In Sermon Illustrations: "Jesus Standing"

Christmas Night 2002, Jack Whittaker Had Five Out ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 27, 2008

Christmas night 2002, Jack Whittaker had five out of five numbers in the West Virginia Power ball drawing. Jack Whittaker had just won $314 million, the largest undivided lottery jackpot in history. He took the one lump payment and received $113 million after taxes. Listen closely to this part. ...read more

Tags: Money

The Battle Is Not To The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 8, 2009

THE BATTLE IS NOT TO THE STRONG A few centuries before Christ, Alexander the Great conquered almost all of the known world with his military strength, cleverness, and diplomacy. One day, Alexander and a small company of soldiers approached a strongly defended, walled city. Alexander, standing ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:31

Tags: Power

Marriage Conflict And Forklifts  PRO

Contributed by Tim Harlow on May 13, 2009

MARRIAGE CONFLICT AND FORKLIFTS Ephesians 4:26 says, "In your anger do not sin." Best story I read on this, as I was doing research this week, was about a woman who attacked her house with a forklift. This is the news report: Diane Fittipaldi, 2013 Sunset Lane, told Municipal Court Judge Levi ...read more

Tags: Anger

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Intercession: Pyramid Prayer?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 14, 2009

INTERCESSION: PYRAMID PRAYER? Philip Yancey in his book on prayer tells of a young American soldier in Iraq who learns that his wife back home has advanced cervical cancer. Doctors gave a bleak prognosis. In desperation, he sent an urgent email to his church with the request that everyone in turn ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 13:6

Tags: Intercession

The Prayer Of Cyrus ...

Contributed by Richard Tow on Sep 7, 2009

“The Prayer of Cyrus Brown.” “’The proper way for a man to pray,’ said Deacon Lamuel Keyes, ’and the only proper attitude is down upon his knees.’ ’No, I should say the way to pray,’ said Reverend Doctor Wise, ’is standing straight with outstretched arms and rapt and upturned eyes.’ ’Oh, no, no, ...read more

Tags: Prayer How To, Confidence In Prayer

Denomination: Charismatic

Charles Oakley On Tenacity

Contributed by Bobby Scobey on Oct 14, 2009

CHARLES OAKLEY ON TENACITY Charles Oakley, forward for the New York Knicks and an NBA All-Star, has a reputation for being one of basketball’s best rebounders. It’s his toughness, however, that has probably contributed the most to his outstanding sports career. While other professional players ...read more

Tags: Disciplines General

Denomination: Pentecostal

Hymn Story: Precious Lord, Take My Hand By Thomas ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 1, 2009

Hymn Story: Precious Lord, Take My Hand by Thomas Dorsey Thomas Dorsey was a black jazz musician from Atlanta who was known in the early 1920’s for the suggestive lyrics he combined with original music. Then God touched his life and in 1926 he gave up the suggestive music and began to write ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Tags: Death

People Who Give Up Vs. Those Who Don't ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Nov 22, 2009

People Who Give Up vs. Those Who Don’t Quit Shannon Faulkner made headlines a few years ago as she crusaded to become the first female cadet at The Citadel, an all-male military academy. After a prolonged court battle, you’ll remember, she finally won the right to enroll. But she couldn’t endure ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 10:11-12

Tags: Endurance

For Most Of Us Our Only Understanding Of Chariots ...

Contributed by Bruce Rzengota on Dec 8, 2009

For most of us our only understanding of chariots and there use in warfare comes from movies. Most of us have watch Charlton Heston in the chariot race in ben hur. There is scene in the movie Gladiator that is terrifying. Maximus and the other gladiators are dressed as barbarians. They are ...read more

Tags: War

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

When Church Is Miraculously Moved (Illustration: ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Dec 10, 2009

When Church Is Miraculously Moved (Illustration: 7606) The faith that moves mountains is borne out by the church that was moved by the Hand of God. Such a church stands to this day in the village of Swan Quarter, North Carolina. Before it was built in 1874 the congregation eyed with longing a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 17:20-21

Tags: Miracles General

On Nimrod And Super Heroes

Contributed by Ross Cochrane on Feb 12, 2010

ON NIMROD AND SUPER HEROES My grandson loves super heroes. He has videos of "Ben Ten" He stands there and with a big voice declares "I am Tahmongasaur!" (I think he means to say "Humongasaur" but you can't correct a three-year-old). Humongousaur is strong enough to bench press a pickup truck. Half ...read more

Tags: Heroism

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Tougher Pastures

Contributed by Curry Pikkaart on Mar 2, 2010

TOUGHER PASTURES For our own good God will not let us stay too comfortable! As unlikely as it sounds, the birth of a giraffe teaches us a similar lesson. When a baby giraffe is born it drops 10 feet to the ground and lands on its back. Within seconds, it rolls to an upright position with its ...read more

Tags: Affliction

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Parents Teach Their Children God's Word At A ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 2, 2010

Parents Teach Their Children God’s Word at a Restaurant I once read an illustration of a family who took this seriously. One night at a pizza parlor, we decided to use the minutes waiting for our food as a teaching time. We passed out an index card and pencil to each child and had them write down a ...read more

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Tags: Parenting

Secure In The Crossing

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 6, 2011

SECURE IN THE CROSSING During World War II, a passenger ship set sail from Great Britian headed for port in New York City. The Captain of the ship being afraid of enemy vessels, sought the advice and guidance of the British Admiral. The Admiral calmly assured the captain that no matter what ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:28-39

Tags: Security

Blankets Or No Blankets  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Apr 10, 2011

BLANKETS OR NO BLANKETS A good Presbyterian minister of Old Scotland, of the staid and orthodox type, had a poor old woman in his congregation who was in the habit of saying, "Praise the Lord," "Amen," when anything particularly helpful was said. This practice greatly disturbed the minister and ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 92:1-5

Tags: Worship General

Gold, Common Sense, And Fur

Contributed by Davon Huss on Dec 24, 2012

There was a couple who desperately wanted children. They prayed to the Lord and he gave them 4 children in 4 years. When the children were still 5 years old and younger, they were the stars of the Christmas pageant. Here are the mothers words to describe the production: “My daughter was playing ...read more

Tags: Christmas

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

10th Birthday

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 16, 2014

Donald Whitney tells us of his 10th birthday. He invited 8 friends. They played football and basketball, enjoyed hot dogs and hamburgers, then devoured ice cream and cake. “The climax was a gift from me to them. Nothing was too good for my friends. I was going to pay their way to the most ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:28

Tags: Right Worship, Casual Worship, Insincere Worship, Unacceptable Worship

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Get Back In The Game!

Contributed by John Bright on Mar 19, 2021

What if God started telling your church to do something we had never done before? How hard would you work against it - unwilling to change? There is an old saying – do you know what they put on the tombstone in front of a closed church? “WE NEVER DID IT THAT WAY BEFORE” If that’s the case, we ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:12-26, Ephesians 4:11-12

Tags: Sports, Pastor, Basketball, Laity

Denomination: Methodist

Grace Story/Joke

Contributed by Bruce Blythe on Apr 13, 2021

There are not many stories/jokes that illustrate Grace (plenty of definitions of Grace though!) so I made this one up for my sermon on Romans 11 (Reciprocity No, Grace Yes). Hope people find it helpful. Blessings. Bruce A Jew, an Islamic and a Christian were drinking coffee on a ship. Then the ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Tags: Grace Alone, By Grace We Are Saved, Reciprocity

Denomination: Baptist

Our Weakness

Contributed by Jerry Cosper on Apr 13, 2021

When I was in my early 20s and a student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, I was, believe it or not, in pretty good shape. I jogged regularly. I was a karate student. I went to the gym 4-5 times a week. I truly was in good shape. Now that I’m older, I’m realizing that I’m not what I used to ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-31

Tags: Weakness, God's Strength, God Sustains

Denomination: Baptist