In Sermon Illustrations: "Keep Going"

Four Sets Of Teeth  PRO

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Mar 1, 2010

FOUR SETS OF TEETH Simon was an Orthodox Jew. He had a Gentile friend, James, who noticed that Simon owned four sets of false teeth. One day James asked his friend why he had so many sets of false teeth. Surprised by the question, Simon explained, "My friend, as you know, I keep kosher. I have ...read more

Tags: Hypocrisy

Denomination: Independent/Bible

As An Amateur Photographer, I Have Often Been ...

Contributed by Michael Tkachuk on May 17, 2010

As an amateur photographer, I have often been asked to take photos of people at various events – maybe it was at a wedding, or for a school yearbook, or for the press. Well, some of the photos turned out very pleasing but some were not so flattering. The request has always been to destroy bad ...read more

Tags: Truth Absolute, Photographer

Denomination: Catholic

Woodpeckers Grounding The Shuttle Discovery ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jun 3, 2010

Woodpeckers Grounding the Shuttle Discovery Likened to Problems in Marriage The space shuttle Discovery was grounded recently--not by technical difficulties or lack of government funding, but by woodpeckers. Yellow-shafted flicker woodpeckers found the insulating foam on the shuttle’s external fuel ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:31-33

Tags: Marriage Struggle

Viticulture In The Near East

Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jun 10, 2010

VITICULTURE IN THE NEAR EAST The vine has been cultivated in Pal. from the earliest times. The climate of Pal. is peculiarly adapted to viticulture with the country's bright sunshine and the heavy dew of the late summer nights (Tenney Pg. 882) Its Cultivation The cultivation of the vine ...read more

Tags: Jesus Teachings

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

God's Standard For Sin

Contributed by K. Edward Skidmore on Dec 30, 2010

GOD'S STANDARD FOR SIN At a former church, a youth leader came up to me one day and said, "I'm trying to figure out the way God judges sin. The best I can figure it, I assume he grades on the curve like they do at school. You know, 70% good is a passing grade." I had bad news for him. God has a ...read more

Tags: Judgment

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

How Were The Old Testament Saints Saved?

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

HOW WERE THE OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS SAVED? H. A. Ironside was traveling and dropped in on a Sunday school class. The unprepared teacher asked how Old Testament saints were saved and somebody answered, "By keeping the law." The teacher said, "Correct!" Ironside raised his hand and said, "Romans ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 3:6-9

Tags: Faith

Feeling A Tug  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Aug 3, 2011

FEELING A TUG A small boy was flying a kite one April afternoon when a low drifting cloud encircled the kite and hid it from view. A man passing by asked the little boy what he was doing with that string in his hand. "I’m flying my kite," the child responded. The man, looking up and seeing ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1

Tags: Faith, Real Faith, Better Faith, Feeling Faith

Where's Your Security  PRO

Contributed by Ronnie Miller on Aug 11, 2011

WHERE'S YOUR SECURITY (NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Investors lost $1 trillion in the in the stock market Monday as the debt crisis in Europe, lackluster economic news and a downgrade to the U.S. credit rating spark fears of a double-dip recession. Investors placed their wealth in the hands of a man ...read more

Scripture: John 10:28-29, Jude 1:24-25, 1 Peter 1:18-19

Tags: Holy Spirit, Salvation, Security, Promises Of God, Secure  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Gradual Road To Hell  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Oct 27, 2011

THE GRADUAL ROAD TO HELL In C.S. Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters, we read the story of an older demon counseling a younger demon. At one point in the book, we read these words: "You will say that these are very small sins, and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to ...read more

Scripture: James 1:13-15

Tags: Sin Deceptive, Risk Of Sin

Take My Wife...please

Contributed by Perry Greene on Nov 30, 2011

TAKE MY WIFE...PLEASE A hooded robber burst into a Texas bank and forced the tellers to load a sack full of cash. On his way out the door, a brave Texas customer grabbed the hood and pulled it off revealing the robber’s face. The robber shot the customer without a moment’s hesitation. He then ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:25

