Died. It's Been Snuffed Out: ...

Contributed by Paul Dietz on Mar 19, 2008

The fire has finally died. It’s been snuffed out: Dampened by the coldness of betrayal, denial and doubt. No more glowing embers: Just a few dusty cinders remain laying in one clump. No more smoldering flares: Instead, just a few whiffs of smoke here and there. No more crackles, hisses or snaps of ...read more

Denomination: *other

Twilight Of The Book In 1937, 29% Of American ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2008

Twilight of the Book In 1937, 29% of American adults told the pollster George Gallup they were reading a book. In ’55, only 17% were. In ’78, a survey found that 55% had read a book in the previous 6 months. The question was even looser in ’98 and ’02; 71% of Americans had read a novel, short ...read more

Medicine For ...

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

“Medicine for America” “Reformation is Called For” Biblically examining the rule of kings who oversaw the nations of Judah and Israel reveals the truth, God blesses obedience and He chastens for disobedience. 2 Chronicles 17-20 reveals God’s view on the reign of Jehoshaphat. Understanding how ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 19:1-10

Tags: Patriotism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Ever-Flowing Stream Of Grace

Contributed by Terry Laughlin on Aug 11, 2008

Ever-flowing Stream of Grace (Gives Strength) Gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak: Isaiah 40:31 says, "But those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength." "Wait on the Lord" (qawah) is one word, an active verb in the original Hebrew writings, and is the ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31

Tags: Grace

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Get Down In The Ditches

Contributed by Betty Johnson on Aug 18, 2008

GET DOWN IN THE DITCHES A few years ago when I had my motorcycle accident and ended up in a ditch full of dirt, I was lost in the same way the Bible uses the world "lost." I could not get out of that ditch, even though every fiber of my being wanted to. My HEART wanted to. My spirit wanted to. ...read more

Tags: Evangelism The Lost

Denomination: Wesleyan

Consumed With Consumerism

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Mar 4, 2009

Consumed with Consumerism We Americans are CONSUMED with the CONSUMER mentality! We’re used to choosing whatever gives us the most "perks and bennies" at any given time. We look for a restaurant with the best price and menu and atmosphere and location. We go to the clothing store that carries ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10-12

Tags: Church Purpose Of

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Death Makes People Angry

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 7, 2009

DEATH MAKES PEOPLE ANGRY Back in September of 2004, Casey Neistat of New York City discovered that the battery in his first-generation 5 GB iPod could no longer hold a charge for more than an hour. So he called Apple. Unfortunately for him, Apple basically advised him to buy a new iPod (their ...read more

Tags: Death

A Forever Family

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 10, 2009

A FOREVER FAMILY Author Keith Miller tells of an outgoing 40-year-old woman who was part of a sharing group he led. Here is her story: "When I was a tiny little girl, my parents died and I was put in an orphanage. I was not pretty at all and no one seemed to want me. But I longed to be adopted ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14

Tags: Adoption

Persecution In Uganda, Story Of Kefa ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 2, 2009

Persecution in Uganda, Story of Kefa Sempangi Kefa Sempangi (whose story is told in the book A Distant Grief, Regal Books) was a national pastor in Africa and barely escaped with his family from brutal oppression and terror in his home country of Uganda. They made their way to Philadelphia, where ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:16-24

Tags: Persecution

My First Major Wall That I Went Through Came When ...

Contributed by Mark Eberly on Nov 9, 2009

My first major wall that I went through came when I got sober. But along the way, I ran into walls that now I know were just small ones. One of these had to do with my expectations of those that supposedly loved. Through the years of drinking and using, I had developed some very unhealthy ...read more

Tags: Emotions, Trust God

Denomination: Church Of God

¿como Debo Hablar? (Translation Below)

Contributed by Major Gerardo Balmori on Mar 22, 2010

¿Como debo hablar? (Translation below) ¿Ha hablado alguna vez con alguien, teniendo el sentimiento en su corazón que realmente no le escuchaban? Este es un lamento común entre los cristianos que predicamos los consejos de la palabra de Dios a otros. Sabemos que hablamos verdad, que proclamamos ...read more

Tags: Communication Speech

Denomination: Salvation Army

Hudson Taylor And True Friendship

Contributed by Rolando Delgado on Sep 22, 2010

HUDSON TAYLOR AND TRUE FRIENDSHIP (Translation follows) Hay una breve reflexión sobre esto en la vida de Hudson Taylor. Después de haber estado largo tiempo en China, lejos de su país y de su esposa, él vino a casa y su esposa lo fue a recibir al barco. Tomaron un transporte juntos, y, desde ...read more

Tags: Friendship General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Demolition Derby And The Surrender Stick

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 27, 2011

DEMOLITION DERBY AND THE SURRENDER STICK Lydia and I went to the Demolition Derby at the 4-H Fair this past week and had a blast. I loved watching drivers take aim at each other with the attempt to demolish or disable one another. We saw some great smash ups and did a lot of laughing. I don't know ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Common Bitterness

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 11, 2011

COMMON BITTERNESS When I was in college, I worked as a youth director at a little church out in the country about an hour’s drive away. There were two families in that congregation that didn’t get along. When they came to worship, they would take up their positions on opposite sides of the room ...read more

Tags: Bitterness

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Church Asks Non-Participants To Leave

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 21, 2011

CHURCH ASKS NON-PARTICIPANTS TO LEAVE Just a few years ago, Larknews.com carried the following fictional piece of satire on its website. In the form of a news release, it reported: Julie and Bob Clark were stunned to receive a letter from their church in July asking them to "participate in the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:15-16

Tags: Church Growth

Helping The Fallen

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 25, 2011

HELPING THE FALLEN One of the most touching moments in NBA history took place in a 2003 playoff game between the Portland Trailblazers and the Dallas Mavericks. Actually, it happened before the game began. Natalie Gilbert was a 13-year-old 8th grader who had won the chance to sing the national ...read more

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

Tags: Encouragement

The Avoidance Of Death

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 2, 2011

THE AVOIDANCE OF DEATH I read a great book called The Art of Dying, by Christianity Today editor Rob Moll. In the forward, by Lauren Winner, we read: "We no longer allow people to say that they are dying – rather, they are “battling” an illness. Far from encouraging the perilously ill to ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 1:23

Tags: Death Nearness

God's Whispers Are Ours To Hear

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Aug 31, 2011

GOD'S WHISPERS ARE OURS TO HEAR Bill Hybels' book: The Power of the Whisper: "Throughout history God has spoken. For millennia, he has forged his children’s faith by promising parted waters, empowering unlikely leaders, declaring world-changing prophecies-and imparting last-minute sermons to ...read more

Tags: God Brings Purpose

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational