In Sermon Illustrations: "John Updike" showing 781-800 of 4,145

Sputtering  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

SPUTTERING A man in North Carolina bought a new car with a voice-warning system. ... At first he was amused to hear the soft female voice gently remind him that his seat belt wasn’t fastened. ... Edwin affectionately called this voice the "little woman." He soon discovered his little woman was ...read more

Scripture: John 14:26

Tags: Direction, Holy Spirit, Rebellion, Conscience

Stuttering  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

STUTTERING A enormously muscular guy with a bad stutter goes to a counter in a department store and asks, "W-w-w-where’s the m-m-m-men’s dep-p-p-partment?" The clerk behind the counter just looks at him and says nothing. The man repeats himself: "W-w-w-where’s the m-m-m-men’s dep-p-p-partment?" ...read more

Scripture: John 14:26

Tags: Conscience

Escaped ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 28, 2009

ESCAPED CONFLICTS In the 1980’s a retired couple was alarmed by the threat of nuclear war so they undertook a serious study of all the inhabited places on the globe. Their goal was to determine where in the world would be the least likely place affected by a nuclear war -- a place of ultimate ...read more

Scripture: John 16:33

Tags: Trials And Difficulties

Never Said Thanks  PRO

Contributed by Et Tapper on Feb 9, 2009

NEVER SAID THANKS Edward Spencer was a ministerial student in Evanston, Illinois, and also a member of a life-saving squad during his school years. In 1860, a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue seventeen ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-18

Tags: Gratitude

Denomination: Pentecostal

The ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 10, 2009

THE SHEEP-CHASER A guide on a tour bus that traveled through Israel’s countryside had the crowd engaged as he explained the history, the scenery and the lifestyle. In his description, he included a heart-warming portrayal of the ancient shepherd/sheep relationship. He told of how the shepherd ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-15

Tags: Leadership General

The World Doesn't Hate You

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 12, 2009

THE WORLD DOESN’T HATE YOU After a tough and discouraging day at work, Melvin plopped himself on the couch and began wallowing in self-pity. His moaned to his wife, "Nobody cares about me. In fact, the whole world hates me." Without even looking up from her work, Melvin’s wife replied, "That’s ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18

Tags: Disappointment

Imbalanced ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 13, 2009

IMBALANCED COVERAGE Only 8% of Americans are atheist, reports The National Cultural Values Survey conducted for the Culture and Media Institute (CMI). Yet the U.S. news media does not subject atheism or atheists to the same skepticism to which it subjects Christians and Christianity. From the 105 ...read more

Scripture: John 15:18

Tags: Persecution

Christ Was Love  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Feb 16, 2009

CHRIST WAS LOVE I read a story that I thought was a perfect illustration as to what the perfect gift looks like at Christmas. It centered on a school Christmas pageant. Of course there was nothing there to make it religious. Only snowmen, reindeer and the like. And so the kindergarten class was ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16

Tags: Christmas

Light In The Darkness

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 11, 2009

LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS I remember a story told to me by a friend who flew combat choppers in Viet Nam. He was radioed to a secret mission one night which required him to fly in total darkness, totally by instruments. Hovering above a jungle under heavy cloud cover, he told me that it seemed you ...read more

Scripture: John 8:12

Tags: Christian Witness

The Story Of Isaac ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

THE STORY OF ISAAC WATTS A young boy complained to his father that most of the church hymns were boring and old-fashioned, with tiresome words that meant little to his generation. His father challenged him with these words: "If you think you can write better hymns, why don’t you?" The boy ...read more

Scripture: John 4:23-24

Tags: Worship General

Famous Last Words  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

FAMOUS LAST WORDS Karl Marx, died in 1883 with these last words: "Go on, get out - last words are for fools who haven’t said enough." Thomas à Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, d.1170 "I am ready to die for my Lord, that in my blood the Church may obtain liberty and peace." The very last words ...read more

Scripture: John 19:30

Tags: Cross

I ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 13, 2009

I CHEATED... Davy Troxel said: My 8-year-old son came home from school with a stuffed animal he had won at the class Valentine party. "How did that happen?" I asked. "Well," he explained, "the teacher put all our names together, then picked one out. I cheated, though," he said, looking ...read more

Scripture: John 16:24

Tags: Prayer General

Every Single Apostle Experienced Persecution: 1 ...  PRO

Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on May 29, 2007

• Every single apostle experienced persecution: 1 John died of old age exiled on the island of Patmos. 2 Peter was crucified upside down under Nero. 3. Andrew died upon a cross at Patrae, in Achia 4.James the brother of Jesus was thrown from a pinnacle of the temple and beaten to death by a ...read more

Scripture: John 20:11-31

Denomination: Baptist

I Know Of A Priest Back In New York City Who Went ...  PRO

Contributed by Austin Mansfield on Jun 3, 2007

I know of a priest back in New York City who went to Ireland to visit his relatives. While he was staying at his cousin’s farm, they decided to have some fun with him. After doing some chores in the fields, they told him to come in for dinner just as soon as he was through rounding up the sheep ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-10

Denomination: Episcopal/Anglican

Bamboo

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Once upon a time, in the heart of an ancient Kingdom, there was a beautiful garden. And there, in the cool of the day, the Master of the garden would walk. Of all the plants of the garden, the most beautiful and most beloved was gracious and noble bamboo. Year after year, bamboo grew yet more noble ...read more

Scripture: John 3:22-36

Tags: Humility, Surrender, Abundance, Send, Die To Live  (view more)  (view less)

More Than Anyone Else Christian Parents Can Have ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

More than anyone else Christian parents can have the most influence on their children, because when Christ died upon the Cross the veil was ripped open so they could enter into the presence of God who sits on the Throne of Grace. The call to pray is from God’s Word and we are given a sure promise, ...read more

Scripture: John 20:11-18

Tags: Faith

Paul Harvey Told About A 3-Year-Old Boy Who Went ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Paul Harvey told about a 3-year-old boy who went to the grocery store with his mother. Before they entered the grocery store she said to him, "Now you’re not going to get any chocolate chip cookies, so don’t even ask." She put him up in the cart & he sat in the little child’s seat while she ...read more

Scripture: John 16:23-24

Tags: Faith

A Little Boy Was Sick On Palm Sunday And Stayed ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch. The little boy was curious and asked, “Why do you have that palm branch, dad?” “You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, so ...read more

Scripture: John 12:12-19

Tags: Easter Palm Sunday

Samuel Logan Brengle Was One Of The Truly Great ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

Samuel Logan Brengle was one of the truly great leaders of the Salvation Army. A man of scholarship as well as of singular spiritual power, he outlined the road to spiritual authority and leadership in these challenging words: "It is not won by promotion, but by many prayers and tears. It is ...read more

Scripture: John 2:15

Tags: Prayer How To

A Catholic Sister, Sister Chris Schenk, Was ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 18, 2007

A Catholic sister, Sister Chris Schenk, was shocked when she took theology classes several years ago (1994) that taught Mary Magdalene, “a woman who had been one of Jesus’ most courageous apostles had been turned into a prostitute.” Then Schenk learned there were efforts to restore the reputation ...read more

Scripture: John 20:11-18

Tags: Easter Resurrection