Tags: Marriage General

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Billy Graham: Can Money Buy Happiness?  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jul 23, 2012

BILLY GRAHAM: CAN MONEY BUY HAPPINESS? Rev. Billy Graham: "The Bible warns that money cannot buy happiness. Money cannot buy true pleasure. Money cannot buy peace of heart. And money cannot buy entrance into the Kingdom of God. If God has given you more than your neighbors around about you, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 12:13-34

Tags: Money

The Blue And Red Spigots

Contributed by Tim Hinrichs on Sep 13, 2012

THE BLUE AND RED SPIGOTS John Michael Cussick (Surfing for God, 104) took out two brass spigots. One has a red knob and the other has a blue knob. The red knob represents how we often look at the Christian life. The assumption is that the source from which the water flows is a cesspool and so we ...read more

Tags: Christian Disciplines

Denomination: Lutheran

The Cod And The Cat Fish

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Jul 9, 2022

TELL THE STORY OF THE COD… There was a favorite fish along the east coast. It is the COD. The cod was so tasty and it was a favorite dish along the coast. So the market expanded but something was lost in the shipping. The frozen cod was mushy and tasteless. So they began shipping the cod alive in ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 42:5, Genesis 41:41

Tags: Enemy, Forgive

Denomination: Assembly Of God

Jesus Is Coming --- Get Busy!

Contributed by Garris Hudson on Mar 22, 2024

During his 1960 presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy often closed his speeches with the story of Colonel Davenport, the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives. On May 19th, 1780 the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, ...read more

Tags: Second Coming, Rapture, Laziness, Time, Return Of Christ, Work, End Times, Prophecy, Faithfulness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Preacher's New Suit

Contributed by Loyd C. Taylor on Jun 24, 2025

The Preacher’s New Suit I was recently invited to preach for the Sunday morning service. Ice Breaker: For an introduction, I stated the following: I introduced myself and then shared the following. Hello, I'm LC Taylor and my wife is Kathy. My wife and I were discussing how honored we were ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 17:22

Tags: Suit, Icebreaker, Sermon Introductions, Ice Breaker, New Suit, Appearance, Humor, Laughter  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

The Goal Of Spiritual Gifts

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

Spiritual Gifts were documented in Class Meetings within the Wesleyan tradition. It was there that members shared their lives – the successes and the struggles. They would search the Scriptures for answers, and they would pray for each other. Those prayers included listening for a Word from the ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Tags: Small Groups, Class Meeting, Love, Spiritual Gifts

Denomination: Methodist

Grass On Your Path

Contributed by David Dunn on Jan 21, 2026

Prayer sharpens perception. It tunes the heart so you sense danger before it speaks. John Bunyan once wrote, “Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.” Both can’t thrive in the same heart. Early African believers understood this. Each had a path ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:41

Tags: Prayer, Vigilance

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

There Are Three Types Of Christians Who Respond ...  PRO

Contributed by Tony Abram on Sep 7, 2007

There are three types of Christians who respond to the call of service: 1. Rowboat Christians -- have to be pushed. 2. Sailboat Christians -- always go with wind. 3. Steamboat Christians -- make up their ...read more

Goodbye Ginger!" 1 Corinthians13: 8-13: Key ...  PRO

Contributed by Mark Brunner on Oct 13, 2004

“Goodbye Ginger!” 1 Corinthians13: 8-13: Key verse(s): 12: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” Yesterday, on a bright and sunny autumn day, Ginger died. Ginger was one of my ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Tags: Death Nearness, Death

Denomination: Lutheran

Remarks By President Bush  PRO

Contributed by Warren Lamb on Nov 11, 2006

Remarks by President Bush At Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Day Commemoration Arlington National Cemetery May 31, 2004 This morning I had the honor of placing a wreath before the Tomb of the Unknowns. This custom is observed every Memorial Day on behalf of the American people as a mark of ...read more

Tags: Memorial Day, Separation

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational